History of U-Matic VCR Recorders

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History of U-Matic Players

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

·         1^st Revision: U-Matic High-Band - PAL Counties

·         2^nd 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

U-matic saw two revisions to improve its image quality. The first was High-Band or Hi-Band, introduced for PAL countries, with the original revision becoming known as Low-Band. 

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 CrO2_2. 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
YEAR	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			BAND
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?