Here's one for our younger readers: before Netflix there were DVDs, and before DVDs there were VHS tapes. But before all of that, in 1975, there were Betamax cassettes. Sony created these as a means to record and playback video, but while the format was considered superior in some regards, it lost a very fierce war against JVC's VHS alternative.
Despite all of this, for the past 40 years, the Japanese giant has stuck to its guns with Betamax, continuing to manufacture tapes despite the last recorder launching all the way back in 2002. However, starting March 2016, the organisation will pull the plug on Betamax once and for all, as it ceases to produce new cassettes. It'll be scrapping MicroMV tapes at the same time, too.
So long Betamax – we hardly knew you!
[source bbc.co.uk]
Comments 12
Wow I can't believe they are even still producing tapes for this thing.
It must have been used in some particular industry or something right to keep it alive this long?
@Dodoo I think it was quite successful in Japan. I also want to say that some TV stations and stuff used to use it.
@get2sammyb
Yup, that's Betacam, an improved version for professional use. But the best system was Video 2000 in my opinion, but that was even less successful
@Neolit Interesting, thanks for the info!
"had a friend work at a local TV station, producing a "PC and Consoles games" TV show"
Wasn't GamesMaster by any chance?!
We had a Betamax when I was very young - I remember hiring videos to watch on it was a nightmare, as the selection dwindled down to a small corner of the video store. Eventually, my Dad succumbed and got a VHS, but we kept the Beta for recording off the TV till I was in my late teens. Fond memories
I've still got a Betamax copy of Conan the Barbarian. My player died about 20 years ago, but I haven't got the heart to ditch the movie
@Dodoo a lot of indi film makers like to use it because of the image and sound quality
I thought they stopped making them years ago when they lost to VHS like what happened to HDDVD. Well now I know why the occasional beta max movie shows up at my work every now and again.
@get2sammyb it was standard in TV stations due to the fact that it is far superior to the vhs. I had a betamax good stuff. But it doesn't change the fact that it totally failed in the west
I saw a Betamax video cassette in a thrift store a couple years ago and almost bought it out of the novelty of it.
Nooooooooo, i was hoping the PS5 would be using the Betamax format
@Carl-G they should just stick games on memory sticks, ugh.
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