15
The video tape recorder – the VTR
15.1 The HDCAM format
It is useful to investigate a specific format in order to understand how video tape and cassette recorders work, and as HDCAM is probably the most used format in the professional environment I have chosen to discuss it here. It should be borne in mind, however, that virtually all professional VTRs and VCRs work on very similar principles. Some smaller recording formats lay down and/or encode the information in a different manner, but the mechanics of doing so are by and large the same.
The HDCAM format writes the information to the tape in exactly the same way whether it is recording a progressive scan or an interlace scan image. Every frame is recorded as a totally separate and individual ...
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