DVCPRO: playing to the strengths of tape

The television production and transmission world are in a state of flux. New developments challenge traditional thinking with almost monotonous regularity. Yet some things seem never to change; last years´ programmes were worse than this years and a new VTR format is about to be released are two of the given truths of the TV business. Even now, in the age of generally available hard disc video recording, the second holds true. This paper examines the case for a new VTR format in general and argues that to compete in a world where other solutions may be possible, tape based systems will need to specialise to succeed. The DVCPRO recording format is an example of this new approach, by focusing on ENG acquisition it can offer system advantages not possible with other technologies or general purpose systems