Nardpuncher
Rear Admiral
Remember the old Paramount VHS that had 2 episodes per tape? I never had them but if anybody out there did, how much did they cost back then?
Trek on VHS
- Thread starter Nardpuncher
- Start date
The ones from Columbia House were 2 eps per tape, and they were something like $24.95 a tape (IIRC). The regular store versions where one per tape, and were usually around $12-$14.
Prior to that, there were a few early releases of 2 eps per tape that you could rent, back before they started make it a regular thing to be able to buy the tapes at a decent price. Come to think of it, I believe the VHS release for Star Trek IV was one of the first tapes to be released "to sell" to the general public.
Prior to that, there were a few early releases of 2 eps per tape that you could rent, back before they started make it a regular thing to be able to buy the tapes at a decent price. Come to think of it, I believe the VHS release for Star Trek IV was one of the first tapes to be released "to sell" to the general public.
It's almost unreal thinking back to that time when for the price of four CH videos (eight episodes) I was able to buy all of season one on blu-ray, with a gajillion times better picture quality and tons of extras.
It's even more astounding to consider that Paramount Home Video actually had the balls to release STV on VHS for the same price -- $99.99. If my memory is right, it did come with an extra feature though -- a trailer for Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade that you had to fast forward through to get to the movie. How times have changed.
Nah, VCRs were already mainstream by this point. There were already chains of home video rentals around the country by that time. My dad bought our first VCR in 1985, and prior to that we were the only family I knew who didn't own a VCR.
^ VCRs were entering the mainstream, but VHS titles largely were priced in the $99 (or more!) range, so the emphasis for consumers was on rentals, not purchasing to own. That didn't start until 86 or 87. I remember going to stores were tapes were rented (this was just before Blockbuster came on the scene), and boggling at the prices. 
Nardpuncher
Rear Admiral
Yeah, I think the first cheap movie on VHS was Batman for about $19.95 back in 1989.
I think when Star Wars came out in 1982 it was $129.00!
Also...look at the wait back then! Of course there were re-releases, but waiting a few years for it to come out for home use was nuts! Though it did make seeing The Empire Strikes Back in 1985 on VHS after only having seen it once when it came out all the sweeter!
I think when Star Wars came out in 1982 it was $129.00!
Also...look at the wait back then! Of course there were re-releases, but waiting a few years for it to come out for home use was nuts! Though it did make seeing The Empire Strikes Back in 1985 on VHS after only having seen it once when it came out all the sweeter!
^ Actually, it doesn't specify format, but at that point in time, I'm wondering if it wasn't Betamax (my uncle had a Beta machine back then).
EDIT: A quick check of old newspaper articles shows that they released it in both VHS and Beta formats.
So I'm guessing they sold...6 copies of STII in that format
I remember them making a big deal out of the VHS edition for Star Trek IV as a sell-through in the summer/fall of 1987 at the "low low" price of $19.95.
Man...talk about your trips down Memory Lane....
EDIT: A quick check of old newspaper articles shows that they released it in both VHS and Beta formats.
So I'm guessing they sold...6 copies of STII in that format
I remember them making a big deal out of the VHS edition for Star Trek IV as a sell-through in the summer/fall of 1987 at the "low low" price of $19.95.
Man...talk about your trips down Memory Lane....
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I remember that because that was my first Trek VHS I owned, I got it for Christmas one year so long ago as a child. Good memories!
TheLonelySquire
Vice Admiral
I don't remember the price. I have them all on VHS individually and I think they were about $14.99 or so. Also have some TNG and the Captain's Collection on Laserdisc. Yeah baby!
I used to collect all the Star Trek videos back then and still have fond memories turning up early Monday morning to pick the latest one up! At one point, I ended up working at a WH Smith and managed to buy them a few days before they hit the shelves. Looking back at how much they cost, it would've been much cheaper to have been addicted to cocaine instead! Even the full retail price per season on DVD is like a third what they amounted to back when VHS was around. I imagine it was worse in the US with in some cases, just a single episode on each cassette.
http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Star_Trek_VHS_releases_in_the_UK
With the mid 90's Original Series tapes, each contained a trio of episodes, together with an exclusive introduction by either James Doohan, George Takei or Walter Koenig.
http://www.youtube.com/user/ENTERPRISENX01#grid/user/B2246EE90736AB16
^ Just one more to be uploaded and the whole set can be viewed on my YouTube page.
http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Star_Trek_VHS_releases_in_the_UK
With the mid 90's Original Series tapes, each contained a trio of episodes, together with an exclusive introduction by either James Doohan, George Takei or Walter Koenig.
http://www.youtube.com/user/ENTERPRISENX01#grid/user/B2246EE90736AB16
^ Just one more to be uploaded and the whole set can be viewed on my YouTube page.
Christopher, thanks for the upload. I had that VHS set, Mum sent it to the charity shop when I got the DVDs. I was thinking about transferring the intros to my PC somehow, but a lack of time and then the complete lack of tapes (
) stopped me.When you popped the whole set on a shelf in order, you got a neat little message from Spock, "We are the first to reach this far."
I can't remember if it was in this three ep' per tape set or not, but when I was considering building a collection tape at a time I picked up ones that came with a partial set of TOS playing cards. They were nice looking too, but I just don't seem to be able to find a set on Ebay.
Yes, that was the one! I haven't seen my cards in years... probably threw them in a drawer, when I discovered I hadn't made the full set. They were great though! The Enterprise on the back of each card. Suits based around the crew, Klingons and Vulcans. A Tribble as the Joker card. Kirk as King obviously. McCoy and Spock as Jacks.
I've still got the insert/flyer which came with the first one though. Some interesting details (if they're legible, it's pretty worn and the scanner doesn't pick up the silver font very well).
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I belonged to that Columbia club where they sent you the two-episode tapes (once a month?). Drove me nuts that they weren't in order, but enjoyed them just the same. I almost made the complete set, but I hit a low spot moneywise, so i started to buy the individual tapes before going into a Trek lull. I still have those tapes in the basement...
^ I bought my TOS LaserDiscs through Columbia House. Still have those, and no idea what I might do with them.
How many episodes did you get per LD? I used to get LDs, but they were damned expensive and cumbersome.
Two per disc (one episode per side).
I bought Star Trek used (still added up) on VHS, but joined the Columbia House club for Deep Space Nine. Oh, the money that flew out of my wallet.
But I sure was happy when I got those tapes. And they got watched.
I finally let them go about a month ago, I donated them. They all took up so much room and I had replaced them all with DVDs.
But I sure was happy when I got those tapes. And they got watched.
I finally let them go about a month ago, I donated them. They all took up so much room and I had replaced them all with DVDs.
And that's not including inflation - a $99 VHS tape in 1987 = $187 in 2008 dollars.
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