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| Sony says goodbye to Betamax tapes | Sony says goodbye to Betamax tapes |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Sony has announced that it will stop selling Betamax video cassettes in March 2016. | Sony has announced that it will stop selling Betamax video cassettes in March 2016. |
| The firm revealed on its website that it will also stop shipping the Micro MV cassette, used in video cameras. | The firm revealed on its website that it will also stop shipping the Micro MV cassette, used in video cameras. |
| It has not produced a compatible camera for the Micro MV since 2005. | It has not produced a compatible camera for the Micro MV since 2005. |
| Sony launched the format in 1975, a year before JVC's rival the VHS cassette - which eventually became the market leader after a long battle between the two brands and their fans. | |
| Although many felt Betamax was the superior format, most cite the longer recording length of VHS tapes - three hours versus one - and the cheaper manufacturing costs for VHS machines as the main factors as to why VHS eventually won out. | Although many felt Betamax was the superior format, most cite the longer recording length of VHS tapes - three hours versus one - and the cheaper manufacturing costs for VHS machines as the main factors as to why VHS eventually won out. |
| The BBC still has Betamax tapes in some of its archives but most broadcasters had stopped recording on them by the year 2000. | The BBC still has Betamax tapes in some of its archives but most broadcasters had stopped recording on them by the year 2000. |
| "It's sad when the consumables of a format dies because then you can never go back to it," said BBC video editor Pete Doherty. | "It's sad when the consumables of a format dies because then you can never go back to it," said BBC video editor Pete Doherty. |
| "I remember watching Michael Jackson's Thriller on Betamax. It represents the time when we were just beginning to watch things on demand. | "I remember watching Michael Jackson's Thriller on Betamax. It represents the time when we were just beginning to watch things on demand. |
| "If you missed a programme on TV before that, you just had to wait for the repeat. | "If you missed a programme on TV before that, you just had to wait for the repeat. |
| "Having said that, I don't think many people will miss Betamax. I can't imagine there are many machines left to play them on." | "Having said that, I don't think many people will miss Betamax. I can't imagine there are many machines left to play them on." |