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I have a questions to native speakers. Since everyone knows what a video recorder
is I don't have to remind you that it is a machine used to record things from e.g.
TV. But there also exists a machine that does not have the recording capability and
by means of which you can only watch films on video casettes. Now I was wandering
if the latter machine is also called a video recorder or maybe a video player. In
a word, does the term - video player - exists in English or not. Thanks a lot.
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I think even if I couldn't record on my VCR I'd still call it a videocassette ''recorder''
[VCR]. I've never heard the term ''videocassette player'' or ''video player''.
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I mean I don't think ''I would''.
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Not, ''I don't think I would.'' ''I would.''
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The term video player certainly exists in English. I think you'll find that a video
player is something like Real player - you cannot record with it, you can only play
videos and mpegs etc...
A video recorder is definitely a machine that you can both play and record on. Personally
if I bought a video recorder that didn't record I would send it back!
I hope this helps.
8-)
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But is there a device that is used for watching only?
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It is called a television set, mike.
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Some VCRs can only ''play'' videos. My VCR can, but even if it couldn't I'd still
call it a videocassette ''recorder'' [VCR]. I've never called my VCR a ''video player''.
Yeah, Only the cheap VCRs don't record. I wouldn't buy a VCR that didn't record.
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But is it logical to call a machine recorder even though it cannot actually record?
And , Lynne, is the video player you are writing about a real machine you can get
in a shop or is it software?
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I think she's talking about the software. A VCR is a video cassette recorder. In
other words, it can play and record. A video player simply plays videos (not necessarily
cassettes). So my Real Player on my computer can play videos, but it is not a VCR.
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Oh, I got ''video player'' and ''VCR'' confused. They are two different things.
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Yes mike, I have actually seen a "video player". This was many years ago before VCRs
were so common and inexpensive.
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Pentatonic
Was the machine commonly known as a 'video player' and if so is the name still being
used in the U.K or the U.S?
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The most common term for something you play videotapes in in the U.S.A is ''VCR''.
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Hi Mike,
It's been probably 20+ years since I saw that so I can't remember if it was called
"video player" or "video cassette player". While it is correct that most such devices
nowadays are called VCRs, (almost) all of them record. A company could not legally
sell something called a VCR that doesn't record.
In my opinion you are correct to call a player that doesn't record a "video player",
and to me it doesn't sound odd. Most people would quickly call it a VCR but they
would also be surprised to know that it doesn't record since such devices are uncommon.
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