View source for Engineering:DV (video format)

{{Short description|Digital video codecs and tape formats}}
{{Infobox storage medium
| name          = DV
| logo          = DV Logo.svg
| image         = DV tape sizes 2.jpg
| caption       = DV cassettes: DVCAM-L, DVCPRO-M, MiniDV
| type          = Magnetic cassette tape
| encoding      = DV
| capacity      = 
| read          = [[Engineering:Helical scan|Helical scan]]
| write         = [[Engineering:Helical scan|Helical scan]]
| standard      =
| owner         = [[Company:Sony|Sony]]<br />[[Company:Panasonic|Panasonic]]
| use           = Camcorders, [[Engineering:Home movies|Home movies]]
| extended from = 
| extended to   = 
| released      = {{Start date and age|1995}}
}}

'''DV''' ('''D'''igital '''V'''ideo) is a family of [[Codec|codec]]s and [[Engineering:Videotape|tape]] formats used for storing [[Engineering:Digital video|digital video]], launched in 1995 by a consortium of [[Engineering:Camcorder|video camera]] manufacturers led by [[Company:Sony|Sony]] and [[Company:Panasonic|Panasonic]]. It includes the recording or cassette formats DV, MiniDV, DVCAM, [[Engineering:Digital8|Digital8]], [[Engineering:HDV|HDV]], DVCPro, DVCPro50 and DVCProHD. DV has been used primarily for video recording with camcorders in the amateur and professional sectors.

DV was designed to be a standard for home video using digital data instead of analog.<ref>https://people.kth.se/~eskil/DV/DV_overwiev.pdf</ref> Compared to the analog Video8/Hi8, VHS-C and [[VHS]] formats, DV features a higher video resolution (on par with professional-grade Digital Betacam) and also records audio digitally at 16-bit like [[Engineering:Compact disc|CD]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Camcorder formats MiniDV DVD HDD HDV D8 VHS-C |url=http://columbiaisa.50webs.com/camcord_formats.htm |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=columbiaisa.50webs.com}}</ref> The most popular tape format using a DV codec was '''MiniDV'''; these cassettes measured just 6.35 mm/¼ inch, making it ideal for video cameras and rendering older analog formats obsolete.<ref name=":0" /> In the late 1990s and early 2000s, DV was strongly associated with the transition from analog to digital [[Engineering:Desktop video|desktop video]] production, and also with several enduring "[[Finance:Prosumer|prosumer]]" camera designs such as the Sony VX-1000.<ref name="spec_TheC">{{Cite web |title=The Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame: Sony DCR-VX1000 - IEEE Spectrum |author= |work=IEEE Spectrum: Technology, Engineering, and Science News |date= 3 January 2019|access-date=27 June 2021 |url= https://spectrum.ieee.org/consumer-electronics/gadgets/the-consumer-electronics-hall-of-fame-sony-dcrvx1000}}</ref> 

In 2003, DV was joined by a successor format called [[Engineering:HDV|HDV]], which used the same tapes but with an updated video codec with [[Engineering:High-definition video|high-definition video]]; HDV cameras could typically switch between DV and HDV recording modes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://global.canon/en/c-museum/product/dhc725.html|title=HV10 - Canon Camera Museum|website=global.canon|access-date=2016-07-21}}</ref> In the 2010s, DV rapidly grew obsolete as cameras using [[Memory card|memory card]]s and [[Solid-state drive|solid-state drive]]s became the norm, recording at higher [[Bit rate|bitrates]] and [[Image resolution|resolutions]] that were impractical for mechanical tape formats. Additionally, as manufacturers switched from interlaced to superior [[Engineering:Progressive scan|progressive]] recording methods, they broke the [[Engineering:Interoperability|interoperability]] that had previously been maintained across multiple generations of DV and HDV equipment.

== Development ==
DV was developed by the HD Digital VCR Association: in April 1994, 55 companies worldwide took part, which developed the standards and specifications of the format.<ref>{{Cite web |title=民生用デジタル VCR 規格概要 |url=http://www.interq.or.jp/blue/rhf333/D-VCR.htm |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=interq.or.jp}}</ref>

The original DV specification, known as ''Blue Book'', was standardized within the [[Organization:International Electrotechnical Commission|IEC]]&nbsp;61834 family of standards. These standards define common features such as physical videocassettes, recording modulation method, magnetization, and basic system data in part 1. Part 2 describes the specifics of video systems supporting [[Engineering:525 lines|525-60]] for [[Engineering:NTSC|NTSC]] and [[Engineering:625 lines|625-50]] for [[Engineering:PAL|PAL]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://webstore.iec.ch/preview/info_iec61834-2%7Bed1.0%7Den_d.pdf|title=Recording – Helical-scan digital videocassette recording system using 6,35 mm magnetic tape for consumer use|website=webstore.iec.ch}}</ref> The IEC standards are available as publications sold by IEC and ANSI.

== DV compression ==

DV uses [[Lossy compression|lossy compression]] of [[Engineering:Video|video]] while audio is stored uncompressed.<ref>{{cite web|title=DV Q&A Our Expert Answers Your Questions|url=http://www.videomaker.com/article/7330|work=Videomaker magazine|publisher=Videomaker, Inc|date=October 1999}}</ref> An intraframe video compression scheme is used to compress video on a frame-by-frame basis with the [[Discrete cosine transform|discrete cosine transform]] (DCT).

Closely following the [[Organization:ITU-R|ITU-R]] [[Rec. 601]] standard, DV video employs [[Interlaced video|interlaced]] scanning with the luminance sampling frequency of 13.5&nbsp;MHz. This results in 480 scanlines per complete frame for the 60&nbsp;Hz system, and 576 scanlines per complete frame for the 50&nbsp;Hz system. In both systems the active area contains 720 pixels per scanline, with 704 pixels used for content and 16 pixels on the sides left for digital blanking. The same frame size is used for 4:3 and 16:9 frame aspect ratios, resulting in different [[Pixel aspect ratio|pixel aspect ratio]]s for ''fullscreen'' and ''widescreen'' video.<ref name="DVCAM_OVERVIEW">{{cite web|url=http://www.sony.ca/dvcam/pdfs/dvcam%20format%20overview.pdf |title=DVCAM format overview |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928040838/http://www.sony.ca/dvcam/pdfs/dvcam%20format%20overview.pdf |archive-date=28 September 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dvmp.co.uk/digital-video.htm |title=Digital Video and Field Order |work=dvmp.co.uk}}</ref>

Prior to the DCT compression stage, [[Chroma subsampling|chroma subsampling]] is applied to the source video in order to reduce the amount of data to be compressed. Baseline DV uses [[Chroma subsampling#4:1:1|4:1:1 subsampling]] in its 60&nbsp;Hz variant and [[Chroma subsampling#4:2:0|4:2:0 subsampling]] in the 50&nbsp;Hz variant. Low chroma resolution of DV (compared to higher-end digital video formats) is a reason this format is sometimes avoided in [[Engineering:Chroma key|chroma key]]ing applications, though advances in chroma keying techniques and software have made producing quality keys from DV material possible.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fxguide.com/article314.html|title=fxguide - vfx knowledge - Art of Keying|date=24 March 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060324221038/http://www.fxguide.com/article314.html |archive-date=24 March 2006 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adamwilt.com/DV-FAQ-tech.html#DVchromakey|title=The DV, DVCAM, & DVCPRO Formats &ndash; tech details, FAQ, and links.|work=adamwilt.com}}</ref>

Audio can be stored in either of two forms: 16-bit Linear PCM stereo at 48&nbsp;kHz [[Sampling rate|sampling rate]] (768 kbit/s per channel, 1.5 Mbit/s stereo), or four nonlinear 12-bit PCM channels at 32&nbsp;kHz sampling rate (384 kbit/s per channel, 1.5 Mbit/s for four channels). In addition, the DV specification also supports 16-bit audio at 44.1&nbsp;kHz (706 kbit/s per channel, 1.4 Mbit/s stereo), the same sampling rate used for CD audio.<ref name="dvsuccess">{{cite web | url=http://www.stanford.edu/~hbreit/CILECT/DV_Report.htm | title=DV – A SUCCESS STORY | author=Puhovski, Nenad |date=April 2000 | website=www.stanford.edu | access-date=26 August 2013}}</ref> In practice, the 48&nbsp;kHz stereo mode is used almost exclusively.

== Digital Interface Format ==
The audio, video, and metadata are packaged into 80-byte Digital Interface Format (DIF) blocks which are multiplexed into a 150-block sequence. DIF blocks are the basic units of DV streams and can be stored as [[Computer file|computer file]]s in raw form or wrapped in such file formats as [[Audio Video Interleave]] (AVI), [[QuickTime File Format|QuickTime]] (QT) and [[Material Exchange Format]] (MXF).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/formats/fdd/fdd000173.shtml|title=DV-DIF (Digital Video Digital Interface Format)|work=digitalpreservation.gov|date=26 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://dvswitch.alioth.debian.org/wiki/DV_format/|title=DV format|work=debian.org|access-date=9 November 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107032158/http://dvswitch.alioth.debian.org/wiki/DV_format/|archive-date=7 January 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> One video frame is formed from either 10 or 12 such sequences, depending on scanning rate, which results in a data rate of about 25 Mbit/s for video, and an additional 1.5 Mbit/s for audio. When written to tape, each sequence corresponds to one complete track.<ref name="DVCAM_OVERVIEW"/>

Baseline DV employs ''unlocked audio''. This means that the sound may be +/- ⅓ frame out of sync with the video. However, this is the maximum drift of the audio/video synchronization; it is not compounded throughout the recording.

==Variants==
Sony and Panasonic created their proprietary versions of DV aimed toward professional & broadcast users, which use the same compression scheme, but improve on robustness, [[Engineering:Linear video editing|linear editing]] capabilities, color rendition and raster size.

All DV variants except for DVCPRO Progressive are recorded to tape within interlaced video stream. Film-like frame rates are possible by using [[Engineering:Telecine#Frame rate differences|pulldown]]. DVCPRO&nbsp;HD supports native progressive format when recorded to P2 memory cards.

===DVCPRO===
[[File:dvcpro mark.png|thumb|DVCPRO compatibility mark|150x150px]]
[[File:DVCPRO.png|thumb|Tracks on DVCPRO tape (in Russian)]]
DVCPRO, also known as DVCPRO25 and D-7, is a variation of DV developed by Panasonic and introduced in 1995, originally intended for use in [[Engineering:Electronic news gathering|electronic news gathering]] (ENG) equipment.

Unlike baseline DV, DVCPRO uses ''locked audio'', meaning the audio sample clock runs in sync with the video sample clock, and 4:1:1 [[Chroma subsampling|chroma subsampling]] for both 50&nbsp;Hz and 60&nbsp;Hz variants to decrease generation losses.<ref name="ADAM_WILT_DV_COLORSAMPLING">{{cite web|url=http://www.adamwilt.com/DV-FAQ-tech.html#colorSampling|title=The DV, DVCAM, & DVCPRO Formats &ndash; tech details, FAQ, and links. |work=adamwilt.com}}</ref> Audio is available in 16-bit/48&nbsp;kHz precision.

When recorded to tape, DVCPRO uses wider track pitch - 18 μm vs. 10 μm of baseline DV,<ref name="auto">{{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=12 November 2012|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=9781136024184 |via=Google Books}}</ref> which reduces the chance of dropout errors during recording. Two extra longitudinal tracks provide support for audio cue and for timecode control. Tape is transported 80% faster compared to baseline DV, resulting in shorter recording time. Long Play mode is not available.

====DVCPRO50====
[[File:dvcpro50 mark.png|thumb|DVCPRO50 compatibility mark|150x150px]]
[[File:Panasonic AJ-D950 of DR 20111102b.jpg|thumb|Panasonic AJ-D950 DVCPRO50 VCR]]
[[File:Panasonic AJ-D95DC 20091115.jpg|thumb|Panasonic AJ-D95DC VCR]]
DVCPRO50 was introduced by Panasonic in 1997 and is often described as two DV codecs working in parallel.

The DVCPRO50 doubles the coded video data rate to 50 Mbit/s. This has the effect of cutting total record time of any given storage medium in half. Chroma resolution is improved by using 4:2:2 chroma subsampling.

DVCPRO50 was used in many productions where high definition video was not required. For example, BBC used DVCPRO50 to record high-budget TV series, such as ''Space Race'' (2005) and ''Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire'' (2006).

A similar format, [[Engineering:Digital-S|D-9 (or Digital-S)]], offered by JVC, uses videocassettes with the same form-factor as [[VHS]].

Comparable high quality standard definition digital tape formats include Sony's Digital Betacam, launched in 1993, and MPEG&nbsp;IMX, launched in 2000.

====DVCPRO Progressive====
[[File:dvcpro p mark.png|thumb|DVCPRO Progressive mark|150x150px]]

DVCPRO Progressive was introduced by Panasonic alongside DVCPRO50. It offered 480 or 576 lines of progressive scan recording with 4:2:0 chroma subsampling and four 16-bit 48&nbsp;kHz PCM audio channels. Like [[Engineering:HDV#HDV 720p|HDV-SD]], it was meant as an intermediate format during the transition time from standard definition to high definition video.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dvformat.com/2001/02_feb/features/panasonic_dvcpro.htm|title=Caporale Studios Shoots Feature Films with Panasonic 480p DVCPRO50 Camcorder|work=dvformat.com|date=7 September 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://broadcastengineering.com/mag/broadcasting_production_systems_3/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101121045442/http://broadcastengineering.com/mag/broadcasting_production_systems_3/|url-status=dead|title=480p production systems|archive-date=21 November 2010}}</ref>

The format offered six modes for recording and playback: 16:9 progressive (50 Mbit/s), 4:3 progressive (50 Mbit/s), 16:9 interlaced (50 Mbit/s), 4:3 interlaced (50 Mbit/s), 16:9 interlaced (25 Mbit/s), 4:3 interlaced (25 Mbit/s).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://service.us.panasonic.com/OPERMANPDF/OM_AJ-PD900.PDF |title=AJ-PD900WP Operating instructions |access-date=10 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720190621/http://service.us.panasonic.com/OPERMANPDF/OM_AJ-PD900.PDF |archive-date=20 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The format was superseded by DVCPRO&nbsp;HD.

====DVCPRO HD====
[[File:dvcprohd mark.png|thumb|DVCPRO HD compatibility mark|150x150px]]
[[File:Panasonic AJ-HDX900 at Google Play booth 20180127.jpg|thumb|Panasonic AJ-HDX900 DVCPRO camcorder pictured in 2018]]
DVCPRO HD, also known as DVCPRO100 and D-12, is a [[Engineering:High-definition video|high-definition video]] format that can be thought of as four DV codecs that work in parallel. Video data rate depends on frame rate and can be as low as 40 Mbit/s for 24 frame/s mode and as high as 100 Mbit/s for 50/60 frame/s modes. Like DVCPRO50, DVCPRO HD employs 4:2:2 color sampling. It was introduced in 2000.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sQ1xAwAAQBAJ&dq=d5+hd&pg=PA150|title=A Broadcast Engineering Tutorial for Non-Engineers|first1=Skip|last1=Pizzi|first2=Graham|last2=Jones|date=24 April 2014|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=9781317906834 |via=Google Books}}</ref>

DVCPRO HD uses smaller raster size than broadcast high definition television: 960x720 pixels for 720p, 1280x1080 for 1080/59.94i and 1440x1080 for 1080/50i. Similar horizontal downsampling (using [[Pixel aspect ratio|rectangular pixels]]) is used in many other magnetic tape-based HD formats such as [[Engineering:HDCAM|HDCAM]]. To maintain compatibility with HD-SDI, DVCPRO100 equipment upsamples video during playback.

Variable framerates (from 4 to 60 frame/s) are available on [[Engineering:Varicam|Varicam]] camcorders. DVCPRO HD equipment offers [[Backward compatibility|backward compatibility]] with older DV/DVCPRO formats.

When recorded to tape in standard-play mode, DVCPRO&nbsp;HD uses the same 18 μm track pitch as other DVCPRO flavors. A long play variant, DVCPRO&nbsp;HD-LP, doubles the recording density by using 9 μm track pitch.

DVCPRO&nbsp;HD is codified as SMPTE 370M; the DVCPRO&nbsp;HD tape format is SMPTE 371M, and the MXF Op-Atom format used for DVCPRO&nbsp;HD on P2 cards is SMPTE 390M.

While technically DVCPRO HD is a direct descendant of DV, it is used almost exclusively by professionals. Tape-based DVCPRO&nbsp;HD cameras exist only in shoulder mount variant.

A similar format, [[Engineering:Digital-S|Digital-S]] (D-9 HD), was offered by JVC and used videocassettes with the same form-factor as [[VHS]].

The main competitor to DVCPRO HD was [[Engineering:HDCAM|HDCAM]], offered by Sony. It uses a similar compression scheme but at higher bitrate.

=== DVCAM ===
[[File:dvcam mark.png|thumb|DVCAM compatibility mark|150x150px]]

In 1996, Sony responded with its own professional version of DV called DVCAM.<ref>https://cvp.com/pdf/sony_dvcam_family.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref>

Like DVCPRO, DVCAM uses locked audio, which prevents audio synchronization drift that may happen on DV if several generations of copies are made.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbctraining.com/onlineCourse.asp?tID=5173&cat=2782 |title=BBC Training: DV Tape Formats |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611113327/http://www.bbctraining.com/onlineCourse.asp?tID=5173&cat=2782 |archive-date=11 June 2011 }}</ref>

When recorded to tape, DVCAM uses 15 μm track pitch, which is 50% wider compared to baseline.<ref name="auto" /> Accordingly, tape is transported 50% faster, which reduces recording time by one third compared to regular DV. Because of the wider track and track pitch, DVCAM has the ability to do a frame-accurate insert edit, while regular DV may vary by a few frames on each edit compared to the preview.

=== Digital8 ===
{{Main|Engineering:Digital8}}

Digital8 is a combination of the tape transport originally designed for analog Video8 and [[Engineering:Hi8|Hi8]] formats with the DV [[Codec|codec]]. Digital8 equipment records in DV format only, but usually can playback Video8 and Hi8 tapes as well.

=== Comparison of DV implementations ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|- style="background:#ccc;"
! Feature<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/News/Press_Archive/199901/99-001A/ |title=Sony announces Digital8 video format |access-date=2022-09-12 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.adamwilt.com/DV-tech.html |title=The DV formats tabulated |access-date=2022-09-12 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://techpubs.jurassic.nl/manuals/0640/developer/DIVO_OG/sgi_html/apf.html |title=DV Technology Comparison |access-date=2022-09-12 }}</ref>
! DV
! DVCAM
! DVCPRO
! DVCPRO50
! DIGITAL{{nbh}}S
! Digital8
|-
| Suppliers
| Sony, Panasonic, JVC, Canon, Sharp and others.
| Sony, Ikegami.
| Panasonic; also Philips, Ikegami, Hitachi.
| Panasonic
| JVC
| Sony, Hitachi.
|-
| Bit rate (Mbps)
| colspan="3" | 25
| colspan="2" | 50
| 25
|-
| Bit depth
| colspan="6" | luma: 8, chroma: 8
|-
| 525/60 subsampling
| colspan="3" | 4:1:1
| colspan="2" | 4:2:2
| 4:1:1
|-
| 625/50 subsampling
| colspan="2" | 4:2:0
| 4:1:1
| colspan="2" | 4:2:2
| 4:2:0
|-
| 525/60 frame size
| colspan="3" | 720 × 480
| 720 × 487.5
| colspan="2" | 720 × 480
|-
| 625/50 frame size
| colspan="3" | 720 × 576
| 720 × 583.5
| colspan="2" | 720 × 576
|-
| Audio frequency (KHz)
| 32, 44.1, 48
| 32, 48 (44.1 nonpro mode)
| colspan="3" | 48
| 32, 44.1, 48
|-
| Audio mode
| colspan="2" | Locked/unlocked
| colspan="3" | Locked
| Locked/unlocked
|-
| Track pitch (μm)
| 10 (SP), 6.7 (LP)
| 15
| colspan="2" | 18 (plays 10 and 15)
| 20
| 16.34
|-
| Tape speed (mm/s)
| 18.8
| 29.193
| 33.8
| 525: 67.640, 625: 67.708
| 57.737
| 28.666
|-
| Tracks per frame
| colspan="3" | 525: 10, 625: 12
| ?
| ?
| 25
|}

== Progressive recording ==
{{unsourced section|date=June 2023}}
Tape-based DV variants, except for DVCPRO Progressive, do not support native progressive recording, therefore progressively acquired video is recorded within interlaced video stream using [[Engineering:Telecine#Frame rate differences|pulldown]]. The same technique is used in television industry to broadcast movies. Progressive-scan DV camcorders for 60&nbsp;Hz market record 24-frame/s video using 2-3 pulldown and 30-frame/s video using 2-2 pulldown. Progressive-scan DV camcorders for 50&nbsp;Hz market record 25-frame/s video using 2-2 pulldown.

Progressive video can be recorded with interlaced delivery in mind, in which case high-frequency information between fields is blended to suppress interline twitter. If the goal is progressive-scan distribution like Web videos, progressive-scan DVD-video or [[Film-out|film-out]], then no filtering is applied. Video recorded with 2-2 pulldown and no vertical filtering is conceptually identical to [[Engineering:Progressive segmented frame|progressive segmented frame]].

Consumer-grade DV camcorders capable of progressive recording usually offer only 2-2 pulldown scheme because of its simplicity. Such a video can be edited as either interlaced or progressive and does not require additional processing aside of treating every pair of fields as one complete frame. Canon and Panasonic call this format ''Frame Mode'', while Sony calls it ''Progressive Scan recording''. 24 frame/s recording is available only on professional DV camcorders and requires ''pulldown removal'' if editing at native frame rate is required.

DVCPRO HD supports native progressive recording at 50 or 60 frame/s in 720p mode. To record video acquired at 24, 25 or 30 frame/s frame repeating is used. Frame repeating is similar to field repeating used in interlaced video, and is also called pulldown sometimes.

== Recording media ==

=== Magnetic tape ===
<!-- Please add information to infobox if you can -->
The table below show the physical DV cassette formats at a glance:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Cassette Formats
! DV
! DVCPRO
! DVCAM
|-
!Small ''S-size'' / "MiniDV"
| {{ya}} || Only made MiniDV adapters || {{ya}}
|-
!Medium ''M-size''
| align="center" | - || {{ya}} || align="center" |-
|-
!Large ''L-size''
| {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|-
!Extra Large ''XL-size''
| align="center" | - || {{ya}} || align="center" |-
|}

DV was originally designed for recording onto [[Physics:Magnetic tape|magnetic tape]]. Tape is enclosed into videocassette of four different sizes: small, medium, large and extra-large. All DV cassettes use {{convert|1/4|in|mm}} wide tape. DV on magnetic tape uses helical scan, which wraps the tape around a tilted, rotating head drum with video heads mounted to it. As the drum rotates, the heads read the tape diagonally. DV uses a 21.7 mm diameter head drum at 9000 rpm. The diagonal video tracks read by the heads are 10 microns wide.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QmaQTIdoWmYC&dq=dv+9000+rpm&pg=PA373|title=Newnes Guide to Television and Video Technology|first=Eugene|last=Trundle|date=18 June 2001|publisher=Newnes|isbn=9780750648103 |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref name="auto" />

Technically, any DV cassette can record any variant of DV video. Nevertheless, manufacturers often label cassettes with DV, DVCAM, DVCPRO, DVCPRO50 or DVCPRO HD and indicate recording time with regards to the label posted. Cassettes labeled as DV indicate recording time of baseline DV; another number can indicate recording time of Long Play DV. Cassettes labeled as DVCPRO have a yellow tape door and indicate recording time when DVCPRO25 is used; with DVCPRO50 the recording time is half, with DVCPRO HD it is a quarter. Cassettes labeled as DVCPRO50 have a blue tape door and indicate recording time when DVCPRO50 is used. Cassettes labeled as DVCPRO HD have a red tape door and indicate recording time when DVCPRO HD-LP format is used; a second number may be used for DVCPRO HD recording, which will be half as long.

Panasonic stipulated use of a particular magnetic-tape formulation—metal particle (MP)—as an inherent part of its DVCPRO family of formats. Regular DV tape uses Metal Evaporate (ME) formulation (which, as the name suggests, uses [[Physics:Physical vapor deposition|physical vapor deposition]] to deposit metal onto the tape<ref>S.B. Luitjens, S.E. Stupp, J.C. Lodder,
Metal evaporated tape: state of the art and prospects,
Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials,
Volume 155, Issues 1–3,
1996,
Pages 261–265,
ISSN 0304-8853,
{{doi|10.1016/0304-8853(95)00727-X}}</ref>), which was pioneered for use in [[Engineering:Hi8|Hi8]] camcorders. Early Hi8 ME tapes were plagued with excessive dropouts, which forced many shooters to switch to more expensive MP tapes. After the technology improved, the dropout rate was greatly reduced, nevertheless Panasonic deemed ME formulation not robust enough for professional use. Tape-based professional Panasonic DVCPRO camcorders and decks only record onto DVCPRO-branded cassettes, effectively preventing use of ME tape.

==== Small size (MiniDV) ====
[[File:Minidv mark.png|thumb|MiniDV mark|150x150px]]
[[File:Video 8, VHS and MiniDV.jpg|thumb|A MiniDV tape (centre) size comparison against a Video8 tape (left) and VHS tape (right)]]
Small cassettes (66 x 48 x 12.2&nbsp;mm),<ref name="borgotallo">{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/archivesandmanuscripts/2012/03/26/media-recognition-dv-part-1/|title=Media Recognition: DV part 1|date=26 March 2012}}</ref> also known as ''S-size'' or ''MiniDV'' cassettes, had been intended for amateur use, but have become accepted in professional productions as well. MiniDV cassettes are used for recording baseline DV, DVCAM, and [[Engineering:HDV|HDV]]. These cassettes come in lengths up to about 14~20.8[[Gigabyte|GB]] for 63 or 90min minutes of DV or HDV video.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://westcityfilms.com/images/Filmmakers_Handbook-4th-ed_data_rates.pdf|title=The Filmmaker's Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age|edition=4th|chapter=Appendix B: Data Rates and Storage Needs for Various Digital Formats|via=WestCityFilms.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216223027/http://westcityfilms.com/images/Filmmakers_Handbook-4th-ed_data_rates.pdf|archive-date=2014-12-16}}</ref> When recording in DVCAM, these cassettes hold up to 41 minutes of video. There are some 83-minute versions but these use thinner tape than the 63-minute ones and Panasonic advised against playing these cassettes in DVCPRO decks.

==== Medium size ====
Medium or ''M-size'' cassettes (97.5 × 64.5 × 14.6&nbsp;mm),<ref name="borgotallo" /> which are about the size of eight-millimeter cassettes, are used in professional Panasonic equipment and are often called ''DVCPRO tapes''. Panasonic video recorders that accept medium cassette can play back from and record to medium cassette in different flavors of DVCPRO format; they will also play small cassettes containing DV or DVCAM recording via an adapter. These cassettes come in lengths up to 66 minutes for DVCPRO, 33 minutes for DVCPRO50 and DVCPRO HD-LP, and 16.5 minutes for the original DVCPRO HD.

==== Large size ====
[[File:DVCAM cassettes.jpg|thumb|DVCAM cassettes in both miniDV and large size]]
[[File:Maxwell DVCPRO DVP-126L.jpg|thumb|A 126-minute L-size Maxell DVCPRO cassette]]
Large or ''L-size'' cassettes (125.1 x 78 x 14.6&nbsp;mm)<ref name="borgotallo" /> are close in size to small [[Engineering:MII (videocassette format)|MII]] cassettes and are accepted by most standalone DV tape recorders and are used in many shoulder-mount camcorders. The L-size cassette can be used in both Sony and Panasonic equipment; nevertheless, they are often called ''DVCAM tapes''. Older Sony decks would not play large cassettes with DVCPRO recordings, but newer models can play these and M-size DVCPRO cassettes. These cassettes come in lengths up to 276 minutes of DV or HDV video (or 184 minutes for DVCAM). Unlike the VHS and Digital8 formats that use thinner tape for their longest-length variants, the 276-minute DV cassette employs the same tape as its shorter-length variants. On the DVCPRO side, these cassettes have nearly double the tape capacity of their M-size counterparts, with duration up to 126 minutes for DVCPRO, 63 minutes for DVCPRO50 and DVCPRO HD-LP, and 31.5 minutes for the original DVCPRO HD. A thin-tape 184/92/46-minute version was also released.

==== Extra-large size ====
Extra-large cassettes or ''XL-size'' (172 x 102 x 14.6&nbsp;mm)<ref name="borgotallo" /> are close in size to [[VHS]] cassettes and have been designed for use in Panasonic equipment and are sometimes called DVCPRO&nbsp;XL. These cassettes are not widespread, only a few models of Panasonic tape recorders can accept them. Each XL-size cassette holds nearly double the amount of tape as the full-length L-size cassettes with a capacity of 252 minutes of DVCPRO video or 126 minutes of DVCPRO50 or DVCPRO HD-LP video.

[[File:Mini video tape 0699.jpg|thumb|A disassembled MiniDV cassette]]
[[File:Camcorder DV tape mechanism.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Mini-DV tape mechanism inside an early 2000s Panasonic Palmcorder. Quarter for scale.]]

=== File-based media ===
With proliferation of tapeless camcorder video recording, DV video can be recorded on [[Engineering:Optical disc|optical disc]]s, solid state [[Flash memory|flash memory]] cards and hard disk drives and used as [[Computer file|computer file]]s. In particular:
* Sony [[Engineering:XDCAM|XDCAM]] family of cameras can record DV onto either [[Engineering:Professional Disc|Professional Disc]] or [[SxS]] memory cards.
* Panasonic DVCPRO&nbsp;HD and AVC-Intra camcorders can record DV (as well as DVCPRO) onto [[P2 (storage media)|P2]] cards.
* Some Panasonic [[Engineering:AVCHD|AVCHD]] camcorders (AG-HMC80, AG-AC130, AG-AC160) record DV video onto [[Secure Digital]] memory cards.
* JVC GY-HM750 can be set to standard definition mode and in this case will record '.AVI or .MOV SD legacy format' video onto SDHC cards. ''For clarity - and contrary to what has previously been written'', the camera ''does not'' natively support SxS memory cards, has no slots for them and requires an optional add-on recorder (or 'adapter' as JVC call it) to achieve this - basically this camera is an 'XDCAM EX' High definition unit and the add-on SxS recorder was only made available to achieve better compatibility in facilities which were Sony based.
* Most DV and [[Engineering:HDV|HDV]] camcorders can feed live DV stream over IEEE 1394 interface to an external file-based recorder.

Video is stored either as native DIF bitstream or wrapped into an audio/video container such as [[Audio Video Interleave|AVI]], [[QuickTime File Format|QuickTime]] or [[Material Exchange Format|MXF]].

* ''DV-DIF'' is the raw form of DV video. The files usually have extensions *.dv or *.dif.
* ''[[Audio Video Interleave#DV AVI|DV-AVI]]'' is [[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]]'s implementation of DV video file, which is wrapped into an AVI container. Two variants of wrapping are available: with Type 1 the multiplexed audio and video is saved into the video section of a single AVI file, with Type 2 video and audio are saved as separate streams in an AVI file (one video stream and one to four audio streams). This container is used primarily on Windows-based computers, though Sony offers two tapeless recorders, the HDD-based HVR-DR60<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/product-HVRDR60 | title=HVR-DR60 HDV hard disk recorder}}</ref> and the CompactFlash-based HVR-MRC1K,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/product-HVRMRC1K | title=HVR-MRC1K Memory Recording Unit}}</ref> for use with DV/HDV camcorders that can record in DV-AVI format either making a file-based copy of the tape or bypassing tape recording altogether. Panasonic AVCHD camcorders use Type 2 DV-AVI for recording DV video onto Secure Digital memory card.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ftp.panasonic.com/pub/panasonic/business/provideo/op_manuals/AG-HMC80_OI_Advanced.pdf | title=Panasonic AG-HMC80 operating instructions}}</ref>
* ''[[Software:QuickTime|QuickTime]]-DV'' is DV video wrapped into QuickTime container. This container is used primarily on Apple computers.
* ''MXF-DV'' wraps DV video into MXF container, which is presently used on P2-based camcorders (Panasonic) and on XDCAM/XDCAM EX camcorders (Sony).

==Connectivity==
[[File:Panasonic Video Casette Recorder AJ-D455.jpg|thumb|Panasonic AJ-D455 VCR for professional video use with [[Engineering:IEEE 1394|IEEE 1394]] port and DV capability]]
Nearly all DV camcorders and decks have IEEE 1394 (FireWire, i.LINK) ports for digital video transfer. This is usually a two-way port, so that DV video data can be ''output'' to a computer (DV-out), or ''input'' from either a computer or another camcorder (DV-in). The DV-in capability makes it possible to copy edited DV video from a computer back onto tape, or make a lossless copy between two mutually connected DV camcorders. However, models made for sale in the [[Social:European Union|European Union]] usually had the DV-in capability disabled in the firmware by the manufacturer because the camcorder would be classified by the EU as a video recorder and would therefore attract higher duty;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdoctor.net/forums/why-dv-input-disabled-most-digital-camcorders-sold-europe/index.html|title=Why is the DV input disabled on most digital camcorders sold in Europe?|date=5 April 2001|access-date=1 February 2020}}</ref> a model which only had DV-out could be sold at a lower price in the EU.

When video is captured onto a computer it is stored in a container file, which can be either raw DV stream, AVI, WMV or QuickTime. Whichever container is used, the video itself is not re-encoded and represents a complete digital copy of what has been recorded onto tape. If needed, the video can be recorded back to tape to create a full and lossless copy of the original footage.

Some camcorders also feature a USB 2.0 port for computer connection. This port is usually used for transferring still images, but not for video transfer. Camcorders that offer video transfer over USB usually do not deliver full DV quality - usually it is 320x240 video, except for the Sony DCR-PC1000 camcorder and some Panasonic camcorders that provide transfer of a full-quality DV stream via USB by using the UVC protocol. Full-quality DV can also be captured via USB or Thunderbolt by using separate hardware that receives DV data from the camcorder over a FireWire cable and forwards it without any transcoding to the computer via a USB cable<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dvmp.co.uk/dv-capture-over-usb.htm|title=How to Capture DV video via USB|work=dvmp.co.uk}}</ref> or a Firewire to Thunderbolt adapter<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dvmp.co.uk/dv-capture-over-thunderbolt.htm|title=How to Capture DV video via Thunderbolt on Windows|work=dvmp.co.uk}}</ref> - this can be particularly useful for capturing on modern laptop computers which usually do not have a FireWire port or expansion slot but always have USB or Thunderbolt ports.

High end cameras and VTRs may have additional professional outputs such as SDI, [[Engineering:Serial Data Transport Interface|SDTI]] or analog [[Engineering:Component video|component video]]. All DV variants have a time code, but some older or consumer computer applications fail to take advantage of it.

==Usage==
[[File:Sony Handycam DCR-VX700E MiniDV camcorder.jpg|thumb|A consumer-grade Sony Handycam MiniDV camcorder]]
[[File:Panasonic NV-DV10000 20070701.jpg|thumb|A Panasonic DV videorecorder (VCR)]]
The high quality of DV images, especially when compared to Video8 and Hi8 which were vulnerable to an unacceptable number of video dropouts and "hits", prompted the acceptance by mainstream broadcasters of material shot on DV. The low costs of DV equipment and their ease of use put such cameras in the hands of a new breed of videojournalists. Programs such as TLC's Trauma: Life in the E.R. and ABC News's Hopkins: 24/7 were shot on DV.{{Citation needed|date=October 2012}}

DVCPRO HD was the preferred high definition standard of BBC Factual.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://hdmasters2007.com/pdf/Presentations/HDM2007_Quested-BBC.pdf|title=hdmasters2007.com|date=25 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525105352/http://hdmasters2007.com/pdf/Presentations/HDM2007_Quested-BBC.pdf |archive-date=25 May 2011 }}</ref>

=== Films ===
Notable films that were shot on the DV format include:

* ''Love & Pop'' (Hideaki Anno—1998){{citation needed|date=August 2022}}
* ''The Cruise'' (Bennett Miller—1998)
* ''The Gleaners and I'' (Agnès Varda—2000)
* ''Chuck and Buck'' (Miguel Arteta—2000)
*''The Gleaners and I: Two Years Later'' (Agnès Varda—2002)
*''28 Days Later'' (Danny Boyle—2002)<ref>{{cite news |first=Douglas |last=Bankston |url=http://www.theasc.com/magazine/july03/sub/index.html |title=Anthony Dod Mantle, DFF injects the apocalyptic 28 Days Later with a strain of digital video |work=TheASC.com |date=1 July 2003 |access-date=1 May 2007}}</ref>
* ''Inland Empire'' (David Lynch—2006)
* ''Iraq in Fragments'' (James Longley—2006)
* ''Rec'' (Jaume Balagueró & Paco Plaza—2007){{citation needed|date=August 2022}}
* ''My First Kiss and the People Involved'' (Luigi Campi & Giacomo Belletti—2016)

== Application software support ==
Most DV players, editors and encoders only support the basic DV format, but not its professional versions. The exception to this being that most (not all) consumer Sony miniDV equipment will play mini-DVCAM tapes. DV Audio/Video data can be stored as raw DV data stream file (data is written to a file as the data is received over FireWire, file extensions are '''.dv''' and '''.dif''') or the DV data can be packed into container files (ex: Microsoft [[Audio Video Interleave|AVI]], Apple [[QuickTime File Format|MOV]]). The DV meta-information is preserved in both file types being Sub-timecode and Start/Stop date times which can be muxed to Quicktime SMPTE standard timecode.

Most [[Software:Microsoft Windows|Windows]] video software only supports DV in AVI containers, as they use [[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]]'s avifile.dll, which only supports reading avi files. [[Company:Apple Inc.|Mac OS X]] video software support both AVI and MOV containers.

== Mixing tapes from different manufacturers ==
There was considerable controversy solely based on hearsay over whether or not using tapes from different manufacturers could lead to dropouts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zenera.com/dvtape.html#mix_brands|title=DV Tape FAQ|work=zenera.com}}</ref><ref name="adamwilt_headgunking">{{cite web|url=http://www.adamwilt.com/Tidbits.html#DVgunking|title=Adam Wilt's Video Tidbits|author=Adam J. Wilt|work=adamwilt.com}}</ref> Initially this was suggested around the conception of mostly MiniDV tapes in the mid to late 90s as the only two manufacturers of MiniDV tapes (Sony, who produce their tapes solely under the Sony brand; and Panasonic, who produce their own tapes under their Panasonic brand and outsources for TDK, Canon, etc.) used two different lubrication types for their cameras - Sony uses a 'wet' lubricant ('ME' or 'Metal Evaporated'), while Panasonic uses a 'dry' lubricant ('MP' or 'Metal Particle').

The standard practice for casual and professional camera operators alike is not to mix brands of tapes. (as the different lubrication formulations can cause or encourage tape wear if not cleaned by a cleaning cassette) No significant problems have occurred for the last few years - meaning that switching tapes is acceptable, though sticking to one brand (and cleaning the heads with a cleaning cassette before doing so) is highly recommended. {{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}

A research undertaken by Sony claimed that there was no hard evidence of the above statement. The only evidence claimed was that using ME tapes in equipment designed for MP tapes can cause tape damage and hence dropouts.<ref>[http://pro.sony.com/bbsccms/assets/files/mkt/recmedia/solutions/hdvtapelube.pdf The Truth About Tape Lubricant]</ref>{{Unreliable source?|reason=Primary source: 'Research' undertaken by the manufacturer causing the problem|date=June 2011}} Sony has done a significant amount of internal testing to simulate head clogs as a result of mixing tape lubricants, and has been unable to recreate the problem.{{dubious|date=October 2013}} Sony recommends using cleaning cassettes once every 50 hours of recording or playback. For those who are still skeptical, Sony recommends cleaning video heads with a cleaning cassette before trying another brand of tape.

== See also ==
* [[Source Input Format|SIF (Source Input Format)]]
* CIF (Common Intermediate Format)
* [[Engineering:Video CD|Video CD]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.adamwilt.com/DV.html Adam Wilt's DV page with in-depth technical information]

{{homevid}}
{{Sony Corp}}

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[[Category:Video storage]]
[[Category:Television technology]]
[[Category:Television terminology]]

{{Sourceattribution|DV (video format)}}