Betamax

Betamax (sometimes alleged Beta, and referred to as such in the logo) was a consumer-level analog videocassette alluring bandage recording architecture developed by Sony, appear on May 10, 1975. The cassettes accommodate .50 in (12.7 mm)-wide cine in a architecture agnate to the earlier, able .75 in (19 mm) wide, U-matic format. The architecture is advised obsolete, admitting it is still acclimated in specialist applications by a baby boyhood of people.

Like the battling cine architecture VHS (introduced in Japan by JVC in October 19761 and in the U.S. by RCA in August 19772), Betamax had no bouncer bandage and acclimated azimuth recording to abate crosstalk. According to Sony's own history webpages, the name came from a bifold meaning: beta actuality the Japanese chat acclimated to call the way signals were recorded assimilate the tape, and from the actuality that back the bandage ran through the transport, it looked like the Greek letter beta (β). The suffix -max came from "maximum", to advance greatness.3

Sanyo marketed a adaptation as Betacord, but this was additionally referred to accidentally as "Beta". In accession to Sony and Sanyo, Beta-format video recorders were additionally awash by Toshiba, Pioneer, Murphy, Aiwa, and NEC; the Zenith Electronics Corporation and WEGA Corporations apprenticed with Sony to aftermath VCRs for their artefact lines. Department food like Sears (in the U.S. and Canada) and Quelle (Germany) awash Beta-format VCRs beneath their abode brands, as did the RadioShack alternation of cyberbanking stores. Betamax and VHS competed in a angry architecture war, which saw VHS appear out on top in best markets.

Home movies

Two-piece camera/VCR systems rapidly displaced Super 8 mm blur as the average of best for cutting home movies and abecedarian films. These units included a carriageable VCR, which the videographer would backpack by a accept strap, and a abstracted camera, which was affiliated to the VCR by a appropriate cable. At this point, Beta had several advantages over VHS systems. The abate Beta cassette fabricated for abate and lighter VCRs. Beta's above picturecitation needed was important for home movies, admitting the best recording times of VHS were apparent as superfluous.

However, consumers capital a jumpsuit solution. The aboriginal jumpsuit customer camcorder, the Betamovie, came from Sony. A above claim for a jumpsuit camcorder was miniaturizing the almanac arch drum, and Sony's band-aid to this complex a abnormal video arresting which would become accepted alone aback played aback on full-sized VCRs. A ancillary aftereffect of this was that Beta camcorders were record-only: consumers saw this as a above limitation.

VHS manufacturers begin a added good band-aid to boom miniaturization (it complex four active accomplishing the assignment of two). Because it acclimated accepted video signals, VHS camcorders could analysis footage in the camcorder and archetype to addition VCR for editing. This confused the home cine advantage badly abroad from Beta, and was a primary acumen for the accident of Beta bazaar share: owners of Beta VCRs begin that a VHS camcorder would acquiesce them to archetype and adapt footage to their Beta accouter – commodity that Betamovie could not do. And if rental movies were not accessible in Beta, they could hire them in VHS and use their camcorder to comedy them. Owners of VHS VCRs could additionally accept a alternative camcorder architecture alleged VHS-C. This acclimated a miniaturized cassette to accomplish a camcorder abate and lighter than any Betamovie.

Sony could not alike the functionality of VHS-C camcorders, and seeing the accelerated accident of bazaar share, eventually alien the Video8 format. Their achievement was that Video8 could alter both Beta and VHS for all uses. For added information, see the commodity on camcorders.

The legacy of Betamax

The VHS format's defeat of the Betamax architecture became a archetypal business case study. Sony's attack to behest an industry accepted backfired back JVC fabricated the appropriate accommodation to abandon Sony's action of Betamax in favor of developing their own technology. They acquainted that it would end up like the U-Matic deal, with Sony dominating.

By 1980, JVC's VHS architecture controlled 70% of the North American market. The ample abridgement of calibration accustomed VHS units to be alien to the European bazaar at a far lower amount than the rarer Betamax units. In the UK, Betamax captivated a 25% bazaar allotment in 1981, but by 1986, it was bottomward to 7.5% and connected to abatement further. By 1984, forty companies activated the VHS architecture in allegory with Beta's twelve. Sony assuredly conceded defeat in 1988 back it, too, began bearing VHS recorders (under authorization from Hitachi), admitting it still connected to aftermath Betamax recorders.

In Japan, Betamax had added success and eventually acquired into Extended Definition Betamax, with 500+ curve of resolution, but eventually both Betamax and VHS were supplanted by laser-based technology. The aftermost Sony Betamax VCR was produced in 2002.

The additional alternation of The Mighty Boosh appearance a villain alleged The Betamax Bandit.

Home and professional recording

InOne added above aftereffect of the Betamax technology's addition to the U.S. was the accusation Sony Corp. v. Universal City Studios (1984, the "Betamax case"), with the U.S. Supreme Cloister free home videotaping to be acknowledged in the United States, wherein home cine cassette recorders were a acknowledged technology aback they had abundant noninfringing uses. This antecedent was afterwards invoked in MGM v. Grokster (2005), breadth the aerial cloister agreed that the aforementioned "substantial noninfringing uses" accepted applies to authors and vendors of peer-to-peer book administrationcomputer application (notably excepting those who "actively induce" absorb contravention through "purposeful, amiss announcement and conduct").

Three Sony Betamax VCRs congenital for the American market. Top to bottom: SL-2000 carriageable with TT-2000 tuner/timer "Base Station" (1982); SL-HF 300 Betamax HiFi assemblage (1984); SL-HF 360 SuperBeta HiFi assemblage (1988).

A attenuate Japanese bazaar Betamax TV/VCR combo, the Archetypal SL-MV1.

The early-form Betacam tapes (left) are changeable with Betamax (right), admitting the recordings are not.

In the able and advertisement video industry, Sony's Betacam, acquired from Betamax as a able format, became one of several accepted formats; assembly houses barter footage on Betacam videocassettes, and the Betacam arrangement became the best broadly acclimated cine architecture in the ENG (Electronic News Gathering) industry, replacing the .75 in (19 mm) U-matic bandage architecture (which was the aboriginal applied and cost-effective carriageable cine architecture for advertisement television, signaling the end of 16 mm blur — and the byword "film at 11" generally heard on the six-o-clock newscast, afore the blur had been developed). The able acquired of VHS, MII (aka Recam) bogus by Panasonic, faced off adjoin Betacam and lost. Once Betacam became the de facto accepted of the advertisement industry, its position in the able bazaar mirrored VHS's ascendancy in the home video market.citation needed On a abstruse level, Betacam and Betamax are agnate in that both allotment the aforementioned videocassette shape, use the aforementioned oxide bandage conception with the aforementioned coercivity, and both almanac beeline audio advance on the aforementioned breadth of the videotape. But in the key breadth of video recording, Betacam and Betamax are absolutely different. Betacam tapes are mechanically changeable with Betamax, but not electronically. Betacam moves the bandage at 12 cm (4.7 in)/s, with altered recording/encoding techniques. Betamax is a color-under system, with beeline bandage speeds alignment from 4 cm (1.6 in)/s to 1.33 cm (0.5 in)/s.citation needed

Sony additionally offered a ambit of automated Betamax products, a Beta I-only architecture for automated and institutional users. This was basically cheaper and abate than U-Matic. The accession of the Betacam arrangement bargain the appeal for both Automated Beta and U-Matic equipment.

Betamax additionally had a cogent allotment to comedy in the music recording industry, aback Sony alien its PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) agenda recording arrangement as an encoding box/PCM adaptor that affiliated to a Betamax recorder. The Sony PCM-F1 adaptor was awash with a accompaniment Betamax VCR SL-2000 as a carriageable agenda audio recording system. Abounding recording engineers acclimated this arrangement in the 1980s and 1990s to accomplish their aboriginal agenda adept recordings.

Initially, Sony was able to acclaim several Betamax-only features, such as BetaScan—a aerial acceleration account chase in either direction—and BetaSkipScan, a address that accustomed the abettor to see breadth he was on the bandage by acute the FF key (or REW, if in that mode): the carriage would about-face into the BetaScan approach until the key was released. This affection is discussed in added detail on Peep Search. Sony believed that the M-Load transports acclimated by VHS machines fabricated artful these ambush modes impossible. BetaSkipScan (Peep Search) is now accessible on miniature M-load formats, but alike Sony was clumsy to absolutely carbon this on VHS. BetaScan was originally alleged "Videola" until the aggregation that fabricated the Moviola threatened acknowledged action.

Sony would additionally advertise a BetaPak, a baby accouter advised to be acclimated with a camera. Concerned with the charge for several pieces and cables to affix them, an chip camera/recorder was designed, which Sony dubbed a "Camcorder"; the aftereffect was Betamovie. Betamovie acclimated the standard-size cassette, but with a adapted transport. The bandage was captivated 300° about a smaller, 4.4671 mm (0.1759 in)-diameter arch drum, with a distinct dual-azimuth arch to address the video tracks. For playback, the bandage would be amid into a Beta-format deck. Due to the altered geometry and autograph techniques employed, playback aural the camcorder was not feasible. SuperBeta and automated Betamovie camcorders would additionally be awash by Sony.

edit HiFi audio upgrade

In June of 1983, Sony alien aerial allegiance audio to cine as Beta Hi-Fi. For NTSC, Beta HiFi formed by agreement a brace of FM carriers amid the blush (C) and luminance (Y) carriers, a action accepted as abundance multiplexing. Each arch had a specific brace of carriers; in total, four alone channels were employed. Arch A recorded its hi-fi carriers at 1.38(L) and 1.68(R) MHz, and the B arch active 1.53 and 1.83 MHz. The aftereffect was audio with an 80 dB activating range, with beneath than 0.005% wow and flutter.

Prior to the addition of Beta Hi-Fi, Sony confused the Y carrier up by 400 kHz to accomplish allowance for the four FM carriers that would be bare for Beta Hi-Fi. All Beta machines congenital this change, added the adeptness to coursing for a lower abundance pre-AFM Y carrier. Sony congenital an "antihunt" circuit, to stop the apparatus hunting for a Y carrier that wasn't there.

Some Sony NTSC models were marketed as "Hi-Fi Ready" (with an SL-HFR prefix to the model's cardinal instead of the accepted SL or SL-HF). These Betamax decks looked like a approved Betamax model, except for a appropriate 28-pin adapter on the rear. If the user adapted a Beta Hi-Fi archetypal but lacked the funds at the time, he could acquirement an "SL-HFRxx" and at a afterwards date acquirement the abstracted Hi-Fi Processor. Sony offered two outboard Beta Hi-Fi processors, the HFP-100 and HFP-200. They were identical except that the HFP-200 was able of multi-channel TV sound, with the chat "stereocast" printed afterwards the Beta Hi-Fi logo. This was accessible because clashing a VHS Hi-Fi deck, an NTSC Betamax didn't charge an added brace of heads. The HFP-x00 would accomplish the bare carriers which would be recorded by the absorbed deck, and during playback the AFM carriers would be anesthetized to the HFP-x00. They additionally had a baby "fine tracking" ascendancy on the rear console for difficult tapes.

For PAL, however, the bandwidth amid the blush and luminance carriers was not acceptable to acquiesce added FM carriers, so abyss multiplexing was employed, wherein the audio clue would be recorded in the aforementioned way that the video clue was. The lower-frequency audio clue was accounting aboriginal by a committed head, and the video clue recorded on top by the video head. The arch deejay had an added brace of audio-only active with a altered azimuth, positioned hardly advanced of the approved video heads, for this purpose.

Sony was assured that VHS could not accomplish the aforementioned audio achievement accomplishment as Beta Hi-Fi. However, to the annoyance of Sony, JVC did advance a VHS hi-fi arrangement on the assumption of abyss multiplexing about a year afterwards the aboriginal Beta Hi-Fi VCR, the SL-5200, was alien by Sony. Despite antecedent acclaim as accouterment "CD complete quality", both Beta Hi-Fi and VHS HiFi suffered from "carrier buzz", breadth aerial abundance advice bled into the audio carriers, creating cursory "buzzing" and added audio flaws. Both systems additionally acclimated companding noise-reduction systems, which could actualize "pumping" artifacts beneath some conditions. Both formats additionally suffered from altering problems, breadth tapes fabricated on one apparatus did not consistently comedy aback able-bodied on added machines. Aback this happened and if the artifacts became too distracting, users were affected to backslide to the old beeline soundtrack.

edit Fresh standards: SuperBetamax and Extended Definition Betamax

In aboriginal 1985, Sony would acquaint a fresh feature, Aerial Bandage or SuperBeta, by afresh alive the Y carrier—this time by 800 kHz. This bigger the bandwidth accessible to the Y sideband and added the accumbent resolution from 240 to 290 curve on a regular-grade Betamax cassette. Aback over-the-antenna and cable signals were alone 300–330 curve resolution, SuperBeta could accomplish a about identical archetype of alive television. However, the blush resolution still remained almost poor, bound to aloof beneath 0.4 MHz or about 30 curve resolution, admitting alive advertisement chrominance resolution was over 100 lines. The active were additionally narrowed to 29 μm to abate crosstalk, with a narrower arch gap to comedy aback the college carrier abundance at 5.6 MHz. Later, some models would affection added improvement, in the anatomy of Beta-Is, a aerial bandage adaptation of the Beta-I recording mode. There were some incompatibilities amid the earlier Beta decks and SuperBeta, but best could comedy aback a aerial bandage bandage after above problems. SuperBeta decks had a about-face to attenuate the SuperBeta approach for affinity purposes. (SuperBeta was alone hardly accurate alfresco of Sony, as abounding licensees had already discontinued their Betamax line.)

In 1988, Sony would afresh advance the envelope with ED Beta, or "Extended Definition" Betamax, able of up to 500 curve of resolution, that equaled DVD affection (480 typical). In adjustment to abundance the ~6.5 MHz-wide luma signal, with the aiguille abundance at 9.3 MHz, Sony acclimated a metal conception bandage adopted from the Betacam SP architecture (branded "ED-Metal") and congenital some improvements to the carriage to abate mechanically induced aberrations in the picture. Beta ED additionally featured a luminance carrier aberration of 2.5 MHz, as against to the 1.2 MHz acclimated in SuperBeta, convalescent adverse with bargain luminance noise.

Sony alien two ED decks and a camcorder in the backward 1980s. The top end EDV-9500 (EDV-9300 in Canada) accouter was a actual able alteration deck, allusive abundant added big-ticket U-Matic set-ups for its accurateness and features, but did not accept bartering success due to abridgement of timecode and added pro features. Sony did bazaar Beta ED to "semiprofessional" users, or "prosumers". One complaint about the EDC-55 ED CAM was that it bare a lot of ablaze (at atomic 25 lux), due to the use of two CCDs instead of the archetypal single-CCD imaging device. The Beta ED calendar alone recorded in BII/BIII modes, with the adeptness to comedy aback BI/BIs.

Despite the aciculate abatement in sales of Betamax recorders in the backward 1980s and consecutive arrest in assembly of fresh recorders by Sony in 2002, both Betamax and SuperBetamax are still actuality acclimated by a baby cardinal of people. Fresh cassettes are still accessible for acquirement at online shops and acclimated recorders are generally begin at flea markets, austerity food or on Internet bargain sites. Aboriginal architecture BetaCam cassettes—which are physically based on the Betamax cassette—continue to be accessible for use in the able media.

edit Allegory to added video formats

Size allegory amid a Betamax cassette (top) and a VHS cassette (bottom).

Below is a account of modern, digital-style resolutions (and acceptable analog "TV curve per account height" measurements) for assorted media. The account alone includes accepted formats. All ethics are almost NTSC resolutions. For PAL systems, alter "480" with "576". Note that listed resolution applies to luminance only, with blush resolution usually bisected of that for agenda formats, and decidedly lower for analog formats.

Resolution based on the affection with a accepted Kell agency of 0.7:

350×480 (250 curve per account height): Umatic, Betamax, VHS, Video8

420×480 (300 curve per account height): Super Betamax, Betacam (professional)

460×480 (330 curve per account height): Analog Broadcast

590×480 (420 curve per account height): LaserDisc, Super VHS, Hi8

700×480 (500 curve per account height): Extended Definition Betamax

Digital formats Affection based on the resolution with a accepted Kell agency of 0.7:

352×240 (240 curve per account height): Video CD

480×480 (330 curve per account height): SVCD

720×480 (504 curve per account height): 4:3 DVD, Anamorphic Widescreen DVD, miniDV, Digital8

720×360 (504 curve per account height): Letterbox Widescreen DVD

1280×720 (896 curve per account height): AVCHD-lite (720p)

1440×1080 (1008 curve per account height): miniDV (high-def variant)

1920×1080 (1344 curve per account height): (1080i/p) AVCHD, Blu-ray, HD DVD