Summer Wine on VHS

[Stephen]

Did anyone ever own any of these two VHS videos when they were originally available? I remember the Getting Sam Home one was available for rental, back in the 80s, but the other one passed me by. I suppose, like most VHS to buy in the early to mid eighties, they must have cost a bit, even if you were able to find them.

 

[Barrychuckle]

Wow that takes me back, I remember going into my local video rental store in the 80's there was even a Betamax section in there too!!!!

 

[wstol]

The one with the bottle was re-released in 1990 as a WHS Video Exclusive, but I found it hard to obtain. The packaging was slightly different, but basically the same.

The one with the bottle is the best artwork I have seen on a Last of the Summer Wine release, if you ask me.

 

[Stephen]

The one with the bottle was re-released in 1990 as a WHS Video Exclusive, but I found it hard to obtain. The packaging was slightly different, but basically the same.

The one with the bottle is the best artwork I have seen on a Last of the Summer Wine release, if you ask me.

Yes I love the wine bottle cover as well. I also quite liked the 90s video releases of the Blamire years with the pictures of leaves on the back. I had no idea idea, however, that the wine bottle one was re-released in the 90s. My version is from 1984 and has the old style BBC coloured logo on it.

 

[Stephen]

Wow that takes me back, I remember going into my local video rental store in the 80's there was even a Betamax section in there too!!!!

Lol I remember Betamax. I only ever knew one kid that had a Betamax recorder, and I remember him trying to persuade me to get my dad to change over. There was no way though.

 

[wstol]

Yes I love the wine bottle cover as well. I also quite liked the 90s video releases of the Blamire years with the pictures of leaves on the back. I had no idea idea, however, that the wine bottle one was re-released in the 90s. My version is from 1984 and has the old style BBC coloured logo on it.

Around 1990 WH Smith repackaged a few early BBC releases such as Butterflies and The Good Life.
The WHS re-issue of LOTSW (with the bottle) did not have the BBC Video logo on the spine.

Another observation is when some years later Uncle of the Bride made it to VHS, some copies had the U certificate, others had the PG certificate.

I think.

 

[Stephen]

Well the Blamire "wine bottle' video certain has the PG rating on it -- as does the 'Getting Sam Home' one.

I wonder why the 'Uncle of the Bride' vids varied in certification? Was there something missing?

 

[maltrab]

Lol I remember Betamax. I only ever knew one kid that had a Betamax recorder, and I remember him trying to persuade me to get my dad to change over. There was no way though.

Though VHS won the tape wars it was sadly the worst quality of the 3 options, with Video 2000 being the best followed by Betamax, all due to commercial pressures, it was the same with the audio tapes, 8 track quality was better due to double the tape speed of cassettes, but cassettes won the war

 

[Barrychuckle]

What about minidiscs, they were much better than recordable CD's ? I had a Sony Minidisc player I was really disappointed it didn't take off.

 

[Stephen]

Though VHS won the tape wars it was sadly the worst quality of the 3 options, with Video 2000 being the best followed by Betamax, all due to commercial pressures, it was the same with the audio tapes, 8 track quality was better due to double the tape speed of cassettes, but cassettes won the war

I think the quality of Betamax over VHS has been slightly overstated over the years., to be honest -- especially when you consider that most people were watching said videos on TV sets that were not of the highest standard, picture wise. Besides, Betmax failed on a number of other issues -- including recording time length-- that VHS didn't. Still fun times though.

 

[imitation700mb]

I think the quality of Betamax over VHS has been slightly overstated over the years., to be honest -- especially when you consider that most people were watching said videos on TV sets that were not of the highest standard, picture wise. Besides, Betmax failed on a number of other issues -- including recording time length-- that VHS didn't. Still fun times though.

Quite true Stephen. I think Betamax tapes only lasted half an hour, so if a programme was say, an hour long, you couldn't record it. And no way could you record two programmes on one tape! That's how VHS won the war.

 

[maltrab]

In PAL regions, the L-750 Betamax tape lasted 3 hours and 15 minutes, while VHS was limited to a 3-hour maximum (the E-180), though later on an E-240 tape lasting four hours became available. By the time Sony made these changes to their strategy, VHS dominated the market, with Betamax relegated to a niche position.

 

[Stephen]

In PAL regions, the L-750 Betamax tape lasted 3 hours and 15 minutes, while VHS was limited to a 3-hour maximum (the E-180), though later on an E-240 tape lasting four hours became available. By the time Sony made these changes to their strategy, VHS dominated the market, with Betamax relegated to a niche position.

Yes Indeeed, maltrab -- all too little too late.

 

[AJM]

The one with the bottle was re-released in 1990 as a WHS Video Exclusive, but I found it hard to obtain. The packaging was slightly different, but basically the same.

The one with the bottle is the best artwork I have seen on a Last of the Summer Wine release, if you ask me.

The design of the wine bottle cover was by graphic designer Sid Sutton, most known for the 1980s Doctor Who title sequence. It does look great though. Shame they never used a similar idea for later releases.