READER COMMENT

Aug 1, 2001 12:00 PM

Digital systems vs. VCRs

EDITOR:

I'll admit it up front. I'm biased. With that said, the article “Beyond VCRs” by Charlie Pierce in the June 2001 issue is a disservice to your readers. It would not surprise me to learn Mr. Pierce used a typewriter to compose it and sent it to you via the U.S. Post Office.

The fact is, a bad digital recorder is many times better than the best VCR/analog system.

Mr. Pierce would be well served to actually listen to our customers who are intimately familiar with both types of products. He'll be surprised to learn the benefits of digital recorders far outweigh any supposed deficiencies.

Digital recorders help companies stop internal theft and increase their bottom line. These same customers improve operations, increase their security, and gain management efficiencies, all of which results in increased profits that pay for the equipment in a matter of months. Digital recorders are proactive security tools, VCRs are not.

We can refute every technical point Mr. Pierce makes, but that is not the point. Endusers want results. End-users want to solve business problems. Digital recorders deliver the results that VCRs can't.

Printing this kind of poorly-researched information in a respected magazine such as yours will just slow the transition to digital recorders. But make no mistake, in a few years the only analog videotape you'll find will be right next to Mr. Pierce's eight-track player — the same player which I'm sure he listens to when he is writing articles for you on the typewriter he purchased before I was born.
STEVE ARONSON
Director of Marketing
Image Vault

CHARLIE PIERCE RESPONDS:

I am confused by Mr. Aronson's letter. In June's article, I didn't say anything negative about digital recording. I compared a few real and existing problems, and I warned the enduser to make sure that they are buying something of value.

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