1 inch type C videotape
Encyclopedia
1 inch Type C1 inch Type C (designated Type C by SMPTE
) is a professional reel-to-reel analog recording
helical scan
videotape
format co-developed and introduced by Ampex
and Sony
in 1976. It became the replacement in the professional video
and broadcast television industries for the then-incumbent 2 inch Quadruplex videotape (2 inch Quad for short) open-reel format, due to the smaller size, comparative ease of operation (vs. 2 inch) and slightly higher video
quality of 1 inch type C video tape recorder
(VTR).
1 inch Type C is capable of "trick-play" functions such as still, shuttle, and variable-speed playback, including slow motion
. 2 inch Quadruplex videotape machines lacked these capabilities, due to the segmented manner in which it recorded video tracks
onto the magnetic tape
. Also, 1 inch Type C VTRs required much less maintenance (and used less power and space) than did 2 inch machines.
Despite being a composite video
format like U-matic
or VHS
, 1 inch Type C has very high video quality, approaching the quality of component video
formats like Betacam
.
The quality and reliability of 1 inch Type C made it a mainstay in television and video production
in television studio
s for almost 20 years, before being supplanted by more compact videocassette formats like Betacam
, DVCAM, D-1
, D-2
and DVCPro.
In 1983, RCA turned to Ampex for supply of Helical VTR's.
Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers
The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE , founded in 1916 as the Society of Motion Picture Engineers or SMPE, is an international professional association, based in...
) is a professional reel-to-reel analog recording
Analog recording
Analog recording is a technique used for the recording of analog signals which among many possibilities include audio frequency, analog audio and analog video information for later playback.Analog recording methods store signals as a continual wave in or on the media...
helical scan
Helical scan
Helical scan is a method of recording high bandwidth signals onto magnetic tape. It is used in reel-to-reel video tape recorders, video cassette recorders, digital audio tape recorders, and some computer tape drives....
videotape
Videotape
A videotape is a recording of images and sounds on to magnetic tape as opposed to film stock or random access digital media. Videotapes are also used for storing scientific or medical data, such as the data produced by an electrocardiogram...
format co-developed and introduced by Ampex
Ampex
Ampex is an American electronics company founded in 1944 by Alexander M. Poniatoff. The name AMPEX is an acronym, created by its founder, which stands for Alexander M. Poniatoff Excellence...
and Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
in 1976. It became the replacement in the professional video
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
and broadcast television industries for the then-incumbent 2 inch Quadruplex videotape (2 inch Quad for short) open-reel format, due to the smaller size, comparative ease of operation (vs. 2 inch) and slightly higher video
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
quality of 1 inch type C video tape recorder
Video tape recorder
A video tape recorder is a tape recorder that can record video material, usually on a magnetic tape. VTRs originated as individual tape reels, serving as a replacement for motion picture film stock and making recording for television applications cheaper and quicker. An improved form included the...
(VTR).
1 inch Type C is capable of "trick-play" functions such as still, shuttle, and variable-speed playback, including slow motion
Slow motion
Slow motion is an effect in film-making whereby time appears to be slowed down. It was invented by the Austrian priest August Musger....
. 2 inch Quadruplex videotape machines lacked these capabilities, due to the segmented manner in which it recorded video tracks
Recording head
A recording head is the physical interface between a recording apparatus and a moving recording medium. Recording heads are generally classified according to the physical principle that allows them to impress their data upon their medium...
onto the magnetic tape
Magnetic tape
Magnetic tape is a medium for magnetic recording, made of a thin magnetizable coating on a long, narrow strip of plastic. It was developed in Germany, based on magnetic wire recording. Devices that record and play back audio and video using magnetic tape are tape recorders and video tape recorders...
. Also, 1 inch Type C VTRs required much less maintenance (and used less power and space) than did 2 inch machines.
Despite being a composite video
Composite video
Composite video is the format of an analog television signal before it is combined with a sound signal and modulated onto an RF carrier. In contrast to component video it contains all required video information, including colors in a single line-level signal...
format like U-matic
U-matic
U-matic is an analog recording videocassette format first shown by Sony in prototype in October 1969, and introduced to the market in September 1971. It was among the first video formats to contain the videotape inside a cassette, as opposed to the various Reel-to-Reel or open-reel formats of the...
or VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
, 1 inch Type C has very high video quality, approaching the quality of component video
Component video
Component video is a video signal that has been split into two or more component channels. In popular use, it refers to a type of component analog video information that is transmitted or stored as three separate signals...
formats like Betacam
Betacam
Betacam is family of half-inch professional videocassette products developed by Sony in 1982. In colloquial use, "Betacam" singly is often used to refer to a Betacam camcorder, a Betacam tape, a Betacam video recorder or the format itself....
.
The quality and reliability of 1 inch Type C made it a mainstay in television and video production
Video production
Video production is videography, the process of capturing moving images on electronic media even streaming media. The term includes methods of production and post-production...
in television studio
Television studio
A television studio is an installation in which a video productions take place, either for the recording of live television to video tape, or for the acquisition of raw footage for post-production. The design of a studio is similar to, and derived from, movie studios, with a few amendments for the...
s for almost 20 years, before being supplanted by more compact videocassette formats like Betacam
Betacam
Betacam is family of half-inch professional videocassette products developed by Sony in 1982. In colloquial use, "Betacam" singly is often used to refer to a Betacam camcorder, a Betacam tape, a Betacam video recorder or the format itself....
, DVCAM, D-1
D1 (Sony)
D-1 is an SMPTE digital recording video standard, introduced in 1986 through efforts by SMPTE engineering committees. It started as a Sony and Bosch - BTS product and was the first major professional digital video format.- Format :...
, D-2
D2 (video format)
D-2 is a professional digital recording videocassette format created by Ampex and other manufacturers through a standards group of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers and introduced at the 1988 NAB convention as a lower-cost alternative to the D-1 format...
and DVCPro.
Some Ampex models
- VPR-2 1976, studio model
- VPR-20 1977, Portable
- VPR-2A studio model
- VPR-2B studio model
- VPR-80 studio model
- VPR-6 studio model
- SMC-60 slow Motion system
- VPR-3 studio model, with air system like AVR-1
- XVR-80 wideband VTR
- VPR-5 portable made in jointly with Nagra
Some Sony models
- BVH-1000 1979 studio model
- BVH-1100 with Dynamic headRecording headA recording head is the physical interface between a recording apparatus and a moving recording medium. Recording heads are generally classified according to the physical principle that allows them to impress their data upon their medium...
Tracking- DT, with digital TBCTimebase correctionTime base correction is a technique to reduce or eliminate errors caused by mechanical instability present in analog recordings on mechanical media. Without time base correction, a signal from a videotape recorder or videocassette recorder cannot be mixed with other, more time stable devices...
Model BVT-2000 - BVH-500 portable
- BVH-2000 studio model
- BVH-2180 3 hour record play model
- BVH-2500P PALPALPAL, short for Phase Alternating Line, is an analogue television colour encoding system used in broadcast television systems in many countries. Other common analogue television systems are NTSC and SECAM. This page primarily discusses the PAL colour encoding system...
VR - BVH-2500 Delta Time VTR
- BVH-2800/2 VTR With PCM AudioSound recording and reproductionSound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
- BVH-3000 Studio model
- BVH-3100 Studio model
Some Hitachi, Ltd. – Shibaden Models
- HR-200 Studio model
- HR-230 2 and 3 hour Record/Play Studio model
- HR-100 portable model, 42 pounds
Some RCA Models
- TH-100 was a re-badged Sony BVH-1000.
- TH-200A was a re-badged Sony BVH-1100A.
- TH-50 was re-badged Sony portable.
- TR-800 was an RCA engineered and built VTR, likely why it has the "TR-" designation, as all the RCA Quad recorders did. While the TH-800 was developed by RCA, the scanner assembly and upper drum could be replaced with Sony BVH-1100A parts.
In 1983, RCA turned to Ampex for supply of Helical VTR's.
- TH-400 was a re-badged Ampex VPR-80
- TH-900 was a re-badged Ampex VPR-3
- TH-700 was a re-badged Ampex VPR-6