The table below shows the major professional and industrial videotape formats available and their various qualities.

Video Format	Signal Type	Tape Type	SN Lum	SN Chr	Hrz Res	Rec Time	Pros	Cons
VHS	Comp	Oxd	45	45	240	20/160 mins	Most popular home recording format. Inexpensive.	Low signal quality.
S-VHS	Y-C	Oxd	47	48	400	20/160 mins	Excellent quality for a low price.	Somewhat noisy compared to higher end formats.
8mm	C	Oxd	45	47	255	120 mins	Small. Inexpensive.	Low signal quality.
Hi-8	Y/C	MP	46	48	400	120 mins	Small. Good quality to price ratio. Excellent aquisition format	small tape not especially suited to the rigors of editing.
3/4"	Y/C	MP	45	46	260	20/60 mins	Good durability for editing and long life	Cassettes are large and bulky. Can't be configured as a camcorder
3/4"SP	C	MP	47	48	340	20/60 mins	Good durability for editing and long life.	Cassettes are large and bulky. Can't be configured as a camcorder
Betacam	Col Dif	Oxd	48	50	340	30/90 mins	Good durability for editing and long life.	Costly.
Betacam SP	Col Dif	MP	51	53	340	30/90 mins	Excellent quality. Good durability for editing and long life.	Expensive
Betacam SX	Col Dif	MP					Excellent quality. Digital format.	Expensive
MII	Col Dif	MP	52	50	340	120 mins	Excellent quality. Good durability for editing and long life.	Expensive. Not as predominent as betaSP
1"	C	Oxd	46	46	340	90 mins	Excellent quality. Good durability for editing and long life.	Expensive
DV/DVC-Pro	Col Dif	MP	54	54	460	60/240 mins	High quality. Inexpensive, digital format. Good aquisition format.	Incompatibility between different manufactures.
Digital S		MP			540	104 mins	Excellent quality. Digital format. Good durability for editing and long life. Can read S-VHS videotapes.	Expensive
D-1	Col Dif	MP	56	56	460	90 mins	Excellent quality. Digital format.	Expensive
D-2	C	MP	54	N.A.	450	120 mins	Excellent quality. Digital composite format.	Expensive
D-3	C	MP	54	N.A.	450	120 mins	Excellent quality. Digital format.	Expensive