Videotape recorders

A video tape recorder (VTR), is a tape recorder that can record video material. The video cassette recorder (VCR), where the videotape is enclosed in a user-friendly videocassette shell, is the most familiar type of VTR known to consumers. Professionals may use other types of video tapes and recorders.

Technologies
Video tape recorder technologies include:

Analog reel-to-reel
 * VERA (BBC)
 * 2" Quadruplex (Ampex,(RCA and (Bosch's Fernseh)
 * 1" Type A (Ampex)
 * 1" Type B (Bosch's Fernseh - BTS Philips)
 * IVC 2 inch Helical scan (International Video Corporation's IVC 9000 Format)
 * 1" Type C (Sony, Ampex, NEC and Hitachi)
 * 1" Type C (Sony, Ampex, NEC and Hitachi)

Professional cassette / cartridge based systems Standard definition Digital video tape formats
 * U-matic (3/4")
 * Betacam (Sony)
 * M-II (Panasonic)
 * Betacam SP (Sony)
 * D1 (Sony) and Broadcast Television Systems Inc.
 * D2 (Sony and Ampex)
 * D3 (Panasonic)
 * DCT (Ampex)
 * Digital Betacam (Sony)
 * Betacam IMX (Sony)
 * DVCAM (Sony)
 * DVCPRO (Panasonic)
 * D9 (Digital-S) (JVC)

High definition Digital video tape formats
 * HDCAM (Sony)
 * HDCAM-SR (Sony)
 * D5 HD (Panasonic)
 * D6 HDTV VTR (BTS - Philips - Thomson SA - Grass Valley (company))
 * DVCPROHD (Panasonic)
 * D-VHS (JVC and Panasonic)
 * HDV (Sony and JVC)

Consumer formats
 * DV (miniDV is the cassette size)
 * Digital8 (Sony)
 * Video 2000 (Philips)
 * Betamax
 * VHS
 * S-VHS (JVC)
 * VHS-C (JVC)
 * Video8
 * Hi8
 * MicroMV
 * Cartrivision

History of video tape recording

 * Charles P. Ginsburg, at Ampex Corporation