Introduced in 1975, Sony hoped that the video cassette tape industry and all other manufacturers would adopt the Beta Tape as the standard industry format. Unfortunately JVC, a Japanese-owned rival brand, decided to create their own format, VHS, in 1977. Betamax had a marginally better recording quality and a slightly better sound compared to the VHS, putting it at a higher price tag. However, these differences weren’t all that noticeable to the average consumer, meaning they leaned toward VHS almost every time. Sony also believed that it would be fine to cap Beta Tapes at one hour, but that didn’t work for consumers who recorded sporting events, feature films, or primetime television blocks.
