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From: cfogg@blake.acs.washington.edu (Chad Fogg)
Newsgroups: rec.video,sci.electronics
Subject: S-VHS this generation's Beta?
Keywords: S-VHS sales popularity upper side band
Message-ID: <2722@blake.acs.washington.edu>
Date: 10 Jul 89 10:13:54 GMT
Organization: The Rupert Murdoch and Robert Maxwell Fan Club
Lines: 41


To quote a recent article:

      Little more than two years after the Victor Company of Japan--- 
      better known in the US as JVC----unveiled Super VHS to the world,
      its vision of the future of home video recording remains little
      more than a curiosity, a toy for video buffs who absolutely must 
      possess the latest in video technology. .. BUT WITH FEWER THAN
      ONE IN 100 VCR buyers opting for S-VHS decks  and less than three 
      percent of camcorder buyers shooting for the format, it's time to
      consider whether [S-VHS] .. is this generation's Beta.  (1)

Levine summarizes the reasons for S-VHS's unpopularity: lack of prerecorded
software and significantly higher prices.  Causes are: An uncommitted Holly-
wood, VCR suppliers' reluctance to lower prices because of the higher profits
they make on S-VHS machines, and an unaggressive advertizing campaign.

Only %1 ?!?  I'm not all than keen on the technical aspect of video, but
why didn't JVC use Upper Side Band techniques?  Simply add a fully Forward
and Backwards compatible band in the extra bandwidth afforded by the new
tape formulas.  You know,  this business:

             ________________       _____
     _      /                \     /     \
    / \    /                  \   /       \
___/   \__/                    \_/         \______

  Chroma      Luminance            Upper Band (added information)

Then you piece the two parts together---like the 1/2" analog prototype
HDTV VCR's that split the signal into four separate bands in order to
sqeeze it all in.


(1) Martine Levine, "S-VHS: What's Taking So Long?," _Video_Review_,
July, 1989, p. 21.

No flames, please.  I claim no special knowledge into video technology.
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