Back to the Future Beta VS 4K

[Calavera]

Recently I took the 4K version of Back to the Future and recorded it onto a Beta tape. Well sort of. I took the 4K version and burnt it to a standard DVD which would have lowered the quality some but it still looked very good and was more than good enough to use as a source for the Beta recording. I just ran the composite output of the DVD player into the composite input on the Beta(mono only unfortunately)and recorded it using BII mode.

Here is a comparison between the Beta recording and the original 4K source.





And if you don't feel like watching the video then here is a screenshot comparing them.

[Dr. Zoidberg]

Guess what? 4k looks better.

But the Beta version has a more nostalgic look to it.

[Calavera]

But the Beta version has a more nostalgic look to it.

That it does! The only thing I don't like about the Beta recording is that it is only in Mono sound. The Beta VCR I have is a Sony SL-HFR70. Sold in 1985 for $550 (around $1,500 in 2023 dollars according to the inflation calculator). It is kind of odd though. The HFR in the model number stands for Hi-Fi Ready. So while it can't input or output stereo sound on it's own a separate stereo processor can be bought (HFP-100 or HFP-200) at a later time when you decide you want to upgrade to stereo. That just seems like such an odd thing to me.

After looking up the prices of the Hi-Fi units from 1985 I guess it wasn't all that crazy. There was 3 Sony Beta Hi-Fi models in 1985. The cheapest was $800 the next one up was $1000 and finally the top end one was $1,500.($4,200 with inflation) So I guess if you weren't that concerned with stereo sound you could $250 by getting a Hi-Fi ready model. Although just two years later in 1987 a Hi-Fi Beta was $550. Crazy to think that 28 years ago it was that much more expensive just to have stereo sound!

I took a peak at the 1985 Radioshack catalog and a Realistic brand Beta Hi-Fi was $600. So the "Hi-Fi ready" model from Sony was a total ripoff at $550! For only $50 more you could have one that is Hi-Fi out of the box. I couldn't find a price for the Stereo processor but I'd guess it was around $150-$200.

Here is a picture of the Stereo Processor and the back of the SL-HFR70 where it hooks into.




I have to wonder why a person would even be purchasing a brand new Beta machine in 1985. I'm pretty sure by that time it was pretty obvious that VHS was the winner.