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The digitization of the VTR proceeded rapidly, driven by demand for higher quality images. Meanwhile, Sony's broadcast equipment business with its basic philosophy of thoroughly satisfying the customer expanded from unit items to total systems under the leadership of Kiyoshi Yamakawa.
The annual NAB Show in the United States provides a good indication of the state of the world's broadcasting business. In 1989, the Sony booth had the theme of  System Solutions and the 1990 theme was The Digital Age. Sony was leading the world in digital technology and was providing total systems to meet customers' needs. Sony's digital editing equipment, such as switchers, multi-effects units and VTRs enabled users to increase their image processing capabilities. In 1979, Sony developed the Library Management System (LMS); a cassette-based, fully automatic system for commercials and program playout at broadcast stations. This marked the beginning of station operations automation. In the early 1990s, other manufactures began introducing practical applications for digital systems, thus opening the market to competition.
Eventually, the movement toward digitization expanded from the broadcast station to on-site broadcast application. In March 1993 Sony successfully launched Digital Betacam, a 1/2-inch component digital VTR. The Digital Betacam VTR utilized compression technology, which until then had been ill-thought of by broadcast stations, and delivered high quality, component digital recording with a low cost camera the same size as the Betacam camcorder.
Digital Betacam was compatible with the widely used analog Betacam format, enabling users to gradually progress to the next-generation digital system. This was a very important feature for users. Broadcast stations were interested in a digital VTR system that was drastically lower in price than the D-1 and capable of producing high quality component images. Toshio Fujiwara and Kozo Kaminaga's R&D team developed the relevant video compression technology, and product development was given to Akio Takeuchi and his group.
Component digital recording uses many cables for the transfer of audio and video signals. The Serial Digital Interface (SDI), which was commercialized in 1989, significantly simplified the system by allowing the transfer of these signals through just one coaxial cable.
Sony received many orders worldwide for broadcasting systems fully utilizing SDI and Digital Betacam. These included systems for use at the International Broadcasting Center in the Lillehammer Winter Olympics in 1994 and from Hughes DirecTV in the United States. The company's reputation and brand image in the broadcast industry continued to improve.
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 | | The BV series led to the development of "ENG." The portable component on the left side is connected to the video camera when in use. |
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Computerization was also incorporated into digital systems. Integrating computers into the system enhances the automation of operations at broadcasting stations, raising their efficiency. As broadcasting systems become more sophisticated and require labor-intensive maintenance and management, increasing staff is not always cost-effective. Interactive Status Reporting (ISR) was developed with the idea of incorporating a self-diagnostic function in the system through the use of a computer. ISR enables a small number of people to comprehensively and effectively monitor the equipment used in broadcasting stations. ISR was first commercialized and launched in 1994.
Sony's lineup of broadcast video equipment developed over the past twenty years has won many Technical Emmy Awards. Since its first Emmy for the development of the Trinitron color television in 1973, Sony has received awards for the U-matic, one-inch (type C), Betacam, D-1 and D-2 VTR. In 1995, Sony won its twentieth Emmy Award for Digital Betacam.
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 | | Sony wins the first of 20 Emmy Awards for the development of the Trinitron color television. |
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Sony staff presently responsible for the development, production, and sales of broadcast equipment continue to work in line with Sony's basic principle of meeting individual needs of users and providing total system solutions for a digitized, automated, and efficient broadcasting system.
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