Betamax Devices

[timberwolf_302]

Does anyone have any old Betamax devices (VCRs, Cameras, etc) either still in use or in a cupboard somewhere?

[scrambler]

I'm sorry, I don't, but I wanted to clarify if you meant the commercial quality Betamax (which I understand was in use until very recently, if not still in use) or the 1980's consumer Beta standard?

Steve

[timberwolf_302]

The old '70s-'80s stuff.

The reason I bring up Beta is I have spotted these Betamovie Video cameras and a couple of Video Machines on eBay going cheap...and I'm into old technology like that. I'm thinking about getting a Camera and a player to have a bit of a tinker.

[dobbo]

They made DVD's in the 70"s:D








No sorry I don't even remember them

[rangieman]

They made DVD's in the 70"s:D








No sorry I don't even remember them

your the only one talking about dvd,s
the other guys are talking about video the old style before vhs and dvd:eek:

[adm333]

I'm sorry, I don't, but I wanted to clarify if you meant the commercial quality Betamax (which I understand was in use until very recently, if not still in use) or the 1980's consumer Beta standard?

Steve

The commercial quality Beta standard was/is called Betacam and Betacam SP and whilst the cassettes were the same size physically, thats about where it ended.

I had a good laugh years ago when I was talking to a bloke who bought a whole kit of Betamax video camera and gear "because thats what the TV stations use."

:redface:

[scrambler]

The commercial quality Beta standard was/is called Betacam and Betacam SP and whilst the cassettes were the same size physically, thats about where it ended.

I had a good laugh years ago when I was talking to a bloke who bought a whole kit of Betamax video camera and gear "because thats what the TV stations use."

:redface:
Thanks - it's been a while since I had to think about it. Uni used to have videos on all sorts of tapes but that's starting to seem like ancient history - being last century and all. Betacam eh.

I'm just old enough to remember Beta sections in video stores, and the whole arguement over VHS stressing the tape more than the Beta arrangement. A bit like the Toymotor/ Land Rover debate really - the technically better design gets swamped by the sheer market dominance of the inferior product. Also happened with the original Apple Mac/ Windows 3.1 face-off.

Should we all stage a Beta revival? Make bumper stickers proclaiming our love of LPs? After all we clearly prefer quality to convenience.

Steve

[Quiggers]

Timberwolf, re betamax, yes i do.

What are you after, specifically?

While we're here (because this is my area of expertise) a quick rundown for others:

Betamax (aka betacord) is a domestic recorder, it uses a tape cassette which is not VHS, but smaller.

Betacam, Betacam SP and D, are (or were) broadcast devices. Betacam cameras (about 30lbs) first appeared in the early eighties as a news gathering device with subsequent edit machines back at base. The tape travels thru the machine at eight times the speed of Betamax, which means that a three hour 15 min (PAL) domestic tape will be consumed by a betacam in about 20 mins (PAL). But the tapes as in weight construction between the differing formats.


A betamax new was from $600 - $2000
A betacam new was from $11,000 - $80,000
Betacam still exists as digital for broadcast purposes and is a fine vtr format, as is the workings of these Sony devices.
A head drum assembly for a basic betacam is around $1500 and lasts maybe 2000 head hours, which is not much, gone thru many, last about a year for me.

Nice format(s), engineering and quality, typical of Sony broadcast, beta had its genesis in the earlier U-matic 3/4" format, but thats another story.

Cheers, GQ

[adm333]

Yes Quiggers

Spent many an hour in front of the Sony U-matic edit suite.

I love the shuttle controller which you miss out on with the PC based editing.

Hmmm... must see how much it would cost to set one up.

Dave

[adm333]

Well, that answers that question.....

Sony
RM-450
Serial Number54457LocationAustralia, MelbournePriceAUD 1,000Description Year Of Manufacturer1985ConditionGoodRM 450 Off-Line U-Matic Edit Controller, comes with VO5800 edit player, VO 5850 edit recorder, and all cables, as total price. All working OK.


Technical ReportNoProof Of OwnershipNoAccessoriesRM450, VO5800 (Ser #:12213), VO5850 (Ser #: 20350), All video and audio cables.
Warranty No Warranty

http://www.broadcast-trader.com.au/site/images/spacer.gif

[Quiggers]

adm333: amazing, an Rm450 going for that price! they were not much more than that new, i seem to recall we paid about $1300 for one in the late eighties. (Betacam UVW's are moving around for less than a grand now but who in broadcast wants PAL 625 @ 4:3?)

I don't miss 'em any more. But I have much affeection for them.

While the Rm440 and Rm450 were the bees knees in their day for offline edit systems, (driving 5 series Umatics) Avids and Media 100s are just so much more fun! I run both and non linear is creative friendly, (well for an editor who started on mono 2" Ampex + editec, then CMX and huge Grass Valley mixers).... but i did like the fact that the old stuff was a real black art, few could ever master that stuff and the ADO and ABEKAS was something else!

An old suite, not much, a mate in Singapore rang me a few weeks back, seen a couple of BVU 950s (PAL 625) - for me? $A400 each... and they'd chuck in the fat Sony editor (was that a BVE5000 or 3000?)

Cheers, GQ

[Bushie]

Nice format(s), engineering and quality, typical of Sony broadcast, beta had its genesis in the earlier U-matic 3/4" format, but thats another story.
I know where there a U-matic player sitting on a cupboard. (Probably 78-79 vintage)


Martyn

[Quiggers]

Sorry adm333, I cant read, i'll blame the typeface, LOL.

A player, a recorder and the editor for a grand, high price,

$400 as they're not offering any monitors (and you'll need two).

Head hours on the machines is the killer, but apart from the historical value, what could we use umatic for these days??? Apart from maybe moving archival 3/4" stuff to a digital store - and they're only lowband vtrs not BVU, which in itself is not great...

Cheers, GQ

[xrover]

Too bad I am in Canada for you. I still have my original NEC beta machine. Yes beta was better (in terms of pic quality over vhs) but just didn't garner enough marketshare.

If you are travelling in Canada you can have it for free!

[adm333]

Sorry adm333, I cant read, i'll blame the typeface, LOL.

A player, a recorder and the editor for a grand, high price,

$400 as they're not offering any monitors (and you'll need two).

Head hours on the machines is the killer, but apart from the historical value, what could we use umatic for these days??? Apart from maybe moving archival 3/4" stuff to a digital store - and they're only lowband vtrs not BVU, which in itself is not great...

Cheers, GQ

Purely nostalgic reasons - no practical sense at all. I did training in the late eighties and qualified (if there is such a qualification) as a tape editor. I proceeded to get a job in an unrelated field and I am now an IT manager. A few months ago I had an opportunity to start a few training projects which I did as small video productions and was very surprised at how easy it was to use these new PC edit packages.

The "black art" as you described it can only really be appreciated using the clunky old edit suite where you get an instinct for timing.

If my son ever becomes interested in this stuff, I would love to be able to teach him the black art ( to the extent that I know it). My father taught me on cinie 8 - cutting and splicing film reels.

Thats really the only use as I see it.

Dave

[Quiggers]

You're 100% right there, Dave. The current bunch of 'broadcast engineers' haha, have very little idea of what its like to do the job properly. Nothing wrong with basic training.

Now if anyone has an Ampex AVR-1 (or similar) in their shed let me know.

Cheers, GQ

[p38arover]

I used to have a telecine machine for Super 8.

It ran the film at 25 frames per second but scanned one frame twice and the next frame once to bring the apparent speed of the film back to 16-2/3 frames per second - close enough to 18 fps.

This allowed Super 8 film to play at almost the correct speed for TV without looking like Keystone Cops stuff or having bars running through the video. We hired the unit out a few times to TV stations when they had amateur filmed stuff for news items.

In fact, we could play old films from the Twenties like the Keystone Cops and have them move at normal speed not the usual fast movement.

Hmm, how long ago was that? Must have been the early 70s 'cos our home VTRs were National 1/2" open reel colour units.

Ron

[Quiggers]

Crikey! That's going back a while Ron, probably still be a handy gadget these days, as here's so much 8mm sitting in closets but people just don't know what to do with it. I still have people asking me about doing the transfer......

GQ

[Quiggers]

Note for timberwolf:

As I run a local paper over here and have a similar interest, if put a 'wanted' ad in the paper, we might find some intersting old gear.

If you're interested, let me know specifically what your after, never know
what might turn up....


cheers, GQ

[nzpyzg]

Have a look at my expired Ebay auction. Item number 160190940828

If your interested, perhaps you could make me an Offer.

Regards Mark
Use my personal email account
mark.oreilly@internode.on.net

[abaddonxi]

When I was a boy you didn't get to touch the flash U-matic offline suite unless you could work a Movieola and a Steenbeck.

Cheers
Simon