Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisW6ATV
Built-in timer was one of the three advantages of the first VHS VCR over the competing Sony Betamax. Can anyone here name the other two?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Electronic M
Longer record time, and either a built in RF modulator or more likely the ability to program the channel you want to record instead of leaving a mechanical tuner set to the desired channel.
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Yes, longer record/play time is one, and a remote pause control (hard-wired) is the other (well, I am pretty sure that was standard on the original JVC VCR).
The first VCR without a mechanical tuner was the RCA VCT-400 in 1978, with a multi-button varactor tuner. That model was also the first VCR that could record multiple timed programs on different channels (four events in seven days). That feature was yet another where VHS passed Beta early; the first programmable Beta VCR was the Sony SL-5400 not released until late 1979, and it did one event in three days.