Is SVHS Dying???? at DVinfo.net

Nathan Gifford · September 1st, 2002, 10:12 AM

Just a question, is SVHS dying because of the popularity of competing formats? For example (and I do not know this for a fact) are cable and broadcast outlets accepting miniDV and DV tapes more routinely?

Don Donatello · September 1st, 2002, 10:42 AM

SVHS never caught on in the USA .. the masses just would NOT pay the higher $$ for the increase in quality ( 240 lines to 400.

adding to that so far in the USA they masses are NOT willing to pay for the higher HDTV quality .

on the GOOD -they are willing to BUY a DVD player for the same price as a vhs deck..

Jeff Donald · September 1st, 2002, 12:44 PM

All the analog formats are dying. I almost posted the Sony announcement last week, that they were discontinuing Betamax (NOT Betacam SP etc.). VHS will be the last analog format. The established consumer base will insure its survival for years to come. JVC could have saved S-VHS when they introduced D-9 (Digital S) a few years back. As it is, S-VHS will gradually fade away. Just like the tapes it records to.

Jeff

Dylan Couper · September 1st, 2002, 06:01 PM

The only thing insuring the survival of analogue is the fact no one has delivered a cheap, effective re-recordable media to the masses yet.

As much as I'd like to buy a miniDV deck so I could record Buffy The Vampire Slayer in digital, until the prices drop to below $300, I'll be quite happy recording on VHS.

Nathan Gifford · September 1st, 2002, 07:05 PM

One of the questions I am asking is whether broadcast and cable outlets are making the switch. At one time SVHS was a necessity, but that looks like it is changing. I actually had one broadcaster request a ** HI8 ** tape from me and they used it (and the worse cut on that tape too!!

Jeff Donald · September 1st, 2002, 08:29 PM

That will depend on the size market your working with. Smaller, rural markets, are still using 3/4 U-matic, U-matic SP and S-VHS. Slowly, these markets are moving towards the digital formats. S-VHS never had much acceptance or penitration in larger markets. They moved some time ago to Betacam SP, Betacam SX or the digital formats.

Jeff

Rik Sanchez · September 2nd, 2002, 03:21 AM

I don't know about the states but in Japan they accept stuff on mini DV, they usually ask for stuff to sent in on beta but they will take mini DV, they'll transfer it to beta or whatever format they use. I spoke with a producer at NHK once, the Japanese public station, and he asked what I edited, shot with, told him FCP and an XL-1, he said no problem. For his short segment on a news program people regularly shoot stuff on mini DV and send those tapes in to him.

Josh Bass · September 2nd, 2002, 03:36 AM

The station I work for airs all commercials and paids (30 minute infomercials) on SVHS. . .and I'm in Houston! Har har har har.

Margus Kivilaan · September 4th, 2002, 04:37 AM

<They moved some time ago to Betacam SP, Betacam SX or the digital formats.>

Jeff, SX is also slightly digital;)

Margus

Peter Lock · September 4th, 2002, 03:53 PM

They said vinyl would die with the introduction of CDs, but look whats making a comeback.

Peter

Jeff Donald · September 4th, 2002, 06:11 PM

Vinyl is making a comeback because there some audiophiles who would argue that vinyl sounds better. I don't think it would be easy to find videophiles that think analog is better than digital. Cheaper, maybe, but not better. Analog will continue to exist because of the huge libraries of existing material. I had some dupes made a couple of weeks ago of ten year old 1 inch masters and they still looked great. I'll probably have them converted to digital in the next 5 years, but I'm in no hurry to incur this expense.

Jeff

Josh Bass · September 4th, 2002, 07:19 PM

Analog is cheaper than digital--except when talking about betacam! Aren't those like 30 or 15 thousand dollar cameras? Get a really nice digital piece of gear for 10000, can't you?

Kyle "Doc" Mitchell · September 4th, 2002, 10:06 PM

Hello:

Hey man, I still shoot SVHS sometimes with a good ol' Panasonic AG-456. In fact I shot a project back in April with it. Image is still ok! Plus tapes are cheaper. I do prefer miniDV. But I wouldn't say SVHS is dying. I'd just say its like that girl that was once popular in high school is now just getting old, and less popular. But that doesn't mean she's dying and not pretty anymore. She's just not as popular.

Regards,

Kyle "Doc" Mitchell

Ralph Keyser · September 12th, 2002, 03:16 PM

Well, the figures certainly show the decline of sales of SVHS decks. They were never very high in the US to begin with, and they are on the way down. From that point of view, you could well argue that SVHS is dying.

Nathan Gifford · September 13th, 2002, 11:40 AM

I know that CDs do not always record better than vinyl. For example in Jesus Christ Superstar there is a cut as Capiacus is arguing with his colleagues. On vinyl you can clearly hear the baratone without any problem, while on CD he is barely audible.

September 1st, 2002, 10:12 AM	#1
Nathan Gifford Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Tickfaw, LA Posts: 1,217	Is SVHS Dying???? Just a question, is SVHS dying because of the popularity of competing formats? For example (and I do not know this for a fact) are cable and broadcast outlets accepting miniDV and DV tapes more routinely? __________________ Nathan Gifford Southern Cyclist Magazine & Productions For quick answers try our Search! To see me and Rob Lohman click here

September 1st, 2002, 07:05 PM	#5
Nathan Gifford Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Tickfaw, LA Posts: 1,217	One of the questions I am asking is whether broadcast and cable outlets are making the switch. At one time SVHS was a necessity, but that looks like it is changing. I actually had one broadcaster request a HI8 tape from me and they used it (and the worse cut on that tape too!! __________________ Nathan Gifford Southern Cyclist Magazine & Productions For quick answers try our Search! To see me and Rob Lohman click here

September 2nd, 2002, 03:21 AM	#7
Rik Sanchez ChorizoSmells Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Osaka, Japan Posts: 424	I don't know about the states but in Japan they accept stuff on mini DV, they usually ask for stuff to sent in on beta but they will take mini DV, they'll transfer it to beta or whatever format they use. I spoke with a producer at NHK once, the Japanese public station, and he asked what I edited, shot with, told him FCP and an XL-1, he said no problem. For his short segment on a news program people regularly shoot stuff on mini DV and send those tapes in to him. __________________ ChorizoSmells Video Barrio Tamatsukuri, Osaka, JAPAN

September 2nd, 2002, 03:36 AM	#8
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	The station I work for airs all commercials and paids (30 minute infomercials) on SVHS. . .and I'm in Houston! Har har har har. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

September 4th, 2002, 07:19 PM	#12
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Analog is cheaper than digital--except when talking about betacam! Aren't those like 30 or 15 thousand dollar cameras? Get a really nice digital piece of gear for 10000, can't you? __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

September 1st, 2002, 10:42 AM	#2
Don Donatello Hawaiian Shirt Mogul Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: northern cailfornia Posts: 1,261	SVHS never caught on in the USA .. the masses just would NOT pay the higher $$ for the increase in quality ( 240 lines to 400. adding to that so far in the USA they masses are NOT willing to pay for the higher HDTV quality . on the GOOD -they are willing to BUY a DVD player for the same price as a vhs deck..

September 1st, 2002, 12:44 PM	#3
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	All the analog formats are dying. I almost posted the Sony announcement last week, that they were discontinuing Betamax (NOT Betacam SP etc.). VHS will be the last analog format. The established consumer base will insure its survival for years to come. JVC could have saved S-VHS when they introduced D-9 (Digital S) a few years back. As it is, S-VHS will gradually fade away. Just like the tapes it records to. Jeff

September 1st, 2002, 06:01 PM	#4
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	The only thing insuring the survival of analogue is the fact no one has delivered a cheap, effective re-recordable media to the masses yet. As much as I'd like to buy a miniDV deck so I could record Buffy The Vampire Slayer in digital, until the prices drop to below $300, I'll be quite happy recording on VHS.

September 1st, 2002, 08:29 PM	#6
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	That will depend on the size market your working with. Smaller, rural markets, are still using 3/4 U-matic, U-matic SP and S-VHS. Slowly, these markets are moving towards the digital formats. S-VHS never had much acceptance or penitration in larger markets. They moved some time ago to Betacam SP, Betacam SX or the digital formats. Jeff

September 4th, 2002, 04:37 AM	#9
Margus Kivilaan Regular Crew Join Date: May 2002 Location: Tallinn, Estonia Posts: 123	<They moved some time ago to Betacam SP, Betacam SX or the digital formats.> Jeff, SX is also slightly digital;) Margus

September 4th, 2002, 03:53 PM	#10
Peter Lock Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Milton Keynes. England Posts: 49	They said vinyl would die with the introduction of CDs, but look whats making a comeback. Peter

September 4th, 2002, 06:11 PM	#11
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	Vinyl is making a comeback because there some audiophiles who would argue that vinyl sounds better. I don't think it would be easy to find videophiles that think analog is better than digital. Cheaper, maybe, but not better. Analog will continue to exist because of the huge libraries of existing material. I had some dupes made a couple of weeks ago of ten year old 1 inch masters and they still looked great. I'll probably have them converted to digital in the next 5 years, but I'm in no hurry to incur this expense. Jeff

September 4th, 2002, 10:06 PM	#13
Kyle "Doc" Mitchell Doconomus Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Raleigh, NC, USA Posts: 100	Hello: Hey man, I still shoot SVHS sometimes with a good ol' Panasonic AG-456. In fact I shot a project back in April with it. Image is still ok! Plus tapes are cheaper. I do prefer miniDV. But I wouldn't say SVHS is dying. I'd just say its like that girl that was once popular in high school is now just getting old, and less popular. But that doesn't mean she's dying and not pretty anymore. She's just not as popular. Regards, Kyle "Doc" Mitchell

September 12th, 2002, 03:16 PM	#14
Ralph Keyser Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico USA Posts: 287	Well, the figures certainly show the decline of sales of SVHS decks. They were never very high in the US to begin with, and they are on the way down. From that point of view, you could well argue that SVHS is dying.

September 13th, 2002, 11:40 AM	#15
Nathan Gifford Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Tickfaw, LA Posts: 1,217	On Vinyl Records... I know that CDs do not always record better than vinyl. For example in Jesus Christ Superstar there is a cut as Capiacus is arguing with his colleagues. On vinyl you can clearly hear the baratone without any problem, while on CD he is barely audible. __________________ Nathan Gifford Southern Cyclist Magazine & Productions For quick answers try our Search! To see me and Rob Lohman click here