13 HEROIC TECH FAILURES, FROM BETAMAX TO HD DVD

Since the very first issue of What Hi-Fi? was published in 1976, we have covered numerous technological advances in the world of hi-fi and home entertainment. Many have stood the test of time – some, like vinyl, have come back from what looked certain to be the grave – but a combination of flawed concepts, poor timing or costly format wars (or all three) have seen others rendered obsolete.

For the briefest, shining moment, these innovations turned heads – but you won’t find any of them in the running for a gong at our upcoming 39th What Hi-Fi? Awards.

Video 2000 1979-1988

Also known as Video Compact Cassette, this was the result of a collaboration between Philips and Grundig. The V2000 was innovative compared with the VHS and Betamax rivals it sought to challenge, notably in the recording times of its two-sided cassettes. But it arrived after both VHS and Betamax, entering a market already wary of competing formats, and it wasn’t marketed in