Master Formats
At Transfer West Duplication, our mission is to continually learn about, evaluate, and invest in progressive technology. We aggressively maintain our capabilities to offer all forms of conventional audio and visual recording and transfer. As a result, we are extremely flexible about working in various formats.
We offer conversion, duplication, and encoding from essentially every video format and standard in the world. We are unique in the industry because we never have to outsource. This means that when you give us a job to do you can rest assured that we will be the ones doing it.
| D1 | Digital8 |
| D2 | Betacam-SP |
| D3 | Betacam |
| D5 | MII |
| D9 (also Called Digital-S) | 1 inch |
| HDCAM | 3/4 inch or U-matic |
| MPEG IMX | S-VHS |
| Digital Betacam | W-VHS |
| Betacam SX | D-VHS |
| DVC Pro 50 | VHS |
| DVC Pro | Hi-8 |
| Mini-DV | 8mm |
| DV | DVCAM |
D1
NTSC/PAL, Very high quality uncompressed 8 bit 4:2:2 component digital format with 4 channels of digital audio plus time code. Maximum recording time is 94 minutes, tape width is 19mm.
D2
NTSC, Uncompressed 8 bit composite digital format with 4 channels of digital audio plus time code. Maximum recording time is 124 minutes, tape width is 19mm.
D3
NTSC, Uncompressed 8 bit composite digital format with 4 channels of digital audio plus time code. Maximum recording time is 185 minutes, tape width is ½ inch.
D5
NTSC, Highest quality uncompressed 10 bit 4:2:2 component digital format with 4 channels of digital audio, time code and HDTV compatibility. Maximum recording time is 124 minutes, tape width is ½ inch.
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Digital Betacam
NTSC/PAL, Very high quality 2:1 compressed 10 bit 4:2:2 component digital format with 4 channels of digital audio plus time code. Maximum recording time is 124 minutes, tape width is ½ inch.
DVCPRO
NTSC/PAL, 5:1 compressed 8 bit 4:1:1 component digital format with 2 channels of digital audio plus time code. Maximum recording time is 123 minutes, tape width is ¼ inch.
Digital video formats offer low noise recordings with the least amount of multi-generation deterioration. The employment of digital compression, however, increases picture distortion by an amount related to the compression ratio.
Component video formats offer recordings free of visual artifacts caused by the composite encoding process. 4:2:2 digital component formats sample the luminance component at 13.5 MHz and sample both of the chrominance components at half that rate. 4:1:1 digital component formats sample both of the chrominance components at one-quarter the luminance sample rate.
Mini-DV
NTSC, 5:1 compressed 8 bit 4:1:1 component digital format with 2 channels of digital audio plus time code. Maximum recording time is 180 minutes, tape width is ¼ inch. This is a consumer format with reduced professional capability.
Digital video formats offer low noise recordings with the least amount of multi-generation deterioration. The employment of digital compression, however, increases picture distortion by an amount related to the compression ratio.
Component video formats offer recordings free of visual artifacts caused by the composite encoding process. 4:2:2 digital component formats sample the luminance component at 13.5 MHz and sample both of the chrominance components at half that rate. 4:1:1 digital component formats sample both of the chrominance components at one-quarter the luminance sample rate.
MiniDV is the name of a very small video cassette often misused as the name of a recording format. MiniDV cassettes can actually be used by the VCR’s of three different formats; DV, DVCPRO, and DVCAM. Because of its small size, MiniDV cassettes are most often used in DV format camcorders which is why the DV format is sometimes being called MiniDV. The DV format is the foundation for all three of the formats in the DV family. It is a component digital format, which for recording on such tiny tapes is compressed and sub-sampled, yet still manages to outperform the last generation of broadcast quality component analog recorders at a fraction of the cost. The ins, outs, features, and characteristics of DV camcorders and VCR’s very closely resemble consumer and prosumer SVHS or 8mm equipment which limits its usefulness in the professional video and broadcast industry despite its high quality and low price. Therefore Panasonic came up with DVCPRO, and Sony with DVCAM. These systems build on the DV format by offering equipment with traditional professional configurations. While they share the DV video compression and sampling structure, they are enhanced by modifications to the basic DV recording format. Because a degree of compatibility with DV was maintained, both DVCPRO and DVCAM equipment can play DV recordings made on MiniDV cassettes. In addition, DVCAM equipment can record and playback DVCAM recordings on MiniDV cassettes. Cassettes which can be used in VCR’s of the DV family also come in two other sizes. The largest is referred to as Standard size, while the medium size is referred to as ENG. In addition to the size and length differences of these cassettes, some cassettes offer internal memory chips which can be used to hold shot log information.
DV
NTSC, 5:1 compressed 8 bit 4:1:1 component digital format with 2 channels of digital audio plus time code. Maximum recording time is 180 minutes, tape width is ¼ inch. This is a consumer format with reduced professional capability.
Digital video formats offer low noise recordings with the least amount of multi-generation deterioration. The employment of digital compression, however, increases picture distortion by an amount related to the compression ratio.
Component video formats offer recordings free of visual artifacts caused by the composite encoding process. 4:2:2 digital component formats sample the luminance component at 13.5 MHz and sample both of the chrominance components at half that rate. 4:1:1 digital component formats sample both of the chrominance components at one-quarter the luminance sample rate.
MiniDV is the name of a very small video cassette often misused as the name of a recording format. MiniDV cassettes can actually be used by the VCR’s of three different formats; DV, DVCPRO, and DVCAM. Because of its small size, MiniDV cassettes are most often used in DV format camcorders which is why the DV format is sometimes being called MiniDV. The DV format is the foundation for all three of the formats in the DV family. It is a component digital format, which for recording on such tiny tapes is compressed and sub-sampled, yet still manages to outperform the last generation of broadcast quality component analog recorders at a fraction of the cost. The ins, outs, features, and characteristics of DV camcorders and VCR’s very closely resemble consumer and prosumer SVHS or 8mm equipment which limits its usefulness in the professional video and broadcast industry despite its high quality and low price. Therefore Panasonic came up with DVCPRO, and Sony with DVCAM. These systems build on the DV format by offering equipment with traditional professional configurations. While they share the DV video compression and sampling structure, they are enhanced by modifications to the basic DV recording format. Because a degree of compatibility with DV was maintained, both DVCPRO and DVCAM equipment can play DV recordings made on MiniDV cassettes. In addition, DVCAM equipment can record and playback DVCAM recordings on MiniDV cassettes. Cassettes which can be used in VCR’s of the DV family also come in two other sizes. The largest is referred to as Standard size, while the medium size is referred to as ENG. In addition to the size and length differences of these cassettes, some cassettes offer internal memory chips which can be used to hold shot log information.
Betacam SP
NTSC/ PAL, Component analog format with 2 channels of linear analog audio employing Dolby C noise reduction and 2 channels of fequency modulated HiFi analog audio plus time code. Maximum recording time is 90 minutes, tape width is ½ inch.
Betacam
NTSC/ PAL, Component analog format with 2 channels of linear analog audio employing Dolby C noise reduction and 2 channels of fequency modulated HiFi analog audio plus time code. Maximum recording time is 90 minutes, tape width is ½ inch.
1 Inch
NTSC/PAL/SECAM, Composite analog format with 2 channels of linear analog audio [optionally employing Dolby™ A noise reduction] plus time code. Maximum recording time is 3 hours, tape width is 1 inch (reel). 1-inch was the first and most widespread version of a helical recording medium. There are three types of 1-inch: 1" Type-A, 1" Type-B and the most popular/common: 1" Type-C. 1" tape is still widely used by television stations.
3/4 inch or Umatic SP
NTSC/PAL/SECAM, Composite analog format with 2 channels of linear analog audio plus time code. Maximum recording time is 75 minutes, tape width is ¾ inch. Umatic tape was the first commercially successful cassette tape and a wide varirty of television shows were recorded on Umatic. Umatic SP is a higher grade tape that allows greater vertical resolution. However, many Umatic tapes- if not stored in optimal conditions, will degrade and cause white snow or tearing in the video. If this happens, your tape may need to be professionally restored. If you have questions about the why this happens and what you can do, click here.
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DVCAM
NTSC, 5:1 compressed 8 bit 4:1:1 component digital format with 2 channels of digital audio plus time code (4 channel recordings possible with reduced sample rates). Maximum recording time is 184 minutes, tape width is ¼ inch.
Digital video formats offer low noise recordings with the least amount of multi-generation deterioration. The employment of digital compression, however, increases picture distortion by an amount related to the compression ratio.
Component video formats offer recordings free of visual artifacts caused by the composite encoding process. 4:2:2 digital component formats sample the luminance component at 13.5 MHz and sample both of the chrominance components at half that rate. 4:1:1 digital component formats sample both of the chrominance components at one-quarter the luminance sample rate.
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