Digital S video compression processing and recording

The Digital S video tape recording format combines a 50 Mbps, 4:2:2, intraframe, contribution grade, digital video compression processing system, with a one half inch video tape transport adapted and highly upgraded from the S-VHS video tape transport. The upgraded transport provides rugged and reliable service used with metal particle video tape and running at higher tape and drum rotation speeds. The processing and transport combination yields a high performance but low cost digital video tape recording system. A Digital S compressed digital video interface has been developed to permit the connection of Digital S signals between VCRs and other video equipment without the need to decode and encode between non-compressed digital video formats (ITU-R BT 601). The technologies employed in Digital S compression and processing, the Digital S video tape and tape track characteristics, and the Digital S interface are described.