Anyone have a use for

[knopfling]

a BETA tape version of Alchemy?
It's old and used and free if you pay the postage.
I hate to just throw it out.

[Jackal]

Hahaha. Now that's random.

[Rollergirl]

what's BETA?

[Jackal]

what's BETA?

In the 80s, there was the war between the Beta and VHS video format, which was won by VHS camp. Similar to the Blu-ray HD DVD war in the 00s.

As far as I know, the Beta format was actually superior, but the VHS people had better marketing strategies (correct me if I'm wrong).

[Pottel]

Betamax was the exact name, right?

[Rollergirl]

what's BETA?

In the 80s, there was the war between the Beta and VHS video format, which was won by VHS camp. Similar to the Blu-ray HD DVD war in the 00s.

As far as I know, the Beta format was actually superior, but the VHS people had better marketing strategies (correct me if I'm wrong).

Thanks, I had never heard of it, only knew of VHS. I will got to bed smarter tonight!

[vgonis]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Videotape_format_war

I might be interested. Has the cover intact? And how much would it cost to post  to Greece?

[dmg]

Betamax was Sony's system and JVC was the inventor of VHS from what I recall.  Beta gave better quality and had more compact cassettes but VHS won out due to the higher capacity it's larger cassettes could afford which was a real pity.  The number of rental tapes available in Beta format was very limited too in comparison.

It's really a question of the whole product and not just audio/visual quality.  Technological aspects are a small and often uninteresting part of the decision.  As a whole product then VHS is superior which is why it won.  Just like DAT vs compact cassette where one is investing in the vast infrastructure in tapes; entering any shop and purchasing a tape/pre recorded tape.  Everybody and their granny knows that DAT is vastly superior to CC in every other respect.

Old quality Betamax machines are worth some money now to collectors.

[vgonis]

I know this is not the place (I don't know about the time, I guess I am going to find out), but I recently came across another format from those times, that stunned me. I already posted information on another thread. Here it is:
...And believe it or not, I somehow feel lucky that I wasn't in the USA, because two more video formats were available in the 80ies and 90ies, before the DVD and I would probably have fallen for them. One of them was the Laserdisc (DS released Alchemy and On the night on Laserdiscs) and SelectaVision Videodisc or CED. Both started out in the late 70ies, both came in 12'' format, playing at both sides and both of them contained ANALOG pictures and sound.Laserdisc was more common, and successful, lasted until 2001 (last 3000 players were actually manufactured in 2009) was made of aluminum and read with a laser beam, much like the CDs and DVDs. Selectavision on the other hand, never really made it outside the USA (UK and Australia were the other two countries that actually tried it a bit), lasted only until 1986 (last movies for that format were made in July 1986). The truly interesting part for the SelectaVision disc is that it was made of vinyl, similar to the music LPs and the content was read with a stylus-a needle, just like the LPs!   
See more about this format:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitance_Electronic_Disc
http://w.cedmagic.com/home/cedfaq.html#threetwenty

[dmg]

I nearly bough a laserdisc player years ago (think they were a Pioneer invention) but read in a hi-fi magazine that a new format called DVD was on it's way!  It launched in Japan quite a while before the UK but I waited patiently.  The first machines in the UK were Thomson ones but I had my eye on one of they Sony ones which took even longer to come.  I remember they gave me a copy of Jerry Maguire with it.  When they handed me the player the shop assistant shouted to me "show me the money!"

[knopfling]

VGONIS2002  It is in a thin cardboard cover that is so old it is getting yellow, but it is intact.
If you are interested, I would have to go to the post office to find out how much the postage would be to Greece.

[vgonis]

Thanks. Yes, if it is a genuine tape with all the artwork on the cover, I am interested. I hate to put you into trouble, to find out it is to expensive to send over, but I am willing to give up to five dollars.  Keep me posted 

[knopfling]

Okay, I will check with the post office Monday.

[vgonis]

Thank you, have a nice weekend.

[knopfling]

VIGON, the post office said it would be a little over $10 to ship to Greece.