Chapter 5: Videotape, Video Media, And Video Recorders

Front 1

1/2" Tape

Back 1

A reel format videotape found only in low-end, industrial equipment.

Front 2

1" Tape

Back 2

A reel format videotape available in three formats: Type A, Type B, and Type C. Type C was the most common format.

Front 3

2" Tape

Back 3

A reel format videotape used on older machines called quadruplex recorders.

Front 4

Artifacts

Back 4

Tiny, triangular distortions that appears on the screen in digital video formats when a portion of the digital signal in corrupted.

Front 5

Beta SX

Back 5

A 1/2" videotape that uses digital MPEG compression.

Front 6

Betacam

Back 6

A 1/2" format, broadcast-quality videotape.

Front 7

Betacam SP

Back 7

A 1/2" videotape format that used to be the best format for professional television use, but digital video formats are challenging this format in professional markets.

Front 8

Control Track

Back 8

A serious of inaudible pulses recorded onto a tape that regulates the speed of the tape in playback.

Front 9

D-9

Back 9

A 1/2" digital videotape format that is broadcast quality. Also known as Digital S.

Front 10

Deck

Back 10

The common term used for a video recorder/player.

Front 11

Digital Betacam (Digi-Beta)

Back 11

A 1/2" videotape with higher quality quality then Betacam SP and the capability of recording of digital signals instead of analog signals.

Front 12

Digital S

Back 12

A 1/2" digital videotape format that is broadcast quality. Also known as D-9.

Front 13

Digital Video Recorder (DVR)

Back 13

A devise that records a digital signal directly onto either a hard drive or a solid-state memory module inside or connected to the DVR unit.

Front 14

Dropout

Back 14

A tiny white dot seen on the television screen when the medium has fallen off an analog videotape and the video head passes over an "empty spot" on the tape.

Front 15

Dubbing

Back 15

The process of copying a video recording.

Front 16

DVCam

Back 16

A 6mm digital format that is proprietary to Sony Corporation.

Front 17

DVCPRO

Back 17

A 6mm, metal particle tape used as a professional digital video format.

Front 18

DVCPRO50

Back 18

A 6mm digital format with even higher quality than DVCPRO.

Front 19

DVCPRO100

Back 19

The high definition format of DVCPRO tape.

Front 20

Head

Back 20

A 15 second "lead-in" recorded at the beginning of every take.

Front 21

Helical Scan

Back 21

The pattern in which a video signal is placed into a videotape. The videotape is wrapped around the video head and, because the head is slanted, the video signal is recorded diagonally on the tape. Also called slant track.

Front 22

Input

Back 22

A port or connection on a video devise through which a signal enters the device, such as the "audio in" port.

Front 23

Mini-DV

Back 23

A metal evaporated tape, 6mm digital video format used by many industrial video producers.

Front 24

Monitor

Back 24

A television set that can receive only pure video and audio signals.

Front 25

Monitor/Receiver

Back 25

A hybrid television that can receive pure video and audio signals, as well as RF signals.

Front 26

Output

Back 26

A port or connection on a video device through which the signal leaves the deck and travels to another piece of equipment, such as the "video out" port.

Front 27

P2

Back 27

A static memory card that is proprietary to Panasonic and used in certain high end cameras.

Front 28

Quadruplex (Quad)

Back 28

A very large, older videotape recorder that uses 2" tape.

Front 29

Receiver

Back 29

A television set that can receive only RF signals.

Front 30

RF

Back 30

Radio frequency signal that is a combination of both audio and video.

Front 31

RF Converter

Back 31

A small module inside the VCR that combines pure video and audio into one radio frequency.

Front 32

Slant Track

Back 32

The pattern in which a video signal is placed into a videotape. The videotape is wrapped around the video head and, because the head is slanted, the video signal is recorded diagonally on the tape. Also called helical scan.

Front 33

Super VHS (S-VHS)

Back 33

A low-end, industrial 1/2" videotape format that is superior to VHS.

Front 34

Tail

Back 34

A 10 second "lead-out" recorded at the end of each scene.

Front 35

Test Record

Back 35

The process of using the video recorder to record audio and video signals before the session recording begins to ensure the equipment is functioning properly and to indicate any necessary adjustments.

Front 36

Tracking Control

Back 36

A knob on a professional VCR that is used to manually adjust the tape tracking speed.

Front 37

VHS

Back 37

A 1/2" videotape format hat emerged as the preferred standard for consumer VCRs.

Front 38

VHS-C

Back 38

A 1/2" videotape format that is shorter than regular VHS and is, therefore, packaged in a compact cassette.

Front 39

Video Heads

Back 39

The components inside a VCR that lay down the video signal onto a tape when in record mode. When a VCR is in playback mode, the video heads pick up the video signal from a tape.

Front 40

Video Noise

Back 40

The white dots seen on a screen if the videotape is blank or if the heads are dirty.

Front 41

VTR Interchange

Back 41

The ability of a tape that was recorded on one machine to be played back on another machine.

Front 42

Y/C Signal

Back 42

The professional name for the signal placed onto S-VHS videotape.