Why no built-in TBC in 1980+ VCRs?

[Electronic M]

I've got an NEC S-VHS deck that I believe is from the late 80s that has digital TBC. It averages frames with 3 different settings and can be bothered by motion or 3-2 pull down from film if set to the most aggressive setting.

An appreciable percentage of non-pro VHS decks didn't start getting TBCs much until DVD recorder combos came out (needed it for dubbing).


In the consumer space it was typically only higher end S-VHS decks that got TBCs in the 80s and 90s, because it was an expensive feature that typically you would only go to after (or along with) the move to S-VHS. The people who bought S-VHS were the only ones who cared enough about picture quality to spend the extra on a TBC, and the number of S-VHS decks without TBC speaks to how many of the S-VHS buyers thought it wasn't necessary/worth the cost.

S-VHS decks can record and play in VHS mode too (S-VHS-ET decks can even record S-VHS signal to the cheaper VHS tapes which is a feature I loved when I was archiving to tape).

Personally if I had to start from scratch I'd look for a DVD-recorder/VHS combo with SQPB, and HDMI like my Toshiba. Then I'd have everything from RF output to HDMI for capture to digital...Like I do now.