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In article <409be24c$0$18535$> ,
"Richard C." <post-age @spamcop.net> wrote:

> =======================
> Have you seen a Betamax tape?
> Do you realize the multiple differences between it and VHS?
> ========================

Not only have I seen one, I still have a bunch of Betamax tapes in a box
out in my garage. The biggest difference between the two is the size and
the geometry of the heads in the players. It would be theoretically
possible to manufacture a deck that could play both formats. Haven't you
ever noticed most CD and DVD players are equipped to play mini-discs?
--
BL

Black Locust wrote:

> In article <409be24c$0$18535$> ,
> "Richard C." <post-age @spamcop.net> wrote:
>
>
>>=======================
>>Have you seen a Betamax tape?
>>Do you realize the multiple differences between it and VHS?
>>========================
>
>
> Not only have I seen one, I still have a bunch of Betamax tapes in a box
> out in my garage. The biggest difference between the two is the size and
> the geometry of the heads in the players. It would be theoretically
> possible to manufacture a deck that could play both formats. Haven't you
> ever noticed most CD and DVD players are equipped to play mini-discs?

I assume you mean the Mini CD, not MD or mini-disc. Two different
things. It is trivial to design a player to play a Mini CD as it is
only the diameter which is different.

Betamax to VHS adapters would certainly be achievable, but probably not
economical. There are just too many differences and not just in head
geometry and speed. There would be no real reason, apart from
licensing ones though, why a deck could not be built to support both
formats.

--
Cheers
Oldus Fartus

On Sat, 08 May 2004 18:50:15 +0800, Oldus Fartus <> wrote:

>Betamax to VHS adapters would certainly be achievable, but probably not
>economical. There are just too many differences and not just in head
>geometry and speed. There would be no real reason, apart from
>licensing ones though, why a deck could not be built to support both
>formats.

The only economical way to get a player that plays both betamax and VHS
is to take a beta player, put it on top of a vhs player, and duct tape
them together.

"TCS" <The-Central-> wrote in message
news:slrnc9pp6s.d8o.The-Central-...
> On Sat, 08 May 2004 18:50:15 +0800, Oldus Fartus
<> wrote:
>
> >Betamax to VHS adapters would certainly be achievable, but probably not
> >economical. There are just too many differences and not just in head
> >geometry and speed. There would be no real reason, apart from
> >licensing ones though, why a deck could not be built to support both
> >formats.
>
> The only economical way to get a player that plays both betamax and VHS
> is to take a beta player, put it on top of a vhs player, and duct tape
> them together.

Exactly. Being technically possible to put the two transport mechanisms
into the one player, with associated electronics does not mean it would be
economically feasible to do so. Your idea of duct taping two players
together would probably work better, and be much cheaper.

--
Cheers
Oldus Fartus

On Sat, 08 May 2004 02:48:56 -0600, Black Locust <>
Gave us:

>Not only have I seen one, I still have a bunch of Betamax tapes in a box
>out in my garage. The biggest difference between the two is the size and
>the geometry of the heads in the players. It would be theoretically
>possible to manufacture a deck that could play both formats. Haven't you
>ever noticed most CD and DVD players are equipped to play mini-discs?
>

Big difference. ALL CD players have ALWAYS been able to play the
3.25 inch form factor audio discs, and ALL laser disc players have
always had 3.25", 5", 8", and 12" platter trays.

There is a big difference between a size form factor being used
under the same read mechanism, and an entirely different read write
hardware schema that would NOT be able to be made to read both system
media. It would require two tape heads in the unit.

Cheaper to have two entirely separate transports in that case.

On Sat, 08 May 2004 18:50:15 +0800, Oldus Fartus
<> Gave us:

>Black Locust wrote:
>
>> In article <409be24c$0$18535$> ,
>> "Richard C." <post-age @spamcop.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>=======================
>>>Have you seen a Betamax tape?
>>>Do you realize the multiple differences between it and VHS?
>>>========================
>>
>>
>> Not only have I seen one, I still have a bunch of Betamax tapes in a box
>> out in my garage. The biggest difference between the two is the size and
>> the geometry of the heads in the players. It would be theoretically
>> possible to manufacture a deck that could play both formats. Haven't you
>> ever noticed most CD and DVD players are equipped to play mini-discs?
>
>I assume you mean the Mini CD, not MD or mini-disc. Two different
>things. It is trivial to design a player to play a Mini CD as it is
>only the diameter which is different.
>
>Betamax to VHS adapters would certainly be achievable, but probably not
>economical. There are just too many differences and not just in head
>geometry and speed. There would be no real reason, apart from
>licensing ones though, why a deck could not be built to support both
>formats.

Because magnetic tape is an all but dead form of data storage.

On Sat, 08 May 2004 02:48:56 -0600, Black Locust <>
wrote:

>Not only have I seen one, I still have a bunch of Betamax tapes in a box
>out in my garage. The biggest difference between the two is the size and
>the geometry of the heads in the players. It would be theoretically
>possible to manufacture a deck that could play both formats. Haven't you
>ever noticed most CD and DVD players are equipped to play mini-discs?

Realistically VHS and BETA can't be used in the same single slot. How
they are recorded and played are quite different, you'd need to use a
design similiar to dual deck VHS except one is BETA. 2 separate
players in one package.

But what's the point? The only time I find BETA tapes are in Goodwill
stores, often mixed with audio cassette and 8-tracks. And nope, no
homemnade porn yet.
--
To reply, replace digi.mon with tds.net

In article <409be24c$0$18535$> , "Richard C." <post-age @spamcop.net> wrote:
>
>"Black Locust" <> wrote in message
>news:bl2112-...
>:
>: Yeah, where's the versatility in a VHS deck? It would have been nice
>if
>: they had at least designed some VHS players that would also play
>Betamax
>: tapes.
>:
>=======================
>Have you seen a Betamax tape?
>Do you realize the multiple differences between it and VHS?
>========================
>
>
>
>
>
Actually the tape itself is the same size. I have just for shits and giggles a
few decades ago, removed the tape from a beta tape and spooled it onto the
empty spools of a vhs shell. It recorded onto the tape just fine.

In article <>, Impmon <> wrote:
>On Sat, 08 May 2004 02:48:56 -0600, Black Locust <>
>wrote:
>
>>Not only have I seen one, I still have a bunch of Betamax tapes in a box
>>out in my garage. The biggest difference between the two is the size and
>>the geometry of the heads in the players. It would be theoretically
>>possible to manufacture a deck that could play both formats. Haven't you
>>ever noticed most CD and DVD players are equipped to play mini-discs?
>
>Realistically VHS and BETA can't be used in the same single slot. How
>they are recorded and played are quite different, you'd need to use a
>design similiar to dual deck VHS except one is BETA. 2 separate
>players in one package.
>
>But what's the point? The only time I find BETA tapes are in Goodwill
>stores, often mixed with audio cassette and 8-tracks. And nope, no
>homemnade porn yet.
Now where did i put that camcorder beta tape of mine? OH MY GOD, i donated it
years ago. Oh well, no-one will recognise me in the video, im fat and balding
now.

On Tue, 11 May 2004 05:12:33 GMT, GMAN <> wrote:
>In article <409be24c$0$18535$> , "Richard C." <post-age @spamcop.net> wrote:
>>
>>"Black Locust" <> wrote in message
>>news:bl2112-...
>>:
>>: Yeah, where's the versatility in a VHS deck? It would have been nice
>>if
>>: they had at least designed some VHS players that would also play
>>Betamax
>>: tapes.
>>:
>>=======================
>>Have you seen a Betamax tape?
>>Do you realize the multiple differences between it and VHS?
>>========================
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>Actually the tape itself is the same size. I have just for shits and giggles a
>few decades ago, removed the tape from a beta tape and spooled it onto the
>empty spools of a vhs shell. It recorded onto the tape just fine.

BFD.