UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Sanyo Betacord Video Cassette Recorder (VTC 9540)

hamid_1 · 20th Sep 2021, 3:28 pm

Sony invented the Betamax video system in the 1970s, for home use. Rather confusingly, Sanyo produced Betamax compatible machines but called them Betacord instead. (Maybe some trademark licensing issue?) Anyway, Betacord = Betamax. Tapes and recordings are interchangeable between Sony Betamax and Sanyo Betacord machines.

Sony then produced broadcast-quality video recorders called Betacam for TV stations to use. There were several different versions of Betacam. Some Betacam tapes will fit in a Betamax / Betacord machine but recordings made on one system cannot be played back on the other. In a few cases you can use the tape from one system as blank tape in the other, but in general Betamax and Betacam are not interchangeable. If you're not sure about a specific tape, just ask and post a picture if possible.

20th Sep 2021, 3:28 pm	#6
hamid_1 Heptode Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: High Wycombe, Bucks. UK. Posts: 811	Re: Sanyo Betacord Video Cassette Recorder (VTC 9540) Sony invented the Betamax video system in the 1970s, for home use. Rather confusingly, Sanyo produced Betamax compatible machines but called them Betacord instead. (Maybe some trademark licensing issue?) Anyway, Betacord = Betamax. Tapes and recordings are interchangeable between Sony Betamax and Sanyo Betacord machines. Sony then produced broadcast-quality video recorders called Betacam for TV stations to use. There were several different versions of Betacam. Some Betacam tapes will fit in a Betamax / Betacord machine but recordings made on one system cannot be played back on the other. In a few cases you can use the tape from one system as blank tape in the other, but in general Betamax and Betacam are not interchangeable. If you're not sure about a specific tape, just ask and post a picture if possible.