The first Betamax (the SL-7200A) had only one recording speed. It was not referred to as Bx1 at this time because there were no other speeds. Maximum recording time was limited to one hour using a K-60 cassette. The "60" refers to sixty minutes. The public wanted more time, so a longer cassette tape length was introduced, one that would record 90 minutes. To avoid conflict and confusion, Sony elected not to call the new length the K-90 but rather the L-750, to coincide with the tape length in feet. The K-60 was renamed the L-500. To further increase recording time, Sony introduced a slower speed (Bx2) in their next model, the SL-8200. It recorded and played both speeds. (later to be rebranded as and ). In the models that came after recording in was abandoned, but it didn't disappear completely. You could still play it by using a switch located in the back. Future Sony models would play the faster speed automatically, and the switch was omitted. The recorder simply detected a tape recorded in and played it back. For the most part, any special effects the machine possessed didn't perform well at this fastest speed. Later on, recording in reappeared in Sony's very high end models. But now it had a 5.6 Mhz luminance boost applied to the video signal and it was renamed Hi-Band Beta s. It was promoted as having the sharpest picture available when using the SuperBeta picture quality enhancement. There was also a SuperHi-Band s speed that incorporated a 6.0 Mhz increase. Both of these improvements created a picture that was noticeably sharper with a cleaner, sharper picture (luminance) and better color (chrominance). Sound got better too with the addition of Betahi-fi stereo. It was a marriage that offered the best that Beta could muster using conventional high-grade video tape. The next (and last) picture improvement would require the use of metal tape in order to handle the higher luminance now increased to 8.0 Mhz. This produced video quality to match the analog broadcasting at the time. This picture boost required a totally new format called Extended Definition Beta (ED Beta). The speed for recording was not included with these machines because it would not have improved the picture quality. ED Beta VCRs will also record and play SuperBeta and are fully backward compatible for all Beta tapes. Note: Recordings made in the speed have a large blank space between the scans (signals bands) on the video tape to allow clear special effects in pause, step-motion, BetaScan, etc. This blank area is called a guard band. Because of this empty area, some models (rare) were made that would not produce a picture at all during playback, or any of the speciel effects, but instead showed a blank screen (called video black). Some Sony machines were made that would not play at all. And to it make it even more confusing most models made by the other Betamakers did not record or play period. It was totally ignored. To examine a table showing the different tape speeds and recording times, click here. To see a chart of the models that record and/or play the Hi-Band format, click here. ©Misterßetamax go to homepage