the name of Sony's professional, half-inch video tape format and the equipment that shoots, records and edits the format.

A 1/2 inch videotape format incompatible with VHS format. The professional form of this format is used by broadcast companies and is not compatible with the "home" version.

Consumer videocassette record/playback tape format using half-inch wide magnetic tape. The Beta system was the first consumer videocassette (VCR) format introduced by Sony in the mid 1970s. Although the format produces a higher quality video signal than VHS, marketing blunders by the Japanese electronics giant sealed the fate of the format. Sony continues to manufacture Beta format videocassettes and VCRs as there still is a small established market for them.

Informal name for Betacam, a professional color difference videotape recording format that uses the Y, R-Y, and B-Y color difference components. Also the name of a consumer videotape recording format that is completely different from the professional Betacam format.

The first successful home videocassette system, using 1/2-inch (1.27 cm) tape.

Betamax, a 1/2 in. videocassette format introduced by Sony in 1975

1/2 inch videotape that was originally called Betamax. Since the creation of Betamax, improvements have been made to boost the resolution producing a very clear picture with 500 lines of resolution. The problem with beta is it is basically an industry format not easily found in your local electronics store.

A home (consumer) half-inch videotape format developed by Sony as early competition to VHS.

Developed by Sony, a 1/2-inch broadcast videotape format. This is one of the high-end analog formats used here at ITV. It offers high-quality reproduction for lengths up to 90 minutes.

Knowledge of trick moves or protection or just about anything about a route available before you start. Initially from the US, possibly from "Betamax" (early videotape format). If you get the beta on a route, you shouldn't encounter any nasty surprises. However, knowing the beta also negates the ideal onsight. Some purists argue that even route descriptions in guidebooks constitute beta, though this makes it hard to know how you could knowingly climb the route.