A comparison chart showing some of the major features on a selection of models.

Model number	Date	Portable	Piano Key	Top/Front Loading	Remote Control	Linear Stereo	BNR	Cue/ Review	Multi-event Timer	APS	Pause	Slow speed playback	Reverse Play	Hi-Fi Sound	Audio Insert	Video Insert	Super Beta
SL-8000	1978		•	T							None
SL-8080	1978		•	T						•	None
Sanyo 9300	1979		•	T
SL-3000	1980	•	•	T				B/W			B/W
SL-C5	1979			T				B/W			B/W
SL-C7	1979			T	•			•	•	•		•
SL-C6	1982			F	wired			•	•
SL-C9	1983			F	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•		•
SL-C20	1983			F				•
SL-C30	1983			F	•			•
SL-C40	1983			F	•	•	•	•
SL-F1	1982	•		T	with TT-F1			•	with TT-F1		•	•	•		•
SL-HF100	1984			F	•			•	•					•
SL-HF950	1985			F	•			•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•
SLO-1700	1984			T		•	•	•						•
Sanyo VTC-5000	1982			T				B/W			B/W
Sanyo VTC-5150	1982			T				•					•
Toshiba 9600	1982			F				•	•

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Explanation of the column headings

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Model number	Sony model with UB suffix unless otherwise stated.
Portable	A portable machine was one which could be used outdoors from an internal battery and connected to a camera.
Piano Key	Deck operations by old fashioned mechanical buttons.
Top/Front loading	T indicates a top loader. F a front loading VCR.
Remote Control	Infra-red type unless stated otherwise.
Linear Stereo	Stereo sound on the longitudinal tracks
BNR	Beta noise reduction. Sony's noise reduction system.
Cue/Review	The ability to fast search/review through the tape in either black and white or colour.
Multi-Event Timer	A timer which would allow more than a single event.
APS	Automatic picture search. This was the Betamax indexing sysytem whereby tone was recorded on the tape at the start of each recording which allowed that point on the tape to be found again easily.
Pause	A check indicates a perfect picture in pause with no noise bars across the screen. B/W indicates black and white picture in pause with noise bars.
Slow Speed Playback	The ability to playback pictures at slow speeds.
Reverse Play	The ability to play the tape backwards.
Hi-Fi Sound	VCR equipped with Beta Hi-fi sound.
Audio Insert	Ability to dub over linear audio track
Video Insert	Ability to dub over video track using flying erase head.
Super Beta	VCR equipped with Super Beta playback/record mode.

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Multi-standard models are not shown.
Last updated 30th June 1997.

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