I was pretty excited today because I got the DVD recorder that Mom and Dad bought me for my birthday in the mail.  After work and dinner, I spent some time hooking it up and comparing the video and audio quality to my trusty old Pioneer.  I came to the conclusion that I would have to leave both of them hooked up; the Pioneer has optical out for the audio, and there is a notable difference between that and the coaxial audio out on the new Magnavox.

Once I had settled that issue and moved my server to a different shelf (freeing up some space in the sad, sad, little “entertainment center” that my sad, sad, little living room has), I ran the boxes for both players down to the basement and retrieved my VCR, ready to begin the process of dubbing over the VHS tapes that I have so longed to get rid of.

Plugged in the VCR, and I almost immediately noticed the subtle aroma of an electrical fire.  I sniffed each component close up.  Naturally, it was the VCR.  Even though it smelled like that, I thought, “what the hell, I’ll try putting a tape in here.”  That didn’t work, either.  Seems like the deck itself is jammed and (without a LOT of experience or know-how to go on) the burning smell is probably the motor that operates it literally burning itself out.  Eh, what the heck?  The VCR was purchased in haste in the year 2001, when I needed it for something random that involved a computer.  Frankly, I don’t recall what.

Wait!  Ohh!  It was to record video ONTO the computer via the TV card!  That sorta worked a little bit at the time.  Point is, the VCR didn’t even cost 40 bucks as I recall, so it’s to be expected that it doinked itself after so (relatively) few hours of playback.

I guess I’ll have to borrow someone else’s VCR to finish up this project, but I can go ahead and begin with the tapes I made on vacations and in Montana a few years back…