Last VHS player

Goodbye VHS – World’s Last VHS Manufacturer Shuts Its Doors

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To most people, the VHS is a product of a bygone era, which is why it surprised so many people to learn that in 2016 there was still a company manufacturing VHS players. Like all outdated machinery, the VHS’s time on Earth eventually had to end, and in July 2016 Japan’s Funai Electric, which claims to be the world’s last VHS manufacturer, announced that it was making its last machine.

Last VHS player

The King Is Dead – How VHS Ruled the Home Video Market

VHS may be a relic in the 21st century, but just a few decades ago it was the king of the home video market. Introduced in 1977, the VHS was in direct competition with the Betamax format, which had debuted two years earlier. By 1987, however, the fight was effectively over: VHS controlled 90{8c8ae2a71b30a2d8c6f534038a85ab39be2a915945a2526b1de25039d71b9e11} of the VCR market, and the Betamax was reduced to an also-ran.

The reason for VHS’s dominance? VHS embraced the porn industry, releasing many X-rated films to the home video market, whereas Betamax’s parent company, Sony, specifically forbid the adult entertainment industry from releasing anything on its video format. Rather than buying two different machines, many consumers elected to buy VHS machines that let them play all the movies they wanted, even the dirty ones.

For three decades, VHS was the undisputed leader of the home video market. All that began to change with the introduction of DVDs, which featured crisp digital quality video, chapter selection, and loads of extra features. As DVDs were followed by Blu-Ray, HD-DVD, and eventually streaming video, the VHS format inevitably faded into history, but not without hanging on well into the 21st century.

VHS stops production

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TV Remote Control

A Brief History of the Television

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Television has changed households all across the country since the 1940s when commercial television programs were first broadcasted. During this time, many people considered the concept of the TV a passing fad that would not last. Even with some people having reservations, CBS, NBC, and ABC all started to expand their broadcast range.

By 1947, the growth of TV and acceptance that it was no longer a fad started to take hold. In the 1950s, with over 7 million TVs in U.S. homes, it paved the way for the first news broadcasts. In addition, “quiz-type” game shows started to appear. Further, by 1951 both coasts of the U.S. were linked, allowing for simultaneous broadcasts and live broadcasts nationwide.

The 1960s saw further advances in television, from sports programming to the Kennedy assassination. TV had the power to bring images, news, and more right into people’s homes. Another development during this time was the color TV, which continued to grow in popularity throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

During this same time, the TV remote became an essential accessory everyone one wanted, especially with cable TV quickly taking over broadcast TV in the 1980s. By the 1990s, people wanted bigger screens and movie-like experiences in their homes.

TV Remote Control

In the 2000s wide screen TVs started to become commonplace, and the bigger the better. High definition TVs also started to be released, offering sharper images. The 2010s continued to see refinements in technologies, like smart-Internet connected sets, Ultra HD, 3D TVs, and curved screens.

Not to mention, the weight of today’s sets is a fraction of what is was 20, 30, or even 50 years ago! With all of the latest advances in TV, it can be hard keeping track of all your remotes. This problem is easy to remedy with universal remote controls from ReplacementRemotes.com. Call us at 1-855-5-REMOTE (1-855-573-6683) now for assistance in finding the one you need.

Remotes Away from Your Pets

How to Keep Your Remotes Away from Your Pets

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You go to reach for the TV remote and discover it has somehow disappeared from its normal spot on the end table or sofa. You quickly notice small pieces of plastic leading away from the living room and follow the trail, only to discover the remains of the remote sitting next to your pet’s bedding. This is a common scenario if you have dogs.

Remotes Away from Your Pets

For cat owners, on the other hand, it can require having to move furniture to get to a remote control the cat batted up under the sofa or under an end table. Either way, you need to protect your remotes from being lost or destroyed by your pets, using these tips:

  1. Place remotes where pets cannot reach them when they are not being used and whenever you leave the room.
  2. If you catch your pet with the remote, take it away from them, but do not punish them. Rather, give them a toy to play with, instead, and reinforce positive behaviors with treats and praises whenever they play with the toy. Positive reinforcement is easier to learn and retain than negative reinforcement.
  3. For dogs, give them chew toys that are hard, like the plastic on the remote control. If all your dog has are soft toys, their teeth are not being stimulated as they should be, and they will reach for your remote control.

In the event your pet has destroyed, broken, or lost your remote, you can get a new one from ReplacementRemotes.com. Call 1-855-5-REMOTE (1-855-573-6683) or browse our website today!

TV remote controls

America’s Love Affair with Television

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Being the birthplace of television, it’s little wonder that America has a long-running love affair with the medium. Generations have grown up with a TV remote in their hands, and although technology is changing how we watch, it isn’t changing our appreciation for a good story presented with great visuals.

TV remote controls

Consider these statistics about television viewership:

  • Although traditional television viewing (watching broadcast and cable networks) is declining, it doesn’t necessarily mean that people are watching less TV. They’re just choosing a different medium to view it. More and more people are watching streaming services like Netflix that offer fare from traditional TV networks, along with original programming.
  • Traditional television viewership remains an ingrained habit with older viewers. Just 23 percent of the over-65 crowd watch streaming services like Netflix.
  • Netflix now has 74.76 million customers around the world, including more than 44 million in the U.S., according to Variety.
  • Streaming is huge for younger viewers. About 60 percent of 35-44 year olds watch streaming video on demand.
  • Parents have a big impact on their children’s viewing time, but, as kids get older, that influence wanes. According to CBS News, parents have the biggest impact on kids’ viewing time from ages 6-11.

ReplacementRemotes.com sells new and refurbished TV remote controls for a wide variety of televisions and other electronic devices. The company also provides TV stands, accessories, replacement product manuals, lights, and other accessories. The company also operates a repair service for remotes and other devices. To learn more, contact 1-877-671-7173.

Sources:

http://variety.com/2016/digital/news/netflix-tv-ratings-decline-2015-1201721672/

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/parents-tv-time-may-be-the-biggest-influence-on-kids-viewing-habits/

Top Four Dystopian TV Shows

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It may be a reflection of the times we live in, but television shows portraying a dystopian future are increasingly popular. Unlike the happy, optimistic future portrayed by classic TV sci-fi like Star Trek, dystopian television shows portray a darker future, where technology hasn’t cured all of society’s ills, and, in fact, may have made them worse.

Some of the top dystopian television shows include:

  • The Walking Dead – More than half the population are zombies and the other half seem to be trying to kill our heroes. It doesn’t get much more dark or dystopian as this show, based on a popular series of comics by Robert Kirkland.
  • Doctor Who – While often branded as happy-go-lucky sci-fi fare, many episodes of Doctor Who see the Doctor and his companions struggling against greedy, all-powerful corporations in the future of fascistic governments.
  • Firefly – “Firefly” follows a band of misfits as they travel the edges of a space-faring society, hunted by representatives of an oppressive interplanetary government. The themes of personal freedom versus collectivism are explored, along with the cosmos, in this modern sci-fi classic.
  • Black Mirror – An anthology series, “Black Mirror” holds up a funhouse mirror to modern society, offering a darkly speculative look at the implications of our technological progress. The show has gotten rave reviews, and one episode has even been optioned for a movie by Robert Downey Jr.

ReplacementRemotes.com sells new and refurbished TV remote controls for a wide variety of televisions and other electronic devices. The company also provides TV stands, accessories, replacement product manuals, lights, and other accessories. The company also operates a repair service for remotes and other devices. To learn more, contact 1-877-671-7173.