JVC or, the Victor Company as it is referred to in Japan, is an international consumer and professional electronics corporation based in Yokohama, Japan which was founded in 1927. The company is best known for introducing Japan's first televisions, and developing the VHS video recorder.
JVC was founded in 1927 as "The Victor Talking Machine Company of Japan, Limited" it was a subsidiary of the United States' leading phonograph and record company. In the 1930s JVC produced phonographs and records, but in 1932 JVC started producing radios, and in 1939 they introduced Japan's first TV. Since 1953 JVC has been owned by Matsushita, who held a majority stake in the company until August 2007.
Between 1970 and 1980 JVC developed the VHS format, and introduced the first VHS recorders in 1976. Sony who had introduced the Betamax home videocassette tape in 1975, became the main competitor to JVC's VHS into the 80's creating the videotape format war. The Betamax cassette was smaller with slightly superior quality to the VHS cassette, due to its use of a guard band in the recording process, but this resulted in Betamax having less recording time. By 1984, 40 companies utilized the VHS format in comparison with Betamax's twelve. Sony tacitly conceded defeat in 1988 when they also began producing VHS recorders.
During the 1980s JVC had a brief appearance in marketing their own portable audio equipment similar to the Sony Walkmans at the time. The JVC CQ-F2K was released in 1982 and had a detachable radio that mounted to the headphones for compact, wire-free listening experience. JVC had difficulty making a success of their "walkman", and a few years later abandoned the product line. In Japan, JVC marketed the products under the name Victor.
JVC video recorders were marketed by Ferguson in the UK, with just cosmetic changes. However Ferguson needed to find another supplier for its camcorders when JVC produced only the VHS-C format, rather than the much more popular video8. Furthermore, Ferguson was taken over by Thomson SA and so ended the relationship. At the time, JVC had a reputation for reliable, high quality equipment. JVC has gone on to invent hard drive camcorders.
JVC - Present
In October 2001 JVC were awarded an an Emmy Award for "outstanding achievement in technological advancement" for “Pioneering Development of Consumer Camcorders.”.
JVC has been a worldwide soccer supporter since 1982, having a former kit sponsorship with Arsenal and continues its role as an official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea / Japan™. JVC made headlines as the first-ever corporate partner of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. JVC has recently forged elite corporate partnerships with ESPN Zone and with Foxploration. In 2005, JVC joined HANA, the High Definition Audio-Video Network Alliance to help establish standards in consumer electronics interoperability.
JVC developed the first DVD+RW DL in 2005.
In December 2006, Matsushita entered talks with Kenwood and Cerberus Capital Management to sell its stake in JVC.
In 2007, Victor Company of Japan Ltd confirmed a strategic capital alliance with Kenwood and SPARKX Investment.
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