Nobutoshi Kihara in the context of "CV-2000"

CV-2000 was one of the world's first home video tape recorders (VTR), introduced by Sony in August 1965. The 'CV' in the model name stood for 'Consumer Video' (消費者向けビデオ, shōhishamuke bideo). This was Sony's domestic format throughout the 1960s. It was the first fully transistorized VCR.

The CV-2000 was developed by Sony engineer Nobutoshi Kihara. On its release, the CV-2000D machine was listed for US$695—equivalent to $6,935 in 2024—while a portable version in a more durable case, the CV-2000, was listed for $730—equivalent to $7,284 in 2024. It used 1⁄2-inch-wide (13 mm) video tape in a reel-to-reel format, meaning the tape had to be manually threaded around the helical scan video head drum. The CV-2000 was one-tenth the weight and price of other analog video recording products of its era. It recorded television programs in black and white using the skip field process, which produced a maximum 200-lines resolution. The tape moved at a speed of 7.5 inches per second. Two different reels were marketed: A reel of video tape listed for about US$22—equivalent to $220 in 2024—had 30-minute playtime, and video-tape reel listed for about US$40 could hold one hour of video. Although CV-2000 was aimed at the home market, it was mainly used in business and educational institutions.