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From: boyajian@akov68.DEC
Newsgroups: net.video
Subject: re: Expensive pre-recorded videotapes
Message-ID: <2123@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 11-May-85 04:41:06 EDT
Article-I.D.: decwrl.2123
Posted: Sat May 11 04:41:06 1985
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From:	vortex!root	(Lauren Weinstein)

> One factor is the fact that (for all practical purposes) most videotape
> duplicating is done in realtime.  With discs, you just stamp them out.
> With audio tapes, you can do high speed duplication.  But for helical
> video, there are major problems with high speed duplication and most
> (if not all) of the manufacturing is done in 1:1 realtime.  This
> is a slow process, and it is reflected in the costs.

That doesn't explain why Warner's, CBS/Fox, MGM/UA, and others insist on
keeping their tape prices at $60-80, while Paramount sells there's for $40
or less. Consider the difference between Paramount's STAR TREK (TV episodes)
tapes at $15, and whoever's PRISONER tapes at $40, when for each show, it's
only one hour/tape.
	Plus, Sony had developed sometime last year a high speed Beta tape
copier, so Beta tapes, at least, don't have to be done in real time.

--- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC, Maynard, MA)

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