Betamax is dead, long live VHS

[1979Shocker]

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/nov/10/betamax-dead-long-live-vhs-sony-end-prodution?CMP=fb_gu

Sony has announced that in March next year it will stop producing Betamax video cassette tapes, forty years after its introduction and 28 years after losing the war to VHS.

Assumed already dead by many, the final Betamax cassette will roll off the production line in March 2016 as its maker concedes defeat to the march of time, 20 ,maybe 30, years late.

[SB Shock]

http://www.theguardian.com/technolog...tion?CMP=fb_gu

do they even still make VHS tapes?

[Aargh]

Betamax outlasted Kodak film? Incredible.

I still have a stereo VHS. It's a great digital music recording device.

I've cleaned up my library of VHS tapes. I still have "The Villain", starring Schwartzenegger, Kirk Douglas, Ann-Margaret, Paul Lynde, and more names. I still have a "Stupid Criminals" where a burglar called 911 to help him get out of a building he had broken in to. I think that one also has a Cessna landing on the back of a pickup on a highway. I no longer have any copies of the "Mogie" tape.

[wufan]

We had a Betamax in the early 80s. In the early 90s someone broke into our house and stole our Betamax. Three days later it was returned to our front door step in a trash bag. True story.

[SHOCKvalue]

The inferior product beat out the superior one back then.

History repeated itself in this regard in recent history, only this time the battle ground was flat panel HD TV's. LCD/LED's beat out plasmas because... well, I'm not really sure. RIP glorious plasmas, and Lord grant a long life to my 7 y/o Panny, or at least until OLED's become affordable.

[Kung Wu]

LCD/LED's beat out plasmas because... well, I'm not really sure.

Price + Consumer confusion due to marketing + Weight

RIP glorious plasmas, and Lord grant a long life to my 7 y/o Panny, or at least until OLED's become affordable.

Amen. It's a total shame.

[JJClamdip]

I had a Sony Betamax, got it from Randy Smith at Gunning Wholesale in 1978 or 79.

Huge device and extremely hard to set up but it had a great picture.

[ShockTalk]

Betamax outlasted Kodak film? Incredible.

I still have a stereo VHS. It's a great digital music recording device.

I've cleaned up my library of VHS tapes. I still have "The Villain", starring Schwartzenegger, Kirk Douglas, Ann-Margaret, Paul Lynde, and more names. I still have a "Stupid Criminals" where a burglar called 911 to help him get out of a building he had broken in to. I think that one also has a Cessna landing on the back of a pickup on a highway. I no longer have any copies of the "Mogie" tape.

Wear them out did you? :tongue-new:

[MoValley John]

The Fiero was the best damned car ever built.

[MoValley John]

Ricardo del Rio owned a Fiero.

[KC Shox]

The inferior product beat out the superior one back then.

History repeated itself in this regard in recent history, only this time the battle ground was flat panel HD TV's. LCD/LED's beat out plasmas because... well, I'm not really sure. RIP glorious plasmas, and Lord grant a long life to my 7 y/o Panny, or at least until OLED's become affordable.

Plasma faded because you had salespeople at Sears, Circuit City, and Best Buy telling potential buyers that 'burn in' is a major flaw with plasmas. But I agree, it was a better product.

[SB Shock]

Ricardo del Rio owned a Fiero.

hopefully he will be driving it to the Shockernet basketball luncheon on Friday

[MoValley John]

Plasma faded because you had salespeople at Sears, Circuit City, and Best Buy telling potential buyers that 'burn in' is a major flaw with plasmas. But I agree, it was a better product.

Sears? You buy wrenches at Sears, not tv's. Hell, you don't even buy wrenches there, anymore.

[SHOCKvalue]

Sears? You buy wrenches at Sears, not tv's. Hell, you don't even buy wrenches there, anymore.

That's where mine came from. Not a retailer I seek out for really anything anymore, but when they have the lowest price...

[Aargh]

The Fiero was the best damned car ever built.

I had one. Mine did not catch fire until after I gave it away.