The New Remote

Finally, FINALLY, after all the hullabaloo about Blu-ray versus HD-DVD, I have caved and bought a new VCR.

My old VCR crapped out probably about three years ago and I've got a lot of old VHS tapes sitting on my shelves. I just gave my DVD player to my sister and went and got a new VHS/DVD combo player. Pretty good deal, if anyone's asking(no one is asking).

I bet you're wondering, "Jeff, why don't you just buy all those old, crappy movies* on DVD which now are sure to come loaded with special features and commentaries?" I'll tell you- besides the nostalgic quality, the fact that my friends and I almost primarily watch VHS movies, I also have quite a few old blank tapes of the videos I made with my friends, stuff taped from TV, and a couple of dirty movies on videotape.

ANYWAY- I had spent a long time with my old DVD player and had gotten pretty used to its remote control. With its tiny buttons and awkward cheap-o layout, I had gotten to a point where I could work with it really fast.

Now I've got this "new" piece of technology and a whole new remote and I have to learn how to use it. The layout is different, even more cheap-o, and JUST different enough that I have to pause and squint my eyes everytime I'm watching a movie or TV show. Like, the DVD Menu button is on the opposite side of the remote, the Pause button is inverted than it's previous position, and the Play button, the button one uses THE LEAST, is the largest, most prominent molded rubber switch on the whole damn thing.

So now, I sit here watching my Pan&Scan copy of Sylvester Stallone's "The Specialist" and it has been so long, it's like watching a new movie. Oh the joys of a new format. Thank you, science!







*Highlights from my VHS collection include: Demolition Man, Speed, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Executive Decision, and The Peacemaker.