The first Betamax (the SL-7200) had only one recording speed. It was not referred to as Bx1 at this time because there was no other speed. Maximum recording time was limited to one hour using a K-60 cassette. The "60" referring to sixty minutes. The public wanted more time so a longer cassette tape length was introduced, one that would record 90 minutes. To avoid 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 renamed and ). In the models that came next recording in was abandoned, but it didn't disappear completely. You could still play by using a switch located in the back. After this most future Sony models would play the faster speed automatically and the switch was not needed. The recorder simply detected a tape recorded at the speed 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 boost applied to the luminance signal and it was named 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 video tape. The next (and last) picture improvement would require the use of metal tape in order to handle the higher luminance increase to 8.0 Mhz. This required a totally new format called Extended Definition Beta (ED Beta). speed recording was not included with these machines because it would not have improved their 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 too large a space between the traces on the video tape (called the guard band) to permit clear special effects in pause, step-motion, BetaScan, etc. Because of this some models (rare) were made that would not produce a picture at all during these effects but instead produced a blank screen (called video black). And some Sony machine were made that will not play at all. To it make it even more confusing most models made by the other Betamakers will not record or play . 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 here. ©Misterßetamax go to homepage