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From: newlin@ihuxe.UUCP (Doug Newlin)
Newsgroups: net.video
Subject: Re: The Fate of Beta Format
Message-ID: <1254@ihuxe.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 2-Dec-85 18:02:34 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxe.1254
Posted: Mon Dec  2 18:02:34 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 3-Dec-85 20:16:01 EST
References: <703@leadsv.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 37

>
> 	Do people on the net think that Beta will last?  Or is
> Sony going to eventually cave in and adopt VHS?  I am thinking about
> buying a VCR.  Anytime I have seen a market like this, everyone
> eventually adopts one format( e.g. IBM).  But there are incentives to 
> buy Beta.  If I go with Sony will I be left hanging in a couple of years?

I used to own a VHS VCR, but when I was exposed to the superior picture and
engineering of the top of the line SONY BETA VCRs, I switched formats (this
was about two years ago).  I have never regretted it!  I currently own the
HF900 Super-BETA, which has features no other VHS VCR has (e.g., high 
resolution Super-BETA picture, "jog dial" for industrial level special 
effects/editing, 181 channel cable tuner), along with a built in MTS stereo
TV decoder, and many other goodies.

I do not think a company (SONY) would invest $$ in R&D to introduce 
Super-BETA, their "jog dial", 181 channel cable tuner, etc. if they were 
planning to drop their BETA format.  Actually, the video magazines 
(e.g., VIDEO, VIDEO REVIEW), have been hinting that the 8mm format may 
replace BOTH VHS and BETA in the future [depends on how you define the 
future, though - there are still Kodak Pony silent cameras and projectors 
around :-) ]

Also, SONY does not have to share its piece of the VCR market (latest 
estimates are that the BETA format has an approx. 20% of the new VCR 
sales) with hundreds (thousands?) of competing VCR manufacturers like the 
VHS group does, hence SONY has a greater potential for more profit ($$$).

If your are thinking about buying a VCR, and your only concern is that the 
BETA format will perish in the near future, my *opinion* is don't worry 
about it.

			Doug Newlin (AT&T Bell Laboratories, Naperville, IL)
			..ihnp4!ixe5n!newlin
-- 
			Doug Newlin (AT&T Bell Laboratories, Naperville, IL)
			..ihnp4!ixe5n!newlin