Videotape consumption in square inches per second

Modern videotape systems use far less tape than the old Quadruplex format.  Quad machines use 750 square feet of tape per hour.  The table below shows how much less tape is used by each of the other popular formats.  For example, Quadruplex machines use 90 times as much tape (in square inches per second) as DVCPRO.

Format Speed, ips Width Square inches
per second
Ratio
Quad 15 2 in. 30 1
Type C, Type A 9.6 1 in. 9.6 3.125
U-matic 3.75 ¾ in. 2.8125 10.67
EIAJ 7.5 ½ in. 3.75 8
D1 11.28 19 mm 8.46 3.546
D2 5.19 19 mm 3.89 7.712
D5 6.584 19 mm 3.292 9.113
Betamax 1.57 ½ in. 0.79 37.97
Betacam, Beta SP 4.67 ½ in. 2.34 12.82
Digital Betacam 3.8 ½ in. 1.9 15.79
Beta SX 2.345 ½ in. 1.173 17.34
VHS (SP) 1.312 ½ in. 0.656 45.73
VHS (LP) 0.656 ½ in. 0.328 91.46
VHS (EP) 0.4375 ½ in. 0.219 137
S-VHS, D-VHS 1.3125 ½ in. 0.656 45.73
Hi-8 0.57 8 mm 0.18 166.7
Digital 8 1.14 8 mm 0.359 83.6
M-II 2.67 ½ in. 1.335 22.47
HDCAM 3.808 ½ in. 0.1904 157.6
DV / DVC 0.7414 ¼ in. 0.1854 161.8
DVCPRO 1.333 ¼ in. 0.333 90
DVCPRO-50 2.66 ¼ in. 0.667 45
DVCAM 1.112 ¼ in. 0.278 107.9


Document location http://www.akdart.com/vtr/chart2.html
Updated January 28, 2006.
Copyright ©2006 by Andrew K. Dart
All rights reserved.