LINEAR SKATING FRONT LOADING
The SL-HF750 has a unique and innovative way of handling a cassette. Sony named this variation the "Linear Skate Cassette Loading" system. With this design the VCR does not look like a VCR, instead it resembles any other high-end audio or video component that might be in your home entertainment center. It truly is a front loading VCR but there is no opening in the front for inserting a video cassette. Look at the picture below and you will see how this amazing Betamax offers up a new and interesting way to enjoy Betamax. As you can see in the picture above a special loading assembly slides out of from the front of the machine and a cassette receiver lifts up to accept a Beta cassette. Pressing EJECT with the VCR on or off causes the machine to perform this little wonder. Once the SL-HF750 stages itself in this position it is ready to have a cassette dropped into the receiver, as is shown in the next picture.  With a cassette snuggly resting in the receiver pressing the OPEN/CLOSE button, on the right front of the assembly, will cause the loaded cassette to move down, and the skating mechanism to disappear inside the machine. While this takes place the VCR threads the tape into the path. It is now ready for instructions from the keypad or the remote. Pressing any of the function buttons on the front will also pull the assembly inside and the tape to thread then perform the operation. Pressing the open/close button anytime while the cassette is inside will cause the skating assembly to move outward just far enough to inspect the tape. In the picture below the cassette is visible from the top but it is still loaded. Pressing open/close while the assembly is out like this will cause it to move back into its concealed location inside the machine. Pressing eject while it is out will cycle the cassette for removal unless the VCR is recording.  During operation or while at rest pressing the EJECT button will cause tape to unthread and the skating assembly to move fully outward. Unless the VCR is recording, in which case it will refuse to move. (Open/close will still work.) At the end of the eject cycle the cassette tray will lift upward for easy cassette removal. The last photo below show the cassette ready for retreval.  This dynamic and useful handling system was very successful, and reliable. But it was never repeated in any future Beta. It remains the outstanding hallmark of the SL-HF750.
©Misterßetamax go to homepage |