Goodbye standalone VCR, thanks for the memories.

It appears at long last JVC will stop producing standalone VHS VCRs, made from Victor Company of Japan, after a 32-year run. Not a bad lifespan in the technology world, though most of this decade was pretty much spent in a coma.

The company said it will still keep pumping out combo units, with three-in-one HDD/DVD/VCR and DVD/VCR players so you can at least watch those old home movies and wedding tapes you haven’t transferred to digital yet.

More than 900 million VCRs, including 50 million from JVC, were produced, notes Engadget, for what was definitely a “game-changer” piece of electronics when it hit the scene (to take a cue from Apple’s latest iPhone ad). And yes, anyone who’s watched Boogie Nights knows that the VCR’s arrival impacted an entire industry.

I’ve still got one hooked up to one of my old TVs (and I’m a sucker for old hi-fi), and occasionally we’ll see equipment lists for featured Electronic House theaters that still include VHS VCRs. So do you still use one? If so, how does it look on your big-screen TV or projection screen, and what content are you watching? Let us know in comments below.

Arlen Schweiger - Editor of Electronic House Magazine

Arlen writes about home technology installations and product news and reviews for electronichouse.com and Electronic House magazine.