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Technical Help & Discussion => General Tech Discussion, News & Q&A => Topic started by: Clive on September 29, 2010, 17:02

Title: Remember Beta vs VHS?
Post by: Clive on September 29, 2010, 17:02

10 other format wars & the stories behind them 

LINK (http://www.switched.com/2010/09/24/format-wars-a-history-of-what-could-have-been-from-betamax-to/?icid=main|main|dl5|sec1_lnk3|173907)

Title: Re: Remember Beta vs VHS?
Post by: Simon on September 29, 2010, 17:54

I'm glad BluRay one that one!  I still have several VHS tapes, mainly Chris's videos that aren't available on DVD.

Title: Re: Remember Beta vs VHS?
Post by: Clive on September 29, 2010, 19:22

Trouble is that it will soon be difficult to buy a VHS player since the format is now so old.  Apparently you can't even give the tapes away at car boot sales these days!  :laugh:

Title: Re: Remember Beta vs VHS?
Post by: Simon on September 29, 2010, 19:51

Yes, the only decent video player I have found, is a combi unit, with DVDR built in.  You can also get VCR / DVD / HDD combis, which are useful for saving space.

Title: Re: Remember Beta vs VHS?
Post by: Clive on September 29, 2010, 20:57

I have a VCR/DVD combi.  But most of my TV's are TV/DVD combis.  I don't have HDD yet because I'm too mean to pay the subscription.  But it will be free before too much longer.    :D

Title: Re: Remember Beta vs VHS?
Post by: Simon on September 29, 2010, 21:04

HDD is Hard Disc Drive, Clive.  They work the same as a DVD recorder, only, on a hard drive, so you can get much more on.  Mine came with onboard Freeview, so no subscription.

Title: Re: Remember Beta vs VHS?
Post by: Clive on September 29, 2010, 21:10

Oh I was talking about high definition.   :D  Yes, I have Pioneer HDD DVD recorder but with Sky+ it's rarely used these days!

Title: Re: Remember Beta vs VHS?
Post by: daveeb on September 30, 2010, 10:36

I used to have a Philips V2000 video recorder, fantastic quality but a real beast of a machine. All the tapes recorded using that machine still play fine today and look much better quality than tapes produced from more modern machines. Having said all that i wouldn't use tape now, HDD is just too good  :thumbs:

Title: Re: Remember Beta vs VHS?
Post by: Simon on September 30, 2010, 10:47

I was too late for V2000, but a friend had a Betamax, and it was much better quality than VHS.

Title: Re: Remember Beta vs VHS?
Post by: daveeb on September 30, 2010, 10:57

I hasten to add i'm not as prehistoric as my previous post may suggest. A girlfriend with more money than sense bought it and i "borrowed" it to test it out. I seem to remember it was "third hand" and she paid about £100 for it in 1984.

Title: Re: Remember Beta vs VHS?
Post by: Simon on September 30, 2010, 11:21

;D

I couldn't afford to buy a VHS when they first came out, so rented from Radio Rentals.

Title: Re: Remember Beta vs VHS?
Post by: sam on September 30, 2010, 13:29

radio rentals....  :dunno:

Title: Re: Remember Beta vs VHS?
Post by: Simon on September 30, 2010, 13:40

Bloody kids!  ;D

Title: Re: Remember Beta vs VHS?
Post by: Clive on September 30, 2010, 15:37

Before your time Sam.   ;D  They started out as a radio relay service for people who preferred to rent a radio set fed by cable.  It meant good reception in difficult areas - especially for Radio Luxembourg which was often a very weak signal.  Cheap transistor radios sparked the death knell for relay stations and they diversified into renting out TV sets.  My first Black and white TV was an ex-rental and my first colour was a rented 13" Sony. Being such a small set, the picture quality was outstanding.   :laugh:

Title: Re: Remember Beta vs VHS?
Post by: sam on September 30, 2010, 23:05

I do wonder why the rental business died off, I guess things got cheap - especially with the supermarkets.

Title: Re: Remember Beta vs VHS?
Post by: Simon on September 30, 2010, 23:16

Indeed, I think that's just it, Sam.  When I first rented a VHS machine, to buy an equivalent model would have been nearly £500, which, back in the early 80s, was a hell of a lot of money.  As equipment got cheaper, it simply didn't pay to rent, especially as you were tied into a 12 month contract.