The history of the Betamax tape
The Betamax tape was released by Sony in 1975. Sony already invented the U-matic format for industry purposes and wanted to cover the home video sector as well. Betamax tapes are slightly smaller than VHS and only have one viewing window.
Although the format outclassed its competitors, it was not able to prevail against the VHS. Betamax produces a sharper picture and requires about 20% less tape. But Sony was very hesitant concerning the licensing for other manufacturers and also attached conditions for high investments in own production plants. The VHS manufacturer JVC was more generous and enabled a faster distribution of its own format.
Durations
Betamax tapes can have different durations:
Tape labeling |
Duration |
L-125 |
30 minutes |
L-165 |
45 minutes |
L-250 |
65 minutes |
L-370 |
95 minutes |
L-500 |
130 minutes |
L-750 |
195 minutes |
L-830 |
215 minutes |
Durability
Like all types of video cassettes, Betamax tapes are vulnerable to environmental influences. That’s why you should pay attention to some things when it comes to storing your tapes:
- Rewind your cassettes before storing them away
- Put the tapes into a case to protect them from dust and dirt
- Ensure that your Betamax are stored at room temperature and no direct sunlight
- Keep the storage place dry
- Keep the tapes away from magnetic interference fields like TVs
The Betacam tape
The Betacam tape was developed by Sony in 1982 as a professional video format. It is the successor to the Betamax format and also uses the same tape and cassette format. But there are differences in the recording system, so that Betacam and Betamax are not compatible with each other. Betacam cassettes are smaller than VHS and have a maximum duration of 36 minutes. The Betacam tape was mainly used in the professional TV sector for electronic reporting. In 1986, the format was further developed and resulted in a more compact version: the Betacam SP. At MEDIAFIX, we convert Betacam to Digital starting at £20.99.