Dubbs :: Analogue Formats

Analogue Formats

All these formats are available at Dubbs. Other definitions can be found in the Glossary.

Digital Formats

standards	lines	composite/	comments
standards	lines	component	comments
1"C
PAL, SECAM, NTSC	625, 525	composite	Composite 1" (25mm) open reel analogue format. Developed from Ampex 'A' format monochrome system in late 70's. 'C' format became broadcast television's standard for the '80's and early '90's. - Maxi length 180 mins (on some machines) - 4 analogue audio tracks (1 used for timecode)
Beta SP
	625, 525	component	Component ½" (12mm) analogue format. Broadcast quality - max length 94 mins in 525 (about 105 mins in 625) - 4 audio tracks - 2 linear, 2 pcm (encoded with picture) - some machines only playback the linear audio.
Betacam
	625, 525	component	Component ½" (12mm) analogue format. Forerunner of Betacam SP - lower bandwidth recording than SP, uses oxide tape, SP uses metal particle to achieve better quality. 2 linear audio tracks. Now considered obsolete.
BVU / BVU SP
PAL	625, 525	composite	Composite ¾" (19mm) analogue format developed from Sony's U-matic format. The first truly potable broadcast format. The BVU (also known as High-Band U-matic) had increased bandwidth recording on U-matic and had the addition of a third track to carry time-code. 2 linear audio tracks - maximum record time 60 minutes. BVU SP was an attempt to stretch the format into the Beta SP era by increasing the recording quality slightly using improved tape stock and increased bandwidth. NTSC BVU did not have increased bandwidth, but did have the addition of a time-code track. Both now considered obsolete.
M2
	625		Component ½" (12mm) analogue format. Panasonic's response to Sony's Betacam. Adopted by a few UK broadcasters in the late 80's, but lost out to Beta SP. Broadcast quality. Max length 90 minutes. 4 audio tracks - 2 linear and 2 pcm. Now considered obsolete.
Hi-8
PAL	625, 525	composite	8mm composite analogue format. Developed by Sony from their 8mm format, increasing bandwidth and using superior metal particle tape. 4 audio tracks, 2 linear and 2 pcm. Max recording time 90 mins. Mainly used as an origination format. No time-code track.
VHS
PAL, SECAM, NTSC	625, 525	composite	½" (12mm) composite analogue format. Developed by JVC to challenge Sony's Betamax for the domestic recording market - it won! Max recording time in PAL of 4 hours (8 hours in LP), max in NTSC of 2 hours 48 mins (8 hours 24 mins in SLP). NTSC machines run 1.4 times faster than PAL machines. 4 audio tracks are possible - 2 linear and 2 pcm (Stereo Hi-Fi). No time-code track.