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Here
are some "tricks of the trade" about Betamax VCRs, as asked for, and submitted
by, fellow Beta-philes! Your submissions are welcomed!
E-mail me!
CONTENTS:
(click on link in each line to go to the article)
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HOW TO SPOOL VHS TAPE INTO A BETA
CASSETTE!
1. Making sure both BETA and VHS cassettes have been fully fast-forwarded to their ends, carefully open the old BETA and the new VHS shell by undoing the screws on the bottom. 2. Once the screws are out, turn the shells right side up. 3. Carefully remove the top covers without snagging the tape. (before removing the covers on BETA tapes be sure to depress the clip holding the tape lid shut) 4. On the BETA, take a pair of scissors and snip the tape about 12 inches away from the end of the leader. (You will need this 12 or so inches for lining up your SPLICE later on.) 5. Now snip the end leader from the VHS tape. 6. Remove the empty VHS reel from its shell. You now have, in effect, 4 separate reels; 1 empty BETA, 1 full BETA, 1 empty VHS, 1 full VHS. 8. Take the empty BETA reel and put it in the VHS shell where the empty VHS reel was paying special attention to how the tape is threaded in the VHS shell. 9. SPLICE the VHS tape onto the BETA leader. 10. Close the VHS cassette using the screws and place it in your VHS rewinder. The VHS tape will wind effortlessly onto the BETA reel . *CAREFULLY WATCH on the amount being rewound, as you don't want to overfill your BETA reel! 11. Once there is a sufficient amount of tape wound on to your BETA reel (be your own judge) snip off the left over tape. 12. Remove the now full BETA reel from the VHS shell and place it in the lefthand side of the BETA shell. {You will have to spin off all the old tape on the take up reel of your old beta. Do this by simply holding the center of the spool with your thumb and index finger and proceed to pull the tape downwards, letting the reel spin in your fingers. ( I have mastered this art btw!) Have a garbage can to spin the old tape into as there is a whole roll being discarded. When all the old tape is nearing the end of the spool, snip it off, but again leaving at least 12 inches from the end of the leader.} 13. Place the now empty take up reel into the right side of the BETA shell and SPLICE its leader to the new tape on the supply reel on the left hand side. 14. Thread the tape back through the appropriate guides and rollers within the BETA cassette shell and put the shell back together with the original screws. This process has worked for me countless times and I have a huge surplus of excellent reconditioned beta tapes to prove it. It can also be done using T-160 VHS tape to make an L-750 and would probably work with a BASF T200 to make an L-830! You'll have to invest in a manual 1/2 inch tape splicer if you don't own one, as this helps to line your splices up accurately at the beginning and ends. Doing this has helped me save money on hard to find blank beta tapes. Our tip of the hat to Richard Suffern, richsuf@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca |
Let
me hear from you, folks! This page is open for any suggestions on
owning Betamaxes -- handy tips and tricks, modifications, suggestions,
etc.!
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