Type C videotape

1 inch Type C (designated Type C by SMPTE) is a professional helical scan open-reel videotape format co-developed and introduced by Ampex and Sony in 1976. It became the replacement in the professional video & television broadcast industries for the then incumbent Quadruplex (2 inch Quad for short) open-reel format, due to the smaller size & slightly higher video quality of 1 inch type C VTR.

1 inch Type C is capable of "trick-play" functions such as still, shuttle, and variable-speed playback - slow motion. These were capabilities that 2 inch Quad was not capable of, due to its segmented nature of recording the video tracks onto the tape. Also, 1 inch Type C VTRs required much less maintenance (and used less power & space) than did 2 inch Quad.

Despite being a composite format like U-matic or VHS, 1 inch Type C has very high video quality, approaching the quality of component analog videotape formats like Betacam.

The quality and reliability of 1 inch Type C made it a mainstay in television & professional video for almost 20 years, before being supplanted by more compact formats like Betacam, DVCAM, D-1, D-2 and DVCPro.

ome 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

ome Sony models

*BVH-1000 1979 studio model
*BVH-1100 with Dynamic head Tracking- DT, with digital TBC Model BVT-2000
*BVH-500 portable
*BVH-2000 studio model
*BVH-2180 3 hour record play model
*BVH-2500P PAL VR
*BVH-2500 Delta Time VTR
*BVH-2800/2 VTR With PCM Audio
*BVH 3000 Studio model
*BVH-3100 Studio model

ome Hitachi, Ltd. – Shibaden Models

*HR-200 Studio model
*HR-230 2 and 3 hour Record/Play Studio model
*HR-100 portable model, 42 pounds

ome NEC Models

*TT-7000 Studio VTR ($38,000 new in 1987)

ome RCA Models

*TH-200 A Sony BVH-1100 WITH DT

ee also

*VTR
*1 inch type A videotape
*1 inch type B videotape

External links

* [http://www.labguysworld.com/Ampex_VPR-1.htm Information on a 1 inch Type C VTR, the Ampex VPR-1] .
* [http://www.vtoldboys.com/arc08.htm# - VPR-2]
* [http://evideoexpress.com/ 1 inch video archiving]