Page 1 of widescreen vcr?

Hi, I realise that this isn`t strictly a dvd question & I might be being a bit thick but I thought someone might know:

What does it mean when the blurb for a vcr says something along the lines of `16:9 recording and playback capability` ?

I thought all vcrs did that - am I missing something?

Just wondered cos I`m about to get a new one so wondered if I needed one that said that.....

Cheers,

Neil

This item was edited on Thursday, 1st February 2001, 19:01

Ermmmmm...sounds like a clever marketing ploy if you ask me. I have a bog standard Hitachi VCR. Nowhere does it state it`s WS record and playback capable, but, obviously it is. I have many videos in WS an they play in widescreen. I think it`s the TV that does the work.
What VCR is it anyway???

Salesman at Martin Dawes Warehouse Clearance August 2000 :

"Yeah, you want this one mate, it records in Widescreen"

Me:

"Er, think you`ll find they all do, mate"

Salesman:

"Nah, see your non-Widescreen VCRs can`t record Widescreen"

Me:

"So the stuff I tape off OnDigital that`s broadcast to my video and TV in widescreen can`t record it in widescreen then ?"

Salesman:

"Nah, can`t be done, mate. You need this special one see."

Me:

"So the recorded stuff I watch on my widescreen TV recorded by my non-widescreen VCR won`t playback in widescreen then ?"

Salesman:

"No way"

Me:

"It does, actually"

Salesman:

"Nah, sorry, can`t be done mate."

Me:

"So I`m imagining the widescreen picture on my television then ?"

Salesman:

"Yeah, can`t be done mate."

Me:

"Oh right, whatever you say"

me thinks lesson to be learned....

Don`t buy a vcr of a mobile phone shop

All VCR's just record any signal that is sent to them. It is all a big marketing con saying that they record widescreen.
They all do!

Yup - ANY VCR will record in widescreen from a widescreen source e.g. digibox. It doesn`t know it`s widescreen. Obviously if you play back a widescreen recording on a 4:3 set then it will look squashed. My Samsung VCR has a nice big silver label on it saying 16:9 capability - yup, it`s a marketing ploy.

The ONLY thing a `widescreen` VCR MAY do is assert a control signal (pin 16 I think) on the scart output to force your TV into widescreen mode...you`ll probably have to press a button on the VCR remote though as it`s got no other way of auto switching for you!

So yes it`s a marketing ploy! Anyone else remember the great `Computer compatible` marketing ploy on cassette machines for Sinclair ZX81 & Spectrums - oh dear showing my age!

> cassette machines for Sinclair ZX81 & Spectrums - oh dear showing my age!

Ah, but can you remember fiddling with your azimuth to get `em to load?

Remember? I`ve still got the screwdriver :-)

The VCRs with the widescreen mode just add the ZOOM signal flag to line 21 of the picture for Letterbox Videos (not Pin 16 as mentioned by Kevin as Pin 16 can only switch between AV in mode when at 12 Volts and Anamorphic mode when at 5Volts and normal mode at 0Volts)