04-09-2009, 05:25 PM
No, some beta tapes are physically similar but there are many differences.
For one, Beta SP comes in two tape sizes, S and L. The L has a running time of 90 minutes versus 40 or 60. (I can't remember it's been a while.) The S size is similar physically to betamax. The L size is the size of a hardcover book.
Beta SP is a completely different format. I believe Beta SP decks can play betamax for backwards compatibility, but not vice versa. You can't play Beta SP tapes on a Betamax deck.
Beta SP also supports a higher resolution, up to full NTSC 720x480. Betamax only supports between 300-400 lines.
Digibeta, another member of the "beta" family, is a completely different tape and different format. After digibeta, Sony smartened up and dropped "beta" and introduced the new tape in this line as HDCAM.
Very different beasts, which happen to look the same.
For one, Beta SP comes in two tape sizes, S and L. The L has a running time of 90 minutes versus 40 or 60. (I can't remember it's been a while.) The S size is similar physically to betamax. The L size is the size of a hardcover book.
Beta SP is a completely different format. I believe Beta SP decks can play betamax for backwards compatibility, but not vice versa. You can't play Beta SP tapes on a Betamax deck.
Beta SP also supports a higher resolution, up to full NTSC 720x480. Betamax only supports between 300-400 lines.
Digibeta, another member of the "beta" family, is a completely different tape and different format. After digibeta, Sony smartened up and dropped "beta" and introduced the new tape in this line as HDCAM.
Very different beasts, which happen to look the same.