Why I Still Use a VCR

My name is Michael, and I still use a VCR.

It all started when my son was very young. My wife and I would tape all of the prime time shows we planned to watch that day. Then after Julian went to sleep we would spend the rest of the evening watching them without interruption. We had three VCRs set to record various shows throughout the week, and as long as I remembered to rewind, life was good.

Then came the DVR, or at that time, Tivo. A simple machine that would record several shows at once. A novel idea, except there was a monthly charge. I could never wrap my head around the idea of paying to record television programs. I already purchased a machine and all the tapes I need. Why do I need to pay anything more?

Today we do not record as many shows as we once did. Some I record for my wife to watch later in the evening - Mad Men, Walking Dead, Once Upon A Time. My wife and I cannot miss an episode of Supernatural, so we still tape it so we can watch it together after I get home from work. We still record Saturday Night Live for the family to watch together (so we can skip the bad skits), and I always record Sunday Morning, just in case I don't get up early enough on Sunday morning.

Its not that modern technology has zoomed past me (I do own a Smart Phone). I still have a hard time believing that I should pay a monthly charge just for the "privilege" of having a machine record my programs. I still run three VCRs and they work flawlessly. When the time comes where my VCRs have finally kicked the bucket or I cannot find replacement tapes, I might consider a DVR.

Or maybe by that time I won't have a need to record anything...