Who Has Beta? - Page 2 - Videokarma.org TV - Video

ceebee23 · #1 10-12-2009, 05:46 PM

Officially "Beta" came from the general shape of the tape path... which is somewhat like the ß symbol.... but I suspect it was more to do with marketing...

Dave A · #2 10-12-2009, 07:27 PM

Somewhere around here I have an early color camera for Beta for decks with connectors. Clearly from Japan with Japanese characters on the body. Now I gotta find it and post a pix. Easier said than done.

bgadow · #3 10-12-2009, 10:23 PM

I have a couple beta machines-a monster Sears (Sanyo) top loader with knob tuning from the early 80s, still works well though can be a little lazy. Also a mid-80s Sony. I was given another, I can't even remember what brand. My brother-in-law's father bought it new. All the rubber had turned to gum; I can't remember if I saved it somewhere or just tossed it. Probably a few dozen tapes around here. I'm always on the lookout for off-the-air recordings from 20-30 years ago.

ChrisW6ATV · #4 10-22-2009, 10:05 AM

Oh, to answer the original post, I have these Beta VCRs:

Sony LV-1901 (the first Beta; console with 19" TV and built-in SL-6200 VCR)
Sony ED9500 (ED Beta, probably the best non-digital home VCR ever made)
Toshiba Beta (I don't remember its model number)

I also have tapes going back to the original K-30 and K-60, which were the names used (for the recording time) before BII was added and the sizes changed to the tape length in meters (L250, L500, L750, L830).

Aussie Bloke · #5 10-25-2009, 02:18 PM

I have 3 beta decks in my old VCR collection, all are unfortunately not working up to scratch:
Sanyo VTC-M10
Sanyo VTC-5005
Sony SL-C6 (recently serviced working great but when put in really bad tape it now tracks terribly

, I just recently had it serviced by a beta serviceman named Betahaven too at a high price)

Good news, I've just won on Ebay a Sony SL-C40ES beta deck which is said to be in excellent condition so I assume it works

:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/SONY-BETAMAX-...item4149e4d02d

I have hundreds of beta tape recordings dating from as early as 1979 to the early 90s, the majority of them still yet to be transferred so hopefully the Sony deck I just won is actually in good working order so I can continue the task.

colortrakker · #6 11-01-2009, 05:02 PM

You can never have enough Beta (you'll see why in a sec). I have:

Sony SL-2401 with remote and manual, and a sloppy mouth that spits out the cassette but not the tape
Sony SL-7200, missing a couple parts
Toshiba V-S443 with an idler issue
Sony SL-HF750 SuperBeta that loses its chroma after a couple hours on and playing...

And a Sanyo 4400.

Plus 150 or so tapes, some blank and some pre-recorded. Even a couple still sealed.

ChrisW6ATV · #7 11-02-2009, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colortrakker

Sony SL-HF750 SuperBeta that loses its chroma after a couple hours on and playing...

I fixed a Sony Beta chroma problem years ago (in a different model) by replacing the color crystal. I think it was a 3.579545 MHz crystal, like the one in color TVs but smaller.

Sandy G · #8 11-02-2009, 02:56 PM

Seems like I recall that Sony wouldn't license anyone to make Beta machines until way late in the game. Matsushita apparently would let ANYONE make VHS machines, almost from the get-go & VHS also won the "length" war-altho a movie on the 6-hour speed was almost unwatchable, IMHO, especially on a tape that had been "used" a time or 2. I remember reading somewhere that VCRs had some of the tightest manufacturing tolerances ever made up til that time on any consumer good, considering the literally zillions of 'em that were spit out, its amazing they worked as well as they did...

Phil Nelson · #9 11-04-2009, 11:44 AM

We have two working Sony Beta machines and probably 75 tapes. We bought one of the machines new when our kids were small, so almost all of our kid-vids are Beta. The second machine we got at a garage sale for $5 along with a boxful of movies on tape. I later bought some movies from rental stores when they were phasing out Beta.

I have to hand it to Sony for quality. The machine that we bought new was used daily for years, has never been serviced, and still works beautifully. We have gone through about 5 VHS machines since that format became popular, and even the newest/priciest one doesn't look as good as the old Sony.

Phil Nelson

Zenith26kc20 · #10 05-13-2010, 10:00 AM

Just got my SL-10 back from repairs! Works like new. Also have a functional SL2000 and a SL300 Super Beta.
I prefer Beta as tapes seem to last a lot longer and the picture is better than VHS.
Sonys seem to have a good attitude where the other Betas can be a bit persnickity

Dude111 · #11 05-14-2010, 06:54 AM

Im glad it works!! (I'd be weary of the techs of today trying to work on GOOD STUFF like that (They might make it worse,etc))

holmesuser01 · #12 05-17-2010, 06:29 PM

I've got a SL-HF950 from the late 1980s that I bought new. Other than my occasional cleanings, it has never been serviced other than issues with the shuttle wheel when I dropped it one time... Never did that again.

radio63 · #13 05-17-2010, 08:13 PM

Does anyone here have any recommendations as to where one can get a Beta VCR repaired? I know there are some techs who advertise on-line where you can ship your unit to be serviced/overhauled. Anyone have any experience with anyone like this or places you would or would not recommend? I have several Sony Beta Hi-Fi units I would like to have repaired and gone through so I can use them for dubbing. Thanks!

Gilbert

andy · #14 05-21-2010, 08:11 PM

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Glenz75 · #15 05-24-2010, 08:00 PM

All of my Beta machines are Sanyo the oldest one is a VTC9300. I also have a VTC6500, VTCM30 and heaps of tapes. Some stuff on these tapes has been taped of TV in the mid 1980's so one day I'll transfer the interesting bits across to DVD and from memory there's even a poorly copied 1970's blue movie on one of those tapes, will probably copy that across too for a laugh!

G.