Change doesn’t come easily for me.  I hang on as long as I possibly can, both heels dug in protesting all the way.  Once I get past the change I’m usually glad I did it and wonder why I’d put up such a fuss.

Except for one thing. . . . DVD players and discs.  I believe the products are a good idea, but they can’t deliver.  Let me explain what I mean. 

In 1994 I had a TV/VCR combo that my grandmother bought for me.  I loved it!  Then in 1998 my favorite electronic device met with an unfortunate end.  I was moving it from our living room to our bedroom and set it on the edge of the bed while I moved some stuff off the dresser.  Big mistake.  It fell off the bed and splattered on the floor.  Horrified, I picked it up and plugged it in to see if it would work.  It would turn on and you could hear it, but there was no picture.

So the next day Ricky and I set off to Future Shop to get a new TV.  (See, this was a long time ago if I’m mentioning Future Shop.)  We couldn’t find a TV/VCR combo we wanted, so we bought separate units. 

Not long after that we bought a DVD player.  I was uneasy about the purchase.  At the time they were like $300 and I thought we’d have to replace all our VHS tapes.  Then Rick pointed out that we still have the VCR so just any new movies we buy we should get the DVD.  Okay, I conceded.

That DVD player lasted about two years.  Since then we have had four more, a total of five DVD players in the last 10 years!  That very same VCR we purchased in 1998 is still working.

Now, I understand that the film in VHS tapes will eventually corrode.  But what is up with DVD’s?  One little fingerprint or one little scratch and you get to watch endless skipping.  After using DVD’s I really like the idea of them.  But why can’t they make them so that they’re scratch resistant?

Not to mention the DVD players!  I am so disgusted with them I don’t ever want to buy another.  I’m afraid technology is going to force me as VHS movies are no longer sold, or made perhaps, I’m not sure.  Currently we use our XBox to watch DVD’s.  So far it has been the most reliable unit, and that’s just crazy if you ask me.  Seriously?  A gaming system is more adequate than a device meant solely for watching movies?

So I’ve been hitting yard sales and the local Goodwill and looking for some of my favorite movies on VHS.  At least with them I’m only spending a few bucks and have yet to come across a corroded movie.  We’ll see how long they last.

Until they come up with a scratch resistant DVD and a player that will keep running longer than a year or so, I’m going to dig in my heels and resist purchasing them.