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From time to time one sees the kind of comparison seen above linking Betamax with historical failures. To the uninformed, Beta seems like an easy target when placed against the success of VHS. But one has only to look just below the surface to see the real story. Every television newsman knows Beta was the better format. So does the sports camera man, or the tape editing technician. The list is long and impressive of how Sony's Beta, Betacam and BetacamSP formats impacted the professional video industry. An industry wherein quality, versatility and durability were the deciding factors. Beta in the consumer market place may be gone now (as will be VHS, someday soon) but the system, the heart of the technology, still lives on in Hi-8, Digital8, DV, DVCam, and others. It is used in these formats because of it's superior operational technology and tape handling characteristics. Don't morn Beta. If you own one and that fact should come up in conversation, you may get a strange look from someone. Just take comfort in the knowledge that you own the legend. The one that started the revolution in video that continues on until this day. With such a powerful history, can Beta really be classified as a flop?
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