VCRs introduced videotapes into the home, allowing for broadcasting playback and recordings as well. Starting off slowly because of high prices, VCRs eventually dropped in price and became a staple in most households.

It was on this day, June 7th, in 1975 that Sony released the Betamax videocassette recorder to the public.

The “format war” began as a competition between the two major formatting standards for cassettes. Sony’s Betamax, also called Betacord or Beta, and JVC’S VHS, or Video Home System, competed for dominance in the market. Most considered Beta to have a better recording quality even though many viewers could not see a difference between the two.