U-matic is an analogue recording videocassette format first
shown by Sony in prototype in October 1969 and introduced to the market in
September 1971. It was among the first video formats to contain the videotape
inside a cassette, as opposed to the various reel-to-reel or open-reel formats
of the time.
By 1974, U-matic had established its dominance in the
non-broadcast AV field:
“The U-matic has become so widespread in
industrial and business communications,” wrote Broadcast
Management/Engineering, “that tape is a new vernacular in broad reaches of
industry.” The cassettes and decks were relatively compact, very easy to use,
rugged, and reliable.
In the words of author James Lardner:
“Decisively rejected by the consumer market
for which it had been intended, the U-matic became a stunning success just the
same.”
TYPES OF U-MATIC MACHINES
·
U-Matic
Low-Band – PAL/NTSC/SECAM Counties
·
1st
Revision: U-Matic High-Band - PAL Counties
·
2nd
Revision: U-Matic SP High-Band – PAL/NTSC Counties
·
U-Matic BVU-SP
High-Band – PAL/NTSC Counties
U-Matic, and then later the U-Matic
SP (superior Performance) models were categorised as either:
·
VP – Video
Playback
·
VO – Industrial
Video Recorder
Broadcast U-Matics were categorised
as:
·
BVU - Broadcast
Video Recorder/Editor.
These
were available as either portable or studio decks.
Early studio and all portable
U-Matic VCRs had a drawer-type mechanism which required the tape to be
inserted, followed by manual closure of the drawer (a "top-loading"
mechanism).
Later studio VCRs accepted the
cassette from a port opening and the cassette was pulled into and seated in the
transport (a "front-loading" mechanism).
INTRODUCTION OF HIGH-BAND AND SP
FOR PAL COUNTRIES
This was followed by SP (superior
performance), for NTSC and PAL countries.
Both revisions increased the FM carrier frequencies,
increasing the available bandwidth on the tape, hence increasing image quality.
PAL U-matic Hi-Band increased the FM
carrier frequency to 4.8-6.4 MHz, while U-matic SP increased it even further to
5.6-7.2 MHz, while increasing the colour carrier frequency to 924 kHz.
U-MATIC USE FOR BROADCAST
Sony
introduced the semi backwards-compatible High-Band Broadcast
Video U-matic (BVU) format. The BVU format had an improved colour
recording system and lower noise levels. BVU gained immense popularity in
England and location programme-making, spelling the end of 16 mm film in
everyday production.
The first key development that made it possible to use U-matic
tapes for broadcast was the introduction in 1973 of an advanced, digital time
base corrector that could stabilize the helical signal sufficiently for
broadcast.
The second was Sony’s introduction in 1974 of ‘high-band’ U-matic
decks, which provided 50% greater bandwidth than the original decks had.
MAGNETIC TAPE STRUCTURE
U-Matic SP introduced a higher
quality chrome dioxide tape. Chrome dioxide
tape uses a magnetic emulsion formula CrO22. It is still considered by many oxide and tape manufacturers
to have been one of the best magnetic recording particulates ever invented.
Prior to
chrome dioxide tape, U-Matic tapes were made of iron oxide magnetic
particles.
The
structure is made up of an adhesive binder mixed with the recording
material which adheres to the substrate which holds the structure together. A
lubricant is usually provided to minimize head and tape wear.
SONY U-MATIC SPELLS THE END OF 16MM FILM PROCESSING
Television networks and affiliates, eager to speed up news
production and eliminate the heavy costs of 16mm film processing, quickly
embraced the new technology. No doubt Sony’s introduction in 1975 of a complete
U-matic editing system, combining record and playback decks, an electronic
controller, and a stable synch source, also played a role.
ARCHIVING PURPOSES
One critical issue facing archives that hold U-matic tapes is the
increasing unavailability of usable decks, technicians to repair them, and
expertise to calibrate and maintain them. Though many different models of
U-matic playback and record decks were produced,
High end
U-Matic recorders were expressly designed to meet increasing demands for top
quality video recording in the commerce and industry sectors. The first ‘industrial’ U-Matic, the VO-5800
offered a host of very useful functions, most of which are controlled from the
front panel. The most
technically advanced of the Sony range are the broadcast models, with model
names beginning with “BVU or U-Matic SP.” The BVU-950 and the U-Matic SP model
VO–9850 are particularly recommended.
STICKY SHED SYNDROME
Unfortunately, most U-matic tapes have not aged well. After
decades in storage, many of the videotapes now have sticky-shed syndrome, a condition in which the oxide that
holds the visual content is literally flaking off the polyester tape base and
is moist and gummy in texture. When a videotape has sticky-shed, not only will
it not play correctly, but the residue can also clog up the tape heads in the
U-matic playback deck, then transfer the contaminant to other tapes played
afterwards in the same deck.
To combat this, we always bake (dehumidify) our U-matic
videotapes in a scientific oven at
52 Celsius (125 Fahrenheit) for at least 10 hours. We also clean the video
heads inside our U-matic decks before each playback, using denatured alcohol.
TECHNICAL ELEMENTS
· The two Hi-Band variants are known as BVU and BVU-SP alternatively known as U-Matic SP. BVU-SP records and plays differently to BVU. As such, U-Matic tapes recorded in BVU and BVU-SP formats cannot normally be played on Low-Band decks.
· Low-Band and Hi-Band formats are not interchangeable. Whilst they use the same size tapes, a Hi-Band recording will play back in black and white only on a Lo-Band machine.
· U-Matic Abbreviation Meaning
o
VP = VIDEO PLAYBACK
o
VO = VIDEO RECORDER/PLAYBACK
o
BVU = BROADCAST VIDEO UNIT
|
U-MATIC
RECORDING TYPE |
PAL |
NTSC |
SECAM |
|
LOW-BAND |
YES |
YES |
YES |
|
HIGH-BAND |
YES |
SP YES |
NO |
|
SP |
YES |
YES |
|
|
YEAR |
CONSUMER TOP LOADING |
TYPE |
VIDEO SIGNAL |
BAND |
|
1969 |
Sony VR-1000 TL |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1971 |
Sony VP-1000 TL |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1971 |
Sony VP-1100 TL |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
YEAR |
PROFESSIONAL TOP LOADING DECK |
TYPE |
VIDEO SIGNAL |
BAND |
|
1971 |
Sony VO-1600 TL |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1972 |
Sony VO-1700 TL |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1972 |
Sony VO-1800 TL |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1976 |
Sony VP-2000 TL |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1981-83 |
Sony VP-2011 TL |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1977 |
Sony VP-2030 TL |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1981-83 |
Sony VP-2260 TL |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1976 |
Sony VO-2600 TL |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1980-82 |
Sony VO-2610 TL |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1971 |
Sony VO-2611 TL |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1977 |
Sony VO-2630 TL |
U-MATIC |
PAL/SECAM/NTSC |
LB |
|
1976 |
Sony VO-2800 TL |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1976 |
Sony VO-2850 TL |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1980 |
Sony VO-2860 TL |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
YEAR |
PROFESSIONAL PORTABLE |
TYPE |
VIDEO SIGNAL |
BAND |
|
1974 |
Sony VP-3000 |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1974 |
Sony VO-3800 |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1979 |
Sony VO-4700 |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1979 |
Sony VO-4800P |
U-MATIC |
PAL/SECAM |
LB |
|
1979 |
Sony VO-4800 |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1979 |
Sony VO-6800P |
U-MATIC |
PAL/SECAM |
LB |
|
1979 |
Sony VO-6800 |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BVU BROADCAST PORTABLE HB |
TYPE |
VIDEO SIGNAL |
BAND |
|
|
1975 |
Sony BVU 50P |
HB |
PAL |
HB LB |
|
1975 |
Sony BVU 50 | HB |
NTSC |
HB LB |
|
1975 |
Sony BVU 100P |
HB |
PAL |
HB LB |
|
1975 |
Sony BVU 100 | HB |
NTSC |
HB LB |
|
1975 |
Sony BVU 110P |
HB |
PAL |
HB LB |
|
1975 |
Sony BVU 110 |
HB |
NTSC |
HB LB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
YEAR |
BVU BROADCAST PORTABLE SP |
TYPE |
VIDEO SIGNAL |
BAND |
|
1981-90 |
Sony BVU 150P |
SP |
PAL |
SP HB LB |
|
1981-90 |
Sony BVU 150 | SP |
NTSC |
SP HB LB |
|
1981-82 |
Sony BVU 200P | SP |
PAL |
SP HB LB |
|
1981-82 |
Sony BVU 200 | SP |
NTSC |
SP HB LB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
YEAR |
TYPE 5 U-MATIC DECK |
TYPE |
VIDEO SIGNAL |
BAND |
|
1982-84 |
Sony VP-5000 |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1984-88 |
Sony VP-5020 |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1984-88 |
Sony VP-5030P |
U-MATIC |
PAL/NTSC/SECAM |
LB |
|
1984-88 |
Sony VP-5040P |
U-MATIC |
PAL/NTSC/SECAM |
LB |
|
1984-88 |
Sony VO-5600 |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1984-88 |
Sony VO-5630P |
U-MATIC |
PAL/NTSC/SECAM |
LB |
|
1984-88 |
Sony VO-5800P |
U-MATIC |
PAL/SECAM |
LB |
|
1984-88 |
Sony VO-5800 |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1984-88 |
Sony VO-5850P |
U-MATIC |
PAL |
LB |
|
1984-88 |
Sony VO-5850 |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
YEAR |
SERIES 7
U-MATIC DECK |
TYPE |
VIDEO SIGNAL |
BAND |
|
1988 |
Sony VP-7000 |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1989 |
Sony VP-7020 |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1989 |
Sony VP-7030P |
U-MATIC |
PAL/NTSC/SECAM |
LB |
|
1989 |
Sony VP-7040P |
U-MATIC |
PAL/NTSC/SECAM |
LB |
|
1989 |
Sony VO-7040P |
U-MATIC |
PAL/NTSC/SECAM |
LB |
|
1990 |
Sony VO-7600 |
U-MATIC |
NTSC |
LB |
|
1990 |
Sony VO-7630P |
U-MATIC |
PAL/NTSC/SECAM |
LB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
YEAR |
PROFESSIONAL PORTABLE SP |
TYPE |
VIDEO SIGNAL |
BAND |
|
1989 |
Sony VO-8800P |
SP |
PAL |
SP HB |
|
1989 |
Sony VO-8800 |
SP |
NTSC |
SP HB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
YEAR |
BVU 800 SERIES DECK HIGH-BAND |
|
|
|
|
1983-89 |
Sony BVU-800P | HB |
PAL |
HB LB |
|
1983-89 |
Sony BVU-800 |
HB |
NTSC |
HB LB |
|
1983-89 |
Sony BVU-820P |
HB |
PAL |
HB LB |
|
1983-89 |
Sony BVU-820 |
HB |
NTSC |
HB LB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
YEAR |
SERIES 9 DECK SP |
TYPE |
VIDEO SIGNAL |
BAND |
|
1987 |
Sony VP-9000P | SP |
PAL |
SP HB LB |
|
1987 |
Sony VP-9000 |
SP |
NTSC |
SP HB LB |
|
1988 |
Sony VO-9600P |
SP |
PAL |
SP HB LB |
|
1988 |
Sony VO-9600 |
SP |
NTSC |
SP HB LB |
|
1989 |
Sony VO-9800P | SP |
PAL |
SP HB LB |
|
1989 |
Sony VO-9800 |
SP |
NTSC |
SP HB LB |
|
1989 |
Sony VO-9850P |
SP |
PAL |
SP HB LB |
|
1989 |
Sony VO-9850 |
SP |
NTSC |
SP HB LB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
YEAR |
BVU 800 SERIES DECK SP |
TYPE |
VIDEO SIGNAL |
BAND |
|
1987-90 |
Sony BVU-850P |
SP |
PAL |
SP HB LB |
|
1987-90 |
Sony BVU-850 |
SP |
NTSC |
SP HB LB |
|
1987-90 |
Sony BVU-870P |
SP |
PAL |
SP HB LB |
|
1987-90 |
Sony BVU-870 |
SP |
NTSC |
SP HB LB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
YEAR |
BVU 900 SERIES DECK SP |
|
|
|
|
1993 |
Sony BVU-900P |
SP |
PAL |
SP HB LB |
|
1993 |
Sony BVU-900 |
SP |
NTSC |
SP HB LB |
|
1993 |
Sony BVU-920P |
SP |
PAL |
SP HB LB |
|
1993 |
Sony BVU-920 |
SP |
NTSC |
SP HB LB |
|
1993 |
Sony BVU-950P |
SP |
PAL |
SP HB LB |
|
1993 |
Sony BVU-950 |
SP |
NTSC |
SP HB LB |
1.
LB – Low-Band
2.
HB- High-Band
3.
SP – Superior Performance
Did you know Sony won an Emmy for the U-matic system in 1976?
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