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When the VHS machine hit the market bragging about recording four hours and being the "Great Time Machine" Sony discovered that the size limitation of their Beta cassette was going to cause them trouble. Regardless of the quality, features or ease of use that the Beta possessed, cramming more soap operas on to one tape seemed to be what the public wanted. To try and put this issue to rest Sony developed some innovative cassette changers that interfaced with various models. It was to extend recording times to limits that the other camp would never match. Of coarse in the long run it didn't matter, probably because they ended up only fitting up to Sony's higher end models and they didn't increase the actual time being recorded per tape. But they were are all great and above is shown the stateside line up of each model. Starting from the left and going right is the mechanical, flywheel operated AG-120. It was kind of a test to see how much interest there was out in videoland for a changer. It is troublesome and has to be set up just right to work correctly. It fits the LV-1901A, SL-7200 and SL-8200. The response to it must have been good enough because more came after it, but they would all be electrical. Next to it is the AG-200, it fit the same models plus a new one, the SL-8600. Its normal operating status is for continuous recording but you could remove a screw on the button rail to set it up to play all the cassettes. Moving on to the right is the AG-300 and here we have perhaps the best one of all. It will remember if you are playing or recording and consequently repeated that function until it runs the coarse of cassettes. It works flawlessly and quickly, it fit the SL-5400, SL-5600 and SL-5800 machines. Next is the AG-400 that was manufactured to interface with the new generation of slim line front loading Betas, the SL-2500, SLO-420 and the Zenith VR 9775 PT (although there is no info from Zenith on using a changer). The front panel duplicates most of the buttons that are covered by the changer, those not repeated are only available by using the remote or by removing the unit. (All the changers are easily remove if desired.) The last model is the AG-500, it lacked the tape remaining indicator but is in all respects it is almost identical to the AG-400. It will even work on the SL-2500 but it requires the AG-400 installation plate. The last one is the AG-500 designed to be used with the SL-2700, SL-2710, SL-2410 and SL-2415. You have to keep the entryway rollers clean on these last two if you want them to operate properly, but they do a good job and will repeat there settings from start to end. Click on the photo above to see close up photos of each of the models along with some additional information. Incidentally, in addition to continuous playback and recording the last three models would also rewind all the cassettes stacked in them if you wanted. Something I do not recommend. Save the machine and use a winder instead. To learn more about the individual designs check them out in the Betamax Accessories section. |