Below is a timeline for all the significant events of the home video era. It should be noted that this website uses the term, “Home Video,” in two different ways. Firstly, it uses it as an umbrella term for the viewing of movies in the home, physical or otherwise. Secondly, its also the label given to the era in time where movies are being released on physical video formats.
September 9th, 1976
JVC Victor HR-3300 (VHS)
JVC launches their first VHS VCR in Japan with a cost of approximately $1060.
October, 1976 (Videography, 1976/10)
Home Cinema Service Advertises Movies on Videocassette
Joel Jacobson’s Home Cinema Service begins offering prerecorded U-matic and Betmax cassettes of public domain and adult films through advertisements in Videography Magazine.
January, 1977
Quasar VR-1000 (The Great Time Machine)
Utilizing Matsushita’s VX format, Quasar (the American subsidiary of Matsushita) releases the Great Time Machine (model VR-1000) to the American market. The device immediately fails and no subsequent models are released in the U.S.
March, 1977
Entertainment Video Releasing Offers Movies On Videocassette
Mark Slade’s company, “Entertainment Video Releasing” begins advertising adult films on U-matic and Betamax in Videography magazine. They would later include a variety non-adult titles to their catalogue, likely public domain features.
March, 1977
Sony Launches Their 2-Hour Betamax Cassette
Sony introduces Beta-II, a new two-hour videocassette that can record an entire movie on a single videocassette. These new cassettes require the latest Betamax VCR to record the full two hours, the SL-8200.
July, 1977
Magnetic Video Licenses 50 Titles From 20th Century Fox
In July of 1977 commercial tape duplicator Andre Blay closed a deal with 20th Century Fox to license 50 titles from their library for $6000 each. The success that followed would send shockwaves throughout the video industry.
October, 1977
RCA Selelctavision VBT-200 (VHS)
The very first VHS VCR hits the American market in the form of the RCA Selectavision VBT-200.
October, 1977
Quality X Releases Adult Titles On Betamax and VHS
Quality X forms to distribute adult titles on the new Beta/VHS formats. First advertises this month in Al Goldstein’s Screw magazine.
December, 1977
George Atkinson Creates the First Video Rental Storefront
Atkinson opens “Video Cassette Rentals” in Los Angeles, the first brick and mortar video rental shop in the country. First Advertised on December 6th in The Los Angeles Times, the store opens with both 1/2″ and 3/4″ formats. According to Atkinson, the store opens with both VHS and Betamax versions of the Magnetic Video catalog.
February, 1978
MEDA Media-Home Entertainment Is Announced
Filmmaker Charles Band announces MEDA, an acronym which stands for “Media-Home Entertainment Distribution Association.” The new home video label will specialize in distributing independent films and other programs on VHS and Betamax. Their first two titles, Flesh Gordon and Alice in Wonderland, are announced the following month.
July, 1978
Allied Artists Announces a Home Video Division
With over 500 titles in their catalog and a bankruptcy looming on the horizon, Allied Artists decides to jump into the home video market. They become the very first studio to first distribute their titles through their own home video division.
December 15th, 1978
Magnavox Magnavision HR-8000 / Discovision (Laserdisc)
MCA and Philips do a soft launch of the Magnavox Magnavision HR-8000 Laserdisc (or laservision) player ($695). Its only made available at three authorized retailers in Atlanta, Georgia. Whereas Philips supplied the players (through their American subsidiary, Magnavox), MCA supplied the initial 72 Discovision discs.
May, 1979
Philips VR2020 (VCC or Video 2000)
The Video 2000 format is launched by Philips and Grundig to compete with the VHS and Beta formats. It’s only ever distributed in Europe, South Africa and Argentina. Prerecorded movies are made available. Discontinued in 1989.
June, 1979
Paramount Enters the Home Video Market Through Fotomat
Still skeptical of the home video market, Paramount decides to license its films for videocassette rental through Fotomat, a nationwide photo development chain.
November, 1979 (Billboard, 1979/11/17, p. 62)
Paramount Home Video Launches
After a successful test run with Fotomat, Paramount debuts 10 titles through their own newly formed home video division. Several of these titles are The Godfather and Saturday Night Fever.
January, 1980 (Billboard, 1980/01/05, p. 38)
Columbia Pictures Home Entertainment Releases Their First 20 Titles
Columbia Pictures Home Entertainment makes available 20 titles from their catalog. Several of these include The Deep (1977), Breakout (1975) and Fun With Dick and Jane (1977).