Fun consumer electronics history: Why did Beta lose to VHS?

June 24, 2023 Alan Cross 1 Comment 962 Views

My family’s first VCR was a Beta machine. It took my dad years to get over choosing wrong. But Sony’s Beta seemed to be the way to go. I mean it debuted in 1975, a full 18 months before JVC unveiled VHS. So what happened? It was the greatest format war in history.

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Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

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Alan Cross

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