Technical Committee Standards, Recommended Practices, and Strategies Guidelines for the Preservation of Video Recordings IASA-TC 06 Part C. Introduction From IASA-TC 06, Edition 1 Version for comment, 2018 C-1 Version for comment, March 2018 Guidelines for the Preservation of Video Recordings Table of Contents C.1 Introduction to carriers: assessment, preparation, and cleaning C-8 C.1.1 Background C-8 C.1.2 Videotape formats, standards, and specifications C-8 C.1.3 Videotape assessment, prep, cleaning, and hydrolysis treatment: general discussion C-10 C.1.3.1 Introduction C-10 C.1.3.2 Inspection and physical assessment C-11 C.1.3.2.1 Case, flange, and enclosure C-11 C.1.3.2.2 Tape and pack C-11 C.1.3.2.3 Hydrolysis/binder degradation C-12 C.1.3.2.4 Loss of lubricant C-12 C.1.3.2.5 Mould C-13 C.1.3.3 Cleaning C-13 C.1.3.3.1 The cleaning environment C-13 C.1.3.3.2 Initial manual cleaning C-13 C.1.3.3.3 Mould removal (safety warning) C-13 C.1.3.3.4 Cassette shell disassembly C-14 C.1.3.3.5 Machine cleaning C-14 C.1.3.4 Baking tapes: treating tape hydrolysis C-15 C.1.3.4.1 Background C-15 C.1.3.4.2 Heat treatment of sticky-shed videotapes C-16 C.2 Quadruplex 2-inch Videotapes C-18 C.2.1 Introduction C-18 C.2.1.1 Format history and featured technology C-18 C.2.1.2 The use of frequency modulation C-18 C.2.1.3 Introduction to recording specifications or modes C-19 C.2.1.4 Initial cost of acquisition C-19 C.2.2 Extent of 2-inch quadruplex holdings and urgency of preservation C-20 C.2.3 Selection of best copy C-21 C.2.4 Cleaning and carrier restoration C-22 C.2.4.1 Physical inspection of the housing C-22 C.2.4.2 Tape formulation C-27 C.2.4.3 Cleaning C-27 C.2.4.4 Baking tapes C-28 C.2.4.5 Other factors, especially humidity C-29 C-2 Guidelines for the Preservation of Video Recordings Version for comment, March 2018 C.2.5 Replay equipment (playback VTRs) C-29 C.2.5.1 Background C-29 C.2.5.2 Modes of operation, additional information C-32 C.2.6 Equipment maintenance for quadruplex VTRs C-32 C.2.7 Equipment alignment for quadruplex VTRs C-33 C.2.7.1 Calibration tapes and test media C-33 C.2.7.2 Correction and adjustment for satisfactory replay C-33 C.2.7.2.1 Tracking C-33 C.2.7.2.2 Ampex illustrations of visual artefacts relating to VTR adjustments C-39 C.2.7.2.3 Colour lock C-42 C.2.7.2.4 Skew C-42 C.2.8 Sound tracks C-42 C.2.9 Time code and control track on quadruplex videotape C-43 C.2.10 Time factor for transfer of quadruplex video tapes C-43 C.2.11 Time base and related forms of correction for quadruplex tapes C-43 C.2.11.1 Dubbing via radio frequency (RF) transfer C-43 C.2.11.2 Monitoring options C-44 C.2.11.3 Time base correction and enhancement functions C-44 C.2.11.4 Dropout compensation C-46 C.2.11.5 Noise reduction C-46 C.3 C.3 EIAJ and Sony CV ½-inch open reel videotapes C-47 C.3.1 Introduction C-47 C.3.2 Selection of best copy C-48 C.3.3 Cleaning and carrier restoration C-49 C.3.4 Replay equipment (playback VTRs) C-51 C.3.5 Use of time base correctors (TBCs) for ½-inch open reel videotapes C-52 C.3.6 ½-inch open reel recording formats C-53 C.3.6.1 List of ½-inch formats C-53 C.3.6.2 Feature comparison for CV, EIAJ type 1, and EIAJ type 2 videotapes C-53 C.3.7 Maintenance of ½-inch playback VTRs C-54 C-3 Version for comment, March 2018 Guidelines for the Preservation of Video Recordings C.3.8 Equipment alignment and calibration tapes and test media C-55 C.3.9 Sound tracks C-55 C.3.10 Time code and external control C-55 C.4 1-inch helical-scan open reel videotapes C-58 C.4.1 Background C-58 C.4.2 Type A C-60 C.4.2.1 Introduction C-60 C.4.2.2 Selection of best copy C-60 C.4.2.3 Replay equipment (playback VTRs) C-61 C.4.2.4 Recording formats C-61 C.4.2.5 Sound tracks C-62 C.4.2.6 Equipment maintenance C-62 C.4.2.7 Equipment alignment C-62 C.4.3 Type B C-63 C.4.3.1 C.4.3.1 Introduction C-63 C.4.3.2 Selection of best copy C-64 C.4.3.3 Replay equipment (playback VTRs) C-64 C.4.3.3.1 VTRs and time base correctors C-64 C.4.3.3.2 Dropout compensation C-64 C.4.3.3.3 Waveform monitors, vectorscopes, and calibrated monitors C-65 C.4.3.4 Recording formats C-65 C.4.3.5 Equipment maintenance C-66 C.4.3.6 Equipment alignment C-66 C.4.4 Type C C-67 C.4.4.1 Introduction C-67 C.4.4.2 Selection of best copy C-68 C.4.4.3 Replay equipment (playback VTRs) C-69 C.4.4.3.1 VTRs and time base correctors C-69 C.4.4.3.2 Dropout compensation C-69 C.4.4.3.3 Waveform monitors, vectorscopes, and calibrated monitors C-69 C.4.4.4 Recording formats C-70 C.4.4.5 Equipment maintenance C-70 C.4.4.6 Equipment alignment C-70 C.4.4.7 Calibration tapes and test media C-71 C-4 Guidelines for the Preservation of Video Recordings Version for comment, March 2018 C.4.5 Cleaning and restoring 1-inch tape formats C-71 C.4.5.1 Tape cleaning and cleaning machines C-71 C.4.5.2 Correction for sub-optimal transfers caused by misaligned equipment C-72 C.4.6 Time code C-72 C.4.7 Distinguishing 1-inch tape types C-72 C.5 U-matic ¾-inch videocassettes C-78 C.5.1 Introduction C-78 C.5.2 Extent of U-matic holdings and urgency of digitising C-79 C.5.3 Selection of best copy C-80 C.5.4 Cleaning and carrier restoration C-80 C.5.4.1 Physical inspection of the cassette housing C-80 C.5.4.2 Tape formulation C-81 C.5.4.3 Cleaning C-82 C.5.4.4 Baking tapes C-83 C.5.5 Replay equipment (playback VTRs) C-83 C.5.6 Recording formats C-84 C.5.6.1 Low-band C-84 C.5.6.2 High-band C-84 C.5.6.3 SP C-84 C.5.7 Equipment maintenance for U-matic VTRs C-84 C.5.8 Equipment alignment for U-matic VTRs C-85 C.5.8.1 Calibration tapes and test media C-85 C.5.8.2 Correction and adjustment for satisfactory replay C-85 C.5.8.2.1 Tracking C-85 C.5.8.2.2 Colour lock C-85 C.5.8.2.3 Skew C-85 C.5.9 Sound tracks C-86 C.5.10 Time code for U-matic videocassettes C-86 C.5.11 Time factor for transfer of U-matic videocassettes C-86 C.5.12 Time base correction for U-matic videocassettes C-86 C.5.12.1 Radio frequency (RF) support C-86 C.5.12.2 Enhancement functions of the TBC C-87 C.5.12.2.1 Dropout compensation C-87 C.5.12.2.2 Noise reduction C-87 C-5 Version for comment, March 2018 Guidelines for the Preservation of Video Recordings C.6 ½-inch analogue consumer and semi-professional videocassettes C-89 C.6.1 Introduction C-89 C.6.2 Selection of best copy C-90 C.6.3 Cleaning and carrier restoration C-91 C.6.4 Typology of ½-inch formats and replay equipment (playback VTRs) C-92 C.6.4.1 Philips VCR cassette format C-93 C.6.4.1.1 History C-93 C.6.4.1.2 Recording formats C-93 C.6.4.1.3 Sound tracks C-93 C.6.4.2 National/Panasonic Cartridge Format C-94 C.6.4.2.1 Recording formats C-94 C.6.4.2.2 Sound tracks C-94 C.6.4.3 Avco Cartrivision format C-94 C.6.4.3.1 History C-94 C.6.4.3.2 Recording formats C-94 C.6.4.3.3 Sound tracks C-94 C.6.4.4 Sanyo-Toshiba V-Cord I and II formats C-94 C.6.4.4.1 History C-94 C.6.4.4.2 Recording formats C-94 C.6.4.4.3 Sound tracks C-95 C.6.4.5 Quasar VX Cartridge Format C-95 C.6.4.5.1 History C-95 C.6.4.5.2 Recording formats C-95 C.6.4.5.3 Sound tracks C-95 C.6.4.6 Akai VK Videocassette Format C-95 C.6.4.6.1 History C-95 C.6.4.6.2 Recording formats C-95 C.6.4.6.3 Sound tracks C-95 C.6.4.7 Sony Betamax videocassette format C-96 C.6.4.7.1 History C-96 C.6.4.7.2 Recording formats C-96 C.6.4.7.3 Sound tracks C-97 C.6.4.8 VHS (Video Home System) videocassette format C-98 C.6.4.8.1 History C-98 C.6.4.8.2 Recording formats C-98 C.6.4.8.3 Sound tracks C-101 C.6.4.9 Philips-Grundig Video Compact Cassette, Video 2000/V2000XL/VCC C-102 C.6.4.9.1 History C-102 C.6.4.9.2 Recording formats C-102 C.6.4.9.3 Sound tracks C-103 C-6 Guidelines for the Preservation of Video Recordings Version for comment, March 2018 C.6.5 Feature comparison for VHS, Betamax, and V2000 formats C-104 C.6.6 Maintenance and testing of ½-inch VTRs used for playback C-104 C.6.7 Alignment of ½-inch VTRs used for playback C-106 C.6.7.1 Correction for sub-optimal transfers caused by misaligned equipment C-106 C.6.7.2 Correction for sub-optimal transfers caused by carrier degradation and storage artefacts C-107 C.6.8 Time code for ½-inch consumer and semi-professional videocassettes C-108 C.6.9 Time factor for transfer of ½-inch consumer and semi-professional videocassettes C-108 C.7 Betacam ½-inch professional videocassette family C-109 C.7.1 Introduction C-109 C.7.2 Selection of best copy C-109 C.7.3 Typology of Betacam formats and replay equipment (playback VTRs) C-111 C.7.3.1 Betacam C-111 C.7.3.2 Betacam SP C-111 C.7.3.3 Digital Betacam C-111 C.7.3.4 Betacam SX C-112 C.7.3.5 MPEG IMX C-112 C.7.3.6 HDCAM C-112 C.7.3.7 HDCAM SR C-113 C.7.4 Compatibility of Betacam videocassette types on different Betacam VTRs C-113 C.7.5 Availability of Betacam VTRs C-114 C.7.6 Betacam videocassette types and tape formulations C-116 C.7.7 Maintenance of Betacam-family VTRs C-117 C.7.8 Alignment of Betacam-family VTRs C-118 C.7.8.1 Normal alignment, calibration, and related actions C-118 C.7.8.2 Testing, maintenance, and playback with some do-it-yourself actions C-119 C.7.9 Sound tracks C-120 C.7.9.1 Noise reduction C-120 C.7.10 Time code on selected Betacam-family videocassettes C-120 C.7.11 Time factor for transfer of Betacam-family videocassettes C-121 C-7 Version for comment, March 2018 Guidelines for the Preservation of Video Recordings C.1 INTRODUCTION TO CARRIERS: ASSESSMENT, PREPARATION, AND CLEANING C.1.1 Background This section of IASA-TC 06 provides advice on how to replay obsolete videotapes.