jgpo@iwu1c.UUCP (01/23/84)
a Given the technical superiority of Beta over VHS, why does VHS apparently command the lion's share of the market? Please don't attribute this to the fact that more prerecorded tapes are available in VHS than Beta; I view that as a symptom, rather than a cause. Are VHS machines cheaper, more common due to licensing restrictions on Beta, or what? Sure that there's an answer (and hoping it's not "42"), John Opalko, Beta owner
5121cdd@houxm.UUCP (01/24/84)
The reason that VHS VCRs have the largest share of the video market is that initially, VHS machines were significantly cheaper than Beta machines. As well, VHS VCRs offer longer playing times (with significantly lower quality) than Beta VCRs. This started the ball rolling so that more movies were released on VHS (since VHS had the lion's share of the market initially) and, then, people now continue to argue that VHS is better because there is more program material (some call it "software"?!). So we have the chicken and egg paradox, it seems. What is interesting is that, initially, Beta was clearly a better system (however, the gap has closed significantly in the past few years), however, the market was not necessarily interested, it seems, in picture quality, etc. but long playing times and a cheap getting-started price instead. Craig Dory AT&T Bell Laboratories Holmdel, NJ
jjb@pyuxnn.UUCP (01/25/84)
It seems to me that the only people who are claiming BETA superiority
over VHS are BETA owners. Consumer Reports didn't do it. Popular
Science didn't do it. Popular Electronics didn't do it. I read every
review I could find before making my purchase and not one of them found
any clear cut advantage of one format over the other. So I bought a VHS
because prerecorded VHS tapes are more readily available and have a
wider selection. I'd still be interested to know why people think BETA
is superior. I've owned my VHS (a GE) for a year know and
couldn't be happier.
Jeff Bernardis, AT&T Western Electric @ Piscataway NJ
{eagle, allegra, cbosgd, ihnp4}!pyuxnn!jjbseifert@ihuxl.UUCP (01/25/84)
> Given the technical superiority of Beta over VHS, why does VHS > apparently command the lion's share of the market? I suspect that VHS is popular for the same reason football, Chevys and fast-food are popular: exceptional poor taste. -- _____ /_____\ from the flying doghouse of /_______\ Snoopy |___| ____|___|_____ ihnp4!ihuxl!seifert
ralph@inuxc.UUCP (01/25/84)
I'm not sure why VHS has the 75% of the market that it does. The original VCR format was Beta (it is not a new idea), so at one time Beta had 100% of the market. It was two years after Beta that VHS came along, and Beta has been losing ground ever since. Apparently lower cost and longer playing time are winning the marketing battle. Oh yes, as if two formats are not bad enough, I read that several major VCR makers will market an "8-mm" format late this year. Anyone heard anything more about this? Ralph Keyser AT&T Consumer Products ...!inuxc!ralph
rs55611@ihuxk.UUCP (Robert E. Schleicher) (01/27/84)
The main reason I've heard for VHS capturing a larger share than Beta has to do with a continued lead in terms of maximum play time from a single tape. Beta I came out with 1 hr. max. Then, the first VHS machines came out with what is now SP mode, offering 2 hour play (a real advantage, as movies now fit). SONY first countered with their add-on attachment that essentially "stack-loads" two cassettes. Later, Beta II caught up with VHS, offering two hours. Then VHS had SP/LP, giving 2/4 hrs. Sony added Beta III. VHS added EP, or SLP, giving 6 hrs. Sony finished up with a longer tape (now the standard Beta length of L750, which gives times roughly like 3/5 hrs in Beta II/III. VHS then countered with the T-160 tape, which changes the 6 hour EP/SLP time to 8 hours. In general, VHS has always led Beta in play time. Beta has always led VHS in introduction of new technology improvements (for the most part)
jeh@ritcv.UUCP (James E Heliotis) (01/31/84)
I MUST change my former opinion. Beta is NOTICEABLY better than VHS.
My brother recently bought a GE VHS VCR (same as Panasonic?), and
brought it to my place. (He lives in northern NJ where Beta is
incredibly scarce, so I can't blame him for getting VHS) We recorded
the same scene, his camera connected to his VCR, and the video/audio
outputs of his VCR going to the video/audio AUX inputs of my Zenith
Beta 9800 (=Sony SL2000, I think). To our surprise, my recording looked
better! We were not looking to compare the two, it was just something
we both wanted to record. My brother said it first by the way. I was
surprised. And, besides, that, EVERY function change he made
(PLAY-FASTSCAN-STOP-REWIND-etc) took lots more time than on my
machine.
By the way, both our machines are top-of-the-line portables. His has 4 heads;
mine has but 2.
So, I cannot say this strongly enough:
BUY BETA, YOU WON'T REGRET IT!!
Jim Heliotis
{allegra,seismo}!rochester!ritcv!jeh
rocksvax!ritcv!jeh
ritcv!jeh@Rochester