A Variable-Tracking Playback Development for Professional S-VHS Videotape Recorders

N. Neubert, R. Nishima, K. Shudo, T. Yasuda, M. Takemura, S. Narita

An S-VHS videocassette player has been developed that employs a variable-tracking technique to yield clear, noise-free, and visually continuous pictures at any playback speed between −2X normal play speed in reverse, and +3X normal play speed in forward. The S-VHS player combines a uniquely designed voice coil motor actuator to deflect the playback heads, with precision control circuits that use feedback of both head-position and FM RF level information to accurately position the playback heads on the videotape tracks at any playback speed within the specified range. Double-azimuth playback heads have been developed, a pair of which are installed on the scanner drum and permit either the tracing and playback of just a single track on the videotape. A time base corrector employs circuits to accomplish head switching and adjust the timing of the signals played back from each head. These technologies all combine to introduce high performance, wide range, and economical variable-speed playback to the S-VHS video-recording format.

Print ISSN
Published
1993-06
Content type
Original Research
DOI
10.5594/J00610