Types of VHS Tapes
While VHS has been rendered all but obsolete in the modern home, the technology still exists and is far from extinct. If you're working in video technology, there are plenty of times you may see a tape come across your desk in a format that seems somewhat archaic. Familiarizing yourself with the different types of VHS tape that were in use throughout the '80s and '90s will allow you to work with these formats alongside modern digital media.
VHS
When most people think of VHS, the basic large-size tape is the one they picture in their mind. VHS stands for Video Home System, and these tapes were designed to provide an accessible, affordable means for domestic consumers to enjoy video recording and playback. Measuring 188 by 104 by 25 millimeters (a little larger than a paperback novel), these chunky black tapes were the ubiquitous backbone of home video recording for two decades. The resolution of the tapes was acceptable at the time of their debut, when television broadcasts were of what we now consider fairly low quality. However, VHS tapes approximate 240 scanlines (the lines of picture data that make up a television image) are now considered unacceptable next to the 720 or more lines offered by High Definition Television (HDTV).
Additionally, the richness of VHS images cannot compete with modern digital technology. Colors on a VHS appear muted, blacks milky and whites harsh and blown out. These are not insurmountable difficulties, but you should pay attention to this if you need to record on VHS.
VHS-C
Measuring 95 by 60 by 25 millimeters, the VHS-C (the "C" stands for "Compact") format provides the same resolution and picture quality as VHS. The tapes are smaller, allowing for portable use in earlier home camcorders. For VHS-C tapes to play in conventional home VHS recorders, an adapter tape is used. The smaller tape slots into a compartment of a larger VHS cassette, which then automatically threads the tape and spools it through the VHS recorder.
S-VHS
The "S" in S-VHS stands for "Super," and the format remedies what was perceived as the biggest shortcoming in conventional VHS tapes: the low resolution. S-VHS increases the resolution of VHS technology to 400 scanlines, allowing for a crisper, more detailed picture. The technology also separates the luma (light level) from color information, a technical detail that allows for better picture contrast. But the limited adoption of the format--users were required to buy a new player for the limited upgrade provided by S-VHS--meant it never superseded VHS.
D-VHS
A more successful upgrade than S-VHS, D-VHS (Digital VHS) brought VHS into the modern, digital age. Using the same-sized tape as VHS and S-VHS, D-VHS technically allows a VHS machine to record and playback in HDTV format. While the format has not been commonly adopted by consumers, it provides a bridge between VHS and digital technologies and can be found in many media reproduction and archive suites.
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