In a message of 30 Dec 97 at 07:16:14 Rick Mcbroom (1:123/38.0) wrote
To me (2:255/126.6) about Hi-Fi Stereo VCRs ... 
 -=>> Quoting Nick Blundell to Rick Mcbroom <=-
 NB>> Not really familiar with Betamax's myself, I know they were supposed
 NB>> to be better quality than VHS but VHS just took off as the standard..
 RM>  Dunno what test instruments would say, but to my eyes, Beta 2 looks
 RM> better
 RM>  than VHS SP. Nevertheless, John Q. Public percieved VHS's 6-hour
 RM> capability
 RM>  as a big advantage, apparently.
I would of prefered the enhanced quality that the extra storage space!
 RM>  Another big advantage of Betamax is the smooth, fast tape handling.
 RM> None of
 RM>  the clunky unthreading of the tape, etc.  Of course, many current VHS
 RM> decks
 RM>  have copied the Betamax's tape handling techniques.  Imitation is the
 RM> most
 RM>  sincere form of flattery, and all..  ;-)
My newer VCR is better with the tape but the old one just clunks it about
and when it finished rewinding it just goes clunk and almost falls of the
desk! - Dunno what it does for the tape!!
 RM>  Also, at least one Betamax manufacturer (Pioneer) produced decks with
 RM> linear
 RM>  stereo sound.  But these were non-standard.  Linear stereo sound was
 RM> never a
 RM>  part of the official format specifications, and such decks are
 RM> exceedingly
 RM>  rare.
Probably found in recycle centres or museums!! 
 NB>> One of my VHS VCR's has got an Audio Dub facility..
 RM>  Right.. audio dub was pretty much standard on early VHS Hi-Fi decks,
 RM> and
 RM>  some Betamax decks offered it, too. A few VHS decks even let you
 RM> replace
 RM>  the left and right linear soundtracks individually!
Some VCRs definately have better features than others, used to have
Misubishi B-11 (Or something like that..) it had loads of options, it was
only Standard play but if you put a long play tape in and rewound it for
f.fwd it would clock up the long play time, You would think it would
register a 3 hour tape as 3 hours on the counter but it registered it as
6Hrs, So why if it could do this could it not play long play tapes?
 NB>> Cheers for now & Merry Christmas!
 RM>  Thanks!
 RM>  Hope you had a great one as well!
Lots of liquid refreshments ... :-)
Cheers for now,
Nick
-=- E-mail: Nick.Blundell@letsf.camelot.co.uk 
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