Welcome aboard Kevin!...or should I address you as Joel Cairo, or CBS?
Ampex did actually offer a consumer VTR in 2" format. Trouble was it cost so much, only TV stations, networks and Howard Hughes' Grandson could afford them.
Cost of recording tape was very expensive in 2" format, still is today. Early home 1/2" R-R videotape for the Japanese VTR's of the late 60's/early 70's, was also extremely pricey for a domestic budget making even these machines only within reach of educational institutions like schools.
The miracle of mass production finally came around to bring the cost of VHS tape cartridges down to dirt cheap prices within the reach of the poorest among us. I marvel at how a VHS tape can cost less than a dinky little blank audio cassette tape!
Do you have any vintage TV's that you'd like to share with us?
Rob
P.S. The main amp I'm listening to right now in my HT/stereo listening setup still has three surviving Mullard EL34/6CA7's in it that I pulled from the electronics rack of a decomissioned Ampex Quad VTR-1000A back in the late 60's. There were 6 of them driving the 3-phase head servo motor. These tubes were used when I got them and now after being in my amp for almost 30 years are still going strong. I measured them a month ago and they tested as-new.