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> the VHS/Betamax time-shifting wars were 70s

Are you talking about legal challenges?

For popularity VHS was the 80's I think: "JVC released the first VHS machines in Japan in late 1976, and in the United States in mid-1977." and took a few years to take off widely.

Interestingly enough, VHS was developed in secret at JVC: "However, despite the lack of funding, Takano and Shiraishi continued to work on the project in secret. By 1973, the two engineers had produced a functional prototype.". The development of blue LEDs has a better story. Does Japanese culture encourage secrative development?



In the US, Sony was sued in 1976 and the issue was decided in 1984:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Corp._of_America_v._Unive....

Remarkably, Fred Rogers (Mister Rogers' Neighborhood) supported the VCR (for time shifting) and the Supreme Court took that into account.




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