RCA SelectaVision VBT200 VHS VCR Recorder (1977-1978)

RCA VBT200 

🥇First VHS VCR Released in the United States 

The RCA VBT200, manufactured by Matsushita (Panasonic) and rebranded for the U.S. market in October 1977, was the first VHS video cassette recorder available to American consumers. Marketed under the "SelectaVision" brand with the memorable slogan "Four hours, $1,000, SelectaVision," it was RCA's strategic counterstrike against Sony’s Betamax, which at the time could only record for two hours. The VBT200 was a massive, top-loading "piano key" style machine featuring a built-in mechanical timer and a wired remote that provided a single function: pause. Despite its hefty price tag and weight of nearly 40 pounds, it was a massive success, outselling Sony's offerings and establishing VHS as the dominant format in the burgeoning home video market. As newer, lighter models with electronic tuning and multi-day timers arrived, the VBT200 was effectively discontinued in late 1978 to make way for the more feature-rich VCT series.

Source: eBay.com