Optacord 500

The Loewe Opta Optacord 500 is probably the first video recorder for home use.

This device was presented to the public at the radio exhibition in Berlin in 1961 after a two-year development period. The concept was to build the simplest possible recorder.

What was new about this device was above all the helical track recording , which was just invented at the time. It made it possible to get by with less mechanical effort.

The belt speed is 19 cm / s. One field is recorded in each track. The wrap angle is 360 degrees.

The device is quite large; it consists of a mobile carriage with the drive on top. A monitor is attached a little behind it .

see also: video recorder

Web link

• Video recorder from Loewe with Optacord 500 - detailed description, English