Before the slimline Betas came along, all the Betas were big. These were the 5000 series that can be seen here by clicking on the following links. (A popout panel will open.) SL-5400, SL-5600, SL-5800, and the wierd SL-8600. Then the numbers kind of started over again for some reason with the boxy SL-5000 series. Examples of this 5000 series of imposing VCRs were the SL-5010, SL-5020, SL-5100, SL-5101, and SL-5200 (the first Betahi-fi stereo Betamax). Sony knew that to stay the gold standard of home video, they were going to have to make Beta more modern, more appealing, and more advanced. Sony decided it was time for a new criterion and for this, a completely reengineered tape compartment was invented. The old bulky 710 chassis was abandoned, and a new, smaller 711 chassis opened the way for a slimmer, lower, smoother shape. To perform this feat required the video drum to be made shorter and more compact. This was accomplished with the help of a new, flat brushless motor. This new motor type also allowed for a shorter capstan and reel motors. The audio, erase, and control head (ACE) was also redesigned and made more compact. Everything was reduced in size, including the tape path guides and rollers. The loading and threading operation of the tape was reconfigured. Now the tape was pulled out of the cassette and wrapped around the video drum by a sliding shoe called a shuttle. The #2 and #3 guides were mounted on a smaller circular ring than the old style, and stored away in a tunnel prior to threading. When the tape was loaded, the ring rotated, and they were moved and raised up to assume their final locations. The pinch roller was mounted on a geared slide that locked into position at the completion of threading. All this was reversed when eject was requested. It was nearly a complete overhaul of the system. To look at the changes that took place in the tape path and the simplicity of the new, 711 chassis, click here. Now all new Betas would be smaller, shorter, and more compact. They didn't look as formidable and massive as before but were still strongly built like their predecessors. This was going to be the future of Beta, and Sony went all out. All the new models would be slender. Barely taller than two cassettes stacked on top of each other. New slogans were adopted. These were going to be the slimline and E-Z Beta VCRs. New colors were introduced, and new exterior case concepts were forged. The Beta market soon became populated with a wide assortment based on a central theme. Video recording mania has started. And Sony, along with the other Betamakers that followed suit, sold a lot of machines. They were on a roll and if you wanted a Beta and you couldn't find something to match your particular color scheme or design preference, it was mainly your fault. There were red, white and blue units. There was a tan, brown, gray, beige, silver, sand, gold, chocolate, pink, sepia, purple, and black. Ones with stained wood patterns, a suede textured buff color, a mahogany stain, and a carmel-colored pebbled finish. These were the good times, and variety was king. The main thing that remained the same was the tape path (the wrap or envelope) around the video drum. It was still Beta and was fully compatible with recordings made earlier by vintage machines. To see the handbill* for the E-Z Beta system click here.
*Sony produced a mountain of support literature for their Beta format. More than all the other Betamakers combined.