VHD in the UK - how 1980s UK missed out on this interactive video & games format
Techmoan・30 minutes read
VHD was a unique home video disc format that faced challenges despite a significant investment from Thorn EMI, with JVC's VHS system prevailing as the standard for home video in the UK, ultimately leading to VHD's demise.
Insights
- Thorn EMI's 20 million pound investment in VHD was pivotal in the development and promotion of the format, showcasing the significant financial backing required to launch new technologies successfully.
- The VHD system's compatibility with various broadcasting systems and its applications in diverse fields, from karaoke to office automation, highlighted its versatility and potential for widespread adoption, despite ultimately succumbing to competition from laser discs in the UK market.
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Recent questions
What was the VHD format?
A home video disc format in Japan.
Who invested in bringing VHD to the market?
The UK with a 20 million pound investment.
What was Thorn EMI's role in the VHD format?
Planned to launch VHD in the UK.
What were the applications of the VHD format?
Child's video arcade system, karaoke, and more.
How did VHD discs achieve worldwide compatibility?
Compatible with PAL/SECAM/NTSC broadcasting systems.
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Summary
00:00
Thorn EMI's VHD: Rise and Fall
- VHD was a home video disc format available in Japan from 1983 to 1990, following laserdisc as the popular pre-recorded home video format in the 1980s.
- A significant 20 million pound investment from the UK played a crucial role in bringing VHD to the market.
- Thorn EMI, a major company in the UK in the 1980s, planned to launch VHD in the UK in June 1982.
- Thorn EMI had a vast reach in entertainment, owning pubs, restaurants, a share in Thames TV, and dominating the TV rental business.
- Thorn EMI's decision to go with JVC's VHS system in all their outlets solidified VHS as the standard for home video cassette recorders in the UK.
- VHD was a two-in-one format, combining video and audio, with the audio side known as AHD (Audio High-Density).
- AHD was one of three technologies competing for approval, with Philips and Sony's disc format ultimately becoming the standard for the CD.
- Thorn EMI's 20 million pound investment in VHD led to the development of a functional prototype by the late 1970s.
- Despite preparations for a June 1982 launch, poor sales of rival video disc formats led Thorn EMI to defer entering the video disk market and write off their investment.
- Thorn EMI eventually released a VHD video disc player in the UK for business markets, with its most successful application being in a video jukebox system.
14:09
VHD: Interactive Video System with Global Compatibility
- V HD allowed time and chapter searches, offering interactivity on a 60-minute disc, with the advantage of holding two frames of video per rotation, though it couldn't achieve a perfect freeze frame due to alternating images.
- V HD discs could be manufactured at low cost, similar to audio records, enabling mass production at a low price, with a simple player mechanism and a small picket sensor size of six microns.
- The VHD system was compatible with PAL/SECAM/NTSC broadcasting systems, allowing playback of discs from any system, ensuring worldwide compatibility.
- A comedy sketch using clips from an early 1980s VHD video featured a model in Japan, highlighting the aesthetic of computers at the time.
- VHD was utilized in various applications, including a child's video arcade system, slow-motion playback for teaching, and a shoe selection system, the Asics Tiger LT 500.
- The VHD Song Master system gained popularity in homes, drinking establishments, and restaurants, particularly for karaoke, offering a wide variety of tracks.
- VHD could be connected to a computer for overlaying information on the screen, enhancing its use as a home video game machine with real pictures and sound.
- The VHD interactive system was used in a chess comm tell post information system, allowing users to access visual information of hotels and make reservations via telephone.
- JVC's A HD digital audio system, utilizing the VHD system, offered high-quality digital sound and visuals, paving the way for office automation and data storage systems.
- The compatibility of VHD discs with different regions required specific notches on the disc caddy to be identified by the player, affecting playback and functionality based on the region.
30:58
NTSC and PAL Disc Speed Issue Resolved
- The issue with the disc spinning at different speeds was due to using an NTSC caddy with a PAL disc, causing it to spin at 900 revolutions per minute. Switching to a PAL caddy reduced the speed to 750 revolutions per minute, allowing the disc to be read properly.
- Despite color issues when played through a broadcast monitor due to potential lack of PAL playback support, playing the video through a television resolved the problem, displaying correct colors. The VHD system, popular in the 1980s, faced competition from laser discs due to quicker production turnaround times, ultimately leading to its demise in the UK market.
