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When the VHS machine hit the market bragging about recording four hours and being the "Great Time Machine" Sony discovered that the size limitations of their Beta cassette was going to cause them trouble. Regardless of the quality, features or ease of use that the Betas possessed, cramming more soap operas on one tape seemed to be what the public wanted. To try and put this issue to rest Sony developed some innovative cassette changers that interfaced with their models. It was to extend recording times to intervals that the other camp would never match. Of coarse in the long run it didn't matter, probably because they ended up only fitting Sony's higher end models and they didn't increase the actual time recorded per tape. But they were great and above is the stateside line up of each of the models. Starting from the left and going to the right is the mechanical, flywheel operated AG-120. It was kind of a test to see how much interest there was out in videoland for a changer. It was troublesome and had to be set up just right to work correctly. It attached to the LV-1901D, SL-7200 and SL-8200. The response must have been good because more came after it, but they would all be electrical. Next then came the AG-200, to fit the same models plus the new SL-8600. Its normal operating status was for continuous recording but you could remove a screw on the button rail to set it up to play all the cassettes. Moving on the right is the AG-300 and here we have perhaps the best of the models. It would remember if you were playing or recording and consequently repeated that function until it had ran the coarse of cassettes. It worked flawlessly and quickly and was for the SL-5400, SL-5600 and SL-5800 machines. Next is the AG-400 that was manufactured to interface with the new generation of slim line Betas, the SL-2500, SLO-420 and the Zenith VR 9775 PT. You had to keep the entryway rollers clean if you wanted this one to operate properly, but it did a good job and also repeated its settings from start to end. The front panel duplicated most of the parts that were covered by the changer, those not repeated were only available by remote or by removing the unit. All the changers were easily removed if desired. The last model made is the AG-500, it lacked the tape remaining indicator but was in almost all respects identical to the AG-400. In fact the AG-500 will work on the same models the AG-400 will, but it was designed to be used with the SL-2700, SL-2710, SL-2410 and SL-2415. Click on the photo above to see close up photos of each of the models. To learn more about the individual designs check them out in the "Betamax Accessories" section or click here. To close this window and go back to the main page click here. |