Technically blind

spannerzone

I think the point the OP means is that the user expected to have to rewind the DVD back to the start once he got to the end like a VHS tape. A user manual wouldn't state that it's not required and is easy to think someone should just know this.

Unless I'm mistaken.

spannerzone

penrhyn wrote: »

There is a disturbing trend with some men who think it clever/endearing not being able to wire a plug or put up a shelf.

No need to worry, James May's man lab will be returning to our screens later this year to address the problem.

Laziness=endearing?

oh dear oh dear! - but i think you're probably right.

birkee

spakkker wrote: »

All dvd players have F-F + F-REW.
If you can't find them , read the manual.

What controls you say a DVD player has, has nothing to do with rewinding to the start of the DVD......as soon as you release the reverse search button, the DVD will continue playing.

Do YOU read the manuals spakker? I can manage most operations without even bothering......it's called 'logic'.

optimus_primera

I don't do technology, i don't understand how computers work, or what programme does what or why they are needed.. its all over my head, even reading up on it leaves me blank.

I have an all dancing all singing dvd recorder/player, its got an in built hard drive, you can hook it up to the computer ........ aint got a clue how to .... reading the manual .... it might as well have written in Klingon ......

birkee

Yes optimus......some of the manuals do leave a bit to be desired. If you don't know some of the jargon.....(:-(

GunJack

tech authoring is a skill-set out on it's own, but is one area that most major companies do seem to skimp on..between giving the user guides to the trainees to write and what also gets lost in the translation from mandarin or korean, it's no wonder they are usually carp

googler

spannerzone wrote: »

I think the point the OP means is that the user expected to have to rewind the DVD back to the start once he got to the end like a VHS tape. A user manual wouldn't state that it's not required and is easy to think someone should just know this.

That's sort of like someone getting a car (horseless carriage in the early days) and asking whether they whip it on the rump or the neck to encourage it to move...... the user manual doesn't state you don't need a whip, but it's so obvious......

dnsey

I believe in this case that it's a matter of a little knowledge being dangerous.
Th OP's cousin didn't need to know that to watch again from the beginning, the tape must be rewound (possibly wasn't even aware of how the tape transport worked at all, had probably never thought about it), but had become used to using the 'rewind' button for that function. Had the button been labelled something like 'back' or 'start again', the same term could have been used for the DVD's control, and there would have been no problem.
The trouble is that most domestic gear has controls which are marked in a 'no-man's-land' between professional terms (fast spool left) and truly user-friendly terms. A good example, IMO, of how to do it well was the V2000 series of machines, which had a 'go to' button. To fully rewind, one could press 'go to' then '0'.

dnsey

Apologies for the double post, but I thought it worth mentioning that the authors of the book 'The Invisible Gorilla' note studies which show that the majority of people believe that they understand how things work, but when asked to sketch a bicycle, for example, clearly have no idea how drive is transmitted from the pedals to the rear wheel, or how the front wheel is steered by the handlebars.
When I first read this, I found it hard to believe, but have since verified it - try it yourself amongst friends!
Elsewhere, Tim Hunkin speculates that the decline in safebreaking (in banks etc) is partially due to people's declining lack of confidence in dealing with practical mechanics.

birkee

dnsey wrote: »

I believe in this case that it's a matter of a little knowledge being dangerous.
Th OP's cousin didn't need to know that to watch again from the beginning, the tape must be rewound (possibly wasn't even aware of how the tape transport worked at all, had probably never thought about it), but had become used to using the 'rewind' button for that function. Had the button been labelled something like 'back' or 'start again', the same term could have been used for the DVD's control, and there would have been no problem.
The trouble is that most domestic gear has controls which are marked in a 'no-man's-land' between professional terms (fast spool left) and truly user-friendly terms. A good example, IMO, of how to do it well was the V2000 series of machines, which had a 'go to' button. To fully rewind, one could press 'go to' then '0'.

Tape transport ???

??? The DVD recorder doesn't have a button to return to the beginning, labelled as anything? How does terminology help?

With the Panasonic model, the only option is to press 'stop', but if 'play' is pressed immediately afterwards, the inbuilt memory returns to playing the disc where it left off.
The ONLY way to return to the start of the DVD, is press 'stop', open the disc draw, and insert the disc again. Then the disc starts playing automatically.
Anyone suggest how you return to the start of a DVD disc using ANY button?