Recent advances in video tape recording

Since the first commercially successful video tape recorder (VTR) was developed in 1956, the rotating-head-type VTR has been the mainstream of video recording. In the rotating-head-type VTR, the shorter recording wavelength makes possible a smaller and better cost-performance VTR for institutional and home use. The reduction in the recording wavelength on the recording media has been mainly accomplished by the improved developments of video head and tape. Depending upon international communications and business activities, a global VTR system for NTSC, PAL and SECAM is expected, and the VHS format VTR is the only system to meet with simple modification, this requirement at present. The video software business will become more active when the VTR population increases to a certain number, such as a million. Contact duplication technology will become very important to meet this market demand. The Bifilar winding method is presumed to be a commercially successful way for mass duplication of video tapes in the near future. The historical background of these subjects and future forecasts are discussed in this paper.