When was the first VHS machine released to the public?
The first VHS machine, the Victor HR-3300, hit the shelves in Akihabara, Tokyo, on the 31st of October 1976. The format's official public launch in the United States followed in mid-1977.
Common questions about VHS
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who invented the VHS format and which company developed it?
Yuma Shiraishi and Shizuo Takano, working in secret at JVC, developed the VHS format. They prioritized recording time over picture quality to defeat Sony's Betamax.
What were the physical dimensions of a standard VHS cassette?
The standard VHS cassette measures 187 millimeters wide, 103 millimeters deep, and 25 millimeters thick. This plastic shell is held together by five Phillips-head screws to protect the magnetic tape inside.
When did production of all VHS equipment officially cease?
Production of all VHS equipment ceased in 2016 when Funai, the last major manufacturer, shut down its VHS production line in July of that year. The last major studio film released on VHS in the United States was David Cronenberg's A History of Violence in 2006.
How much did the most expensive VHS tape sell for on eBay?
The most expensive VHS tape ever sold, a copy of the film Nukie, fetched $80,600 on eBay in 2023. Collectors now pay thousands of dollars for rare VHS tapes as part of a nostalgic resurgence.