I don't get it...they're using Beta cameras (or was that just Sean's initial interview/audtion shoot?) yet constantly talking about Viagra.
Viagra was patented in 1996, prob not in major use till say 1998? Surely VHS would have made more sense?
OK Men of Janus kinda looks like a little porn studio yet still...who would still have a beta player in 1998? Even in the 'Midwest' as they keep harping on about...
Beta was favored in TV business due to its higher quality video recording long after VHS took over home systems.
Even today, any small TV station studio that didn't completely switch to digital and still uses old VHS cameras - still uses beta too.
Most mixing and editing equipment is also beta, not VHS.
So VHS recording gets transfered to beta for editing and broadcast.
Actually, the Beta used by professionals isn't the same as the home version of Beta. The professional version is called Betacam and the home version is called Betamax.
shareBeta comes in three tape sizes - 1/2", 3/4", 1" - corresponding to Betamax (home), Betacam (industrial or small studio), and Betacam broadcast. The industrial standard 3/4 machines offer about twice the resolution of VHS. Broadcast 1" is even higher resolution. Once a tape is transferred to VHS the resolution is quite poor, and transferring it back to Beta cannot restore the lost quality. Regardless of which standard is used, each edit or transfer results in quality loss. Digital does not suffer these losses unless of course the file size is reduced deliberately. However, no, Beta is not necessarily dead. It has its uses.
shareA Betacam camera is a professional broadcast quality format. Not to be confused with the Beta Homevideo format that died in the early 80'ties.
Beta is still being used professionally. Digibeta it is today. Introduced in 98 or 99.
The Fluffer can be set in 2001 no problem. The equipment shown was being used at that time.