Andrew Fildes wrote:
> It was my understanding
> that the Beta tape system mentioned here was superior to VHS, smaller,
> more robust and more reliable due to a less convoluted tape path. And
> that it appeared almost simultaneously to VHS but that the latter
> reached the 'tipping point' earlier and Beta was driven out by the
> video hire industry. Isn't that why the ENG industry still uses Beta?
> It's harsh to criticise a company for being innovative and failing,
> surely, even though the consumer gets burned at times. Popularity is a
> poor measure of success at times. If it was, we'd all be singing the
> praises of MS instead of cursing the fact that far superior systems are
> not the industry standards.
One of Sony's problems with Beta is they failed to understand that
Albert and Annie Average didn't care so much about the shorter tape path
and superior image as much as they cared about buying cheap VCRs and
putting 6-8 hours of video on one cassette. VHS was ahead in marketing,
if not technology.
Sony's other mistake was in not licensing the technology widely (I think
because they wanted to control both the hardware and software ends of
the business). While JVC was licensing VHS to anyone who could scrape up
the pocket change, Sony licensed to only a few. And then it was too late.
To inject some Olympus content into this, there is some parallel to the
4/3 sensor and the uphill battle Olympus faces in making their digital
cameras the ones to buy (at least at the prosumer/professional end;
their consumer line seems to be doing okay). Regardless of the technical
merit of the 4/3 sensor, if "4/3 cameras" are not marketed as well as
Can*n's or Nik*n's, Olympus has lost the high ground again.
Unfortunately, at least in the more consumer-oriented societies of our
world, marketing and a low price seems to trump superior technology
every time -- unless there is some other aspect of that superior
technology (perceived coolness, provenance, etc.) that is attractive.
Steve
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