Beomaster 3000 was the central part of Beosystem 3000. It was an FM and AM receiver with four preset FM stations and a power output of 30 watts. Beomaster 3000 featured Automatic power Handling Control which protected amplifier and speakers against overload.
The electronic volume control ensured a smooth transition to more, or less, sound, and the volume level could be preset. By activating ‘mute’ you could silence a function without turning it off. Another touch, and the function resumed where it left off.
Add a Beocord 2000, a Beogram 3000 and maybe a Beogram CDX and you had a stylish and high performance set up. This receiver could be seen as the natural descendant of the Beomaster 2400-2.
Beocord VHS 80 was Bang & Olufsen’s entry into the VHS arena. Both Beocord VHS 90 and VHS 80 had stereo sound circuitry with Dolby B Noise Reduction. So when combined with a stereo Beovision they ensured the fullest enjoyment from stereo videotapes. You could also record stereo TV/FM Simulcasts if you used a stereo Beovision model.
One of the many plus points for owning a Bang & Olufsen VHS recorder from this period meant that for the first time, you could operate both the Beocord and the Beovision using the same remote Terminal. Whichever Beovision you chose, whether mono or stereo, Beocords VHS 80 or 90 would have been an ideal match for it. One touch on the TV’s remote Terminal allowed you to play a videotape, make recordings, fast wind or rewind the tape, scan the tape in either direction or freeze a single frame on-screen. If you wished to combine a Beocord VHS 80 or VHS 90 with a non-Bang & Olufsen TV, the remote Video Terminal could be purchased separately to provide chairside control of all primary playing and recording functions.
Beocord VHS 90 offered the best of both worlds – a high quality stereo sound recorder that, when connected to a hi-fi system, achieved performance characteristics that were close of compact discs; and a video recorder that combined superb picture quality with true hi-fi sound. When used as an audio recorder, up to 8 hours of music could be stored on one VHS tape and replayed non-stop. For hi-fi video recording, 4 hours was the maximum. With Beocord VHS 90, you could instruct the automatic timer to record up to five different programmes up to 14 days ahead. A repeat button enabled you to record the same show at a specific time every day of the week.
Unlike most most dual-purpose machines the Beocord VHS 90 records two versions of video track simultaneously: a hi-fi stereo track for replay on the same machine and an ‘ordinary’ stereo track which meant that your cassettes could be replayed on a non-hi-fi stereo video recorder.
Beocord VHS 80 also had stereo sound circuitry for video recording and playback. In fact, it offered the same video facilities as Beocord VHS 90, including an identical 39 channel search-and-store tuner and 5 programme/14 day timer.
Picture quality was of equally high standard too, but Beocord VHS 80 did not offer audio-only recording or hi-fi sound characteristics. However, it did incorporate a Dolby B Noise Reduction Circuit for maximising the recorded sound.
Placement of both VCRs: a practical stand from Bang & Olufsen organised your video system into a complete remote-controlled centre which could easily and discreetly be placed in your viewing room.
Designed as a perfect match, both physically and technically, for the Beomaster 2000, this advanced slim-line cassette deck was nonetheless a serious hi-fi product in its own right, combining a high-performance specification with supreme ease of operation.
Despite its unassuming appearance, Beocord 2000 contained a full pay-load of advanced circuitry plus a few extra features rarely found in cassette decks within this price frame. The primary controls – those concerned with tape movement – were totally electronic and designed on the Sensitouch principle. There were no knobs to turn or keys to press; a light fingertip touch was sufficient to activate any function.
Ferric, chrome or metal tapes could be used, and Dolby B noise reduction was included to ensure clean, hiss-free recordings. A clearly calibrated scale and input slider, together with large Peak Programme Meter, made it quick and easy to set accurate recording levels. These controls were placed adjacent to the cassette tray beneath a hinged lid which sprang open at a touch.
Beocord 2000’s built-in microcomputer made operation fast and foolproof. It was possible to switch directly between any and all tape transport modes without harming the tape, the mechanism or the motor. Microcomputer intelligence also opened the way for additional control functions that contributed in a very practical way to daily enjoyment of taped music.
A NEXT control allowed for easy track location (tape scan): one touch fast winds the tape to the next signal gap and plays the following track – automatically. So if you wanted to hear, for example, track number 5, just touch-and-wait four times and the place would be found for you. Similarly, you could repeat play-back of a favourite track up to five times with just a single touch. It’s such a convenient way of listening to exactly what you want, when you want.
Beocord 2000 had a socket for data-link connection to Beomaster 2000 so that direct switching was possible between Beomaster, Beogram and Beocord in the Beosystem 2000. The deck could also be data-linked to Beomaster 5000 or Beomaster 6000, when all tape functions could be operated via the receiver’s remote control system. Beocord 2000 could be made up as part of the Beosystem 2000, when linked together with other compatible Bang & Olufsen products. It was also part of Beosystem 3000 if that is how you wished to use it.
