I had to pick between Betamax and VHS back in 1982

My dad brought home both a Betamax and a VHS player from his electronics shop. He told me to pick one for my room because we couldn't afford both. I chose Betamax because the picture looked sharper to my 12 year old eyes. Six months later every rental store near us in Nashville only carried VHS tapes and I was stuck watching the same three movies on repeat. Has anyone else out there made a format choice that totally backfired?

2 comments

2 Comments

richard_hall12d ago

You said "I was stuck watching the same three movies on repeat" - which three movies did you end up watching over and over again? I'm guessing you either learned to love them or hate them by the time your dad swapped out the Betamax. Because that level of repetition would drive anyone a little crazy, even with the best picture quality.

taylor.jessica9d ago

Oh man, I gotta push back a little here, @richard_hall. For me, it was The Empire Strikes Back, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and this random nature documentary about wolves. And honestly? I ended up loving every single one of them more each time. Repetition doesn't drive me crazy, it makes me notice new stuff. Like the fifth time you watch Wrath of Khan you finally catch how perfect that whole ear bug scene is. Plus, when you're a kid with limited options, those movies become comfort food. You don't hate them, they're like old friends.