Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 System V-beta 12/2/85; site fai.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!bellcore!decvax!decwrl!sun!saber!qubix!wjvax!fai!ronc
From: ronc@fai.UUCP (Ronald O. Christian)
Newsgroups: net.video
Subject: Re: No BETA, no choice. --Gimmeabreak
Message-ID: <66@fai.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 20-Jan-86 11:03:34 EST
Article-I.D.: fai.66
Posted: Mon Jan 20 11:03:34 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 24-Jan-86 22:18:51 EST
References: <732@leadsv.UUCP>
Reply-To: ronc@fai.UUCP (Ronald O. Christian)
Distribution: net
Organization: Fujitsu America, Inc., San Jose, CA
Lines: 60
Summary: Another unsubstantiated rumor

In article <732@leadsv.UUCP> chris@leadsv.UUCP (Chris Salander) writes:
>
>	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.
>...[more blithering]
****

I think these rumors get started when someone bases the rest
of the world (or the west coast in this case) on one or two
personal experiances.

I have had no trouble getting pre-recorded tapes in the SF
bay area.  The stores I have frequented stock plenty of Beta
tapes.  Two of them are in the midst of expanding the area of
the store where they keep Beta tapes.

Since I'm going to buy a second deck soon, I'm also paying
close attention to the amount of new beta equipment available.
I have found that some of the discount stores, like Western
Appliance in San Jose, are not yet stocking the Super Beta
equipment, and are selling the older machines at discount
prices.  After overhearing the salemen push VHS there,
it's apparent where a lot of the 'Beta is dying' rumors
are coming from.  My own opinion is that the salesmen are
manipulating the truth in order to sell higher priced inferior
equipment to Mr. and Mrs Non-Technical.  I certainly wouldn't
use this as a basis to sell my Sony stock.

The Super Beta equipment is being pushed hardest in the
video specialty shops, although I've seen units by Sanyo
and Sony at two of the discount warehouses and the Sony
units at Gemco.

One company, I believe NEC, is manufacturing VCRs in both
VHS and Beta formats.  I have seen these decks in person.
(So to speak.)

So there's my own personal experiances.  In my opinion,
Beta is not going away.  A lot of people wish it would, but
end users that want higher quality still insist on buying Beta.
When you hear rumors that Beta is dying, you might consider the
possible motivation of the person or persons who started the rumor.

BTW, I don't *really* own any Sony stock, nor have I ever
been employed by Sony.


				Ron
-- 
--
		Ronald O. Christian (Fujitsu America Inc., San Jose, Calif.)
		ihnp4!pesnta!fai!ronc

Oliver's law of assumed responsibility:
	"If you are seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it."