Product Code Database
Betamax (also known as Beta, and stylized as the Greek letter Beta in its logo) is a discontinued consumer analog Videotape recording format developed by Sony. It was one of the main competitors in the videotape format war against its primary rival, VHS. Betamax was introduced in Japan on May 10, 1975, and launched in the United States later that year.
Betamax was widely regarded, in part due to Sony's marketing, as offering superior picture quality compared to VHS. Its initial β1 speed provided 250 horizontal lines of resolution, compared to VHS's 240 lines, but early Beta tapes were limited to 60 minutes of recording time, making them impractical for recording movies or sporting events. To address this, Sony introduced the β2 speed, which doubled recording time to two hours but reduced resolution, negating its technical advantage.
VHS's commercial success over Betamax was also driven by JVC's strategy of licensing the format broadly, spurring competition and lowering prices among manufacturers. In contrast, Sony initially resisted licensing Beta, limiting its market reach. By the late 1980s, Betamax’s decline was evident, and in 1988 Sony tacitly acknowledged defeat when it announced it would add VHS models to its videocassette recorder (VCR) lineup.
Despite losing the format war, Sony continued producing Betamax recorders until August 2002 and sold blank Beta cassettes until March 2016, marking the end of the format’s commercial lifespan.
Like the rival videotape format VHS, Betamax has no guard band and uses azimuth recording to reduce crosstalk. According to Sony's history webpages, the name had a double meaning: beta is the Japanese word used to describe the way in which signals are recorded on the tape; and the shape of the lowercase Greek letter beta (β) resembles the course of the tape through the transport. The suffix -max, from the word "maximum", was added to suggest greatness. "This is a revolution!" Archive of Sony.net history In 1977, Sony issued 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 of recording on the L-500 Beta videocassette. The SL-8200 was to compete against the VHS VCRs, which allowed up to 4, and later 6 and 8, hours of recording on one cassette.
Initially, Sony was able to tout several Betamax-only features, such as BetaScan—a high-speed picture search in either direction—and BetaSkipScan, a technique that allowed the operator to see where they were on the tape by pressing the FF key (or REW, if in that mode): the transport would switch into the BetaScan mode until the key was released. This feature is discussed in more detail on Peep Search. Sony believed that the M-Load transports used by VHS machines made copying these trick modes impossible. BetaSkipScan (Peep Search) is now available on miniature M-load formats, but even Sony was unable to fully replicate this on VHS. BetaScan was originally called "Videola" until the company that made the Moviola threatened legal action.
Sanyo marketed its own Betamax-compatible recorders under the Betacord brand (also casually referred to as "Beta"). In addition to Sony and Sanyo, Beta-format video recorders were manufactured and sold by Toshiba, Pioneer, Murphy Radio, Aiwa, and NEC Corporation. Zenith Electronics and WEGA contracted with Sony to produce VCRs for their product lines. The department stores Sears (in the United States and Canada) and Quelle (in Germany) sold Beta-format VCRs under their house brands, as did the RadioShack chain of electronic stores.
For the professional and broadcast video industry, Sony derived Betacam from Betamax. Released in 1982, Betacam became the most widely used videotape format in electronic news gathering, replacing the wide U-matic tape format. Betacam and Betamax are similar in some ways- early versions of Betacam used the same video cassette shape, used the same oxide tape formulation with the same coercivity, and recorded linear audio tracks in the same location of the tape. However, in the key area of video recording, Betacam and Betamax use completely different on-tape formats.
Betamax also had a significant part to play in the music recording industry, when Sony introduced its pulse-code modulation (PCM) digital recording system as an encoding box/PCM adaptor that connected to a Betamax recorder. The Sony PCM-F1 adaptor was sold with a companion Betamax VCR SL-2000 as a portable digital audio recording system. Many recording engineers used this system in the 1980s and 1990s to make their first digital master recordings. Later models using the same format included the Sony PCM-501ES, PCM-601ES (includes S/PDIF input and outputs) and PCM-701ES.
Prior to the introduction of Beta Hi-Fi, Sony shifted the Y carrier up by 400 kHz to make room for the four FM carriers that would be needed for Beta Hi-Fi. All Beta machines incorporated this change, plus the ability to hunt for a lower frequency pre-AFM Y carrier. Sony incorporated an "antihunt" circuit, to stop the machine hunting for a Y carrier that was not there.
Some Sony NTSC models were marketed as "Hi-Fi Ready" (with an SL-HFR prefix to the model's number instead of the usual SL or SL-HF). These Betamax decks looked like a regular Betamax model, except for a special 28-pin connector on the rear. If the user desired a Beta Hi-Fi model but lacked the funds at the time, he could purchase an "SL-HFRxx" and at a later date purchase the separate Hi-Fi Processor. Sony offered two outboard Beta Hi-Fi processors, the HFP-100 and HFP-200. They were identical except that the HFP-200 was capable of multi-channel TV sound, with the word "stereocast" printed after the Beta Hi-Fi logo. This was possible because unlike a VHS Hi-Fi deck, an NTSC Betamax did not need an extra pair of heads. The HFP-x00 would generate the needed carriers which would be recorded by the attached deck, and during playback, the AFM carriers would be passed to the HFP-x00. They also had a small "fine tracking" control on the rear panel for difficult tapes.
For PAL, however, the bandwidth between the chroma and luminance carriers was not sufficient to allow additional FM carriers, so depth multiplexing was employed, wherein the audio track would be recorded in the same way that the video track was. The lower-frequency audio track was written first by a dedicated head, and the video track recorded on top by the video head. The head disk had an extra pair of audio-only heads with a different azimuth, positioned slightly ahead of the regular video heads, for this purpose.
Sony was confident that VHS could not achieve the same audio performance feat as Beta Hi-Fi. However, to the chagrin of Sony, JVC did develop a VHS hi-fi system on the principle of depth multiplexing approximately a year after the first Beta Hi-Fi VCR, the SL-5200 was introduced by Sony. Despite initial praise as providing "CD sound quality", both Beta Hi-Fi and VHS HiFi suffered from "carrier buzz", where high-frequency information bled into the audio carriers, creating momentary "buzzing" and other audio flaws. Both systems also used compander noise-reduction systems, which could create "pumping" artifacts under some conditions. Both formats also suffered from interchange problems, where tapes made on one machine did not always play back well on other machines. When this happened and if the artifacts became too distracting, users were forced to revert to the old linear soundtrack.
Sony introduced two ED decks and a camcorder in the late 1980s. The top end EDV-9500 (EDV-9300 in Canada) deck was a very capable editing deck, rivaling much more expensive U-Matic set-ups for its accuracy and features, but did not have commercial success due to lack of timecode and other pro features. Sony did market ED-Beta to "semiprofessional" users, or "". As for the EDC-55 "ED CAM" camcorder, the major complaint concerned its low light sensitivity due to the use of two CCDs instead of the typical single-CCD imaging device. ED-Beta machines only recorded in βII and βIII modes, with the ability to play back βI and βIs.
Betamovie used standard-size Betamax cassettes. However, the changes required to miniaturise the mechanism forced the use of non-standard record signal timing. As a result, while the final on-tape recording is – by design – in standard Betamax format and playable on a regular Beta deck, the camcorder itself is record-only, and cannot be used to review or play back footage. (This also effectively restricted Betamovie to those who also owned or had access to the Beta VCRs needed to view recordings).
VHS manufacturers found a different solution to drum miniaturization using standard video signals instead, permitting footage to be reviewed on the camcorder itself, and output to another VCR for editing. This was a huge advantage, as even owners of Beta VCRs could use a VHS camcorder to copy and edit footage to their Beta deck- something not possible with Betamovie.
VHS gained another advantage with VHS-C, which used a miniaturized cassette to make a camcorder smaller and lighter than any Betamovie. Sony could not duplicate the functionality of VHS-C camcorders, and seeing the rapid loss of market share, eventually introduced the Video8 format. Their hope was that Video8 could replace both Beta and VHS for all uses.
SuperBeta and industrial Betamovie camcorders would also be sold by Sony.
Despite the sharp decline in sales of Betamax recorders in the late 1980s and subsequent halt in production of new recorders by Sony in 2002, Betamax, SuperBetamax and ED-Beta are still being used by a small number of people. Even though Sony stopped making new cassettes in 2016, new old stocks of Betamax cassettes are still available for purchase at and used recorders (as well as cassettes) are often found at , thrift stores or on Internet auction sites. Early format Betacam cassettes—which are physically based on the Betamax cassette—continue to be available for use in the professional media. It is still used by few broadcasters, as it was succeeded by Betacam SP, its digital modifications and more recently by tapeless recording.
By 1980, JVC's VHS format controlled 60% of the North American market. The large economy of scale allowed VHS units to be introduced to the European market at a far lower cost than the rarer Betamax units. In the United Kingdom, Betamax held a 25% market share in 1981, but by 1986, it was down to 7.5% and continued to decline further. By 1984, 40 companies made VHS format equipment in comparison with Beta's 12. Sony finally conceded defeat in 1988 when it, too, began producing VHS recorders (early models were made by Hitachi), though it still continued to produce Betamax recorders until 2002.
In Japan, Betamax had more success and eventually evolved into Extended Definition Betamax, with 500+ lines of resolution.
Below is a list of modern, digital-style resolutions (and traditional analog "TV lines per picture height" measurements) for various media. The list only includes popular formats. Listed resolution applies to luminance only, with chroma resolution usually halved in each dimension for digital formats, and significantly lower for analog formats.
Equivalent pixel resolutions are calculated from analog line resolution numbers:
| VHS, CED (NTSC) | Analog | 240 lines (320×486) | 30 lines (40×486) |
| U-matic, Betamax, VHS HQ, Video8 (NTSC) | Analog | 250 lines (333×486) | 30 lines (40×486) |
| SuperBeta (NTSC) | Analog | 290 lines (387×486) | 30 lines (40×486) |
| Betacam (NTSC) | Analog | 290 lines (387×486) | 100 lines (100×486) |
| Type C (NTSC) | Analog | 300 lines (400×486) | 120 lines (120×486) |
| Broadcast (NTSC, PAL-M, and SECAM-M) | Analog | 330 lines (440×486) | 120 lines (120×486) |
| Betacam SP (NTSC) | Analog | 340 lines (453×486) | 100 lines (100×486) |
| Type A (NTSC) | Analog | 350 lines (467×486) | 120 lines (120×486) |
| S-VHS, Hi8 (NTSC) | Analog | 420 lines (560×486) | 30 lines (40×486) |
| LaserDisc (NTSC) | Analog | 420 lines (560×486) | 120 lines (120×486) |
| ED Beta (NTSC) | Analog | 500 lines (667×486) | 30 lines (40×486) |
| Quadruplex (NTSC) | Analog | 512 lines (683×486) | 120 lines (120×486) |
| Type B (NTSC) | Analog | 520 lines (693×486) | 120 lines (120×486) |
| IVC 9000 (NTSC) | Analog | 570 lines (760×486) | 120 lines (120×486) |
| VHS, CED (PAL) | Analog | 240 lines (320×576) | 30 lines (40×288) |
| U-matic, Betamax, VHS HQ, Video8 (PAL) | Analog | 250 lines (333×576) | 30 lines (40×288) |
| SuperBeta (PAL) | Analog | 290 lines (387×576) | 30 lines (40×288) |
| Betacam (PAL) | Analog | 290 lines (387×576) | 100 lines (100×288) |
| Type C (PAL) | Analog | 300 lines (400×576) | 120 lines (120×288) |
| Broadcast (PAL-N) | Analog | 330 lines (440×576) | 120 lines (120×288) |
| Betacam SP (PAL) | Analog | 340 lines (453×576) | 100 lines (100×288) |
| Type A (PAL) | Analog | 350 lines (467×576) | 120 lines (120×288) |
| Broadcast (PAL-B/G/H and SECAM-B/G) | Analog | 390 lines (520×576) | 120 lines (120×288) |
| S-VHS, Hi8 (PAL) | Analog | 420 lines (560×576) | 30 lines (40×288) |
| LaserDisc (PAL) | Analog | 420 lines (560×576) | 120 lines (120×288) |
| Broadcast (PAL-I) | Analog | 430 lines (573×576) | 120 lines (120×288) |
| Broadcast (PAL-D/K and SECAM-D/K/L) | Analog | 470 lines (627×576) | 120 lines (120×288) |
| ED Beta (PAL) | Analog | 500 lines (667×576) | 30 lines (40×288) |
| Type B (PAL) | Analog | 624 lines (832×576) | 120 lines (120×288) |
| Quadruplex (PAL) | Analog | 640 lines (854×576) | 120 lines (120×288) |
| IVC 9000 (PAL) | Analog | 684 lines (912×576) | 120 lines (120×288) |
| Video CD | Digital | 260 lines (352×240) | 130 lines (176×120) |
| Digital Betacam (NTSC) | Digital | 540 lines (720×486) | 270 lines (360×486) |
| Digital Betacam (PAL) | Digital | 540 lines (720×576) | 270 lines (360×576) |
| SVCD | Digital | 360 lines (486×480) | 180 lines (240×240) |
| Anamorphic DVD (NTSC) | Digital | 410 lines (720×480) | 205 lines (360×240) |
| Letterbox DVD (NTSC, PAL) | Digital | 410 lines (720×360) | 205 lines (360×180) |
| Anamorphic DVD (PAL) | Digital | 720×576 | 360×288 |
| DVD, DV, MiniDV, Digital8 (NTSC) | Digital | 540 lines (720×480) | 270 lines (360×240) |
| AVCHD Lite (720p) | Digital | 720 lines (1280×720) | 360 lines (640×360) |
| 16:9 HDV | Digital | 810 lines (1440×1080) | 405 lines (720×540) |
| AVCHD, Blu-ray, HD DVD (1080p/1080i) | Digital | 1080 lines (1920×1080) | 540 lines (960×540) |
| + Common tape lengths |
In the 2006 episode of Doctor Who entitled The Idiot’s Lantern, the Tenth Doctor beats the episode’s main enemy and entraps her for all eternity in a videotape he created thirty years too early as the episode is set in 1953. He shrugs off the effect it will have on the timelines as he calls it “just Betamax”.
In the Cowboy Bebop episode "Speak Like a Child", Jet and Spike receive a Beta tape in the mail intended for Faye. Jet and Spike visit a shop in hopes of finding a Betamax player, which they do, but it is subsequently damaged beyond repair by Spike’s impatience with the old device.
In the 2008 Pixar movie WALL-E, WALL-E watches some excerpts of the film Hello, Dolly! on what is presumed to be an old Betamax tape. However close inspection of the shot shows that it is really a BetacamSP cassette, which may be an error on the filmmakers' part.
The Tagalog language song "Betamax" by the Filipino band Sandwich from their fifth studio album in 2008 entitled <S> Marks the Spot talks about an era in the Philippines before the advent of the Internet, MP3s, and , and the only widespread video format was Betamax. Also in the Philippines, Betamax refers to the popular cubed street food made of chicken or pork's blood served in skewers which bear a crude resemblance to Betamax cartridges.
In 2017, in Despicable Me 3, the villain Balthazar Bratt, whose look, culture, accessories and weapons date from the 80's, yells "Son of a Beta max" at his opponent Gru.
In 2019, episode 3, season 1 of Good Omens (Amazon Prime series), a prophecy is mentioned from the book of Agnes Nutter book of prophecies saying: "Do not buy Betamax," and referring to the year 1972.
|
|
