Editing Video tape recorder (section)

== VCR ==
{{Main|Videocassette recorder}}
Many of the deficiencies of the open-reel systems were overcome with the invention of the [[videocassette recorder]] (VCR), where the [[videotape]] is enclosed in a [[user-friendly]] [[videocassette]] shell. This subsequently became the most familiar type of VTR known to consumers. In this system, the tape is preattached onto two reels enclosed within the cassette, and tape loading and unloading are automated. There is no need for the user to ever touch the tape, and the media can be protected from dust, dirt, and tape misalignments that can foul the recording mechanism. Typically, the only time the user ever touches the tape in a videocassette is when a failure results from a tape getting stuck in the mechanism.

Home VCRs first became available in the early 1970s, with [[Sony]] releasing its VO-1600 model in 1971<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rewindmuseum.com/umatic.htm|title=Umatic. The 1st VCR & 1st ever portable VCR.|website=www.rewindmuseum.com|access-date=2 April 2020}}</ref> and with [[Philips]] releasing the Model 1500 in England a year later.<ref name=vcr-tvhist>{{cite web|title=VCR and Home Video History|url=http://www.tvhistory.tv/VCR%20History.htm|work=Television History - The First 75 Years|publisher=TVhistory.TV|access-date=24 May 2011}}</ref> The first system to be notably successful with consumers was [[Sony]]'s [[Betamax]] (or Beta) in 1975. It was soon followed by the competing [[VHS]] (Video Home System) format from [[JVC]] in 1977 <ref name=vcr-tvhist /> and later by other formats such as [[Video 2000]] from [[Philips]], [[V-Cord]] from [[Sanyo]], and [[VX (videocassette format)|Great Time Machine]] from [[Quasar (brand)|Quasar]].

The Beta/VHS format war soon began, while the other competitors quickly disappeared. Betamax sales eventually began to dwindle, and after several years VHS emerged as the winner of the format war. In 1988, Sony began to market its own VHS machines, and despite claims that it was still backing Beta, it was clear that the format was no longer viable in most parts of the world. In parts of [[South America]] and in [[Japan]], Betamax continued to be popular and was still in production up to the end of 2002.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2015/11/10/technology/sony-betamax/index.html|title=Sony is finally killing its ancient Betamax format|last=Riley|first=Charles|date=2015-11-10|website=CNNMoney|access-date=2017-02-09}}</ref>

Later developments saw analog magnetic tapes largely replaced by [[digital video]] tape formats. Following this, much of the VTR market, in particular videocassettes and VCRs popular at the consumer level, were also replaced by non-tape media, such as [[DVD]] and later [[Blu-ray]] [[optical disc]]s.