Sony finally finished shipping the beta cassette, the end of 40 years history

Sony announced on November 10, 2015 that Sony's Betamax standardBeta video cassetteandMicro MV cassetteAnnounced that the shipment will be closed in March 2016.

Sony Japan | News Releases | Beta Videocassette and Micro MV Cassette Tape Shipment Discontinued
http://www.sony.co.jp/SonyInfo/News/Press/201511/15-1110/index.html

The end of shipment was announced in the media for Betamax machine "Beta video cassette"And the recording tape medium of the recording system" micro MV format "of the digital video camera"Micro MV cassetteThere are two types. Betamax announced in 1975 as a recording device / media with high picture quality and high sound quality has accumulated history over 40 years, but at last Sony himself will put an end to its history.


Betamax was a device and standard that appeared as a home video tape recorder in 1975, and was abbreviated as "beta" to acquire many users. However, we divide society into two with the video standard "VHS" camp which appeared in the next 76 yearsStandards battleBroke out. There are many people who miss the conversation that "Beta school" and "VHS faction" got confused and had a conversation at school, workplace, etc. "Because you are beta, you can not play even if you lend a video."

After that, Baumax was in a situation of inferiority under the influence of the VHS camp forces, but manufacturing and sales were continued even in the 2000s.

According to the release of Sony, the company announced in 1975 "SL-6300" of the household video tape recorder (VTR) which becomes the first machine of the Betamax system and beta video cassette "K-60" of the corresponding recording tape media (For 60 minutes), "K-30" (for 30 minutes) released. The cumulative sales volume of Betamax VTR equipment isMore than 18 million units worldwide, And in beta video cassette at peak time in 1984,About 50 million volumes shipped annuallyHe said that he did.


Sales of Betamax VTR equipment will be discontinued in 2002 with the end of production of two models, ED B-9000, an ED Beta system, which is an extension system of the Betamax format, and SL-200 D, a VTR device of the High Band Beta Hifi system Although it had been finished to the end, beta video cassette sales have been continued even after that. However, in consideration of market conditions such as the spread of digital television broadcasting, the termination of analog terrestrial broadcasting accompanying it, and the trend of demand, it is said that the sale of this beta video cassette has been decided.

Also, the micro MV format was released in 2001 by the first micro-MV type video camera "DCR-IP7", after which four models of micro MV video cameras were released. Although sales of the micro MV type video camera equipment was terminated with the end of the production of the same format video camera "DCR - IP1K" in 2005, sales of the micro MV cassette which is the recording tape medium of the micro MV system after that It has been continued.


With this decision, all shipment of Betamax format recording media and Sony MV format recording media that Sony has continued will be terminated. The media that will be shipped will be as follows.

Beta video cassette
· EL-500B
· 2L-500MHGB
· 2L - 750MHGB
· L-25CLP (Beta video cleaning tape)

Micro MV cassette
· MGR 60
· MGRCLD (cleaning tape for micro MV)

If you search on "Beta videocassette" at Amazon, it looks like this. People who love beta are better off securing them now.

Amazon.co.jp: Beta Videocassette - Recording Media / Tape / Accessories / Supplies: Home Appliances & Cameras