246:
North
American market. By 1981, sales of Beta machines in the United States had sunk to 25% of the VCR market. As movie studios, video studios, and video rental stores turned away from Betamax, the combination of lower market share and a lack of available titles further strengthened VHS's position. In the United Kingdom Beta held a 25% market share, but by 1986 it was down to 7.5% and continued to decline further. In Japan, Betamax had more success, but VHS was still the market leader. By 1987, VHS accounted for 90% of the VCR market in the United States. In 1988,
300:
whereas it soon became clear that consumer desire was focused more intently on recording-time, lower retail price, compatibility with other machines for sharing (as VHS was becoming the format in the majority of homes), and brand loyalty to companies who licensed VHS (RCA, Magnavox, Zenith, Quasar, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Hitachi, Sharp, even JVC itself, etc.). In addition, Sony, being the first producer to offer its technology, also thought it would establish
Betamax as the leading format. This kind of lock-in and
137:
22:
122:
311:
The video recording market was an unknown when VCRs first came on the market; as such, Sony and JVC were both developing technologies that were unproven. As a result of the desire to enter the marketplace faster, the firms both spent less time on research and development and tried to save money by
222:
Soon after, RCA met with executives at the Victor
Company of Japan (JVC), at the time a Matsushita subsidiary, who had created their own video format called "VHS" (which stands for "Video Home System"). But JVC also refused to compromise the picture quality of their format by allowing a four-hour
245:
Although
Betamax initially owned 100% of the market in 1975 (as VHS did not launch until the following year) the perceived value of longer recording-times eventually tipped the balance in favor of VHS. By 1980, VHS had proven favorable among consumers and was successful in controlling 60% of the
299:
for the availability of video cassette players (VCP) to movie rental stores, by offering first VHS VCR prices down to under $ 300 by year 1986. Sony believed that having better quality recordings was the key to success, and that consumers would be willing to pay a higher retail price for this,
236:
than VHS, and was later marketed as providing pictures superior to VHS's playback. However, the introduction of Beta II speed, 0.79 ips (two-hour mode), to compete with VHS's two-hour
Standard Play mode (1.31 ips) reduced Betamax's horizontal resolution to 240 lines.
179:
Sony had demonstrated a prototype videotape recording system it called "Beta" to the other electronics manufacturers in 1974, and expected that they would back a single format for the good of all. But JVC in particular decided to go with its own format.
231:
When
Betamax was introduced in Japan and the United States in 1975, its Beta I speed of 1.57 inches per second (ips) offered a higher horizontal resolution (approximately 250 lines vs 240 lines horizontal NTSC), lower video noise, and less luma/chroma
206:
said "we pushed VHS harder, and in that sense we did have something to do with VHS winning out". Steve
Duplessie, the founder of research firm Enterprise Strategy Group, disagreed, saying that VHS won over Betamax due to its more open format.
320:
Following the videotape format war, VHS was dominant until the creation of DVD technology. The major electronics corporations agreed on a single standard for playback of pre-recorded material on
255:
Both
Betamax and VHS were supplanted by higher-quality video available from laser-based technology. The last Sony Betamax unit was produced in 2002, while the last
670:
362:
332:, a system developed by Grundig and Philips in 1979 was available for PAL and SECAM and distributed only in Europe, South Africa and Argentina. A
456:
707:
535:, cites the original name as "Video Home System", from an article by Yuma Shiraishi, one of its inventors. Accessed December 28, 2006.
195:). None of these disc formats gained much ground as none was capable of home recording; however, they did hold small niche markets.
532:
86:
223:
mode. JVC's parent corporation, Matsushita, later met with RCA and agreed to manufacture a four-hour-capable VHS machine for RCA.
377:
333:
58:
584:
39:
65:
789:
627:
271:
to be the superior format in the minds of the public and press (due to excellent marketing by Sony), consumers wanted an
252:
magazine declared that Beta had lost the format war after Sony agreed to start adding VHS to the company's VCR lineup.
72:
517:
105:
304:
failed for Sony, but succeeded for JVC. For forty years JVC dominated the home market with its VHS, Super VHS and
920:
605:
54:
275:
VCR (which often cost hundreds of dollars less than a
Betamax player); Korean electronic manufacturers, such as
43:
944:
312:
picking a version of the technology they thought would do best without exploring the full gamut of options.
954:
949:
435:
545:
184:
413:
858:
699:
341:
160:
125:
79:
32:
388:
156:
750:
564:
728:
183:
Manufacturers also introduced other systems such as needle-based, record-style discs (RCA's
385:, a picture search system pioneered with Betamax and available on most video formats since.
336:
resulted from a failure to agree on a single standard for DVD's high-definition successor (
885:
8:
203:
822:
Cowan, Robin (1991). "Tortoises and Hares: Choice Among
Technologies of Unknown Merit".
939:
924:
839:
770:
671:"The end of Sony's Betamax video tape: But the format wars continue in a digital world"
199:
188:
484:
774:
513:
367:
831:
762:
219:
executives in late 1974/early 1975 to discuss the forthcoming home video market.
372:
301:
267:
What Sony did not take into account was what consumers wanted. While Betamax was
914:
801:
684:
296:
284:
631:
414:"The Betamax vs VHS Format War, Author: Dave Owen, Originally published: 2005"
198:
Some sources say that VHS won over Betamax due to the greater availability of
933:
652:
393:
256:
140:
Size comparison between a Betamax cassette (top) and a VHS cassette (bottom)
959:
863:
345:
153:
129:
908:
700:"Last known VCR maker stops production, 40 years after VHS format launch"
382:
766:
843:
329:
149:
136:
233:
216:
192:
835:
751:"Choosing How to Compete: Strategies and Tactics in Standardization"
21:
280:
248:
357:
292:
276:
171:(VHS) formats. VHS ultimately emerged as the preeminent format.
164:
121:
337:
305:
288:
163:(VCR) in the late 1970s and the 1980s, mainly involving the
546:"1977 – Corporate History – History – About Us – Panasonic"
325:
321:
168:
128:
cassettes in case (left) and on own (right). A full-size
886:"Toshiba Announces Discontinuation of HD DVD Businesses"
485:"Porn industry may be decider in Blu-ray, HD-DVD battle"
340:) in May 2005. This format war ended in victory for the
510:
Fast Forward: Hollywood, the Japanese, and the VCR Wars
308:
formats, and collected billions in royalty payments.
46:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
363:Comparison of high-definition optical disc formats
931:
606:"Sony finally decides it's time to kill Betamax"
585:"The Rapid Evolution of the Consumer Camcorder"
191:disc) and optical discs (Philips/MCA/Pioneer's
794:Journal of Law, Economics, & Organization
562:
748:
315:
202:on the format. In the 1980s, the founder of
749:Besen, Stanley M.; Farrell, Joseph (1994).
152:" of incompatible models of consumer-level
625:
787:
533:"IEEE History Center: Development of VHS"
210:
106:Learn how and when to remove this message
135:
120:
909:The Great Format War of the early 1980s
790:"Path Dependence, Lock-In, and History"
507:
378:High-definition optical disc format war
932:
856:
697:
859:"Toshiba, Sony fail to agree - again"
821:
653:"June 4, 1977: VHS Comes to America"
479:
477:
433:
427:
44:adding citations to reliable sources
15:
883:
457:"8 Ways Porn Influenced Technology"
13:
917:by Marc Wielage & Rod Woodcock
512:. New York: New American Library.
226:
14:
971:
902:
628:"The Decline and Fall of Betamax"
474:
436:"The Decline and Fall of Betamax"
755:Journal of Economic Perspectives
148:was a period of competition or "
20:
921:Why VHS was better than Betamax
877:
850:
815:
781:
742:
721:
710:from the original on 2017-05-22
691:
677:
663:
645:
619:
598:
324:. A minor skirmish arose over
31:needs additional citations for
698:Walton, Mark (July 21, 2016).
577:
556:
538:
526:
501:
449:
406:
262:
1:
399:
328:, but it died a quick death.
7:
685:"The Rise and Fall of Beta"
351:
259:unit was produced in 2016.
185:Capacitance Electronic Disc
10:
976:
240:
174:
915:The Rise and Fall of Beta
800:: 205–226. Archived from
316:Similar video-format-wars
788:Liebowitz, S.J. (1995).
342:Blu-ray Disc Association
161:video cassette recorders
508:Lardner, James (1987).
729:"videointerchange.com"
389:Videocassette recorder
211:Competing technologies
141:
133:
55:"Videotape format war"
139:
124:
118:Period of competition
945:Mass media rivalries
824:The Economic Journal
146:videotape format war
40:improve this article
955:1980s in technology
950:1970s in technology
767:10.1257/jep.8.2.117
673:. 13 November 2015.
563:Video Interchange.
434:Moulding, Helge S.
204:Vivid Entertainment
200:pornographic movies
132:is shown for scale.
925:Guardian Unlimited
608:. 10 November 2015
463:. 14 February 2014
416:. Mediacollege.com
348:in February 2008.
215:Sony had met with
189:Video High Density
142:
134:
550:www.panasonic.com
368:De facto standard
169:Video Home System
116:
115:
108:
90:
967:
896:
895:
893:
892:
881:
875:
874:
872:
871:
854:
848:
847:
830:(407): 801–814.
819:
813:
812:
810:
809:
785:
779:
778:
746:
740:
739:
737:
735:
725:
719:
718:
716:
715:
695:
689:
688:
681:
675:
674:
667:
661:
660:
649:
643:
642:
640:
639:
630:. Archived from
626:Helge Moulding.
623:
617:
616:
614:
613:
602:
596:
595:
593:
592:
587:. 21 August 2014
581:
575:
574:
572:
571:
560:
554:
553:
542:
536:
530:
524:
523:
505:
499:
498:
496:
495:
481:
472:
471:
469:
468:
453:
447:
446:
444:
442:
431:
425:
424:
422:
421:
410:
334:later format-war
287:), responded to
111:
104:
100:
97:
91:
89:
48:
24:
16:
975:
974:
970:
969:
968:
966:
965:
964:
930:
929:
905:
900:
899:
890:
888:
882:
878:
869:
867:
855:
851:
836:10.2307/2233856
820:
816:
807:
805:
786:
782:
747:
743:
733:
731:
727:
726:
722:
713:
711:
696:
692:
683:
682:
678:
669:
668:
664:
651:
650:
646:
637:
635:
624:
620:
611:
609:
604:
603:
599:
590:
588:
583:
582:
578:
569:
567:
565:"Video History"
561:
557:
544:
543:
539:
531:
527:
520:
506:
502:
493:
491:
483:
482:
475:
466:
464:
455:
454:
450:
440:
438:
432:
428:
419:
417:
412:
411:
407:
402:
373:Dominant design
354:
318:
302:path dependence
265:
243:
229:
227:Picture-quality
213:
177:
119:
112:
101:
95:
92:
49:
47:
37:
25:
12:
11:
5:
973:
963:
962:
957:
952:
947:
942:
928:
927:
918:
912:
911:- Total Rewind
904:
903:External links
901:
898:
897:
876:
849:
814:
780:
761:(2): 117–131.
741:
720:
690:
676:
662:
644:
618:
597:
576:
555:
537:
525:
518:
500:
473:
448:
426:
404:
403:
401:
398:
397:
396:
391:
386:
380:
375:
370:
365:
360:
353:
350:
317:
314:
297:Orion Electric
285:LG Electronics
264:
261:
242:
239:
228:
225:
212:
209:
176:
173:
117:
114:
113:
28:
26:
19:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
972:
961:
958:
956:
953:
951:
948:
946:
943:
941:
938:
937:
935:
926:
922:
919:
916:
913:
910:
907:
906:
887:
880:
866:
865:
860:
853:
845:
841:
837:
833:
829:
825:
818:
804:on 2017-04-21
803:
799:
795:
791:
784:
776:
772:
768:
764:
760:
756:
752:
745:
730:
724:
709:
705:
701:
694:
686:
680:
672:
666:
658:
654:
648:
634:on 2009-03-29
633:
629:
622:
607:
601:
586:
580:
566:
559:
551:
547:
541:
534:
529:
521:
519:0-451-62626-5
515:
511:
504:
490:
486:
480:
478:
462:
458:
452:
437:
430:
415:
409:
405:
395:
394:Streaming war
392:
390:
387:
384:
381:
379:
376:
374:
371:
369:
366:
364:
361:
359:
356:
355:
349:
347:
343:
339:
335:
331:
327:
323:
313:
309:
307:
303:
298:
294:
290:
286:
282:
278:
274:
270:
260:
258:
257:VCR/DVD combo
253:
251:
250:
238:
235:
224:
220:
218:
208:
205:
201:
196:
194:
190:
186:
181:
172:
170:
166:
162:
158:
157:videocassette
155:
151:
147:
138:
131:
127:
123:
110:
107:
99:
88:
85:
81:
78:
74:
71:
67:
64:
60:
57: –
56:
52:
51:Find sources:
45:
41:
35:
34:
29:This article
27:
23:
18:
17:
889:. Retrieved
879:
868:. Retrieved
864:The Register
862:
857:Tony Smith.
852:
827:
823:
817:
806:. Retrieved
802:the original
797:
793:
783:
758:
754:
744:
732:. Retrieved
723:
712:. Retrieved
704:Ars Technica
703:
693:
679:
665:
656:
647:
636:. Retrieved
632:the original
621:
610:. Retrieved
600:
589:. Retrieved
579:
568:. Retrieved
558:
549:
540:
528:
509:
503:
492:. Retrieved
488:
465:. Retrieved
460:
451:
439:. Retrieved
429:
418:. Retrieved
408:
346:Blu-ray Disc
319:
310:
272:
268:
266:
254:
247:
244:
230:
221:
214:
197:
182:
178:
154:analog video
145:
143:
126:"VCR"-format
102:
93:
83:
76:
69:
62:
50:
38:Please help
33:verification
30:
441:10 February
383:Peep search
263:End of Beta
934:Categories
891:2013-09-27
870:2007-08-20
808:2007-11-20
714:2017-05-22
638:2007-08-20
612:2016-08-06
591:2016-08-06
570:2022-11-03
494:2021-06-22
467:2021-06-22
420:2012-09-16
400:References
330:Video 2000
273:affordable
217:Matsushita
150:format war
96:April 2008
66:newspapers
940:Videotape
884:Toshiba.
775:154855045
461:Thrillist
234:crosstalk
193:LaserDisc
708:Archived
489:Macworld
352:See also
281:GoldStar
269:believed
249:Videofax
187:, JVC's
844:2233856
734:23 July
358:Betacam
293:Shintom
277:Samsung
241:Outcome
175:History
165:Betamax
80:scholar
842:
773:
516:
338:HD DVD
295:, and
82:
75:
68:
61:
53:
840:JSTOR
771:S2CID
657:Wired
306:VHS-C
289:Funai
283:(now
87:JSTOR
73:books
736:2016
514:ISBN
443:2017
326:DIVX
322:DVDs
279:and
167:and
159:and
144:The
59:news
960:VHS
832:doi
828:101
763:doi
344:'s
42:by
936::
923:-
861:.
838:.
826:.
798:11
796:.
792:.
769:.
757:.
753:.
706:.
702:.
655:.
548:.
487:.
476:^
459:.
291:,
130:CD
894:.
873:.
846:.
834::
811:.
777:.
765::
759:8
738:.
717:.
687:.
659:.
641:.
615:.
594:.
573:.
552:.
522:.
497:.
470:.
445:.
423:.
109:)
103:(
98:)
94:(
84:·
77:·
70:·
63:·
36:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
