Appendix 1

Appendix 3
Current Video Formats
VHS, U-Matic ( 3 /4-inch), Betacam, and Beta SP
VHS, U-Matic ( 3 /4-inch), Betacam, and Beta SP are all obsolete analog standard defi nition
(SD) video formats. All are available in PAL and NTSC formats. Although these are obsolete
formats, all are still widely used. VHS, while always a nonprofessional, low-quality format,
nevertheless has been, and still is, widely used in professional production as a “screener”
format. This is a way to distribute rough temporary versions of a project to people in the production
loop or to distributors. Other common home video formats (i.e., S-VHS, High 8, and a few
other obscure formats) have never been widely used in professional production with the exception
of S-VHS, which went through a brief period when it was used as a “semiprofessional” shooting
format.
VHS is making a comeback as Digital S or D-9. This professional digital format uses VHS tape cassettes
loaded with a very high-grade tape. The recorders are VHS and S VHS compatible. In terms
of image quality, it is quite good, similar to DVC Pro 50 and Digital Beta (DVC stands for Digital
Video Cassette). As yet, the format has not received wide acceptance. There is also a HD version for
home use.
U-matic and Betacam (not to be confused with the obsolete home video format Betamax) were widely
used for years as both scratch and production formats. Both are still used as “screener” or “work”
formats simply because of the huge amount of equipment and archival tape left over from the time
when these were common formats, but the equipment is no longer available or supported.
Beta SP (Betacam SP) was used until very recently as a broadcast production format. It has slid into
use mostly as a “work” or reference format and is no longer considered a broadcast format. Beta SP
machines can play Betacam tapes and are still manufactured. The image quality of Beta SP is similar
to DV.
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