But here is the problem. We have lots and lots of those third rate technologies in our houses with everything from the kid's first birthday party to that Alaska trip for which you even haven't finished paying. And there is still no easy, cheap transfer medium.

So that means the old VCR needs to be around, but the stack of TiVOs, Satellite receivers, digital cable boxes, and DVD players fill up the space under the TV with bulk and wires. A combination makes perfect sense.

And if you get one, get a good one, because the reality is the good ones don't cost that much more than the cheap ones. Progressive scan is a must, and so is 5.1 Dolby. Remember that the main thing you will watch on this is DVDs.

As to the VCR side, you may want VCR+ which this model has, but who do you know that actually uses it? If the problem is that VCRs are too hard to program, how does a feature that takes half a day to program for the technically savvy help the VCR illiterate?