fall inside a hole
Betamax tapes
Betamax tapes from different manufacturers. Click the
images for higher resolution versions in the
image database.
| Sony | Scotch - TDK | BASF - Maxell - Fuji | Other | Commercial - Industrial |
BASF
 |
 |
 |
Early Japanese market BASF tape from the Beta-square logo era. An earlier BASF tape with the full "Betamax" name was also sold |
 |
 |
 |
BASF were the first company to offer a chrome formula Beta tape. This one predates the unified Beta logo |
 |
 |
 |
BASF sleeves were usually pretty nice for both VHS and Beta. These earlier tapes come in a soft plastic sleeve, with this silvery color appearing around 1983 |
 |
 |
 |
Very slight variation with the rear Beta mark and runtime chart shifted over under the cutout. Interestingly, BASF decided to drop mentioning the Beta I runtime, but still left it as a heading in their runtime chart |
 |
 |
 |
A slightly later "guarantee of a lifetime" variant. These plastic cases can split over time |
 |
 |
 |
This 1984 tape has a heavy folded-over cardboard sleeve and also lists a Beta I runtime, unlike other 80s BASF tapes |
 |
 |
 |
Guarantee of a lifetime variant with UPC |
 |
 |
A BASF L750 chrome extra quality variant dating from 1985 |
Maxell
 |
 |
 |
The 1981 Maxell Epitaxial L750 |
 |
 |
 |
In 1982 this style of packaging was updated with thickened 750, black lines between the stripes, and increased size of the Maxell name |
 |
 |
 |
1982 Maxell L750 HGX Gold in a plastic case with a fancy gold label. In 1983 an HGX Gold HiFi appeared |
 |
 |
 |
UPC variant of the Maxell L750 that appeared in 1983 |
 |
 |
 |
Similar design of Maxell HGX L750 hi-grade tape |
 |
 |
The standard Maxell Epitaxial for 1985 promoting the "Matching Money" game. Unfortunately, I don't have one of the game cards to scan | |
 |
 |
There are two very similar Maxell labels of this design, the other has black text by the checkmark boxes on the front cassette labels. I'm not sure which came first | |
 |
 |
 |
The stripy Maxell EX L750 that appeared with a more informative wrapper in 1985 |
 |
 |
 |
Japanese market EX L500, with a nice design printed on the plastic case. A similar design of VHS tape was also available |
 |
 |
Maxell EX L500 insert |
Fuji
Japanese market
 |
 |
 |
An earlier Japanese market Fuji L125 marked with the older style Beta logo and using the Beta symbol followed by a blank square name for the format |
 |
 |
Label sheet for the early Fuji L125. The "Fine Grain" Beridox tapes appeared by 1980 | |
 |
 |
 |
Similar early Japanese L500 from Fuji. The runtime chart uses an odd Beta symbol |
 |
 |
 |
Circa 1988 Japanese market Super HG L750 with a clear fronted plastic case and large tape window |
 |
 |
 |
Similarly designed Fuji Super HG HiFi L500 from 1988 |
 |
 |
 |
A 1989 Japanese Fuji Super AG L500. Shorter length tapes stayed more common in Japan, while the American market generally trended towards the L750 by the mid 1980s |
 |
 |
 |
Fuji Super AG L750 circa 1989 |
American market
 |
 |
 |
Bilingual American market Fuji L500 that I think dates to 1979. Before the unified Beta symbol, many different manufacturers referred to Beta in different ways, and B-type as well as the Beta symbol with an empty square next to it were common ways to refer to Beta |
 |
 |
 |
A circa 1980 Fuji L750 that uses the more common Beta logo and designation. Like the earliest Sony L750s, it suggests making a test recording |
 |
 |
Labels for the American Fuji L750 | |
 |
 |
 |
The 1981 bilingual Fuji L750 stopped recommending a test recording |
 |
 |
 |
American market Fuji Super HG L750 |
 |
 |
 |
Fuji L750 from around 1987. All Fuji tapes I have seen come in soft plastic cases |
 |
 |
 |
The circa 1987 Fuji super fine grain Beridox Super HG L750 |
European market
 |
 |
 |
I have come across just one European Fuji Beta - an L500 Super HG circa 1982. American market tapes have lines above and below the rear designator while the European tapes have a full oval around them |
| Sony | Scotch - TDK | BASF - Maxell - Fuji | Other | Commercial - Industrial |