When sony released the SL-HF900 it sported a new feature that would forever change Beta. Actually it was two new utility functions, a jog dial and a shuttle ring. The shuttle ring around the dial is used to select different viewing speeds during playback pause. These are 1/10x, 1/5x, normal, 2x and scan in both forward and reverse. The more the ring is turned in either direction the faster the speed would be. This is extremely helpful for finding tape locations during editing. The dial inside the ring moves the tape a single frame at a time either direction as it is rotated. It is also used for selecting channels, setting the clock and to set timer programs. In later high end Betas it is also used for setting editing locations, index points, entering time search details and to compose title pages for superimposing over the video. Only a very few Betas came with the jog and dial system, it proved to be one of the most valued features Sony ever introduced. ©Misterßetamax go to homepage