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VHS & VHS-C - most people know what VHS is, and VHS-C is a smaller cassette with the same tape inside, which can be put into an adaptor so that it will work in a VHS player.
S-VHS & S-VHS-C are a higher bandwidth (more resolution) version of VHS, with outwardly similar cassettes, but are not compatible with VHS players, though S-VHS players can playback VHS & VHS-C.
Hi-8 is an analogue tape format using an 8mm tape. It has picture quality (PQ) similar to S-VHS, but takes up much less space. It cannot be played back on VHS players.
Digital-8 is a digital version of Hi-8, using the same tape, but in a digital manner. Digital-8 camcorders can usually playback Hi-8 cassettes, but the reverse is not true. It can be readily captured using a digital link to a PC.
MiniDV & DVC-Pro are high resolution digital tape formats, which use the same digital system, so that DVC-Pro equipment can read MiniDV cassettes with a suitable adapter. PQ is determined by the recording camera, and in the case of DVC-Pro can be very good (almost 16MM Film grade according to Quentin Tarantino). DV is very easy to capture to a PC, and is usally accomplished by a Firewire link.
MicroMV is a proprietary Sony format, which is not as readily captured by a PC as DV.
Recording Standards:
PAL (Phase Alternate Line) is the European TV standard, also in use in many countries around the world. It operates at 50 fields (half of a frame) per second, with 625 lines per frame.
NTSC (National Television Standards Council) is the American TV standard, also used in Japan. It operates at 60 fields per second, with 525 lines per frame.
SECAM is the French TV standard, also adopted in Russia. It is almost identical to PAL, except for a different colour modulation. It also runs at 50 fields per second, with 625 lines per frame. In digital equipment PAL and SECAM are recorded the same way, and the eventual colour modulation is done by the player, so a PAL DV cassette is easily viewed on a SECAM TV. |
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2-12-2019 01:50:14
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