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Betamax tapes

Betamax tapes from different manufacturers. Click the images for higher resolution versions in the image database.

Toshiba

Circa 1979 Toshiba resold Sony-made tapes from the original L series. This is another tape that uses a nonstandard Beta designation
In Japan, Toshiba called their early decks BetaCord like Sanyo, possibly because Toshiba had also previously backed Sanyo's own VCord format
I got this Toshiba L750 in the States but it seems to also be marked up for multi-language European release as well. Toshiba's earlier export Beta VCRs carried the BetaVideo name (except when re-branded by Sears as BetaVision)
Export Toshiba L830 variant, missing the German translations
It was common for VCRs to come with a "free" included short-runtime cassette like this one, which came with an earlier 80s mono frontloader - this one from America, but again it seems Toshiba did one combined export tape
A Japanese Toshiba L500s, possibly another VCR pack-in. An L330S of a similar design also exists
1985 Japanese market Toshiba L500G

Sanyo

Another VCR pack-in cassette, possibly from a VTC-9100A. Sanyo continued to call some of their VCRs Betacords after the new Beta logo was implemented
One version of the Sanyo L500s which was possibly OEM'ed from Sony, with a similar slipcase and label design to Sony's
Variant of the Sanyo L500s with a more central grip cutout and slightly reformatted text
The back of the label sheets also differs in some places
Sanyo L500G with a similarly centered grip cutout as the L500s variant. This design of tape was sold in a few other lengths

Sears

Sears sold rebadged Sanyo and Toshiba Beta decks which naturally often included an introductory tape.

A Sears L-750 in the style of the Sanyo L-250 above, likely from a rebadged Sanyo Beta II machine - note the 180 minute runtime listed

Zenith

Zenith rebadged a number of earlier Sony Beta VCRs under the "Video Director" name. This shorter L250 may have originally come included with a Video Director. The sticker on the side is actually from a Sony label sheet
These tapes and their accompanying labels were also OEM'ed from Sony and match their case and label sheet designs of the time
Zenith tapes were oddly labeled as part of the "Betatape System," although a literal reading would be the "Betaetatape System"
A later Zenith L750 based on Sony's first Dynamicrons instead of the original L series tapes that the previous design was
A sealed Zenith L830 Maxitape, with a funky, colorful 70s style logo

Ampex

Some companies like Ampex only produced Beta during the earlier days of the format war, like this earlier L500 that quotes its running times in terms of standard and long play like a VHS rather than using the X1 and X2 designations
Oddly, after Beta III speed was introduced and X1 and X2 dropped in favour of the new Beta naming scheme, Ampex's Professional tapes mixed the the lettering of the K series tapes with the numbering scheme of the L series tapes
The "corrected" L500 Ampex. Oddly, these tapes dropped the useful place on the spine to write recording information

Kodak

Kodak repackaged the TDK two-window cassettes with a custom Kodak tape lid for their Beta offerings, like this 1984 tape
This label sheet is dated 1983
The 1984 Kodak XHG Extra High Grade L750, also OEM'ed from TDK

Polaroid

A nice rainbow from Polaroid, with English and French for sale in the US and Canada. I suspect these tapes may have been on the more inexpensive than some other "brand name" cassettes
1983 bilingual variant with more text on the rear
Mostly textless variant with length in meters and a note about instructions at the bottom rear
A version of the L750 Supercolor marked for sale in more regions, including PAL/SECAM territories
International variant with a two dollar "instant rebate" at Hills discount stores
Large, comprehensive label sheet that covers several languages from the NTSC/PAL/SECAM variant
Similar variant with slightly different text and French warranty information as well as a longer rainbow on the rear
In contrast, a very blank variant

Radio Shack

Earlier on, Radio Shack offered an L500 SuperTape as well as an L750
Later on, Radio Shack dropped the L500 length but continued to stock new Beta cassettes up until at least 2004, with a few different later sleeve designs

RCA

RCA marketed VHS video recorders but saw no problem with also selling tapes to the Beta crowd, like this 1984 HiFi tape

Memorex

An earlier Memorex L500
The matching yellow Memorex L750 that makes a specific point of saying it can work in any Beta recorder and still includes the Beta I runtime
Oddly, the labels for these tapes use the SP-LP-SLP VHS speed convention
The L500 variants of this 1983 Memorex L750 cassette had red text instead of blue. Unlike other "sideways" tapes like the 1980 TDK Super Avilyn that treat the cassette opening as the "top" of their deign, these tapes use it as the bottom, making the spine upside down when placed in the same orientation as most other tapes
A later 80s or 1990 Memorex design that had a similar VHS counterpart

Konica

1985 American market Konica Super SR L750. Konica tapes came in a deep blue color and usually had nice quality slipcases
1985 Japanese market Konica Super SR
Japanese market Konica Super SG-R L500

NEC

A Japanese market plaid NEC L500S. A variant of this tape was also sold in America

SKC

Sunkyong sold video tapes under the SKC name

Du Pont

American chemical company produced some early chrome video tapes and later teamed up with Philips to market tapes under the PDMagnetics name

A 1978 chrome formula L750 from Du Pont with the "X" speed convention and Beta-square logos. I quite like the colorful Prime text
A later Du Pont cassette sold under the PDMagnetics brand, a combination of Philips and Du Pont - hence, PD
PDMagnetics HG Chrome. Labels for these tapes included tickboxes for tape length

Other

A cassette from RKO that purports to be chrome
A very cheap "knockoff" Memex cassette that clearly rips off the mid 80s Sony ES-HG. Is it live or is it Memex?
The back of the tape label sheet also rips off one of the horizontal Dynamicron label sheet panels