Hey guys, does anybody on here still use/watch vhs videos lol. It takes me back to about 80-81, when we got a brand new Ferguson vhs video player and recorder. Remember it was the best home gadget to have in those days of course, even though it was a heavy chunky top loader, with a wired plug in remote control. And then remember, the new generation of tv and film and music came along, on discs. I'm still a big Dvd/Cd fan actually, and I don't want to get rid of them.
My first video player was a Beetamax. Supposedly superior. But the more popular VHS. Flooded the market and Videos were sparse in comparison. I have loads of VHS home videos. But haven't got round to putting em on Discs. (Although I did buy a VHS cheap. when they went out of fashion at the time. Still boxed, never used, somewhere. Only been moved house 5yrs it'll be int garage in a bigger box along with other stuff still unpacked or the loft lol. )
We had Betamax too. I remember my dad saying that he'd bought it because it was better quality than VHS. We used to go to the video rental shop and the walls were covered in VHS and we had a tiny shelf in the corner to choose from. Doh!
There was a third video system that never took off. I think it was called Philips 2000, or something like that. Sank without trace very quickly
Before there were many video rental shops there were men who used to go around housing estates with boxes of films in the boot. Rent for a week probably. Strange times…
That's something I always wondered about, as the Vhs tape was surely good enough at the time. So how could the Beta tape be so much better quality ehh, which it claimed to be ?. And hey uncle Hook lol, I was tempted to buy a Blu-ray player recently on ebay. But I thought what's the point ehh, as I'm still happy with my Dvds and Cds.
Betamax was the better system but allegedly the porn industry chose VHS as its medium of choice and that was that!
Yes, I made the same mistake too. The Betamax tapes were supposedly better quality and were also smaller and neater than the VHS. The market got flooded with VHS though and Betamax quickly died a death.
Clearview video rentals Station Lane Wombwell opposite the library predating Blockbuster. Elastic band around the cassette box meant it was rented out. Took me weeks to get Top Gun and Robocop.
I lived round the corner in my 1st house. Tbh I'd forgot Clearview. Some tapes behind the counter, allegedly.. Not a big choice of Beetamax and got smaller as time went on. Bit the bullet and bought a VHS. But as you say. Re the elastic band.
Sony who owned Betamax refused to allow others to use their format whereas JVC allowed others to use VHS, that meant VHS was far more available.
From Google Betamax (Sony): Superior picture quality: Initially, Betamax offered a higher resolution and better picture quality than VHS, particularly at its Beta I speed. Smaller tape size: Betamax cassettes were smaller than VHS, making them more compact. Shorter recording time: Early Betamax tapes had a limited recording time, often just one hour, which was a major drawback. Limited licensing: Sony initially resisted licensing the Betamax format widely, which limited its market reach. VHS (JVC): Longer recording time: VHS tapes could record for two hours or more, making them more suitable for recording movies and sporting events. Open licensing: JVC licensed the VHS format to other manufacturers, leading to greater availability and lower prices. Greater market share: VHS gained a larger market share due to its longer recording times and broader availability. Established movie studios: VHS became the standard for Hollywood movies and video rentals, further solidifying its dominance.
