stassen@trwspp.UUCP (09/13/84)
[] I have my clunky old VHS machine. You have your zippy Beta machine. We're both happy.... how long will it last? I was looking at VCR's (before I got one as a present), and in all the stores I visited, I asked how sales were. Most stores said VHS outsold Beta more than 10:1, some as high as 25:1, and some as low as 4:1. How will this effect you? Well, believe it or not, all of the companies that produce VCR's want to *make money*. They will invest in and research the more lucrative markets. So, if you're a producer of VCR's, and you can pick to revolutionize the video market with a brand new, wonderful, microprocessor-controlled VCR, which one are you going to make? Right... VHS. Why? Because there is much more of a market for it. Commercial companies only research if it will *pay off*, and the more, the merrier. Now, ten years down the line, your old Sony-whatever breaks down, and its time to buy a new VCR. Your whole 1,000 tape library is in Beta format, so you have to buy a Beta machine. You look around you, and see that all of the engineering time and effort has gone into improving VHS machines, and that Beta machines have all but stagnated. How can I make a prediction like this? Well, look at the 8-inch floppy drive. Yes, they're still around, but they haven't been improved and worked on like the 5-1/4 inch drives have simply because THEY ARE NOT AS POPULAR. You can get (*now*) quad-density 5-1/4 inch drives, and research is going in to making the magnetic fields "vertical" (rather than horizontal as they are now). 8-inch drives have only been improved as a result of improvements in 5-1/4 inch drive technology which could be transferred. VHS machines may be clunky, and slow, and not have the sound quality that Beta machines do (for the same price), NOW. Wait five to ten years, then come back and we'll have another comparison test... including tape prices and such. I'm willing to bet (I am "betting" several hundred dollars by owning the machine) that VHS will be a much better investment than Beta in the long run. And I'm not about to invest several hundred dollars in something that is going to cause me to have to copy several dozen tapes whenever Beta falls off the market. There are rumors now that Sony is planning to drop their line of Beta recorders (the prices plummeted here in L.A.). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The opinions expressed in this document are my own. They are not intended to reflect the views of my employer - TRW - or anyone else. Intelligent and responsible commentaries should be directed to me; Flames to the bit bucket. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Christian W. Stassen [decvax!trwrb,vortex,ihnp4!vortex]!trwspp!stassen "If we knew what the hell we were doing, then it wouldn't be research."
rfg@hound.UUCP (R.GRANTGES) (09/15/84)
[!] You must be absolutely right because you sound logical. That must explain why Sony invented Hi-Fi a year and a half (market time) before the VHS'rs. Also Beta Movie, Cassette changers, etc., etc. Yes in deed, I always wondered how they could do that so consistently. I used to think it was because some few firms (silly and deluded) had their eye fixed on technology rather than maximizing the current bottom line. The latter view (current bottom line uber alles) is what has killed industry in this country. It seems to have afflicted the behemoths of VHS. Dick Grantges hound!rfg
moriarty@fluke.UUCP (Jeff Meyer) (09/17/84)
However, VHS very well may have to improve in such a way as to make it
incompatible with current VHS technology. So we'd all be out of luck.
Just a thought.
Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc.
UUCP:
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fluke!moriarty@uw-beaver.ARPAmikey@trsvax.UUCP (09/19/84)
If you are so sure about the demise of Beta, please explain how Beta HiFi (This includes stereo) is going to "Fade Away" at current <$600 prices while VHS HiFi is >$1000 list. I'll grant you that VHS is the more popular format, but Beta is not dead. I've owned two different Beta units so far. My next unit will be a Beta HiFi. mikey at trsvax
gnome@olivee.UUCP (Gary Traveis) (09/25/84)
(bug busters) It really doesn't matter which is better Beta or VHS! If you want to trade with friends, then what do THEY use? If you want lots of movies - you probably would be better off with VHS. (here, beta movies are hard to find) If you want super high quality GET A LASER DISK !!! If you want to be compatible in the long term, don't worry, all of the Japan-based video companies have standardized on the next wave of VCRs -- and it's 1/4 inch! If you must record, and sit around worrying about S/N and how many times you can dub a tape - GET A 3/4" or 1" deck. All of this flaming is a waste of everyone's time. Enough said.