Video Formats


Section Headings

Additional TV systems used solely in Video

In addition to the basic TV systems, there are a number of additional hybrid formats which are to be found only in video equipment. These are usually a hybrid signal used to provide compatibility with video material of another TV format without a complete translation. Many of these signals are not symetric in that they cannot be recorded by video recorders that can play them.

Name Frame/Field Scan Colour Sub-carrier
Rate Lines Systems Freq.
NTSC 4.43 29.97/59.94 525 NTSC 4.43MHz
Pseudo-PAL 29.97/59.94 525 PAL 4.43MHz
Pseudo-NTSC 25/50 625 NTSC 3.58MHz


Video Formats - Availability by TV System

For a range of reasons, some of them historical and some of them technical, the main video formats aren't the same in each colour system. There are actually some very dramatic differences in both the availability and maximum running times between the main TV standards. A much more detailed table of video formats including the professional ones is also available - this also includes more technical information on each format. The table below summarises these:

Format Scan Lines Speed Max Playing
/Colour Time/Tape
VHS 525/NTSC SP 160 mins/T-160
LP 320 mins/T-160
EP 480 mins/T-160
625/PAL SP 300 mins/E-300
LP 600 mins/E-300
625/SECAM SP 300 mins/E-300
LP 600 mins/E-300
SuperVHS 525/NTSC SP 160 mins/ST-160
EP 480 mins/ST-160
625/PAL SP 240 mins/SE-240
LP 480 mins/SE-240
D-VHS 525/NTSC N/A Varies
DVC 525/NTSC miniDV 60 mins
DVC 180 mins
625/PAL miniDV 60 mins
DVC 180 mins
Video 8 525/NTSC SP 120 mins/P6-120
LP 240 mins/P6-120
625/PAL SP 90 mins/P5-90
LP 180 mins/P5-90
625/SECAM SP 90 mins/P5-90
LP 180 mins/P5-90
Hi-8 525/NTSC SP 120 mins/P6-120ME
LP 240 mins/P6-120ME
625/PAL SP 90 mins/P5-90ME
LP 180 mins/P5-90ME
LaserDisc 525/NTSC CAV 30 mins per side
CLV 60 mins per side
625/PAL CAV 37 mins per side
CLV 72 mins per side
DVD 525/NTSC Single Layer Varies (4.7GB)
Dual Layer Varies (8.6GB)
625/NTSC Single Layer Varies (4.7GB)
Dual Layer Varies (8.6GB)

Notes:

Comparing Video Tape Lengths

The differences between the running speed of VCRs of the same format in different colour systems has led to some very confusing naming of video tape lengths. Beta is unique in having named the tape after the length rather than it prospective running time, thus making it free of the problems that beset other formats. In the table below, we compare the actual lengths of some standard tape types.

Name TV system Actual Length Running time
Own System Other System
SuperVHS/VHS
ST/T-120 NTSC/525 250 metres 120 mins 175 mins
SE/E-180 PAL/625 258 metres 180 mins 126 mins
Hi-8/Video 8
P6-120 NTSC/525 112 metres 120 mins 90 mins
P5-90 PAL/625 112 metres 90 mins 120 mins

Digital Video Formats


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Bevis King <B.King@ee.surrey.ac.uk>
26th May 1999