Tags for this video have been changed from 'Sony, Betamax, lost, win, JVS, VHS, video cassette, tape, recorder, VCRs, TV, television' to 'Sony, Betamax, lost, win, JVC, VHS, video cassette, tape, recorder, VCRs, TV, television' - edited by MrFisk

He forgot the most important blow to the betamax: JVC licensed VHS, SONY refused to do it and wanted to take the whole video market as a monopoly. So VHS was available, in cheaper prices from multiple manufacturers and with ever increasing options while SONY and BetaMax had couple of models.. Not the first time SONY has lost something over greed, BluRay almost went with the same route (allthou there were several companies developing it from the start).

BetaMax cassette was 1h with the short play (and better quality), 2h with long play (later over 3h). Even on that machine he demonstrated.. The real reason for video cassette wars going for JVC was licensing and price dropped obviously with competition. But BetaMax was around almost for the entirety of video cassette history, collectors often wanted theirs in BetaMax for better sound and slightly better picture quality. Sound difference was noticeable, picture,, naah, not so much (i was there when this war happened...)

Sony was offered to join JVC before either had come out...

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what's a video cassette?

Wow, I still remember when I first heard these guys right around that time. A sort-of punker friend came by with a mysterious black and white video cassette she had found somewhere (we thought it was a demo, but it probably wasn't) featuring "Mountain Song" among others and we watched it over and over. Growing up in the cultural wasteland of the 80s, this was a sudden an unexpected breath of fresh air. Heavy, psychedelic, subversive, exciting music that was actually new! Whoda thought that the death of GnR, BonJovie and the like was only just around the corner and that these guys represented the near future of popular music. Why ANYBODY would voluntarily go to "80's night" is beyond me. That night lasted 10 years; I was there, there was no escape, and it sucked. Well, maybe just 8 years, as this vid shows, but you're still not gonna hear Janes Addiction at 80s night.