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Old 25th Mar 2023, 11:36 am   #1
Lucien Nunes
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Default Playing back NTSC Digibeta

Not sure if this is in the right place as it's a request, but it's not for a set or parts. A friend wants to browse some of his old recordings on Digibeta, but they are NTSC and we only have PAL decks.

Does anyone know where there might be an NTSC or multistandard machine we could get some time on or borrow for a suitable amount of beer? It's not quite to practical to get a transfer facility to do, as we don't know what's where on the tapes until viewed and unnecessary to transfer them all.

Thanks in advance
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Old 25th Mar 2023, 1:38 pm   #2
colourking
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Default Re: Playing back NTSC Digibeta

What happens if you attempt to play them on your PAL decks?
Can you hear audio? I read that these also have a basic analogue audio track for cueing purposes (or a fall back if digital fails), if that is used and playable maybe you could at least hear what is on the tape, if nothing else?

Had a look at this video,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUV-J3fonio

interestingly that Sony 'J3' machine doesn't autodetect (525 or 625) for either analogue or digital and one has to go into a menu to change between 525 and 625 and then powercycle to get to play in the other format!
In analogue mode it 'sort of' plays back when set to the wrong format - with wrong speed - but at least you can see what is on the tape. Digital mode, nothing.

Last edited by colourking; 25th Mar 2023 at 1:46 pm.
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Old 25th Mar 2023, 7:10 pm   #3
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Default Re: Playing back NTSC Digibeta

Possible that a Sony J-3 would meet your needs. I pointed to this link a few weeks back and there were a couple of machines available. At the time I looked at these machines (and literally dozens of dvwA500P’s which would NOT be suitable for you) had no bids whatsoever.

Could you consider contacting the auction house and for example asking if lots 89/90 had sold and if not are they still available? You could get a machine for a tenner.

https://www2.ppauctions.com/assets/a..._606884834.pdf


But do double check they would suit your purpose, a quick check would seem to indicate the machine can play back digibeta in 625/525.
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Old 25th Mar 2023, 7:45 pm   #4
Lucien Nunes
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Default Re: Playing back NTSC Digibeta

Thanks for the suggestions. We didn't even think of browsing the audio using an A500P so I didn't bring one back from the warehouse. But the J3 ought to do the job and I will investigate that with the auction house on Monday. There is added value in being able to play Beta SX as I have an archive in that format, likewise with a mix of 625/50 and 525/60. We sold the last of our SX machines when there was a demand for equipment for reporters going out to the Middle East.
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Old 26th Mar 2023, 10:20 am   #5
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Default Re: Playing back NTSC Digibeta

How many tapes are we talking about? We are now finding that Analogue SP tapes that have been stored correctly from 1989 are now starting to stick to the drum and guides. Digibeta tapes have been o.k. so far. Sony have now dropped all support for 1/2" tape formats on the 23rd March.
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Old 26th Mar 2023, 8:19 pm   #6
Lucien Nunes
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Default Re: Playing back NTSC Digibeta

About 50 to identify / browse, and maybe an hour or two to transfer.
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Old 7th May 2023, 6:17 pm   #7
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Default Re: Playing back NTSC Digibeta

Revisiting this thread, I see Peaker Pattinson have a number of Sony J30s and a J3 going in a current auction, so far without bids:

https://www.ppauctions.com/lot/17931...VCZwYWdlPTM%3D

Last edited by Cathovisor; 7th May 2023 at 6:42 pm.
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Old 8th May 2023, 12:53 am   #8
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Default Re: Playing back NTSC Digibeta

Oooh, I've been wanting a Betacam deck for a while but the ebay prices have been eluding me. The J3 / J30 is (IMHO) the holy grail of Betacam decks, but I'd settle for a DVW-A500P as well! I wonder how worn the heads will be, given their heritage as BBC decks?

Getting down to Stamford could be tricky. I'll put this on my TODO list . (There's also a difference between transporting a J3 back and a DVW!)
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Old 8th May 2023, 12:43 pm   #9
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Default Re: Playing back NTSC Digibeta

Quote:
Originally Posted by andrewferguson View Post
Oooh, I've been wanting a Betacam deck for a while but the ebay prices have been eluding me. The J3 / J30 is (IMHO) the holy grail of Betacam decks, but I'd settle for a DVW-A500P as well! I wonder how worn the heads will be, given their heritage as BBC decks?

Getting down to Stamford could be tricky. I'll put this on my TODO list . (There's also a difference between transporting a J3 back and a DVW!)
The J3 /J30 series were, and are a very useful tool. However it should be remembered that they were usually operated by non tech persons i.e production staff. I repaired many of these machines and in my experience most problems were mechanical due to mis treatment. For instance they were often located on a desk, and due to lack of space a monitor or TV was placed on top. Over time this caused the rather flimsy outer casing to sink downwards. Internally the cassette carriage assembly was only a few mm below the top outer casing. If the two came into contact a damaged cass mech would result, with often a jambed cassette as well. I cannot remember ever needing to replace a video head drum, this was probably due to the low run hrs. However the fixed CT head seemed to wear prematurely causing tape path errors.

The DVW-A500P series were the most reliable broadcast cassette VTR ever. IMHO
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Old 8th May 2023, 12:53 pm   #10
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Default Re: Playing back NTSC Digibeta

Having visited PP last time, I wouldn't be surprised if these are machines that didn't sell last time. Who wants unsupported SD tape machines now?

Regarding the last but one post, you might be able to get PP to ship a J3 to you - the guy in the warehouse was preparing to ship three Studer A807s to Japan when I was there, and an Ikegami picture monitor to Australia...
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Old 9th May 2023, 5:29 pm   #11
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Default Re: Playing back NTSC Digibeta

Les, thanks for the advice re: the J3/J30 machines. Good to know! I notice there are also a couple of Sony MSW-M2100P machines listed - to my untrained eye they seem to offer similar format flexibilities to the J3 machine, albeit in a much larger case and without NTSC capabilities. Any thoughts on them?

Did anyone get any kit from the BBC auction a few months ago? I'm wondering about the likelihoods of the kit actually working.... it would be an awfully long way to travel just to bring back a broken VCR! I see some of the kit has descriptions of spares / repairs, but that could just be the auctioneers reading off what's written on the kit. I doubt they have comprehensively tested everything!
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Old 10th May 2023, 1:09 pm   #12
Amtec123
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Default Re: Playing back NTSC Digibeta

'Andrewferguson', at one time Sony seemed to produce a new 1/2" broadcast cassette format every few years. As to the MSW-M2100P this is a totally different beast to the J3 / J30 series. It is an MPEG/ IMX full spec PAL replay m/c used in playout or edit suits. The IMX format never caught on in the UK, however many of these VTR's were purchased for their multi format ability. One thing to remember is that being a broadcast product, spare parts when available were very expensive. Also as mentioned earlier by 'HurtyAC' Sony ended support for ALL 1/2" formats on 23rd March. So if you are thinking of buying from an auction be very careful as unless you know whether it's a 'worker' you could just be buying a heavy box. One of the most common failures was the main flouro display which became as dim as a 'Toc H' lamp. Sony discontinued them and a complete new front control panel was required, I won't frighten you with the price at the time.
Good luck
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