As video formats go, U-matic tapes are one of the oldest and most niche. These tapes came before even Betamax and were used by professionals working in television far more than by consumers.

Just because they’re old, however, doesn’t mean they’re irrelevant. People still have working U-matic tapes in their homes. In this post, we tell you everything you need to know about what they do, how to watch them, and how to keep your videos safe for as long as possible.

WHAT ARE U-MATIC TAPES?

U-matic tapes were first prototyped by Sony in 1969 and released onto the market in 1971. It was one of the first formats to contain the videotape inside a compact cassette, rather than large reel-to-reel machines. The name “U-matic” comes from the way the videotape was threaded in a “U” pattern around the head drum.

Thanks to its compact casing, Sony originally hoped the product would be popular with consumers, but it turned out to be much more useful for business communication and low-budget television. For consumers, the costs were just too high, and while the tapes provided video in full color, less than 40% of people had color TV sets at the time.

While Sony didn’t quite succeed in breaking into the consumer market with this product, it would later build upon the U-matic technology and create Betamax tapes. These tapes exploded in popularity, despite ultimately losing the video format war against VHS tapes.

Old Umatic video tape and its box

WHAT WERE U-MATIC TAPES USED FOR?

Although Sony invented the U-matic tape, after the format was standardized, it became possible for other companies to manufacture U-matic products as well. Here are some of the most common brands of U-matic tapes:

  • 3M / Scotch
  • Ampex
  • BASF
  • Fuji
  • Sony

HOW CAN I WATCH U-MATIC TAPES?

Sony has produced a large number of machines for replaying U-matic tapes over the years, including the following models:

  • Sony BVU 950P x 3
  • Sony BVU 800 NTSC
  • Sony VO-9800P
  • Sony VO-7630
  • Sony VO-7030
  • Sony BVU 850 NTSC
  • Sony VO-9600P
  • Sony VO-9850P

Portable U-matic VCRs had a “top-loading” mechanism that involved inserting the tape into a drawer and manually closing it. Later studio VCRs, on the other hand, used a “front-loading” mechanism with a port for the cassette at the front.

WHERE CAN I FIND A U-MATIC TAPE PLAYER?

Unfortunately, there aren’t many U-matic tape players available now and they tend to sell for high prices. A broken deck could cost you $200, while one in working condition could cost $1,000 or more.

Refurbished models are available on sites like eBay and Amazon, but there’s no telling how long they will last after you receive them.

HOW LONG DO U-MATIC TAPES LAST?

U-matic tapes are old and don’t age as well as other formats. They’re particularly vulnerable to aging, damp, and mold.

  • Tapes from brands like Ampex can suffer from “binder hydrolysis” — a chemical reaction that occurs when water molecules break down the binder layer of magnetic tape — and need special treatment before they can be played.
  • Mold can also grow in certain areas and cause the layers of tape to stick together. When this happens, the tape needs treatment and manual unwinding.
  • “Sticky tape syndrome” is another common issue. This causes the oxide on the tape to flake off and become moist and sticky. In this condition, tapes won’t play correctly and the sticky build-up can clog up the tape heads. To fix it, the tape has to be “baked” to remove moisture and make it easier to clean.

Because of all these problems, it’s a good idea to transfer your U-matic tapes to a digital format so the content can outlive the aging tapes.

U-MATIC TAPE TRANSFER SERVICES FROM EVERPRESENT

U-matic tapes aren’t common and few digitization companies offer U-matic tap transfers. At EverPresent, however, we do. We use a professional-grade tape deck to convert 3/4-inch U-matic tape to digital formats like USB drives and DVDs.

If you have tapes with content you’d like to preserve, we strongly recommend digitizing them in the near future, purely because U-matic tapes aren’t likely to stay in working condition for much longer. Get in touch with us here for more information about our services and a quote for your project.