Disc Jockeying

The first big fight of the new millennium has begun.

But this knock-down, drag-out does not have anything to do with Hillary and Monica, nor does it include the word “Rocky” followed by a Roman numeral.

It’s the battle between DVDs and VCRs.

And it appears as though DVDs are gaining, which is cause for celebration for those of us who never learned to work the record button on our VCRs.

In fact, DVDs seem to be here to stay, even though, like many of us, they are not able to record.

“Our DVD rentals have more than doubled since the holidays,” said Mike Williams, manager of Video 4 You in Thousand Oaks. “People prefer the DVD picture and sound.”

Video 4 You owner Ernie Martel, who has been in the video rental business for 20 years, says he has seen many fads and has been able to stay in business by keeping ahead of the trends.

“I got into DVDs as soon as they came out almost three years ago,” he said.

His store has more than 1,000 DVD titles for rent.

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While that seems like a small number compared with the 15,000 VHS titles he offers, Martel said the breadth of his collection is impressive, because he began purchasing them when DVD first came out.

Many of those titles are now hard to get on DVD, he said.

One of DVD’s first casualties was the laser disc player, which has comparable picture and sound.

But if you see a good deal on a used laser disc player, it is most likely because the owner knows the movie companies are no longer putting new movies out on laser discs.

DVD stands for digital videodisc or digital versatile disc. The disc looks like a CD, and a DVD player can play CDs.

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According to Simi Valley Costco employee Matt Lauer, some DVD movies come with the movie soundtrack on the DVD that can be played like a CD, so consumers get a two-for-one deal.

And for those who have an especially clever computer, some movies, such as “The Matrix,” have included another bonus.

The DVD can be used to connect the user to computer Internet sites, Lauer said.

Most DVD players cost more than most VCRs, Lauer said, and the DVD movies themselves cost a little more.

But the price is dropping, Martel said, accounting for an increase in sales.

“We sell a good DVD [player] for around $250 and a stereo, hi-fi, six-head VCR for $99,” he said.

Martel warned that some buyers are disappointed in the DVD sound.

“If people don’t have the sound system that goes with a DVD, they are not going to get any better sound than they had with their VCR,” Martel said.

“A lot of people don’t realize that.”

When DVDs first came out, they offered a choice of a full TV screen picture or letter box, a wide-screen version with black bars at the top and bottom.

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More recently, DVD movies are available only in wide-screen versions and some people do not like that, Martel said.

Best Buy clerk Zayra Ibarra said sales of DVD players are way up--even with sales of VCRs--at the Oxnard store where she works.

“Everything is going digital, with better picture and sound quality,” Ibarra said.

Her customers like the extra DVD footage that includes director’s remarks, outtakes and other bonuses, she said.

But Ibarra, Martel and Lauer all agree that even with all the wonders packed into those DVDs, VCRs still have one advantage that keeps them in the ring--the ability to record.

The answer?

Martel suggests that anyone who can afford it own both a VCR and a DVD player.

Nancy Needham can be reached at nancy.needham@reporters.net.