Just an oppinion, but I think that is one of the best-looking TV cameras ever made. Very sleek and not awkward like some that make the lens look too small or whatnot.

Sean

just try not to get too much gastro-slime on it...

I think this was a 'dockable camera' with a VCR that separated. Imagine if Sony had designed the SL-2000 to be dockable with a camera head. And had upgraded it to be able to record HiFi and HiBand...

Or even made a genlockable Betamax deck.

Come to look at that I wonder if that camcorder was able to use the full size Betacam cassettes? Awfully big window...

Doubtful. I think I can show you a picture of a full-sizze betacam. Kodak made a dockable camcorder setup in 8mm, I think, but it was allready HiFi and they never made better VTRs or cameras for the setup... Died just off the vine... Has anyone ever wondered what made VHS-C cassettes survive? They recorded only 20 minutes when they came out, and if you look here: http://www.labguysworld.com/index.html you will see that EVERY 20 -30 minute format failed, and a significant number of 1-hour ones did as well. Eventually I think you could get 40 minutes on them, and they could ONLY be used as camcorders, not home VCRs anyway. I've used them, and the best are mediocre.

Big Betacam: http://www.labguysworld.com/MiscTapes_003.jpgThat Akai VT-300 is a VK format tape, another failed 30 -minute job.

Well the reason VHS-Crap succeeded was because it was playable (with an adapter) on regular VHS VCRs. Other half hour or one hour formats required commitment to (yet) another incompatible system - something consumers aren't so willing to do unless you give them at least a two hour running time as with the 'Video8' format. They also didn't seem to take to S-VHS so much with it's unwillingness to lower prices on the tapes enough - especially now that Digital Video is about to squish everything analog...

Does anyone know anything about a Sony GCS-50? It apparently is a SuperBeta, but I'd never heard of this model number before. Does anyone know how old it is and the quality of it's slow motion features. Any guess as to what remote would work with it?

You mean like this one I've been watching, David? There's some info in the pre-mascot archives of this site. Read all nite or select all, paste into your favorite WP and search for "GCS-50".

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1375980899

Sean, re: SVHS-C. I never shot a scene over 20 mins long anyway. Their build quality was near the top, and over 400 lines horizontal res. Too bad they neglected non-NTSC markets with these. My first one has lasted 11 years so far on its original capstan and belts, but the odd-size special order NiCad now costs as much as 3 NP66's. So I got a GR-SZ9 this year on eBait - last hifi version JVC released (as the sun sinks slowly on SVHS-C too). That little guy claimed 0.06 Lux sensitivity long before Nite-Alive came out. Corporate thinkers got involved after that ("It's too good - start stamping out pretty-looking Super-ET crap or we'll never get anyone interested in upgrading to digital when the warranty expires on these beauties!").

hi to all beta max fans Any one needs a sony L500 some L750 good condition recorded once of a production company shelf which went bankrupt about (2500) resonably priced, one lot or minimum order of 10.priced at £0.50 each plus post based at london uk.

To David Regarding the GCS-50: The GCS-50 is a professional superbeta hi-fi editing VCR designed for professional/studio use. It is based on the internals of the SL-HF1000, but without tuner or IR remote capability. The GCS-50 records in BIs and BII, although its key editing functions are geared toward the BII speed. It has all the features of a good editing VCR, including a very sensitive and sharp jog shuttle with frame-by-frame play, very good distortion-free X2 and variable slow-motion playback, flying erase head insert editing, and pre-roll editing capability with index marking (although no time code capability, if I remember correctly). The GCS-50 also offers concurrent linear-stereo and beta hi-fi recording, perhaps the only beta VCR to offer this dual capability. Although you can do some good editing using the GCS-50 hooked up to some other slave unit, the GCS-50 is optimized for editing hooked up to another GCS-50, with a RM-E50 controller used to control the functions of both 50's. For remote control, most hard-wired Sony professional remotes with the proper connectors should atleast control the basic functions of the 50, although the RM-E50 edit controller is optimized for controlling editing. It is a great unit, and its original retail price was around 2000 bucks; this is a classic beta unit, one of the best. Howard

Does anyone have a spare lens shade (plastic ring that screws into lens) off a Betamovie? My GCS-1 does not have one sadly. Also, I am looking for a new handle for it since the one I have is cracked. Thanks!

~Scott

I may be able to dig up a lens hood. I won't be OEM but a lens hood is a a lens hood is a lens hood. I assume your model has a 52mm lens?

Sean

I have an old sanyo beta player, a top loader that still works but would like to buy a new beta player but don't know where to purchase them. I know Sony is going to stop making them soon. I have over 639 beta movies...what am I to do! Please anyone out there with any suggestions please let me know. Thanks for any help....Jerry

To Jerry; Unfortunately you're a couple years too lat to get a new US model Beta. The Betas that Sony now porduces are for the Japanese home market which has different power requirements (You'll need a voltage adapter) and a different RF modulator (that use Japanese channels 1 and 2) and stereo broadcast system from the US which would limit their usability here. I did see a post in Scott Veazie's Informer http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Recreation/EMA/Beta/Informer/index.html that noted that for about $ 800 bux or so Priceline Japan will get you a Japanese Beta.

If you want to get a US Beta you're gonna have to buy used on E-bay.

Have you lot not seen the News (search on BBC website)Sony will completely finished with betamax!! (in Japan) :((((((((((((((((((((((!!!!!!

WTF happened to Ray Glasser's site? http://www.geocities.com/videoholic2000/index.html all I get is a message from GeoCites that the site 'exceeded it's data transfer alottment'...

His site seems to have lots of toruble. Lately i cannot get hte pictures in most of the sections to display properly. I will give it time...

Sean

Updated my Betamax page. Now with a links page!

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

I hate geocities for doing that.. only allowing u to transfer a certain number of bytes per hour or whatever..

Can anyone tell me where I might be able to find a Beta VCR in the Seattle area? The one I had was stolen and some of my favorite movies are on Beta tapes.

The banners weren't bad until they started doing the huge ones that are like 4 times as long... showing some high-angle shot of a random guy and candid pictures of celebritiies...

Sean

I read in the local Houston paper that Sony will end production of Beta machines by the end of the year. Will someone pick up production elsewhere?? will there be spare parts in a few years?? I suppose that no one can convince Sony that there are millions of Beta users in the world with the potential of buying parts and movies..............any comments????????

I say we write sony NOW, before they end production, because if they do, there will be no way, short of actually buying the company, or a controlling share, to restart betamax. Betaphiles unite! this may be the last chance we have... I tell you this, now, though, if I win the local lottery jackpot that sometimes get up to $40 million, I will buy $40 million in Sony stock! (Still probably wouldn't be a controlling interrest!) That is, if they HAVE stock... It's a shame that some eccentric billionaire isn't a betaphile!

Sean

I would love to start an e-mail campaign to Sony re reintroducing Beta to the market outside Japan.. they don't seem to realize that there are most likely at LEAST hundreds of thousands of us Betaphiles out here that would love to have new machines.. and who could not possibly care less about digital technology (digital recording devices really BYTE!!) I have yet to find any digital recording device that had anywhere near the quality of even a Vidiot Home System machine.. let alone B1s. Trouble is, HOW do you e-mail them? I have yet to find a contact link on any of their sites.. :(

One of the factors listed by Sony in finally dropping Beta is the difficulty in sourcing parts for their Beta line. At a 2500 per annum production (barely 10 machines per production day) it isn't worth it for their sub-contracters to make a few beta specific bits. Too bad Sony couldn'tve made their VHS or new Digital Video machines lace like a Beta so that it would pay to keep Betas around or at least have the best part of Beta survive.

In the future though it will be possible to 'print out' a Beta when single unit production technology is perfected. That's where you download all the data needed to make an item and a machine actually builds the item layer by layer while you wait...

This is a joke right? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1559470561 It's not even a HiFi deck!!!

it's linear stereo, not HiFi, but £1500 is a joke. it's probably worth about £150 tops. with those tapes.

Sean

Well I am game for starting an e mail campaign to Sony. Where do we start?? Even a letter with signatures from thousands would do.

You've got to be kidding. £250 "Buy it now" for a DC-DC converter!!! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1559512048

Boy, some of your are real pieces of work. First, you bitch about people who outbid you when the problem, in fact, is that you're simply just a cheapskate with an entitlement complex, then bitch about limited access, and the quality of access, to a website that doesn't cost you one cent. A tip for you bozos - download Glasser's site for offline viewing for when it's down. Now, I know that will be a problem because it will give you one fewer thing to bitch, whine and worry about, but I think that even you will be able to see the benefits when you have to quickly get info on that mint condition EDV-7500 at auction in order to justify to yourself the lavish $25.00 bid you are contemplating.

Jeez, you again? for a "newbie" you sure have nothing but negative things to add. I'm not a cheapskate, personally I don't HAVE the money to spend on things like this, I take deal where I can get them, and I'm happy. True, this page is free, but why do you abuse the rite to post here by posting nothing but slanderous, negative messages that disagree with everyone here and provide nothing of use? if you were saying something like: "Everyone says the SL-HF-750 is a better machine, bt I like the SL-HF-900 BECAUSE:xxxxx" we would listen to you. but all you do is basically say "You people are wrong. you suck." why do you bother us? I don't see how you ahve anything to gain!

Sean

Don't sweat it Sean... the guy's just a troll in search of a bridge..

I think you're right... Maybe if we ignore him, he will go away...

I have just recieved a Betamovie Camera and I am just wondering were abouts I would be able to get a service manual, or a schematic diagram from, Thanks Jason

Damn, I just heard the news about the end of Beta's long life.I really wasn't sure if it was still alive in Japan or not until I read the article. It's amazing that it's been able to last this long with so much competition that's come and gone or is dying (VHS, S-VHS, LD, CED, DVD, etc.)

You like that song, don't you, Olive :)

(P.S. nothing wrong wiht that, I have a MIDI on my PC!)

Yes I do. It's been squirreling around my head for a couple weeks now. I was so happy when I walked into a drugstore and that song was playing through the Muzak...

I wish I could get that on MP3 somewhere...

Want the MIDI for now?

Sean

No I like the actual song...

I'll have to root through my album collection sometime (you remember those black things with a hole in the middle you need a special machine to play 'em on)

Silly person, I HAVE albums! Even A turntable! a Dual (That's a company...). it sits on top of my Sony CDP-C8ESD that would go very nicely with an SL-HF-750 or EDV-7500, because of its wooden sides.

I've a pretty nice Technics turntable with the stroboscope that helps you can set the proper rotation speed. I also have as backup a Sony turntable.

Mine has the strobe. I had a weird technics that had no tonearem, the cartridge sat on the lid, and trucked back and forth by a belt. you could move it with buttons... not hte most intuitive system.

Sean

Sony was so hard-over on the linear skate load (ala 750, most CD players, some 8mm and DV decks) that they made a Linear-skate load turntable.

Sean

Oh yeah linear tracking. I remember seeing them in the Radio Shack-alogs of the mid 80s before CDs squished all development in turntables. Gawd, I remember walking by a CD only store in Cleveland back in 1987 with a friend making comments in the line of revulsion at that 'upstart' technology...

I remember during that same Cleveland trip seeing this cool novelty record player that consist of a little VW Microbus that went around in circles to play the record.

Or seeing at the Museum of Modern art a display of a transistor-radio sized player from the 60s you could carry in your pocket.

Or the not so successful Sony Discman portable record player - which I can't see much use for as noone's gonna go jogging with an armfull of records that they could only play while sitting down at a park bench or picnic table...

and unlike that 60's unit this was a headphones only device...

Yep, passed one up a few years back. you could put it on a wall. Then there was a CD player that would work like that, with half the CD sticking out. The linear tracknig turntables are weird, no real purpose to that, and it defeats one of the key advantages of turntables, instand random access. The microbus was also made as an icecream truck. a friend of mine issed on on Eaby a few months ago.

In 1987 I bought a complete matching Sony entertainment system. Flat square screen monitor, SL-HF1000, cassette deck, receiver WITH built in TV tuner, CD player, and the linear turntable with the linear skate loading. Was a nice setup.. too bad I don't still have most of it.

anyone has sony bmc - 200p scheme send it to [email protected]

Darn there's been a lot of posts! Olive which song was it that u liked?

Jesse: tried to Email this to you, but it bounced. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1376179784&rd=1shouldn't be to much. I trust it won't be snailed.

Sean

We are fully aware of the use of what has been termed childishness on thispage. We have received a number of complaints from fellow users. We hadhoped that this phase would soon pass but it has now got out of control. Wewould request that those involved should stop adding pointless or silly posts to thepage to allow more important aspects of the subject to be discussed in amore civilised manner.

Further posts which are not deemed suitable will be removed without warning.

Thankyou. PALsite

Anyone know if NP-1A rechargeable batteries will work OK in an F! originally fitted with a bog-standard NP-1 ?

To Martin at Palsite.

I agree with you on the 'silly e-mails' - up to a point. I think all websites like this should have just a little light relief now and again, as long as it is all encompassing everyone and not downright insulting or some 'private' joke among individuals.

And also as long as the subject matter, be it a jokey thing or otherwise, is kept within the Pal Beta boundaries.

I used to enjoy everything about this site but as I mentioned before, it CAN get a little 'untidy' at times, so it put me off a few times I must say.

All it needs is a little commonsense and a little discipline by all who uses it.

It is far too dear to us all lose!

Hope I do not sound a like a miserable old fart!

Cheers.

Barry.

Not realy. You don't sound like a cranky old fart, I think that everyone here should understand that a "Snail" is a term for an overgreedy dealer just like we all understand that BIs is Beta speed one Super. Personallly I never tire of the "Snailies" as long as they are kept original, but I do come here for information, and, as far as the information remains, I don't see that anyone should be stifled unless they prove downnright rude or unkind to other members (Ah-HEM trollomatic).

Something wrong wiht my SL-HF-600... It won't record properly anymore. It didn't have propper range of tracking in playback, and now I adjusted it and it will not record properly, only with lotts of snow, and adjusting the trakcing will not help. Also it will no longer betascan properly either, it just shows static on the screen. Are the heads shot, or does it need an alaignment?

Sean

Anyone seen this bargain?? C9 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1559470561

Oh yeah, we've seen that "Bargain"... that's more than ANY beta is worth, the most you'll get is around $1500 for and EDV-9500 in perfect shape, nevermind a C-9 for 1500 POUNDS! (Which are worth more than dollars!)

Sean

Sean, have you tried recording with your 600 on more than one tape? Awhile back mine pulled a stunt like that and it turned out I was just using a bad tape...also the heads could be just clogged from playing a dirty tape, did you try cleaning them?

Has everyone had their Daily Recommended Allowance of prunes today? Good. Just wanted to make sure. Oh, come on. Let us have our fun. Do we really want it to be all boring and stuff... I see this as a group of friends just kidding around. Our fun shouldn't deter anyone from the page. Grrr! Sean.. Pleeease dont entice me. I'm running on a negative balance right now... ___@ºº [Check Card]

I have used a new. tape. I will clean the soon. good idea.Sean

Sean, clean the videoheads and ACE assembly. Sounds like you got a partial clog upon the videohead. Andy

Could be that, when I first got the machine, I made the mistake of using cotton swabs to clean it, now I will use the lint-free foam ones.

"you're so vain you probably think this post is about you"

Funny a couple my posts got cut but Newbie's is still there...

_I guess I should post @nonymously and be_REALLY rude¡ and insulting¡

and keep the_sn@ils_well¡ hidden¡

[==****O]

Anyways there are some new postings up at Betamax TO's { http://www.betamax.to/ } MY BETAMAX page. Man oh man does Idol Banzai have a sweet collection.

Franny's post at Betamax Videographer on how to post there

Just go to Betamax TO's (Japan) "My Betamax" registry page at URL http://www.betamax.to/reg_beta.shtml (note Betamax.TO no longer allows direct access to pages you have to go through the site itself to bring up the register page)

the first line is for the name you want your picture to be

the second line lets you browse through your computer for the picture (less that 120KB please)

the third line is a comments window

fourth line they ask your name

fifth line your E-mail

sixth line is for your home page if you have one

you press the bottom left button to submit the bottom right to reset.

note this will not work if you open the page in the Babelfish

Maybe a dumb question - are any of the Beta models still in production capable of PAL playback? Or are multi-standard Beta machines long gone, if they ever existed?

The last two Betas currenlty in production are Japanese NTSC Betas. PAL and other systems were abandoned in the late 80s. There were several Multi-System Betas available - some were marketed in the mideast and have an -ME suffix. Some of the Pal/Secam combos that were sold in Europe had a PS suffix.

The multi-systems I know of are

SL-C24PS

SL-T20ME

SL-T30ME

SL-T50ME

SL-T7ME

SL-T700ME <- a HiBand multisystem

SL-T800ME

SL-T9ME

With the exception of the SL-T7ME and SL-T9ME the first number of the Beta model indicated the number of systems it was capable of. SL-T(7)00 would be capable of 7 TV systems.

http://www.geocities.com/videoholic2000/biglie.gif

I'll have my attorneys Dewey, Cheatum & Howe call Sony in the morning...

If someone could actually get those posters, subpoena Sony's records, we would have a case. That's one of those schemes that might work, probably better than writing a few hundred letters to even Morita himself. Hey, it worked againts blockbuster, why not against Sony! My only worry is that they would foist the SL-HF-2000 on us again, again at $999. Ah, so, that is life...

Sean

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1375158859believe it or not, the Sail is selling a cheaper one! deffinitely worth it to get the goodies he throws in... I'm surprised to find someone worse than he is!

Sean

Sadly 'Morita himself' is no longer with us, having gone to that big Betamax showroom in the sky a few years ago.

Re: Records/Vinyl/Turntables/etc

First off, the purpose of the linear-tracking turntables was to avoid/reduce tracking error. Records are cut with a linear-tracking setup. There's also the S-shaped arms which generally do come very close to a good linear-tracking turntable. My Technics Sl-1200MK2 with an S-shaped arm is very very close in terms of tracking angle on the outside and inside of the record. But, most straight arms (and some lower-quality turntables with S-shaped arms too) have a large difference in tracking angle between the inside and outside which does create distortion, most noticable in the midrange and treble. But, also, not all linear-tracking turntables are created equal. Some had as much (or even more) tracking error than the straight arms. My parents have a Technics SL-J33 linear tracking turntable which seems to be quite good. Well, that's my dissertation for the day.

--BeefJerky

Technnics SL-1200MK2 with Shure V15VxMR CartridgeMarantz 2220B reciever

I had a tripple-2-zero-B! nice machine. Would love to get my hands on a Marantz beta! I didn't know Morita had died! News to me! Ah well, the end of an era, I guess.

Olive:

Did you receive my last e-mail OK? Hope so.

I've been looking back at old posts to the Beta chat page, and guess what? I think I've found out who it is who's selling the ridiculously overpriced C9 and DC-DC converters on Ebay. It's LUCREZIA. Remember him/her? It's funny how he/she was trying to sell exactly the same things a few months back on this forum...

Always wondered what happened to Lu-CRAZY-a... I mean, not to put down the C9, it's certainly head and shoulders above its american counterpart (If by the linear stereo alone!) but it's not worth that much... No beta machine I know is worth that much, maybe an EDV -9300 NIB with hte tape still on or a watched pair of SL_HF-1000s with edit controller, but a single C9. ..

Sean

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1376529204This is identical to a sears I have. Anyone got one of the 'shiba VCRs it goes to? anyone want it?

Sean

I Have 37,287 Betacam SP Tapes, and 139 Betamax Tapes whit no Labels on them. I need a Used Betamax (Like I have any options) and a Used Betacam SP Player... That's it

Is it just me, or is anyone else noticing an uptick in the final selling prices of betas on eBay? Two Sanyo 7200's went for almost $150 and $250 just tonight. A 2700 went for $280, a Sanyo 4650 for $61.00, etc.

Yes, lesser odels are comming up, and maybe better ones are comming down a pinch. Could be fueled by Sony's disconinuation of Beta!

Sean

I have a Toshiba V8500T Quad Track BetaMax and can find apsolutely no information on it. I brought it back from Japan with me but i believe it to be an american model> I dont know anything about this model and am having a hard time finding information on this perticular model can anyone please point me in the right dirction??.I want to get back into the batamax cause it has been sitting around for years and even today i believe that betamax is better then any vcr i have seen> tks in advance

Brenda; If you sent more than one e-mail, I didn't get the second one yet...

Olive.... sent one earlier with an attachment..

So far it hasn't arrived. By any chance did Yahoo spit it back at you or anything?

Nope, which kinda surprised me. I'll look into sending it to the other avenue you sent me..

I was gonna send you an MP3 as a test but their limit on files is 1.5mb so I imagine they just won't let yours through. Try posting here http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheBetamaxVideographer/ in the files section...

No good.. I can't upload a file, since I'm not a member. You got ICQ or MS Messenger?

Have either of you ladies thought of a ZIP file? If you lack the utility, send it o me and I will ZIP it for you and send it along.glad to help!Sean

You don't gain much zipping an mp3 file... hardly worth the effort.

You're free to join up inless you don't want into the Yahoo system. I don't have ICQ or MS messenger as I'm on an older non-OSX Mac. You could try e-mailing that again.

Probably good to stay away from OSX, I've heard it's damn-near useless. which certainly doesn't help Mac's any! Let's not start that again, they're allright for what they are...

Sean

An SL-390 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1377481692

You gotta love the way this guy opens the top of the Betas he sells so you can get a nice look at the innards...

At least you are sure there are no kazoos in there!

Sean

Olive:

It's being uploaded right now.. hopefully will be there soon.

Yahoo has yet to deliver it. Damned Yahoo...

They want people to use them as an internet portal but they do their damnedest to alienate their costomer base in order to squeeze a few sheckels out of us...

like burying tasks that only need one click to do in three or four layers of windows so they can slap you with a million more ads.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1376767719In your house it says :3 CCD Handycam PRO. in the airport it says "STEAL ME"

I know how you feel. Personally, I still hate Yahoo for what they did to us at GeoCities chat.. :(The file is in your group file folder however.. I've already accessed it from there, and played it. Check, it should be there, unless it's been deleted since.

sleeeech! _@_¡¡ - Got it Brenda! Downloaded perfectly...

Anything you need MP3-wise?

By the way make sure to check your marketing preferences in yer Yahoo account. They recently decided to reset them to "Maximum Spam" without telling anyone...

until they got caught...

sleeeech! _@_¡¡ - love that $10 start bid when the reserve is a whopping $799 bux...

THree things or so:

Reserves are worhtless in my mind. If you only want so much, open at that much. Second, Olive, or anyone, for that matter, I couls stand for an Mp3 of David Bowie's "young Americans" Third, Try thin number for NP-11s.( 800 ) 634-8132. A battery sales place, they have lots of batteries.

Sean

Sean.. how could I get this file to you?

_@_¡¡ - just a couple ?s

_@_¡¡ - Does that battery place have a website?

_@_¡¡- I wonder who Carly Simon was ripping on in that song.

I have email that should have near-unlimited attachment size. fire away. Olive; http://www.batteryprice.com/ but it's not listed on the site. call the number and talk to a real person.

Sean