On that SLO-1800 'secret' superbeta switch;

SLO-1800 This unit is an industrial duplication machine. All controls are manual and you can buy a tape changer unit that attaches and moves from tape to tape with about a 15 second delay between tapes. (JY)

part 2 a huge VCR thats built like a tank. If you picked up one of these without a manual, you may not realize that the default recording mode is standard Beta, not SuperBeta. These machines, although SuperBeta machines, were designed as duplicators for the rental industry. Being so, they recorded in a modified form of standard Beta in order to be compatible with all Beta machines (the modified signal is suppose to give SuperBeta quality at standard Beta carrier frequencies). The SuperBeta switch (called Carrier Shift) is inside the unit on the back of the front panel PCB. The factory setting for this switch is OFF, so if you want SuperBeta recordings, take the top off. (GN)

This is a his listing of B e t a M o v i es . . .

BMC-110 / BMC-100P (PAL colour system) (new $1075)

BMC-220

BMC-330???

BMC-440???

BMC-550

BMC-600 BMC-660 (SuperBetamovie) - circa 1986

BMC-1000 BMC-1000-K - circa 1986-87 - Betamovie-PRO Camcorder that recorded in B1s and B1s-SHB and is an excellent camcorder

BMC -3000 (Japanese BMC -3000 was the US's BMC-1000)

Did he just figure there had to be a 330 and 440 so why bother checking and didn't check before listing them?

http://www.aboutfx.com/~altered/beta.html is Kevin Federiko's Beta the Better Format page.

It's really just a lot of text but contains fairly comprehensive reviews of the various Betas.

I had to take the cover of the 1800 anyhow to check the power supply fuses. It must've definately taken a power surge which luckily only blew the fuses and diesn't look like it damaged anything else. Looking around a little inside, I found the "carrier" switch. But it'd be interesting to find out how Sony supposedly made it record in superbeta- or near-superbeta-quality using normal beta carriers. ;)

Madness if you're showing an interest in NEC Betas here's one that just came up for bid...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1370890461

Most dealers tends to ignore the non-Sony Betas so this ought to be gastropod free...

$10. SL-HF400 in paper turned out to be SL-HF500 instead. Bought it anyway to get the little top tuning cover. I'll check the unit out next week.

Here's an FP-60 Vidimagic with a broken cassette door for only $49 so far...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1369911495

I'd bid for it but I really want to save for an SL-HF 750

And this time I really mean it....

Olive, I am on and off thinking about that vidimagic. I will see how much money I have when it ends. I have the 900, soon to be BIs capable, a 750 wouldn't be such a step up for me, whereas your best machine seems to be a SL-HF-360... So good luck finding a 750!

Sean

For Sale to good home:

NOTE:

For a time, I am willing to entertain taking two equal payments on this stuff from any of the regulars here. :)

Sony SL-HF1000 B1-S VCR, original owner, just serviced by Andy Sanchez with new transport mechanism, upper and lower head drum assemblies and alignment. Heads as new, due to long period in storage. I have the original RMT-148 remote unit, however, due to damage from leaky batteries, several buttons no longer work (the editing, speed, record, etc. buttons, and the jog/shuttle dials do work, it's mainly peripheral stuff that doesn't).

Along with this VCR (I will only sell this as a lot, as I will have no use for one without the other) I also have a LARGE number of both new, factory wrapped L-750 tapes (Sony and Maxell) and pre-recorded tapes (including factory releases and home recorded). There are 86 of the new blank tapes, all L-750's

The factory releases are as follows: City Heat; Hook; Death Wish 3; Meatballs Pt.2; Little Lulu (classic cartoon); The Untouchables; The Delta Force; Beany & Cecil Vol. 1 (classic cartoon); Beany & Cecil Vol.6; Bachelor Party; Total Recall; The Land Before Time; The Sounds of Motown; Reggae Sunsplash; Duran Duran; Neil Sedaka in Concert; Ready, Steady, Go Vol.2; Seals and Crofts Live; John Davidson Live; Jimi (Hendrix) Plays Berkeley; The Ultimate Ozzy (Osborn); Black Wax; Dionne Warwick in Concert; Sammy Davis Jr. in Acapulco; Elton John Live in Central Park; Grace Jones; 16 Candles; The River; The Natural; Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom; We Are the World, the Video Event; Bob Marley and the Wailers; Lena Horne, The Lady and Her Music; Sun City (Artists United Against Apartheid); Bring on the Night; Death Wish 4; Beany & Cecil Vol.10; The Onion Field; Spring Fever; The Seven-Ups; Pump Up the Volume; Missing in Action; Spring Break; Cinderella (Faerie Tale Theater); Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade; Honey, I Shrunk the Kids; The Prisoner- Episode 1, Arrival; The Adventures of Droopy (classic cartoon); The Tender Warrior; Star Trek V; Spaceballs; The Entity; National Geographic- Yukon Passage; Felix the Cat (classic cartoon); Kindergarten Cop; Lord of the Flies (1990); Star Trek VI; Ghostbusters II; The Jetsons- The Movie This is 62 factory tapes, mostly movies (two copies of Beany & Cecil Vol. 6 are included).

The home recorded tapes contain many movies, classic TV series, etc. far too many to list here. These are all NTSC 3.58 System M (N.America, Korea, Japan, etc.) tapes. The SL-HF1000 is a US System M NTSC 3.58 machine with American/Korean channelization. It operates on 120VAC 60 Hz.

As you can see, the tapes alone (blanks and factory, never mind my home records, which should be considered blanks) are worth at least $US370 (figuring a modest $2.50 per tape).

I am asking $900 for the lot, plus shipping. For a limited time I will ship the 1000 via USPS Priority mail, and the tapes via USPS Media mail anywhere in the US for a total of $ 950. I will ship anywhere, but be advised that shipping costs can be quite substantial, as I have ONLY the United States Postal Service to ship through.

Please e-mail me if interested. Please, I am not interested in selling the machine separately, as I have no use for all these tapes without it.

Take care, and stay well.

Brenda Ann

Here's a nice find just for the photography...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1370973028

SL-5200 'Beefmaster' HiFi Stereo VCR - $9.99 start. No reserve.

Yeah, but I notice that both the SL-5200 and Sony auctions have the "unit turns on, but have no tapes to test it" routine again! Why don't they just run down to RadioShack and pick one up?

Correction: "Sony" should be "NEC." Oopsie!

Following equipment to be disposed of: SONY SL-T6ME (PAL/SECAM machine converted for French SECAM); SANYO VTC6500 ; SONY C5 ; SANYO VTC 5300P. All complete and working to some extent but with faults, haven't been used for 12 years. Also over 100 betamax tapes. All in Geneva, Switzerland. Ian .

Hi, I have obtained some BETACAM tapes. They are model BCT-20K - They have a blue insert with a green stripe. Can they be used on my Beta machines without messing them up?

Yes, of course. They have the blue shell? Ya.. As long as they arent SP or anything..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1370028164 This Pioneer VX-90 ending soon looks like a great deal at $299. The included tapes alone are easily worth $100 - that's resale-at-auction prices, not novice-taxed Absolute Beta prices. Seller doesn't leave you beamingly confident about the condition of the machine, though- just a passing comment that is insufficient in this price range.

Hi Stewart - Those tapes are ideal for Betamax use. They're as good as the best high-grades you can buy, and are available at ridiculously low prices. BCT-20G's are also good. Generally, tapes designated with an M, MA or SP definitely CANNOT be used. On the palsite is an excellent reference that shows how you can otherwise tell if a tape is one of the type that cannot be used. See http://betacam.palsite.info/tapes.html . Two other bits of advice - when buying BCT-30G's, make sure they are in the small shells. Also, HG-20's you might see are very old Betacam tapes and you should probably avoid them, especially because lightly used Betacam tapes in the 5-10 year old range are so plentiful. Good luck!

Ebay advice: Search Terms:Betamax: works well. Sony Beta: filters out non-sonys. Beta VCR: gets VCRs of all stripes. Beta: will fetch in non-Betamax items but very broad if you get the chance. Superbeta: gets superbeta VCRs and camcorders. Also try adding a space to make "Super Beta" but sometimes that gets some golf clubs and other trash attached to someone named "Niklaus". betacam -SP -SX -digital: makes sure to include the minuses. This will find betacam tapes, and the occasional misslabled SLO-1800, EDW-30F, and GCS-50 (And ones identified as "not betacam". It is rumored that SOME betacam decks play betamax, but I wouldn't count on it! Other to try: Beta recorder, betamax recorder, bet or betamax player, etc.

Side notes:check EVERYTHING labeled "Beta VCR" or something simple. Mislabled items will go for less, as will poorly labeled items, check that HF-1000 that just went for $2xx because the guy NEVER mentioned the model number.

Hope this is useful,Sean

This is the search format I use on E-bay

http://cq-search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&ht=1&ebaytag1=ebayreg&query=%28Beta%2CBetamax%2CBetamovie%2CBetacord%2CBetavision%29+-%28nikko%2Cwarcraft%2Cragnarok%2Cshure%2Calpine%29&query2=%28Beta%2CBetamax%2CBetamovie%2CBetacord%2CBetavision%29&search_option=1&exclude=nikko+warcraft+ragnarok+shure+alpine&category0=293&minPrice=&maxPrice=&ebaytag1code=0&st=&SortProperty=MetaNewSort

seems to cover most Beta Items while weeding out a lot of junk...

Anyone got any Ampex video/audiotapes? I want some... Also! Will anyone that's lucky enough to have a BI-record-capable unit make me a tape in BI if I send them the tape? I'd like to have a recording of your local news and one episode of All My Children.. Thanks!

Jesse:Do an Ebay search for Ampex. Lots of tapes of all kinds, and also some ampex gear. Also try "Ampex Tape". When Andy is finished with my 900, I will have BIs capabilites. If you send me a tape then I will gladly tape AMC and try to find some news. But you will probably be able to find someone else who has one before andy is through. Glad to help,Sean

How about AFN news and I think I can get AMC??? :) Like Sean said, send me a tape and I'll record some on B1s for you. :)

Just a thought here... Do you have a B1s capable machine, or just one that will play back B1 tapes? If you have only the latter, then one would have to record a tape for you in standard B1 format, as opposed to B1s.. (B1s badly overdrives the video on a standard B1 player).

Nein, I only have BI playback capabilities. Wish I could find a poooooor abandoned 750 or even 1000 sitting in the corner at goodwill... Yes, I've tried ebay but can't find any Ampex tape..... Wouldnt a superbeta VTR play back BIs? Na, that's ok I want my SL-2000 and HF300 to be able to play it. What's AFN news? Brenda, email me with your address and I'll prolly send tape Monday.

Another good Beta search is to check E-bay Listings 'Beta' catagory...

http://listings.ebay.com/aw/listings/list/category2286/index.html

Mostly movie tapes but the occasional VCR shows up. A lot of PAL movies show up here.

I'd be careful w/ regular Ampex beta tapes (not the betacams) as the old one's tend to shed oxides. Last thing I wanted to do was gum up my videoheads. And the few I had acquired were so worn anyhow, I went and respooled them from cannibalized VHS tapes. I'd need to get serious in doing that for BIs of >90min. The longest non-custom blanks I have are BCT -30 's and L-830's for that extra 10 minutes are far and between.

If anyone else here does a bit of BIs w/ custom tapes: I've come up w/ a few calculations to find the approximate tape length and recording time.

A VHS T-120 has 246 meters (m) of tape (given on box), so to get the "L-XXX", multiply the given length by 39.4 to get inches (1 meter = ~39.4") and then divide that product by 12 for feet. Doing that would give you about an L-808 from the full length of a T-120. In the same way, if we manage to get about 300m of a T-160 tape in a beta shell, we'd have about the "L-1000 BIs Special!" :)

For recording time (again, approx.): I know that the tape speed for BI/X1 is 4cm/s. So we simply multiply that by 60 for minutes (4cm*60s=240cm/min), convert cm to m (2.4m/min) then use that to divide into tape length: 246m/2.4m=103min for our "L-808." For BII, BTW, just double that answer since BII is ½ the speed (2cm/s).

I just wanted to actually see if I could calculate it and it works so I thought I'd share it. :)

FOr BIs, I'd stay away from L-830s because they are not supposed to be used at that speed. I wouldn't think twice about an oxide betacam because Betacam uses the tape three times faster and it shouldn't hurt it one bit... If anyone has results let me know how VHS tapes stand up to it...

I have an old RadioShack 'Supertape' VHS tape and the box (the old black with a rainbow stripe) says that it has 248 meters/814 feet of tape (T-120 tape).

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1371094022We have started a programme of releasing these betamovies from captivity so that they may live full, productive lives in the hands of betaphiles who will use them as intended. This one has just been released into the wild, it will take some time before the sedatives wear off and it realizes it surroundings. By then our team will be back to base camp where the staff are bussy re-habilitating an SL-HF-900 that was wounded in an incident with an Oxide-shedding Ampex tape...

Aw crickey! A wild Betamovie! They can be really fierce when cornered but if you gab 'em by the handle they can't bite you!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1370371948Yes *SNORT* I'm *GCXXXXHHHHHH---Snort* Sure (He he he) That is... HAHAHAH!

This won't show up on any other search other that Betamax in titles and descriptions, so I save you from wading through all that muck to get this. He ahs another one for a similar BIN.

Sean

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1369454382Oops, I forgot the link...

Gotta love the 100 lux 'low light capability'...

Must need an airport searchlight to be able to see anything...

Or the light from a bonfire of JVC decks...

Sean, if your really into different news casts then send me a tape and I'll tape your soap and get you the local news from westcentral Wisc., in B1s of course. In fact I could possibly trade your tape for one of my BCT tapes. I have various brands, and if your lucky I might part with an Ampex with the clamshell case; but don't hold your breath too long 'cause ya might pass out if I can't find one that I could spare.

And as for the BMC 660 and the LUX sux factor, remember awhile back I posted using my GCS 1 against a new RCA camcorder in a rather dark setting and I won. And I imagine the GCS 1 has the same LUX as the BMC 660.

Later. Pepse.

I was refering to the JVC 'Betamax' camera http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1370371948 with the 'low-light' 100 lux capability...

Sean looks like you-know-who managed to sleech off with that fairly low priced SL-HF 750 you tipped me off about...

And at only $210 bux too....

_@_¼¼ - i'm ba-a-ack!

No, it wasn't Sean who wanted the AMC and local news taped in BI, it was me. Well. Anyhoots. I have a couple Ampex 'professional' VeHoS tapes that run through my deck (VeHoS) with no problems or shedding. Eek! That pooor 900. Of course, you DO know that if cleaning the heads seems like too tough a job, and.. well you know... You can ALWAYS donate it to the Wards Home For Wayward Betas and U|Matics and get a tax-writeoff... :):):D _@*|* (eyestalks come out of shell) Hee hee.. O well. I was gonna say something but forgot, so I'll post it later.

about the false JVC 'betamax' camera.I believe it just a camera with a lead to connect to the reel to reel vtr or vcr.And the seller that found the betamax tape with it must've assummed it a betamax camera.hmmmm misleading advert.....

Actually, I made up the 900 for color. And no, I didn't want newscasts or (Gulp) All My children... That JVC probably went to a crummy VHS portable and its only of interest because the mike is in the handle... I like the case and a new L-500 would be nice. So would that tripod, but I have two of them so I'm set. I agree about the Low light, that thing would stop up indoors, but my GCS-1 keeps going along merrily in any light... Even a recording made in a dark bar wasn't that bad... inside in normal lights it's fin even though it says "Low Light" (I wish the people at sony had calibrated that properly, because you're well into the "low light" range before the picture turns bad, but otherwise ai have no complaints about the GCS-1, I think it only needs 15 Lux. I also have a camcorder that was the prime competitor to the betamovie for a while, and the betamovie is in every way superior. Except it has no playback. The only fault, in my mind, they are as light as a full-size can be.

Sean

If you are bidding on any of the several machines of the seller in Hawaii that are ending soon, you might want to take a look at these two: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1369901502 and http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1369915991 . If there's a legit reason to sell the same type of product, with similar descriptions, under two different seller ID's, I don't know what it is - particularly when each ID has negative feedback you really cannot ignore, especially for the type of item you are buying. Tread carefully.

That is way too high a negative feedback to ignore. He must have started the second ID to spread out the negs. I wonder if this guy has a retail establishment, I am going to Hawaii in a couple weeks... Maybe he sells his better beta there

Can you get decent beta machines in Hawaii? Some of those units being autioned now look like they have pitting or corrosion on the tops. Could be dirt, but it also looks like it could be under the paint.

I stay away from sellers who's profile suggests that they accept negative feedback as a routine part of doing business. It seems rather sociopathic. And since eBay's feedback system is skewed by false positives posted out of fear of retaliation, and "you-first" sellers, 1-2% negative feedback is highly significant. This seller's responses to the negs are fairly defensive and unprofessional, too. Not the worst I have seen, but bad enough to give me the strong impression that the buyers were right and he was wrong.

Franny, I want to make you a question about the BBC prime. I've recently installed a digital sat receiver and the BBC prime is one of the channels that I receive (the only one) and I want to know if it's really the BBC prime in the UK or a one of those sat-prepared channels. It has no commercial TV ads (which looks strange) and the weakest link (in Spain "El rival más débil") shows every morning and every afternoon. Also that most of its programmes are TV series,except some children programs on the afternoon and other programmes. Ah, after a programme ad they show different times (UK, CET,...)

Thank you and regards to all betaphiles,

Casimir

I think if one were to buy Betas in Hawaii one must remember that while the selection must be phenomenal with a lot of former Japanese as residents and with their Beta from the 'mother country' as well as the stuff from here, one has to remember that Hawaii is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and all that sea air is not the best thing for delicate electronics and mechanicals. The same caveat would apply for other coastal regions in the US and elsewhere like much of Florida...

Casimir, Franny might indeed have more up to date information, but I can tell you that BBC Prime is not a regular UK terrestrial channel. I think that it was the BBC channel I sawseveral years ago on cable in Paris. It was a selection from BBC1 and BBC2, plus - I think - from BBC World Service. Hope this is helpful.

That Vidimagic http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1369911495 went for only $49 US. If I could've figured out how to fix the broken door on it I might've bought it. That way I could just buy a bunch of NTSC movies and have a player that didn't need any more conversion than for the power

And seeing as I'm in Germany and not the UK I'm as in the dark as to whether the BBC satellite is the same as the domestic channel(s).

Franny: ARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! i was going to bid on that! Instead, I saved money for some other stuff, figuring it would go way high into the hundreds of dollars... I wish you had bid, I have no idea who this Jackarooski cat is, he might be a snail!

[vidi|=O____@¼¼ -He he he he!(THat's a snail draging off a vidimagic...)

Hello Betaphiles!

I apologize if I led you on at all. My bad side caught up with me, and I did lie.I'm sorry if I hurt anyones feelings. But I still love you all. And I'm not a JVC man!!!I have turned over a new leaf, and I'm going to see if I can't figure out how to make the legendary BETAMAX to VHS adapter. I'll let you know if I figure it out. I love you all and have a blessed day!

I think I found a way to deal with that pesky snailie Snaling...

http://www.pestproducts.com/sluggo.htm

Yes but does it say if it's harmful to VCRs???

Quick shot for anyone looking for an SL-HF 300 at only $85 BIN and are not too picky about the missing flipper door...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1371408321

No more $85 BIN on the SL-HF300. Guess who killed that with a bid under the BIN price. Very odd strategy, because it eliminates any likely chance that he will get that machine for $85 or less - no way it goes for less than that now with the manual and remote. Maybe he's just pissed he missed the Realistic 22 SuperBeta at $50 BIN, and wants to be a killjoy out of spite...

Oh...

my...

gawd...

I can't believe it...

That fricken Snail must be scanning these posts or something and now he's just taunting us...

http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/a78f28e7/bc/Goofy+Olive+stuff/no-snails.jpg?bcemdd9AHUS022kP

free logo to fellow Betaphiles who have a web page or list their Betas on E-bay so that Snailie knows he's not welcome

FOR SALE: SONY BETAMAX SL-2401, FRONT LOADER, GOOD CONDITON, 39.5 WATT, VIDEO OUT AND AUTIO AUDIO OUT, VHF IN AND OUT. ASKING PRICE: $85.00 PLUS SHIPPING

FOR SALE: 29 VIDEO MOVIE TAPES AT $2.00 EACH

Another weekend of busy posts here; some thoughts on a few of them:

NEC Betas: Hi Madness. Yes, the mirror viewer on the NEC betas are kind of neat. They do provide a clearer view of how much tape is remaining than the Sony top windows, which as you mentioned is usually covered up by above-stacked equipment. I cleaned up the 739 a bit, and the picture is now nice and clean, with no snow. The VC-N70EU has a fairly tricky and sensitive tracking, and the picture will go out of skew very quickly if not priodically retracked; this is not a problem with the 739 or 65. I like these NEC betas, they are nice collectibles, but I will not heavily stress them through extensive editing usage; as I understand parts for them are now almost nonexistent.

Sony VidiMagic Projector: Whoever won that VidiMagic Projector for 49 bucks got the steal of the century. Mine cost well over three hundred dollars when I found one over a year ago. The FP-60 VidiMagic projector is from 1984, so the projection is not sharp like a contemporary DLP, LCD, or CRT projector; the internal VCR is regular mono beta only; but still the projector is a GREAT beta collectible, and I do use it about once a month to watch a movie on the living room wall to keep the unit working.

AMPEX Tapes: Ampex consumer Beta tapes are junk; do not use it; it will indeed clog up your video heads, as others here have mentioned. Ampex's (now Quantegy) professional betacam tapes are higher quality, and so far have not shed oxides on my machines, although picture formulation when taped in betamax format is just a tad softer than Sony Betacam G or K series oxide tapes. I do have about 20 or 30 Ampex consumer beta tapes in my inventory that I got from free giveaways and garage sales; I will do what Madness has done with them, and splice new VHS tape into the cassette shells and reuse the tape cassettes.

L-830s will work at x-1 in Sl-HF 1000, 900, 750 designed to record x-1, the reason why they did not list a x-1 record speed on the tapes when they came out is that the older VCRs that did not have x-3, were not designed to properly handle the thinner tapes and thus they'ld get damaged. i have had no problems using 830s in 1000s, 900s or 750s at x-1 (at least no more than at the other speeds)

alan

Absolute Beta out of Remington VA is trying to sell its SL-HFT7 speaker amp/VCR with a BIN of $500; check it out: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1371450778. He's giving our favorite snail a run for his money in the "premium price for used beta VCR" department. Anybody here want to take up his offer? ;)

For videophiles who want to collect REALLY strange and isoteric videophilia; here's a purported Soviet designed and manufactured VHS VCR: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1371244465. According to the ebay ad, it's a multi-format NTSC/PAL/SECAM unit, with multiple tuners, and was "designed and made in the Soviet Union by Soviet engineers". This can be good or bad, depending on who this VCR was made for. If this was a VCR designed and manufactured for use by the Red Army, it's probably a very solid and reliable piece of equipment, albeit not highly "sexy" or ultra-sphisticated; on the other hand, if this deck was manufactured for the Soviet civilian consumer market, it's a pretty good bet this VCR is an unmitigated piece of junk; it just depends...:)

I left the BETA format in 1990, but I had a sony machine in a box for several years as a planned replacement unit. It is a Super Beta Theater Model # ? Is there a marketfor this machine? It works fine and has been babied--low hours of use. If an expert in the field can reply to my request for help, I sure would appreciate it! Thanks!

Steve

Steve, you bet there is a market for it...just look at us.You guys and your Snail jokes, ha ha. I have an NEC VHS N901BU and it has a lighted mirror just like the NEC Betas...from the days before electronic tape position displays.Does anyone know if there's any rhyme or reason to the Sony model numbers? They started with the SL-7200, the low numbered SL-10,20 ,30, 60 and 90 did not come out till the mid 80s, the SL-HF450,550 and 650 did not come between the 400-500, 500-600, and 600-700 respectively, etc. What's the deal?

Heya, Happy Monday (<-- is that a contradiction or what [ :} ]?)! Lord of the Rings comes out tomorrow. Who else is gonna be running down to the video store tomorrow morning for the DVD? Yannow, to be one of the first to stick in on superbeta (or for those really lucky few, ed-beta)! I'll be down there about 10am local to pick up one of the 1st copies. <vbg>

Updated my Betamax page a bit. Added pix of the MLV-1100 MTS adapter I just obtained.

http://uk.geocities.com/dasimperator/My_Betamax_Page.html

It seems the thing has a built in amplifier which meant that minus the superbeta and extra effects you can turn an SL-HF 300 (or my coming soon SL-2710) into an SL-HFT7. Too bad Sony didn't match the dimensions of the MLV-1100 to the SL-HF 300 so that you could properly stack the SL-HF 300 on top of it.

sleeeeeeeech!________@_¼¼ - "An SL-HFT7? I'll take that off your hands!"

Das Imperator:I assume you mean that it is too shallow for the beta to sit on top of it, it looks wide enough. try putting something under the beta as a spacer to hold it up. Scotch, Kodak, and other lousy Tapes work well for this. They also allow you to stack two rows of cassettes on deep bookcases by putting them in back of the fron row as spacers.

Good luck!Sean

If you missed that $85 SL-HF 300 here's your chance to pick one up for a measly $50 BIN.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1371573925

Either the guy couldn't figure out how to get it to work or there are problems with it. My guess is on the former.

And Snailie if you're watching, leave us alone! We don't need parasites like you around to snag all the good betas and jack up the prices!

Clearly he found the remote at http://www.replacementremotes.com/ they have beta remotes of all stripes, they are definitely worth a look. That dek may be of some use, He may have the input or the tuner or something set wrong or he may not know how to hook it up to his TV or something. If I had the $$$ I'd go for it, but I don't, Remember that Free Umatic suite, it weighs in at almost 200 pounds and needs shipping!

Sean

Hi Steve - there's a link three messages above yours to an SL-HFT-7 being auctioned. Of course, the guy auctioning it is delusional regarding his BIN price. A solid unit with remote and manual, properly auctioned, can bring in around $150, depending upon who is around to bid on it, a little more if there's someone particularly looking for one. $175 is the high end of reasonable for a BIN, but you might try a BIN of $ 200 for kicks, or, better, $225 with free shipping or something. They're solid SuperBeta performers (I have two operating, one not), though the hi-fi thing is a little more form over substance. Down side is that they appear to have more things that can go wrong with them than other model units, and the tracking adjust buttons are maddening.

Everything with tracking adjust buttons should have autotracking, my Sony commercial VHS machine does and it has GOOD autotracking too, but for the kind of money it retailed ofr you also buy a better picture from VHS, beleve it or not (It's not HiFi or anything special beyond basic editing more commercial-oriented feature like repeat, differnt plugs on the back, and all the programmed opperation like the SLO-325 had. AND a tape-remaining indicator, BUT it has no HiFi so the Beta's won't be retired on it's account. It is far better than my HiFi SVHS JVC machine that has a jittery still some times, the Sony NEVER jitters... Can't wait to see my 900 come back, not to brag it up, but Andy says it has low-hours heads and was generally not used a lot! Good for me! Yippee and all that! Anyway, Anyone out there got a seriously dead 900 I could buy an instructions and flip-door off of?

Thanks!Sean

Coupla morsels on eBay with tempting BIN's (what's with the recent spate of reasonable BIN's, anyway?):

SL-2300, box and remote, $85: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1371598813

SL-HF300, possibly a fixer, but with remote AND flip door, which alone are worth close to the BIN of $50: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1371573925

Oops. Clarification: on the SL-HFT-7, I meant to say that the THEATER thing is sort of form over substance.

I'd also add that on that eBay SL-HF300, that doesn't look like the appropriate remote. It looks like a 312 or something, though it's hard to tell for sure, and it's not the 124 that belongs to that unit.

The 'Simulated Stereo' soundfield effect was a pretty neat feature. Too bad it was only a speaker effect and not something you could line output.

One thing about the SL-HFT7: It is a direct derivative of the SL-HF450. It offers superbSuperbeta performance, and BIs playback. A great machine really. I use one in the computerroom hooked up to a set of speakers. Makes a great convenient amplified VCR. I have foundmy unit to be as reliable as any of the other beta units, the added on amplifier circuit is just as serviceable as the VCR itself. The SL-HF300 on Ebay for the BIN price @ $50 I wouldsurmise as having an electronic problem in regards to E-E output on the line video output. The remote of course is not original (resembles a SL-24xx/25xx/etc remote from a glance). I'd buy it myself right now, but am tight on $$$ too. Andy

Ok, catch me up on this whole snaile thing. I'm a little confused. Is he buying a ton of betas, or is he placing a bunch of rediculiously high bids, just to give them the pinto treatment? (You know, blowing the crap outta them by overloading their circuits)And I'm not a fricking bad guy! Just forgive and forget dang it! Adios- Edward in Paradise

Wow! That SL-HF 300 seems to be just scary enough despite it's pristine outer shell to stay unbidden for most of this evening...

Snailie is a dealler who buys up Betas with one username (snaling) and sells them for a way higher price under another username (someko). He's able to do this because he and a few other dealers have the buying power to create a shortage or at least a percieved shortage in HiFi Betas, which if the dealers were out of the picture, would probably go for around the $50 to $100 US range rather that around the $300 - $400 mark he's able to extort.

But, you say this is good for people selling Betas to have dealers willing to pay big $$? Well whatever you might get for your Beta the Snailer will probably double the take when he puts it up for bid...

Even worse are the people with a basic mono unit are pricing it like a deluxe unit and that can only convince the person who just wants to dub his old tapes to VHS that maybe it's not worth the trouble and maybe they should just toss them out. I've seen a lot of Betas that get unsold and never relisted and wonder if they were just tossed to the kerb.

Scary, Isn't it, Franny? I would bid if I had $50 because I have a VCR in a location where I only need RF out... It would be OK even if it didn't work. It would also be a superb parts machine... The front panel and all are in excellent shape as you noted. THe remote, even if it is the wrong one, is really worht about the $26 he states, if it works. I wonder if he just has it set up wrong. Once I bought a stereo and the speakers were crossed wired... the ground for the left went to the ground for the left remote and so on, so the main and remote ahd to be selected to work at all, and I think there was also some problem with the channels with that hookup, but once restored to normal the thing was great! Sold the revciever to a friend a $5 profit and kept the speakers (whic he didn't need)!

Thanks. At least you don't completely hate my Franny. Sorry I missed so much. My school thought I was manic depressive and I got sent to a rehab center, whereI had no acess to computers, (GASP) or Betas(GASP GASP). Quick Question, is it possible to convert a mono unit into a stereo unit?

-Edward

Edward:As far as I know the only mono-to-stereo mods that are around are the ones allready half-done by Sony, the HiFi-readys, that need an appropriate add-on device. Also We ahve theorized that is may be possible to convert an SL-2500 to linear stereo using parts scavenged from an SLO-420 that is linear stereo to begin with. In theory with a suitable knowledge of electronics, you could disect an HIFi ready beta and see where all the leads from the HiFi ready port went and try to duplicate it on another beta... Really not worht the effort...I had a friend who was sent to an institution for some nonsense reason... The only people who should be put there are raving lunatics who might go off and murder someone or simply aren't stbale enough to "make it" anymore...

Sean

Despite what E4 seems to indicate, I'm not 'his Franny'.

I gave him the benefit of the doubt and thought he misstyped "Me" as "my"... But given that, to be grammatically correct, that phrase would require a comma in there, and that it would be pretty hard to hit "Y" instead of "E", you seem to be most likely correct, Franny... (fancy ME talking about grammar... and spelling! Some of the funniest things I've written were mistakes!)

Speaking of Snailie wanna-bes without the equipment to back it up...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1371655456

$ 200 for an SL-10!?! Nuh-uh!

You could at least have the decency to post an item pic.

On the $50 HF300, if that were a 124 remote, I assume it would be gone by now. That remote seems to impress a lot of people. Beyond that, the flip door sells for $25 new, and it's not like anyone out there peddles used ones. That remote may be a 312; all that shininess above the black middle section could be the array of swing search buttons. That would make it a good deal as well. But if it's a 314 or whatever goes to the 2400, not such a good deal. I tried with my 300 to replicate a hookup that had audio but no video when using the line outs, with no luck. Could just be a bad connection, but I suspect that it's probably something difficult to find.

Hi all, I have just purchased an auto casette changer from America Model AG400 - for the SL2500. Does anyone know if this will work with my C9 (PAL) model. They are (I THINK) basically the same machine. Cheers

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1370698994

It could be a beta.

How do you recognize the 950 MKII and the 950ES by the front panel only?

You wouldn't want it anyway... It's mono, and it IS VHS, anyway. Looked like a beta, though. Oh well.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1371252560This guy is a snail of sorts but he usually asks a fair price. I looked over his winings and sellings, and he sells low to mid range betas very fairly, i.e. this one is an OK price when we know THE snail would charge at least 100 more!

Well, I'm still pondering picking up that EDV-5000 on ebay with the problem. I've had my problems bidding against howiecat (leading bidder) and he's the one who picked up the SL-HF2100 for $898 with no remote off ebay I believe. If only I could get one of my own. My main concern is the tuner. Can I use it to tune in standard American broadcast with just the numbers being out of order? Will it record hi-fi correctly? Yes, I too will be renting and copying Lord of the Rings from DVD to my SL-HF1000, and I'm going to try it on my EDV-9500 on a Betacam SP tape. I'll let you know my results. I do know that even at BII on the 1000 it looks almost like the DVD, with brilliant sound. My only complaint is that the DVD sound output is kinda low it seems, so I have to adjust the line rec in above the center detent of 5. No biggie I guess, just was curious as to why. I also noticed this morning two decks for sale by the same seller, a SL-HF450 and SL-HF650, which visually look identical. The only difference I saw was the slow motion section, is this the only difference? I can tell you that I think the SL-HF550 is really a great deck, with superior front display and transport controls. I know that one went for around $100 last week in "mint" condition. Got mine for $125 two months ago in mint condition with original (but stained) box. Not bad.

~Scott

Scott: Don't thing the EDV-5000 will properly tune american channels. It might tune most of them except some lower ones, but it won't get them in stereo. I don't think they have a place for the MPX adapter that you would need. Go for it, I say. I'm surprised anyone like Lord of the Rings... Far too long and lots of places were far too far-fetched. i.e. the on carechter (I don't remember his name but Sean Bean played him) got shot with about 4 arrows before he died, and took his sweet time doing it... The hydrostatic shot from ONE arrow that size will kill you right off! And that's just one of the many things I don't care for in that movie, but it wasn't overall a "BAD" movie like Ishtar or anything!

Sean

Scott, the main difference between the SL-HF450 and the SL-HF650 is that the 450 does all its slow motion scans on tapes recorded in BIII only, while the SL-HF650 does slow motion scans on tapes recorded in BII and BIII; the 650 also has X2 fast-play, while the 450 does not. The 650 also has a top window to look down on the tape that is being played to check the tape remaining, while the 450 does not. I own both the 450 and 650, and it is my (very) subjective judgement that the 650 has a teeny weeny bit sharper picture than the 450. Regarding the SL-HF550, I like the sharp picture of the 550, but it's edit pause function is a little more blunt than the 450 or 650 (not as finessed or as sensitive), and it's forward and reverse betascan is not as "smooth" as that of the 450 or 650. If I have to choose between the 450, 550, or 650, the 650 will win out by a whisker as my favorite of the three models. BTW, I was also one of the bidders for that SL-HF2100 from last month, and some character by the ebay name of "hoserama" was the winner of that auction (not howiecat). Howard

Brenda said the HF1000 has got American/korean NTSC (and I think tunner too). I'm wondering if in Korea there are some good price betas...

A MINT SL-HF1000 with new heads for 400$?????????An EDV-9500 for just 550$???????????????????????????????

If anyone can solve this question...

An ED-CAM for just 500$??????????????

Where are you getting these prices for the above units? Are they still available in Korea? After careful consideration, I've decided to pass on the EDV-5000, so please feel free to bid on it at will as I will not continue to do so. I've noticed that the seller soadv (Southern Advantage) on ebay has some nice items, but never without a reserve. I don't know if it's just me, but I really hate reserve auctions. Just start the bidding at your lowest price, and leave out the guess work. Or at least list your reserve. So anyway, soadv usually has at lease one SL-HF2000, reserve must be at lease $700 for a used deck. Frustrating. You can buy a NEW SL-200D from Japan for slightly more ($850) and get a better deck in the process.

~Scott

Scott, last week while flipping through some a/v magazines at the BX, I came across a magazine titled "2002 Video Buyer's Guide". I flipped through it and came across a printed ad from Southern Advantage, in which they advertised beta decks in stock (including the SL-HF2000, SL-HF860D, SL-HF400, etc.). The ad had a photo of an SL-HF2000 accompanying it. No mention of whether these betas were new or used. Seeing this ad brought back much nostalgia, as this must have been the first printed ad I've seen advertising betas in about 15 years. Sure brings back memories of the good 'ole days. Howard

My prices weren't real. It was only a theory.

Casimir, I wish your prices were true. Brenda Ann is stationed in that part of the world. We should ask her if there are any betas to be found and purchased there. Howard