Beta Tape:  Betamax - Betacam - BetaSP

     Preserve your family video tapes now before they fade or break!
Ensure your videos last a lifetime!  The DVD Video Format will last a lifetime and can be played over and over with no loss of quality! 

Betamax

     In 1975 Sony introduced the Betamax video cassette.  It had a maximum record  time of one hour.  This was its initial disadvantage since VHS could hold an  entire 2 hour movie.  Later Betamax did offer extended record times, but it was  too late, VHS was already the dominant.
 
     Both Beta and VHS used  different cartridges and different players. 
Consumers were forced to make a  choice.  Betamax was considered to be of
superior technology, but it was not  extremely noticeable on home systems.      

     Through the 1970s and 1980s  video rental stores offered both Beta and
VHS. Eventually Beta succumbed to the  VHS format, however, by the time VHS became the standard format it, too, began  to decline in popularity due to the new DVD format.

Betacam - Betacam SP

     In 1982 Sony developed the Betacam family of half inch professional videotape products.  The cassettes come in two sizes: S and L. 
     In 1986 Betacam SP was developed.  Beta SP (Superior Performance) was industry standard for TV stations and production houses.

Betacam and Beta SP Transfer to DVD, 1 hour or less ... $60  

Betamax Transfer (2 hours or less per tape) ... $29.95
Each additional hour ... $10