Thomson-CSF TTV-3625S Betacam player teardown

[@video99couk]

This was to play the early form of Betacam oxide tapes, which were in themselves interchangeable with domestic Beta (or Betamax, if you like) tapes. The recordings are of course different, this format has four heads because the luma and chroma are recorded on their own tracks. Betacam oxide recordings are not particularly common, the later BetacamSP (metal tape) and then Digital Betacam recordings were more popular. In fact so popular, that professional formats based on the VHS form factor (M, MII, D9 etc.) generally flunked because Beta had the market sewn up for years. Beta won! There are two tape sizes, the smaller one which this machine tapes, and larger tapes for studio use. Studio decks could take both sizes. The format made it all the way to high definition with HDCAM and HDCAM-SR. I've got a studio full of Betacam related kit if you're interested in this sort of thing.

[@ljubomirculibrk4097]

Ah, japanese parts. Those "digital" transistors can be a tricky to diagnose, since they haw combinations of passive components in them. Hybrids that are exotic all ower the place, Wery complex boards, small series hence be bodge, not economic to remake them all.

[@wdavem]

I have an "AMPEX" branded Betacam SP edit bey deck actually. It's all Sony.