[ARSCLIST] VHS and Beta (was Re: [ARSCLIST] Longevity)

[Mike Richter <mrichter@xxxxxxx>]

phillip holmes wrote:
> Um, if they can make it 2 track at 15IPS and fit it in a cartridge, I'll 
> buy it.  I lucked out and went with the inferior format, VHS.

It is not a matter of "better". In most respects, beta offered higher 
quality, but much less durability. Until very late in the game, a beta 
tape was threaded before any operation. That increased wear and risk of 
damage on fast-forward and rewind. It also has a disturbing tendency to 
pick up debris (however stored) and to foul the heads with it.

In many respects, Sony and its few followers were chasing VHS with too 
little and too late. One could get four-hour playback on VHS before Sony 
delivered two-hour. The first wireless remote for VHS was concurrent 
with the first wired one for Betamax.

And so on.

I have hundreds of Betamax tapes and thousands of VHS. When the beta is 
not scratched or fouled, its performance is superior and I dub from that 
to DVD preferentially. About 80% of the time, I'm forced to VHS.

Mike
--
mrichter@xxxxxxx
http://www.mrichter.com/