View source for HDCAM

{{short description|Magnetic tape-based videocassette format for HD video}}
{{For|the type of pirated movie release|Pirated movie release types}}
{{Infobox media
| name = HDCAM
| logo = HDCAM logo.svg
| image = Hdcam.jpg
| caption = HDCAM small videotape
| type = [[Magnetic tape]], ½-inch
| encoding = 
| capacity = 
| read = 
| write = 
| standard = 
| owner = 
| use = [[Video production]]
| extended from = 
| extended to = 
| released = {{Start date and age|1997}}
}}

[[File:Sony HDW-F900 of ETTV at Shiow Meei Industrial booth 20201101.jpg|thumb|Sony HDW-F900 CineAlta HDCAM camcorder]]

'''HDCAM''' is a [[high-definition video]] [[digital recording]] [[Videocassette#Cassette_formats|videocassette]] version of [[Betacam|Digital Betacam]] introduced in 1997 that uses an 8-bit [[discrete cosine transform]] (DCT) [[video compression|compressed]] [[Chroma subsampling#3:1:1|3:1:1]] recording, in [[1080i]]-compatible down-sampled resolution of 1440×1080, and adding [[24p]] and 23.976 [[progressive segmented frame]] (PsF) modes to later models. The HDCAM codec uses rectangular pixels and as such the recorded 1440×1080 content is upsampled to 1920×1080 on playback. The recorded video bit rate is 144&nbsp;Mbit/s. Audio is also similar, with four channels of [[AES3]] 20-bit, 48&nbsp;kHz [[digital audio]]. Like Betacam, HDCAM tapes were produced in small and large cassette sizes; the small cassette uses the same form factor as the original [[Betamax]]. The main competitor to HDCAM was the [[DV (video format)#DVCPRO HD|DVCPRO&nbsp;HD]] format offered by Panasonic, which uses a similar compression scheme and bit rates ranging from 40&nbsp;Mbit/s to 100&nbsp;Mbit/s depending on frame rate.

HDCAM is standardized as '''SMPTE 367M''', also known as '''SMPTE D-11'''. Like most videotape formats, HDCAM is no longer in widespread use, having been superseded by memory cards, disk-based recording formats, and SSDs. Despite its decline in usage, Sony still manufactures new HDCAM tape stock as of 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pro.sony/ue_US/products/tape-media/hdcam|title=HDCAM Magnetic Storage Tape}}</ref>

==SMPTE 367M==
[[File:Hdcamvtr.jpg|thumb|HDCAM deck]]
[[File:Fujifilm HD331 20070526.jpg|thumb|HDCAM L tape]]
SMPTE 367M, also known as SMPTE D-11, is the [[SMPTE]] standard for HDCAM. The standard specifies [[video compression|compression]] of [[High-definition video|high-definition]] digital video. D11 source picture rates can be 24, 24/1.001, 25 or 30/1.001 frames per second [[progressive scan]], or 50 or 60/1.001 fields per second [[Interlaced video|interlaced]]; compression yields output bit rates ranging from 112 to 140&nbsp;Mbit/s. Each D11 source frame is composed of a [[Luminance (video)|luminance]] channel at 1920 x 1080 pixels and a [[chrominance]] channel at 960 x 1080 pixels. During compression, each frame's luminance channel is subsampled at 1440 x 1080, while the chrominance channel is subsampled at 480 x 1080, meaning 3:1:1 chroma subsampling.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvyvideo.com/en/2006062219399/articles/technology-1/a-look-at-hdcam-sr.html|title=A look at HDCAM SR &#124; TVyVideo|website=www.tvyvideo.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0O8FpvOGul8C&dq=hdcam+140+3%3A1%3A1&pg=PT72|title=Digital Video Production Handbook|first=Pierre A. Kandorfer Ph|last=D|date=December 17, 2009|publisher=Xlibris Corporation|isbn=9781450003575 |via=Google Books}}</ref> HDCAM supports recording at 24 FPS for film production applications, but it can be configured for television production. Similar to MPEG IMX, the helical scan head drum is 80 mm in diameter. The helical tracks read by the video heads in the drum, are 22 microns wide. The video heads have a 15.25 degree [[azimuth recording|azimuth]]. Audio is also recorded on the helical tracks.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8YDOAwAAQBAJ&dq=dv+9000+rpm&pg=PA473|title=Broadcast Engineer's Reference Book|first=E. P. J.|last=Tozer|date=November 12, 2012|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=9781136024184 |via=Google Books}}</ref>

==HDCAM SR==
{{pic|HDCAM SR logo.svg|Logo of HDCAM SR}}
[[File:Sony BCT-40SR 20060616.jpg|thumb|HDCAM SR small tape]]

'''HDCAM SR''' was introduced in 2003 and standardised in [[SMPTE 409M]]-2005.<ref name="BPRL">{{Cite web|url=https://pro.sony/en_GB/|title=Sony Professional - Products and Solutions To Redefine Your Business|website=pro.sony}}</ref> It uses a higher particle density tape and is capable of recording in 10 bits 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 [[RGB]] with a video bit rate of 440&nbsp;Mbit/s, and a total data rate of approximately 600&nbsp;Mbit/s.<ref name="hdcamsrfaq">{{Cite web|url=https://pro.sony/en_GB/change-country-region-language?originalUrl=%2F%3Fsite%3Dbiz_en_GB%26contentId%3D1164903089736%26parentFlexibleHub%3D1169220709744&site=biz_en_GB&contentId=1164903089736&parentFlexibleHub=1169220709744|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212001944/http://www.sonybiz.net/biz/view/ShowContent.action?site=biz_en_GB&contentId=1164903089736&parentFlexibleHub=1169220709744|url-status=dead|title=Change Country|archivedate=December 12, 2007|website=pro.sony}}</ref> The increased bit rate (over HDCAM) allows HDCAM SR to capture much more of the full bandwidth of the [[HD-SDI]] signal (1920×1080). Some HDCAM SR VTRs can also use a 2× mode with an even higher video bit rate of 880&nbsp;Mbit/s, allowing for a single 4:4:4 stream at a lower compression or two 4:2:2 video streams simultaneously.<ref name="hdcamsrfaq"/> HDCAM SR uses [[MPEG-4 Part 2]] Simple Studio Profile<ref name="BPRL"/> for compression, and expands the number of audio channels up to 12 at 48&nbsp;kHz/24-bit.

There are 12 channels of audio recorded uncompressed at 24 bit 48&nbsp;kHz sampling. Each channel is capable of recording AES3 non-audio data.

HDCAM SR was used commonly for HDTV television production. In the mid-2000s, many prime-time network television shows used HDCAM SR as a master recording medium,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/dq/pdf/tv/TechnicalDeliveryStandardsBBCv3.pdf |title=BBC Guidelines to the common technical standards agreed by the BBC, BSkyB, Channel 4, Channel 5, ITV and S4C}} Mentions HDCAM SR to be the only acceptable delivery format.</ref> but it is no longer in widespread use.

Some HDCAM VTRs play back older Betacam variants, for example the Sony SRW-5500 HDCAM SR recorder plays back and records HDCAM and HDCAM SR tapes, and with optional hardware also plays and upconverts Digital Betacam tapes to HD format. Tape lengths are the same as for Digital Betacam, up to 40 minutes for S and 124 minutes for L tapes. In 24p mode the runtime increases to 50 and 155 minutes, respectively.

HDCAM tapes are black with an orange lid, and HDCAM SR tapes black with a cyan lid.

440&nbsp;Mbit/s mode is known as '''SQ''', and 880&nbsp;Mbit/s mode is known as '''HQ'''.

Sony also announced a higher compression mode called SR Lite.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/mkt-cinematography/resource.solutions.bbsccms-assets-mkt-cinema-solutions-hdcamsr2.shtml#mxf |title=Sony for Professionals:Open Workflow with MXF and SR Lite}}</ref><ref>HDCAM SR Press Conference "Power Of Images"</ref> As with the 440 and 880 mode, SR Lite utilizes the MPEG-4 Part 2 Simple Studio Profile but decreases the bit rate to 220&nbsp;Mbit/s for 60i and 183&nbsp;Mbit/s for 50i. SR Lite is locked at 4:2:2 color sampling but still maintains 10 bit pixel depth. It also allows for 50 and 60p at the cost of a doubled data rate (440&nbsp;Mbit/s for 60p).

The Sony SRW-5800 HDCAM SR VTR has the ability to record both the left eye and right eye of [[3D film|3D]] content to a single tape. 
It syncs the two eyes together and takes up twice as much space on the tape as a normal recording. Other HDSR decks also support 3D such as the SRW-1 HDCAM SR Portable VTR and the SRW-5500/5000 which can play back either channel A or channel B of the Dual Stream 4:2:2 recording.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sony.co.uk/pro/article/cd-rebuild-1237479395206-1204|title=Broadcast, Professional and Business solutions|website=www.sony.co.uk}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Sony HDVS]]
* [[HDV]]
* [[XDCAM]]
* [[AVCHD]]
* [[XAVC]]
* [[DV (video format)#DVCPRO HD|DVCPRO HD]]
* [[D5 HD]]
* [[D6 HDTV VTR]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://archive.today/20030225183611/http://www.atsc.org/document_map/video_recording.htm  Guide To DTV Standards: Video Recording]
* [http://www.qgpop.net/2003fukuoka/presentations/B2-1.ppt Overview of Digital Video Standards] -- PowerPoint presentation

{{Video storage formats}} <!-- Template is misnamed; "industrial and home video media" -->
{{High-definition}}
{{High definition media}}
{{SMPTE standards}}
{{Sony Corp}}

[[Category:Video storage]]
[[Category:Film and video technology]]
[[Category:SMPTE standards]]
[[Category:Videocassette formats]]