introduction to D-9 / Digital S video cassette transfer
We offer a range of delivery formats for our video transfers. Following International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives TC-06 guidelines, we deliver FFV1 lossless files or 10-bit uncompressed video files in .mkv or .mov containers for archives. We can also produce Apple ProRes mezzanine files for ease of editing. We provide smaller viewing files as H.264 encoded .mp4 files or on DVD. We're happy to create any other digital video files, according to your needs.
We can provide the appropriately-sized USB delivery media for your files, or use media supplied by you, or deliver your files online. Files delivered on hard drive can be for any operating system MacOS, Windows or GNU/Linux and filesystems (HFS+, NTFS or EXT3).
D-9 and Digital S video cassette recordings can vary both in duration and in the extent of physical tape degradation, so we always assess tapes before confirming the price of a transfer.
We offer free assessments - please contact us to discuss your project.
For an introduction to our assessment and treatment processes, please see our guide to "what happens to your video tape".
D-9 / Digital S video machines
This format, while high quality with easy-to-service machines, was not widely used and as a result, good, low-use, working machines can be hard to find now.
This is a born-digital format yet a digital audio / video output was always optional with these models. Given that they were often used as a cheaper alternative to Sony's competing Digital Betacam system, the digital options are rarely fitted.
We have the following D-9 / Digital S machines:
- JVC BR-D750 E - PAL
- JVC BR-D85 E - PAL with SDI (digital output) boards fitted
- JVC BR-D51 E - PAL D9 / SVHS playback facility
D-9 / Digital S format variation
video standard | D9 / SVHS ouput supported | 280 Mbit/s SDI digital transfer of audio & video | 2 channel audio output supported | 4 channel audio output supported | Preservation of timecode supported |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
PAL | Digital S / D9 | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
PAL | SVHS | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
NTSC | Digital S / D9 | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
NTSC | SVHS | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
D-9 / Digital S video tape risks & vulnerabilities
D-9 / Digital S video recording history
Originally known as Digital S, it was given the designation D-9 by SMPTE in the spring of 1999.