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From: keithd@cadovax.UUCP (Keith Doyle)
Newsgroups: net.video
Subject: Re: Re(2): VHS vs Beta - future considerations ( about rfg's article )
Message-ID: <132@cadovax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 20-Sep-84 19:17:38 EDT
Article-I.D.: cadovax.132
Posted: Thu Sep 20 19:17:38 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 26-Sep-84 02:42:42 EDT
References: <577@trwspp.UUCP>, <619@hound.UUCP>, <580@trwspp.UUCP>
Organization: Contel Cado, Torrance, CA
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> 	Sometimes you can win with technology.  Right now,
> Beta isn't significantly better than VHS (according to most people who
> are laying out MORE money to buy a comparative VHS unit), and VHS
> certainly is more popular.  This may be a case where you can't win
> with *only* technology ... it requires popularity and availability as
> well, especially when there are conflicting competitors.  Example:
> Dolby versus DBX.  Dolby B had 10x noise reduction (approx), DBX
> comes out with 1000x, but it was incompatible with Dolby, who already
> had almost all of the market.  Last I heard, Dolby C (about 100x) was
> way ahead of DBX.  Technology didn't win - compatibility and market
> share did!  All figures are to order-of-magnitude and VERY approximate.

I agree.  De facto standards have a MAJOR effect on new products.  Ever
think what kind of color T.V. could be produced if it didn't have to be
compatible with NTSC to have any market?

Personally, I'm real hesitant to jump on any new tech bandwagon that may
be just a flash in the pan.  Read only video disks, CD's (remember 4 track
cartrige tapes {or 8 track for that matter}, Quad, etc.) may all be just
fads, and I'm not independently wealthy enough to sink hard earned $$$'s
into something just because its so super Hi-Tech that it's neat.

I'll give 'em a few years, enough time to insure that the new features
are enough to maintain sufficient popularity, or until they come out with
De Facto compatible models that I can use with some already existing
media.

Keith Doyle
{ucbvax,decvax}!trwrb!cadovax!keithd