Both had previously cooperated in the development and marketing of the U-Matic video cassette format. quote: Take a look at the chroma from a VHS capture and you will know what I mean. Sony seemed to have misjudged the home video market. Later, VHS made it possible to record for 4-6 hours. Note how smooth it is. While Betamax was believed to be the superior format in the minds of the public and press (due to excellent marketing by Sony), consumers wanted an affordable VCR (a VHS often cost hundreds of dollars less than a Betamax);[17] Korean electronic manufacturers, such as Samsung and GoldStar (now LG Electronics), responded to Funai, Shintom, and Orion Electric for the availability of video cassette players (VCP) to movie rental stores, by offering first VHS VCR recorder prices down to under $300 by year 1986. Buy VHS or Beta tickets from the official Ticketmaster.com site. First, the VHS was lighter than the Betamax: 29 and a half lbs compared to 36 lbs for the this Betamax machine. A minor skirmish arose over DIVX, but it died a quick death. Manufacturers also introduced other systems such as needle-based, record-style discs (RCA's Capacitance Electronic Disc, JVC's Video High Density disc) and optical discs (Philips' LaserDisc). It was not until the late 1970s that Betamax offered recording times comparable to VHS. However, the introduction of Beta II speed, 0.79 ips (two-hour mode), to compete with VHS's two-hour Standard Play mode (1.31 ips) reduced Betamax's horizontal resolution to 240 lines. VHS's recording time at first release (1976) was two hours, meaning that most feature films could be recorded without a tape change. Yet, to my engineer’s eye the VHS was the better solution. ), and compatibility for easy transfer of information. [13][14] In 1988, Videofax magazine declared that Beta had lost the format war after Sony agreed to start adding VHS to the company's VCR lineup. Sony's decision in 1975 to limit Betamax's maximum recording time to one hour (for NTSC systems) handicapped its chances of winning this marketing war. Las audiencias de TV son colosales y unos pocos canales se reparten los beneficios proporcionados por la publicidad a cambio de emitir contenidos: noticieros, programas de entretenimiento y películas. Sony believed that the one-hour length of its current U-matic format would be sufficient for Betamax. This battle continued through much of the 1980s until VHS eventually made a technological breakthrough enabling them to beat out Beta and ultimately dominate the VCR formatting standard. The video format war is now a highly scrutinized event in business and marketing history, leading to a plethora of market investigations into why Betamax failed. 家庭用ビデオレコーダーの規格争いとしては、もっとも有名な事例であり、単に「ビデオ戦争」といえば『vhsとベータマックスのデファクトスタンダード戦争』を指すことがほとんどである。. The main determining factor between Betamax and VHS was the cost of the recorders and recording time. The recording time was always the critical factor, not the image quality whee Beta might have had slight edge. 0 Comment Share Le Funk VHS OR BETA. By 1984, while the Beta group numbered only a dozen firms, the VHS group included 40 companies, among them Grundig, Hitachi, Matsushita, Mitsubishi, Philips, RCA, and Sharp, some of the biggest manufacturers in Japan, Europe, and the US. When Betamax hit the market, its tapes could record only an hour’s worth of programming. RCA had initially planned a home video format around 1974, to be called "SelectaVision MagTape", but canceled it after rumors had come about discussing Sony's Betamax format, and was considering Sony as an OEM for an RCA-branded VCR. For your event’s refund or credit eligibility visit your account or learn more about options for canceled, rescheduled and postponed events. In fact the truth is more complex and there were a number of reasons for the outcome. "Electronic Servicing & Technology" magazine, May 1982. The first consumer-grade VCR to be released was the Philips N1500 VCR format in 1972, followed in 1975 by Sony's Betamax. VHS and Beta tape selling tips. First, watch the Betamax. MrBetamax also offers a large selection of support materials and specialty items to the Beta VCR enthusiast. Betamax (also called Beta, as in its logo) is a consumer-level analog-recording and cassette format of magnetic tape for video. None of these disc formats gained much ground as none was capable of home recording; however, they did hold small niche markets. remove. At a later meeting, Matsushita, with JVC management in attendance, showed Sony a VHS prototype, and advised them it was not too late to embrace VHS "for the good of the industry" but Sony management felt it was too close to Betamax production to compromise. Betamax's longest tape (L-830) could record for 3 hours and 35 minutes, compared to VHS's 4 hours. They were two mechanically and electrically different formats, with no simple way to use one mechanism to read the other’s tape. U-matic was designed for commercial or professional television production use, and was not affordable or user-friendly for home videos or home movies. Although Betamax initially owned 100% of the market in 1975 (as VHS did not launch until the following year) the perceived value of longer recording times eventually tipped the balance in favor of VHS. And there was no adapter available to buy to play the Beta tape in the larger slots of the VHS machines. VHS OR BETA added an album Apr 30, 2015 at 06:36 AM. The cassettes contain 0.50-inch-wide (12.7 mm) videotape in a design similar to that of the earlier, professional 0.75-inch-wide (19 mm), U-matic Pero era una amenaza controlable. The Betacam format refers to the family of half-inch videocassette products that Sony developed in 1982 for professional use. On the other hand, VHS tapes allowed people to record for two hours. 91 But JVC also refused to compromise the picture quality of their format by allowing a four-hour mode. remove. Sony brought along a Betamax prototype for Matsushita's engineers to evaluate. Beta sales dwindled away and VHS emerged as the winner of the format war. The issue of recording time is often cited as the most defining factor in the war. Beta started with one hour, VHS was up to four hours. Sony was the only manufacturer of Betamax initially, and so was not pressured to reduce prices. V2000 was cancelled in 1985, the first casualty of the format war. Only in the early 1980s did Sony decide to license Betamax to other manufacturers, such as Toshiba and Sanyo. A year later, JVC launches its alternative video format, the VHS (Video Home System.) Betamax is, in theory, a superior recording format over VHS due to resolution (250 lines vs. 240 lines), slightly superior sound, and a more stable image; Betamax recorders were also of higher-quality construction. However most commentators have played down this issue and cited other reasons as being more important. The “bandwagon” of supporting firms had two important effects. [citation needed], Within continental Europe there were three choices by 1980, with the arrival of the Video 2000 format from Philips and Grundig that replaced Philips' outdated "VCR" format. [citation needed], For PAL versions, time was less of an issue. [12] In the United Kingdom Beta held a 25% market share, but by 1986 it was down to 7.5% and continued to decline further. How do you choose the right Betamax player? By 1980, VHS had proven favorable among consumers and was successful in controlling 60% of the North American market. However, the picture quality would be degraded severely, and at that time Sony engineers felt the compromise was not worthwhile. Unlike VHS vcrs, which have dropped almost to zero value second hand, used Betamaxes still fetch strong prices. The Formatting War: VHS vs. Betamax. [citation needed], When home VCRs started to become popular in the UK, the main issue was one of availability and price. However, these differences were negligible to consumers, and thus did not justify either the extra cost of a Betamax VCR (which was often significantly more expensive than a VHS equivalent) or Betamax's shorter recording time. Subsequently, the Betamax–VHS format war began in earnest. Sony at the time was unaware of JVC's work. They both were much worse than broadcast TV. In PAL regions, the L-750 Betamax tape lasted 3 hours and 15 minutes, while VHS was limited to a 3-hour maximum (the E-180), though later on an E-240 tape lasting four hours became available. Sony had demonstrated a prototype videotape recording system it called "Beta" to the other electronics manufacturers in 1974, and expected that they would back a single format for the good of all. [citation needed]. Super VHS offered up to 420 lines horizontal (in modern digital terms, 560 pixels edge-to-edge), which surpassed broadcast-quality and matched the quality of laserdiscs in this one parameter. 91 0 Comment Share You Got Me VHS OR BETA. Although VHS is still available in VHS/DVD combination units, the last dedicated JVC VHS unit was produced in 2008.[16]. The victory was not due to any technical superiority (Betamax is arguably a better format), but to several factors. As movie studios, video studios, and video rental stores turned away from Betamax, the combination of lower market share and a lack of available titles further strengthened VHS's position. Here are some real-world videotape values. RCA would go on to market "four hours, $999", forcing a price war and also a "tape length" war. CED's inexpensive[3] record-like format (using a fine keel-shaped stylus to read an electronic signal rather than mechanical vibrations) made it attractive to low-income families during the 1980s, and LaserDisc's 5 megahertz/420 line resolution made it popular with discerning videophiles until circa 1997 (when DVD-Video became the new standard for high-quality). 家庭用ビデオの最初期には、カセット収納型規格として [15], Both Betamax and VHS were supplanted by higher-quality video available from laser-based technology. It was clear that the Beta format was dead - at least in Europe and North America. Sony engineers knew that the technology available to manufacture video heads was not up to the task yet, but halving the tape speed and track width was a possibility. Sony's founder, Akio Morita, claimed that licensing problems between Sony and other companies slowed the growth of Betamax and allowed VHS to become established. When first launched, the Beta tapes could only record up to sixty minutes, while the VHS tapes had a recording time of three hours, meaning you could record a … [6] Both had previously cooperated in the development and marketing of the U-Matic video cassette format. By the time Betamax machines became easier to rent, VHS had already claimed 70% of the market. Sure later things got more even but VHS had the edge because of the larger cassette. At a later meeting, Matsushita, with JVC management in attendance, showed Sony a VHS prototype, and advised them it was not too late to embrace VHS "for the good of the industr… In the early 1980s, the world was engaged in a heated debate over which video tape format was superior: Betamax or VHS. Many sources have referred to it as fact (including Wikipedia) while others have made a campaign of debunking the "Myth of Betamax & porn". Find VHS or Beta tour schedule, concert details, reviews and photos. Simply put, you don’t. VHS won because "the whole product" did what people wanted at a price they were willing to pay. Also, many features that came standard on VHS and Betamax machines (such as direct AV in and out connectors), were only available as expensive "optional extras" on V2000. [citation needed]. For consumers, the most immediately obvious difference between the two formats was the recording length. Despite claims that Sony was still backing Beta, Sony also had good success with VHS by the mid-1990s. I’ve heard some people theorize that VHS won just because you can record a whole U.S. football game on VHS, but not Beta. The war was over by the late 1980s, although supporters of Betamax have helped keep the format going in a small niche market. Many VHS tapes are worth 50 cents to a few dollars, though collectible tapes can sell for up to $50 or more. The Betacam format emerged as an improvement to the three-quarter-inch U-Matic format by Sony. VHS OR BETA. Sony began to assemble and market its first VHS machines, models SLV-50 and SLV-70HF, with VHS chassis mechanism purchased from Hitachi, initially. Production ramped up by 1990 using Sony's own VHS VCR mechanism, responding to consumer's increasing demand for first-purchase Hi-Fi stereo units and flying-erase-head editing models. Sony believed that having better quality recordings was the key to success, and that consumers would be willing to pay a higher retail price for this, whereas it soon became clear that consumer desire was focused more intently on recording time, lower retail price, compatibility with other machines for sharing (as VHS was becoming the format in the majority of homes), brand loyalty to companies who licensed VHS (RCA, Magnavox, Zenith, Quasar, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Hitachi, Sharp, even JVC itself, etc. It is an analog recording technology that makes use of magnetic tapes in a cassette format. Video Tape Transfer Service, Digitization to MP4 (VHS, VHS-C, Hi8, Video 8, Digital8, 8mm, MiniDV, Beta, Audio) - New Customer Offer 4.7 out of 5 stars 393 $14.91 $ 14 . [citation needed], Soon after, RCA met with executives at the Victor Corporation of Japan (JVC), who had created their own video format called "VHS" (which stood for "Video Home System"[7]). It is certainly true that VHS machines were initially much simpler and cheaper to manufacture, which would obviously be an attraction to companies deciding which standard to back. One more issue is worthy of note—pornography. The original Sony Betamax video recorder for the NTSC television system could record for only 60 minutes, identical to the previous U-matic format, which had been sufficient for use in television studios. remove. The term “Betacam” can refer to a Betacam video recorder, camcorder, or tape; or the Betacam format itself. It was amazingly simple. The first video cassette recorder (VCR) to become available was the U-matic system, released in September 1971. Compare ejecting a tape on the Betamax to the VHS. You can purchase vintage Betamax players on eBay for great prices. The VHS movie tapes would not fit into the Beta's slot on the front of the machine, and the same vice versa for Beta to VHS. This was quickly followed by the competing VHS format from JVC, and later by Video 2000 from Philips. Apart from this, to keep costs down, many of its unique features, such as Dynamic Track Following, were only implemented on the most expensive models, meaning that mainstream models suffered from indifferent video quality. The commonly-held belief is that the technically superior Betamax was beaten by VHS through slick marketing. This kind of lock-in and path dependence failed for Sony, but succeeded for JVC. Sony did adapt and offer various solutions for longer recording, but it was too late. For the European markets the issue was one of cost, since VHS had already gained dominance in the United States (70% of the market), and the large economy of scale allowed VHS units to be sold at a far lower cost than the rarer Betamax units. Although it featured many capabilities formerly only available on expensive broadcast video recorders, V2000 had too long a development cycle and arrived late to the market. For forty years JVC dominated the home market with its VHS, Super VHS and VHS-Compact formats, and collected billions in royalty payments. The videotape format war was a period of intense competition or "format war" of incompatible models of consumer-level analog video videocassette and video cassette recorders (VCR) in the late 1970s and the 1980s, mainly involving the Betamax and Video Home System (VHS) formats. But VHS had one more advantage: longer recording times. VHS OR BETA added an album May 11, 2015 at 07:36 PM. When you mention “Format War”, most will remember the battle between Sony’s Betamax videotapes and JVC’s VHS. Betamax (or simply "Beta") is a consumer-level video cassette recorder (VCR) developed by Sony in Japan and released in 1975. Sony had met with Matsushitaexecutives in late 1974/ early 1975 to discuss the forthcoming home video market. It is arguable how this situation came to be, but once it happened, there was no turning back. A later format war resulted from a failure to agree on a single standard for DVD's high-definition successor (HD DVD) in May 2005. [10][11] By 1981, sales of Beta machines in the United States had sunk to 25% of the VCR market. VHS ultimately emerged as the preeminent format.[1]. JVC's parent corporation, Matsushita, later met with RCA and agreed to manufacture a four-hour-capable VHS machine for RCA.[8]. Other competitors, such as the Avco Cartrivision, Sanyo's V-Cord and Matsushita's "Great Time Machine" quickly disappeared. In Japan, Betamax had more success, but VHS was still the market leader. Standard Betamax tapes lasted 60 minutes — not long enough to record a movie. The manufacturers then competed against each other for sales, resulting in lower prices to the consumer. [9] The extension of VHS to VHS HQ increased the apparent resolution to 250 lines, so that overall a Betamax/VHS user could expect virtually identical luma resolution and chroma resolution (≈30 lines), wherein the actual picture performance depended on other factors, including the condition and quality of the videotape and the specific video recorder machine model. In parts of South America and in Japan Beta continued to be popular, and machines were still in production up to the end of 2002. Sony at the time was unaware of JVC's work. Estamos en los años 70. Betamax tapes can sell for up to $20 or more. In any case, manufacturers divided themselves into two camps: On the Betamax side were Sony, Toshiba, Sanyo, NEC, Aiwa, and Pioneer. Betamax vs. VHS. The first Betamax device introduced in the United States was the LV-1901 console, which included a 19-inch (48 cm) color monitor, and appeared in stores in early November 1975. 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