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From: chris@leadsv.UUCP (Chris Salander)
Newsgroups: net.video
Subject: No BETA, no choice.
Message-ID: <732@leadsv.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 19-Dec-85 16:43:22 EST
Article-I.D.: leadsv.732
Posted: Thu Dec 19 16:43:22 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 25-Dec-85 00:29:00 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: LMSC-LEADS, Sunnyvale, Ca.
Lines: 16
Summary: Beta is dying on the West Coast


	It seems that the Beta format is going away on the
West Coast.  It used to be 1/5th to 1/6th of the market and now
is only 1/8th to 1/10th.   Many stores have stopped carrying
Beta tapes altogether.  One store that does carry it does so only
because they are near a Naval Air Station, where people have VCR's
that they have bought abroad.  Most stores carry 8 or 10 VHS 
systems and only one or two Beta.

	One video store dealer explained to me that "VHS people"
did a big promotion on the West Coast and that swung things their
way.  Most stores cannot move enough volume of Beta tapes in order
to pay for them.  If you get Beta in California, you are REAL lonely.
Beta is still recommended if you are primarily taping off TV, since
it is still the best quality, but if you want to rent tapes, having
Beta is a handicap here.