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DuB-EnG: Sony Video 8 Pro Handycam Hi Digital Camera Camcorder - A potted history and old footage
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Found a Sony Video 8 Pro in the attic - here is some nostalgia on said camera, Hi8, historic video cameras, old footage, SUBSCRIBE and Thumbs Up for more! A bit TechMoan
Thanks to the internet for all the historic facts... more specifically, Wikipedia!
In January 1984, Eastman Kodak announced the new technology. In 1985, Sony of Japan introduced the Handycam, one of the first Video8 cameras with commercial success. Much smaller than the competition's VHSand Betamax video cameras, Video8 became very popular in the consumer camcorder market. Their user base consisted mainly of amateur camcorder users, although they also saw some use in the professional television production field.
The 8mm video format is used by three videocassette formats. These are the original entirely Analogue Video8 format, its improved successor Hi8 analog but with provision for digital audio, and a more recent digital recordingformat known as Digital8. These three formats are physically very similar, featuring both the same magnetic tape width and near-identical cassette shells. This gives a measure of backward compatibility in some cases. One difference between them is in the quality of the tape itself, but the main differences lie in the encoding of the video when it is recorded onto the tape.
In all three cases, a length of 8mm-wide magnetic tape is wound between two spools and contained within a hard plastic-shell cassette. These cassettes share similar sizes and appearance, and standard recording time is up to 180 minutes for PAL and 120 minutes for NTSC. The cassette holds the same length tape; tape consumption is different between PAL and NTSC recorders.
Like most other videocassette systems, Video8 uses a helical-scaning drum/barrel type head to read from and write to the magnetic tape. The drum rotates at high speed, one or two rotations per picture frame while the tape is pulled along the drum's path. Because the tape and drum are oriented at a slight angular offset, the recording tracks are laid down as parallel diagonal stripes on the tape.
In terms of video quality, Video8 and Beta-II offer similar performance in their standard-play modes. In terms of audio, Video8 generally outperforms its older rivals. Standard VHS and Beta audio is recorded along a narrow linear track at the edge of the tape, where it is vulnerable to damage. Coupled with the slow horizontal tape speed, the sound was comparable with that of a low-quality audio cassette.
The audio quality of Video8 also out-performed most systems of its day. Video8 machines used audio frequency modulation (AFM) to record sound along the same helical tape path as that of the video signal. This meant that Video8's standard audio was of a far higher quality than that of its rivals Video8 later included true stereo. In general, Video8 comfortably outperforms non-HiFi VHS/Beta.
Video8 has one major advantage over the full-size competition. Thanks to their compact size, Video8 camcorders are small enough to hold in the palm of the user's hand. Such a feat was impossible with Betamax and full-sized VHS camcorders, which operate best on sturdy tripods or strong shoulders.
Efforts were made to expand Video8 from only the camcorder market into mainstream home video. But as a replacement for full-size VCRs, Video8 failed. It lacks the long (5+ hours) recording times of both VHS and Betamax, offers no clear audio/video improvement to the general user, and cost more! Even with all of the advanced features offered in high-end Video8 machines, there was no compelling reason to switch to Video8 for the home application. Initially, many movies were prerecorded in 8mm format for home and rental use, but the rental market for Video8 never materialized. Sony maintained a line of Video8 home VCRs well into the 1990s, but unlike VHS, 8mm VCRs with timers were very expensive.
Sony also produced a line of Video8 Walkman-branded players and recorders, with and without a flip-up screen meant for video playback and limited recording. These have been adapted for Digital8 as well as MiniDV formats, even as portable DVD players have become popular in this application. Such players saw use in professional applications, particularly with airlines, who, during the 1980s, adopted 8mm as the format for in-flight movies. As of 2008, they remain in use on many airliners.
Thanks to the internet for all the historic facts... more specifically, Wikipedia!
In January 1984, Eastman Kodak announced the new technology. In 1985, Sony of Japan introduced the Handycam, one of the first Video8 cameras with commercial success. Much smaller than the competition's VHSand Betamax video cameras, Video8 became very popular in the consumer camcorder market. Their user base consisted mainly of amateur camcorder users, although they also saw some use in the professional television production field.
The 8mm video format is used by three videocassette formats. These are the original entirely Analogue Video8 format, its improved successor Hi8 analog but with provision for digital audio, and a more recent digital recordingformat known as Digital8. These three formats are physically very similar, featuring both the same magnetic tape width and near-identical cassette shells. This gives a measure of backward compatibility in some cases. One difference between them is in the quality of the tape itself, but the main differences lie in the encoding of the video when it is recorded onto the tape.
In all three cases, a length of 8mm-wide magnetic tape is wound between two spools and contained within a hard plastic-shell cassette. These cassettes share similar sizes and appearance, and standard recording time is up to 180 minutes for PAL and 120 minutes for NTSC. The cassette holds the same length tape; tape consumption is different between PAL and NTSC recorders.
Like most other videocassette systems, Video8 uses a helical-scaning drum/barrel type head to read from and write to the magnetic tape. The drum rotates at high speed, one or two rotations per picture frame while the tape is pulled along the drum's path. Because the tape and drum are oriented at a slight angular offset, the recording tracks are laid down as parallel diagonal stripes on the tape.
In terms of video quality, Video8 and Beta-II offer similar performance in their standard-play modes. In terms of audio, Video8 generally outperforms its older rivals. Standard VHS and Beta audio is recorded along a narrow linear track at the edge of the tape, where it is vulnerable to damage. Coupled with the slow horizontal tape speed, the sound was comparable with that of a low-quality audio cassette.
The audio quality of Video8 also out-performed most systems of its day. Video8 machines used audio frequency modulation (AFM) to record sound along the same helical tape path as that of the video signal. This meant that Video8's standard audio was of a far higher quality than that of its rivals Video8 later included true stereo. In general, Video8 comfortably outperforms non-HiFi VHS/Beta.
Video8 has one major advantage over the full-size competition. Thanks to their compact size, Video8 camcorders are small enough to hold in the palm of the user's hand. Such a feat was impossible with Betamax and full-sized VHS camcorders, which operate best on sturdy tripods or strong shoulders.
Efforts were made to expand Video8 from only the camcorder market into mainstream home video. But as a replacement for full-size VCRs, Video8 failed. It lacks the long (5+ hours) recording times of both VHS and Betamax, offers no clear audio/video improvement to the general user, and cost more! Even with all of the advanced features offered in high-end Video8 machines, there was no compelling reason to switch to Video8 for the home application. Initially, many movies were prerecorded in 8mm format for home and rental use, but the rental market for Video8 never materialized. Sony maintained a line of Video8 home VCRs well into the 1990s, but unlike VHS, 8mm VCRs with timers were very expensive.
Sony also produced a line of Video8 Walkman-branded players and recorders, with and without a flip-up screen meant for video playback and limited recording. These have been adapted for Digital8 as well as MiniDV formats, even as portable DVD players have become popular in this application. Such players saw use in professional applications, particularly with airlines, who, during the 1980s, adopted 8mm as the format for in-flight movies. As of 2008, they remain in use on many airliners.
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