View Full Version : Save this Sony Beta-max Combo!


zenithfan1
12-11-2008, 05:20 PM
There is one of those Sony 17" Trinitron Beta combos at this sale in Chicago. Picture is towards the bottom on the right. It looks pretty nice. I would like to have it but am out of money and space. SAVE it! they are rare and cost 2500$ new! You don't see these everyday!
http://www.EstateSales.NET/estate-sales/51576.aspx

AnalogDigit
12-11-2008, 05:57 PM
Looks like a trip back to the 70's!

kx250rider
12-12-2008, 11:33 AM
Those are very rare, but they weigh 100s and 100s of pounds. They aren't worth anything (yet), but should definitely be saved. Especially if the mechanical digital clock still works! AND that one still has the original SL-6200 Betamax in it, which makes it even MORE rare. Most of them were upgraded in the late 70s to the SL-8200 which played B-II, as opposed to the original which was the 60-minute B-I only. There's a secret cubby hole in the right side of the speaker grille, which contained a Sony black & white video camera!

Charles

zenithfan1
12-12-2008, 04:34 PM
Is anyone planning to grab it? I would but like I said, my truck is all effed up right now. I wonder if the camera is still there? I forgot about it being hidden in there. I am big on Beta and hate to pass this up.

Trance88
12-12-2008, 07:07 PM
Wow! I've never seen anything like that before!:yikes:

There's also what appears to be an early laptop made by Zenith!!!

WISCOJIM
12-14-2008, 06:45 PM
Those are very rare, but they weigh 100s and 100s of pounds. They aren't worth anything (yet), but should definitely be saved. Especially if the mechanical digital clock still works! AND that one still has the original SL-6200 Betamax in it, which makes it even MORE rare. Most of them were upgraded in the late 70s to the SL-8200 which played B-II, as opposed to the original which was the 60-minute B-I only. There's a secret cubby hole in the right side of the speaker grille, which contained a Sony black & white video camera!

Charles

They are like any other scarce set, the value depends on where they are, and who's looking for them at the time. I have seen a couple go for over $1,000 in the past, and I have also seen some in other places (such as Texas) not even get an opening bid on eBay.

I've already sold two in the past, and have a third now. I bought them all from the original owners, and none of these three came with a camera. I think that was just a story that started when someone stored a camera in their set, and the next owner assumed they all came with one. All three previous owners used this compartment for tape and literature storage. And it's not a "secret" cubby hole, just because it's covered with the same cloth as the speaker. It would be hard to not notice it from the front of the set.

I do agree that the clocks in these are commonly bad. All three of mine were only correct for one minute per day! ;o)

kx250rider
12-15-2008, 01:08 AM
Freaky coincidence: I just got an eMail about one of these in mint condition from an old friend, working clock, and has the camera! I'm picking it up shortly, as soon as the rain quits... On the camera/cubby hole, I don't think the TV came with it, but I've seen several of them with the same model of camera. I was curious why they'd have a B&W camera with a Betamax. Cost, I guess, at the time? The camera socket on the lower right side of the pedestal is the standard Sony camera round plug... Should work with any Sony camera. I guess this thread got my interest up again in LV-1901s... I'll post photos when I get it home. Not sure where I'm going to stick it; as Kay doesn't know it's coming yet, and we just had a discussion about how many TVs are in the house :nono:

Charles

ChrisW6ATV
12-23-2008, 12:38 AM
Yes, cost would be the reason why only a B&W camera was available in 1975. The camera was about a US$400 option then. I remember in late 1980, Sony offered the remaining cameras at a bargain price to their dealers and I tried to have my boss get me one, for something like $100 wholesale, but they were already gone. When small color cameras became available a few years later with the first portable VHS VCRs, they started in the US$1000 range.