1.What is the principle of video recording ?

When video current passes through an electromagnetic coil wrapped over a soft iron with tiny
air gap, magnetic flux is produced in the core varying in accordance with the video current.
When a tape having a coating of magnetic material passes past the air gap the magnetic flux
passes through the tape instead of the air gap due to high reluctance of the air and low reluctance
of the magnetic material on the tape. Thus the tape material is magnetized in accordance with the
video current.
2.What are the problems in video recording ? How have these been solved?
Four problems.
1.High video frequency of 5MHz requires too high speed of the tape with smallest feasible gap
size
2.No recording system is capable of recording high video frequency range of 19 octaves.
3.Duration of video program is of several hours.
4.one of luminance and two of colour difference are to be recorded on the same track . ie 3
signals
Problems can be solved by using following methods.
1. Rotating heads.
2 Frequency modulation for video recording.
3.Helical recording.
4. Recording of luminance and colour signals on the same track.
G=S/2fm
1. Rotating heads.
Practical problem of gap size and tape need is to use rotating heads. Relative speed of the tape
with respect to head is important. A considerable part of tape will remain blank in each
revolution. At least two heads are needed so that no portion of the tape remain blank. Rotating
transformer whose primary is stationary and secondary rotates is needed to carry video signals to
and from the rotating video heads. Audio and control track are recorded by stationary heads.
because these signals have low frequency.

2.Frequency modulation for video recording.

No recording system can handle with high bandwidth of 19 octaves of video frequency ie 5-10
Hz to 5 MHz. This is solved by modulating a carrier wave by the luminance signal. Frequency
modulation is achieved by changing frequency of a voltage controlled oscillator. FM eliminates
the need of ac bias.
FM eliminates noise in recording and play back process. Magnetic tape can be driven to
saturation in both directions. Modulation decreases the bandwidth to 2.5MHz.

The horizontal sync signal is a short pulse at the beginning of each video line which keeps the
horizontal scanning of the monitor exactly in step with the transmission of each new line. The
vertical sync signal is a pulse transmitted at the beginning of each field and frame.
3.Helical Recording
To make play back time long without using much tape length, the recording is made diagonally
across the tape. Slant tracks can be recorded on the tape wrapped around a drum that carries two
heads. Recorded tracks are parallel to each other but are at an angle to the edge of the tape

4.Recording of luminance and colour signals on the same track.

After conversion the frequency of luminance signal becomes 1.5-6.5MHz bandwidth of less than
3 octaves.. Chrominance signal around 4.43 MHz is down converted to 562.5 KHz before
recording.

What is time base error?

Time base error is caused when recording being long and medium being elastic. Friction causes
stretching and bunching of the signals. Signal distortion causes the distortion in Sync pulses also.
When the distorted signal is heterodyned by subtracting it from the local oscillator signal which
is equally distorted. The output would be a pure chroma signal.
What is under colour process ?
combining FM luminance signal with down converted chroma signal to form a new CVS signal.
This new CVS is recorded on a single track on a video magnetic tape. it is called under colour
process.

The chroma signal is down converted to a low frequency which helps in separating from the
luminance signal in the receiver for up conversion. The up converted chroma signal and the
demodulated luminance signal are again combined to restore original CVS in the play back
section.
5.Draw the block diagram of a VCR (Video Recording and reproduction system). Explain
in brief the functions of each block.

Mic -> switch s3-> Audio amp->Record switch s4 ->Audio

head

Ant-> Split-> RF Processor ->Sound -> switch s3-> Audio amp->Record switch s4 ->Audio head

Ant-> Split-> RF Processor ->LPF ->FMod ->Adder->Amp->SwitchS5 Record->Rotating transformaer

Ant-> Split-> RF Processor ->HPF -> Downcon, ->Adder->Amp->SwitchS5 Record->Rotating

transformer.

Ant-> Split-> RF Processor ->Sync Separator ->Sync Amp->SwitchS6Record->Controlhead.

Ant-> Split-> RF Processor ->Sync Separator ->Sync Amp->SwitchS6Play->ControlAmp->Servo

control

6. Compare VHS,BETAMAX, and VIDEO 2000 ?

Format is a set of specifications relating to the pattern of tracks produced on a tape for picture
and sound recording. These specifications are tape width, tape speed, drum- rotating speed, tape
threading path, drum diameter, video track pitch and width.

7.What are the disadvantages of magnetic recording on tape?

The capacity of a tape reel or cassette is in adequate for recording pictures.
Replication of tape is time consuming process.
Magnetic tape expensive.
Wear and tear in tape is high.
Tape surface is prone to scratches dust, grease.
Random access of programs was not possible.