So far, this thread hasn't indicated the original reason the Beta format failed (unless I skipped over it in someone's posting). Sony made the fatal marketing decision to keep their format completely proprietary, whereas Panasonic made the VHS format an "open standard." Sony's hope was to monopolize the VCR marketplace. Instead, it became Sony versus every other manufacturer. Obvious consequences of that were: 1. VHS devices vastly outnumbered Beta devices 2. Healthy competition drove down the price of VHS tapes (reinforcing item 1) 3. Owners of Sony Beta tapes were limited to Sony Beta VCRs (and vice versa). They couldn't exchange tapes with their VHS-user friends, etc., etc. 4. Videotape rental stores favored the majority and carried a much smaller range of movies on Beta. ... Someone commented on the higher capacity of the Beta tapes. Interestingly, VHS tapes have a higher capacity when used for NTSC recording than when used for PAL/SECAM recording. That is, of course, a consequence of the greater amount of information in PAL and SECAM frames (625 lines, versus 525 lines, for a start). Digital 8 mm tapes exhibit the same capacity differences between NTSC and PAL/SECAM recording. The Sony Beta trademark continues with the professional Betacam format, which is digital. Bill Potts, CMS Roseville, CA http://metric1.org [SI Navigator] > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On > Behalf Of Stephen C. Gallagher > Sent: June 09, 2001 13:06 > To: U.S. Metric Association > Subject: [USMA:13611] RE: Market forces > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jim Elwell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: June 9, 2001 13:28 > Subject: [USMA:13608] RE: Market forces > > > > Stephen Gallagher writes: > > > > > My opinion is that customers preferred the cheaper price of > > > VHS, over BETA, not necessarily the longer record time. > > > > That may well be. I got my info from a college professor teaching a > > marketing class. It's been too long for me to remember where he got his > > info, but I remember clearly the issue of recording time. > > It was a combination of both. Followed by the appearance > of video rental stores, which catered to the larger VHS market > because there were more VHS players, which in turn caused > more people to favour VHS players. > > Stephen >
