VHS Format Dies at 26

[TechZ]

- The first VCR to go on sale (http://www.physorg.com/news2099.html) at Dixons was the HR-3300EK, a piano key operated top-loader with a red LED digital clock/timer. It hit the shelves in 1978 (weighing in at more than 13 lbs) and cost L798.75 - which is L2,021 in today's money, enough to buy 40 VCRs.

[Platypus]

And the HR-3300 was a good unit. I guess that dates me, I remember them arriving and learning how to fix them...

[techs]

Oh dear. Where will I get my Betamax tapes now?

[Platypus]

Oh dear. Where will I get my Betamax tapes now?

A passed a couple of dozen on to someone earlier in the year.

[DonJ]

I remember trying to decide between a VHS or a Beta machine. Since they cost so much back then, you had to make a choice.

I went with the Beta since I've always liked Sony products.

OOOOOOPPPPSSS!!! Boy, was that a mistake! I generally liked the machine as much as a VHS. The picture and features were just as good. But when it came time to rent or buy movies, they were all in VHS format. Bummer.

[techs]

I remember trying to decide between a VHS or a Beta machine. Since they cost so much back then, you had to make a choice.

I went with the Beta since I've always liked Sony products.

OOOOOOPPPPSSS!!! Boy, was that a mistake! I generally liked the machine as much as a VHS. The picture and features were just as good. But when it came time to rent or buy movies, they were all in VHS format. Bummer.

I went with Beta because of the better picture quality. I had the same problem renting tapes.
I should have realized the most people would choose vhs with its greater recording length over beta which was technologically and artistically better.

[TechZ]

Will the same happen in the DVD format wars?



here: http://forums.windrivers.com/showthread.php?t=66559

[TechZ]

sorry, made an edit to the previous post :)