Back then I wasn't quite old enough to purchase much of anything in my household. I do remember that we went through the video disc phase(original Lord of the Rings and Watership Down!), then laser discs(Top Gun!), before succumbing to VHS. Sadly no BETA, though I do currently have a BETA copy of the cheesy 80's masterpiece Beastmaster, sans player :-(Were U one of the 5 PPL who bought a Beta Machine and the giant disc's? I remember those machines. FWIW, I still got a VHS in a closet and also a DVD/VHS player somewhere, LOL.
We also have a DVD/VCR combo in the basement, to supplement the blu ray player.