Identifying the MX-5050 B-II
How to recognise one↑ TOP
- Upright or flat. The instruction manual gives the operating position as "vertical or horizontal" (OS3-038, p.1-6).
- A direct-drive DC-servo capstan on every model. The manual describes a "DC servo motor (Direct drive) for the capstan" (OS3-038, p.1-2), and lists no model without it.
- Two speeds at a time. A B-II runs either 15 and 7½ ips or 7½ and 3¾ ips (p.1-5); a switch inside selects the pair, H or L (section 6.4, p.6-6), so a B-II may legitimately be running either.
Read the rear plate↑ TOP
| Machine | Plate reads | Suffix | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| BII-2 | MX-5050BII-2 | ¼″ half-track 2-channel | |
| BII-4 | MX-5050BII-4 | ¼″ quarter-track 2-channel | |
| BII-F | MX-5050BII-F | ¼″ full-track mono | |
| BII-2E | MX-5050BII-2E | DIN | ¼″ 2-channel, DIN |
The plate carries no speed or capstan letter: the speed pair is a switch setting, and the manual's model table lists exactly these four machines.
When it was sold↑ TOP
By 1983. The earliest dated B-II paper is Edition 3 of the instruction manual, issued March 1983 (OS3-038, Edition 3), and Otari's B-II brochure is dated 1983 (5050B-II brochure).
Sources↑ TOP
- Instruction manual OS3-038, Edition 6 — September 1984. Table 1-1 (the four models), p.1-2 (the direct-drive capstan), p.1-5 (tape speeds), p.1-6 (operating position), section 6.4 (speed conversion).
- Instruction manual OS3-038, Edition 3 — March 1983, the same four models in Table 1-1.
- 5050B-II brochure — ©1983.