- published: 17 Jun 2014
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Betamax (also called Beta, and referred to as such in the logo) is a consumer-level analog videocassette magnetic tape recording format developed by Sony, released in Japan on May 10, 1975. The first Betamax introduced in America was the LV-1901 console, which included a 19" color monitor, and appeared in stores in early November, 1975. The cassettes contain .50 in (12.7 mm)-wide videotape in a design similar to the earlier, professional .75 in (19 mm) wide, U-matic format. The format is obsolete, having lost the videotape format war to VHS. Betamax recorders ceased production in 2002, but the format's cassette tapes remain available until March 2016, when Sony will discontinue them.
Like the rival videotape format VHS (introduced in Japan by JVC in October 1976 and in the United States by RCA in August 1977), Betamax had no guard band and used azimuth recording to reduce crosstalk. According to Sony's own history webpages, the name came from a double meaning: beta being the Japanese word used to describe the way signals were recorded onto the tape, and from the fact that when the tape ran through the transport, it looked like the Greek letter beta (β). The suffix -max, from the word "maximum", was added to suggest greatness. In 1977, Sony came out with the first long play Betamax VCR, the SL-8200. This VCR had two recording speeds: normal, and the newer half speed. This provided two hours recording time on the L-500 Beta videocassette. The SL-8200 was to compete against the VHS VCRs which had 2 or 4 hours of recording time.
Sony Corporation (ソニー株式会社, Sonī Kabushiki Gaisha), commonly referred to as Sony /ˈsoʊniː/, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Kōnan Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Its diversified business includes consumer and professional electronics, gaming, entertainment and financial services. The company is one of the leading manufacturers of electronic products for the consumer and professional markets. Sony is ranked 116th on the 2015 list of Fortune Global 500.
Sony Corporation is the electronics business unit and the parent company of the Sony Group, which is engaged in business through its four operating segments – electronics (including video games, network services and medical business), motion pictures, music and financial services. These make Sony one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world. Sony's principal business operations include Sony Corporation (Sony Electronics in the U.S.), Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment, Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Mobile Communications (formerly Sony Ericsson) and Sony Financial. Sony is among the Worldwide Top 20 Semiconductor Sales Leaders and as of 2013, the fourth-largest television manufacturer in the world, after Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and TCL.
In 1976 Sony introduced the Betamax video cassette recorder. It catalyzed the "on demand" of today by allowing users to record television shows, and the machine ignited the first "new media" intellectual property battles. In only a decade this revolutionary machine disappeared, beaten by JVS's version of the cassette recorder. This video tells the story of why Betamax failed. This is one of three videos in a series on marketplace failures of technological objects. http://www.engineerguy.com/failure.
At long last, I got one of my "dream" Betamaxes - the Japanese version of our SL-HF1000, the SL-HF3000 SuperBeta HiFi. Here is yours truly, unboxing and setting up this gorgeous Betamax!!! Be sure to watch in HD!
From 1978, here is a tape I got from Sony, showing how to use their SL-8200, their first 2-hour Betamax deck. So dated, but very interesting!!
This was the first promo for the Sony Betamax. It costs $9,773 in 2012 dollars in the USA. The deck came out next year at $5,210 in 2012 dollars.
The format war was raging on in the mid 1980's, and featured here was a VCR of epic proportions. Packed with features and digital effects, this VCR should have brought an end to VHS. It packed a powerful punch, but it simply didn't draw the rebels from their format, it drew them in even further! The databits channel is pleased to provide you with the best in new tech, vintage and oddity gadgets, media formats, repair projects, electronic experiments and restorations of thrift store finds. There are also many "how to" and instructional titles. The goal is to search through garage sales, antique malls and resale shops for gadgets you didn't know existed, electronic toys you had as a kid, stereo or turntables your parents used or a film projector your school used to teach you valuable les...
Fundamentally working Vintage Sony Betamax Recorder Player for Sale on eBay in Birmingham UK - Contact +44 (0)121 288 8862 for more details and preferential pricing deals. Items For Sale in Birmingham
In 1976 Sony introduced the Betamax video cassette recorder. It catalyzed the "on demand" of today by allowing users to record television shows, and the machine ignited the first "new media" intellectual property battles. In only a decade this revolutionary machine disappeared, beaten by JVS's version of the cassette recorder. This video tells the story of why Betamax failed. This is one of three videos in a series on marketplace failures of technological objects. http://www.engineerguy.com/failure.
At long last, I got one of my "dream" Betamaxes - the Japanese version of our SL-HF1000, the SL-HF3000 SuperBeta HiFi. Here is yours truly, unboxing and setting up this gorgeous Betamax!!! Be sure to watch in HD!
From 1978, here is a tape I got from Sony, showing how to use their SL-8200, their first 2-hour Betamax deck. So dated, but very interesting!!
This was the first promo for the Sony Betamax. It costs $9,773 in 2012 dollars in the USA. The deck came out next year at $5,210 in 2012 dollars.
The format war was raging on in the mid 1980's, and featured here was a VCR of epic proportions. Packed with features and digital effects, this VCR should have brought an end to VHS. It packed a powerful punch, but it simply didn't draw the rebels from their format, it drew them in even further! The databits channel is pleased to provide you with the best in new tech, vintage and oddity gadgets, media formats, repair projects, electronic experiments and restorations of thrift store finds. There are also many "how to" and instructional titles. The goal is to search through garage sales, antique malls and resale shops for gadgets you didn't know existed, electronic toys you had as a kid, stereo or turntables your parents used or a film projector your school used to teach you valuable les...
Fundamentally working Vintage Sony Betamax Recorder Player for Sale on eBay in Birmingham UK - Contact +44 (0)121 288 8862 for more details and preferential pricing deals. Items For Sale in Birmingham
The format war was raging on in the mid 1980's, and featured here was a VCR of epic proportions. Packed with features and digital effects, this VCR should have brought an end to VHS. It packed a powerful punch, but it simply didn't draw the rebels from their format, it drew them in even further! The databits channel is pleased to provide you with the best in new tech, vintage and oddity gadgets, media formats, repair projects, electronic experiments and restorations of thrift store finds. There are also many "how to" and instructional titles. The goal is to search through garage sales, antique malls and resale shops for gadgets you didn't know existed, electronic toys you had as a kid, stereo or turntables your parents used or a film projector your school used to teach you valuable les...
Explore the orgins of Sony's Video World with this classic Sony SLO-320 Betamax VCR from 1977. The first Betamax introduced in the United States was the LV-1901 console, which included a 19-inch (48 cm) color monitor, and appeared in stores in early November 1975. The cassettes contain 0.50-inch-wide (12.7 mm) videotape in a design similar to that of the earlier, professional 0.75-inch-wide (19 mm), U-matic format. Betamax is obsolete, having lost the videotape format war to VHS. Production of Betamax recorders ceased in 2002; new Betamax cassettes were available until March 2016, when Sony stopped making and selling them. (from Wikipedia) The databits channel is pleased to provide you with the best in new tech, vintage and oddity gadgets, media formats, repair projects, electronic exper...
Today I fixed 1 of 2 Sony Betamax units. This one had a bad video head. the other one had a bad drum servo. Watch for that video soon. Enjoy, and keep fixing your old antique video machines. We need as many of these machines working as possible. there are a lot of valuable tapes that need archiving.
This one was a real fun fix, and the trouble was... Well, you'll see.
I set up 2 Sony SLHF1000 Beta editor decks, and proceded to make a few cuts and inserts using the automated pre-roll edit controller that is built into these fine VCRs. As you can see, there is allot more work in tape based editing, and much less control or the outcome.
1975 was the year sony released the first consumer Betamax and I have one! Sure this one is not pretty due to the previous owner tossing it in the dumpser, but it works, and even though looks like it has been through a war is still a very collectable machine because it was the first 1/2" consumer VCR made, and this one is serial number 1221!