1956 Ampex Quadraplex using 2" tape reels: The first method of video recording that proved to be commercially feasible. Those early years, and some history of KVCR TV.
1962 Helical Scan using 2" tape reels. Sony enters the videotape market and now everybody wanted to make them.
1969 EIA(J) color under on 1/2" tape reels. How color got into the picture.
1971 The U-matic tape VCR (Video Cassette Recorder) system, putting video into the home.
1975 Sony introduces the Betamax 1/2" videotape cassette. If at first you don't succeed, try yet again
1978 SMPTE C on 1" tape reels, Ampex sets the standards
1981 Kodak 8mm, year of the Camcorder. The incredible shrinking headwheel.
1986 Color under gets a last hurrah. U-maticSP, S-VHS, Hi8, ED Beta.
1986 Digital comes to videotape, D1, D2, D3...
1995 Digital videotape comes to the home. Returning to its quadraplex roots, video recording becomes segmented once again. And the computer took over the job of videotape.
2001 Todays' expert on videotape and production is author Peter Utz.
2004 Tape? What's Tape?? Tivo digital recorders replace the home VCR!!