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Vintage Video

EIAJ Helical Scan Video Tape Reel

Complete pricing below. 

EIAJ-1 is a standard B&W ½-inch wide open reel video tape format that was introduced in 1969 with industry consensus between Sony, Panasonic, and others.  This was the first ½-inch video format to conform to a standard and tapes are interchangeable between recording and playback equipment made by different manufacturers.  

EIAJ-2 added color to the standard in 1974 (however color was not widely used).  EIAJ (Electronics Industries Association of Japan) tape transports at a speed of 7.5ips.  EIAJ and most 1/2-inch tape formats have the audio track along the top edge of the tape (away from the machine) and control track along the bottom edge (close to machine).  Operational color playback equipment is limited.

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EIAJ CARTRIDGE (Omnivision)

Complete pricing below.

EIAJ Video Tape Cartridge (Omnivision) was developed by Panasonic in 1969 and conforms to the 1969 EIAJ ½-inch video standard. The cartridge is self-threading, is convenient for the operator, and was used in educational and professional settings.  Each cartridge contains a single spool of ½-inch wide video tape and normally plays for 30 minutes, Many EIAJ cartridges recorded after 1974 have color video.  Tapes have Panasonic NV-P530 or Hitachi brand names.  EIAJ cartridge machines include Panasonic/ National NV-5110, NV-5125 (color), and NV-5130A.  Operational playback machines are rare.

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CV, SKIP FIELD video tape transfer

Complete pricing below.

CV (Consumer Video), "Skip Field",  was introduced by Sony in 1965 and is a proprietary ½-inch wide B&W open reel video tape format that pre-dates 1969 EIA standards.  CV is a helical scan skip-field video format and has approx. 200 lines of resolution.  ½-inch open reel tapes are typically 30 minute (5-inch diameter) or 60 minute (7-inch diameter) and were manufactured by many companies.  CV tape speed is 19.05cm/s (7.5ips).  Operational playback equipment is limited and tapes are often unplayable but can usually be recovered.

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Panasonic, Concord "NV" Video Tape format

CONCORD, Panasonic 'NV' video tape reel transfer to file: $65 (5-inch, 30 minute), $110 (7-inch, 60 minute).   Complete pricing below.

Panasonic “NV”/ Concord is a proprietary ½-inch wide B&W open reel helical scan video tape format introduced by Panasonic in 1965 and pre-dates 1969 EIA standards.  National Video (NV) was a brand name of the Matsushita company before changing to the more recognized Panasonic name in 1988.  Panasonic manufactured customized machines for Concord.  The NV format uses standard 1/2-inch open reel video tape that plays for 40 minutes.  The tape transports at a speed is 30.48cm/s (12ips).  Machines include Panasonic NV-8100 and Concord VTR-620 and VTR-1120.  Operational playback equipment is rare.

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SHIBADEN video tape reel

Complete pricing below.

Shibaden video tape format was introduced by Shiba Electric and Denshi (Japan) in 1967 and is a proprietary ½-inch wide B&W open reel video tape format that pre-dates the 1969 EIA standard.  Shibaden is a helical scan skip field format and is not compatible with other skip field formats.  Shibaden has approx. 300 lines of resolution.  Equipment was marketed under the names of Shibaden, Apeco Teletape, Bell & Howell, and a similar format by Bang & Olfson (Denmark).  It uses standard 1/2" inch wide video tape and transports at a speed of 19.05cm/s (7.5ips).  Operational playback equipment is rare. 

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Sony Pilot Tone AV-5000A

Sony AV-5000A Pilot Tone is a standard EIAJ B&W and proprietary non-standard pilot tone Color video format released by Sony in 1968.  This color format is not compatible with its AV-5000 predicessor or any other format. This pilot tone format uses standard 1/2" video tape and the video output conforms to standard B&W EIA and NTSC color TV signal requirements.  B&W tapes are interchangeable between other EIAJ videocorders but require the correct machine to reproduce color.  Operational equipment is rare.
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CVC Technicolor cassette tape

Complete pricing below.

CVC (Compact Video Cassette) Funai Technicolor Cassette was developed by a joint venture between Funai and Technicolor in 1980 and is a portable color video tape format.  The small size of CVC and ease of operation was intended to compete with 8mm movie film; the cassette is similar in size to a standard audio cassette.  Tapes are labeled V30, V45, and V60 and are 30, 45, 60 minutes respectively.  

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Vcord-I, Vcord-II Video tape Cassette

Vcord-I and Vcord II video cassette to file: $65+$6 per minute; $125 per tape max.   Complete pricing below.

V-Cord I is a proprietary video cassette format released jointly by Sanyo and Toshiba in 1974 to compete with open reel video formats.   The tan colored VT-20C cassettes play for 20 minutes at normal speed and 60 minutes at Slow speed in a VTC-7100 machine.  V-Cord I machines include the Sanyo VTC-7100 (15lb, portable).

V-Cord II was released by Sanyo in 1976 and added color, increased recording time, has two recording speeds, freeze frame, and slow motion.  V-Cord II black colored V-60 and V-120 cassettes play for 60 and 120 minutes respectively at LP speed and half as much time at the STD (standard) speed.  

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1" NTSC IVC Video Tape

1" inch IVC is a non-standard B&W and color video tape format released by International Video Corp in about 1967.  The format was widely used in the US and internationally in industry, medical, professional, and educational settings.  Operational equipment is rare.

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1"-inch Sony EV Video Tape

Sony EV 1"-inch video tape reel transfer to file: $110.   Complete pricing below.

1-inch ‘EV’ (Sony EV) was released by Sony in 1964 and is a proprietary non-standard open reel video tape format.  The EV format was used in industrial and education settings.  Machines record and play in B&W and color is possible with the addition of an external color adapter (but is not common).  The EV format has approx. 300 lines of color resolution.  The tape is 1-inch wide reels are usually 8-inches in diameter and are made of metal or plastic (plastic reels can warp), and full reels weigh 4 pounds each.  The 1-inch EV reel has a 3/8-inch diameter center hole, two 0.30-inch drive holes, and transports at a speed of 19.81cm/s (7.8ips).  Typical EV tapes include Sony V-11 (60 minute), V-12 (30 minute), V-12 (60), and Scotch 350.  Typical 1-inch EV machines weigh 90 pounds and include Sony EV-200, EV-210, EV-300, EV-310, EV-320, EV-340TLV (time lapse), and Sony UV-340 (color). Operational B&W playback equipment is limited; color equipment is rare.  

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1"-inch Type-A video tape reel

Complete prices below.

1-inch SMPTE Type-A is a standardized B&W video tape format introduced by Ampex in 1965 and was one of the first 1-inch video tape formats to have industry consensus.  1-inch Type-A was used in industrial, educational, and government settings; it did not conform to broadcast standards.  1-inch Type-A has approx. 350 lines of resolution.  1-inch Type-A and Type-C tape reels have a large 3-inch diameter EIA center hole.  Tape manufacturers include Quantegy 196, Sony VK-34, Ampex 162/196, Scotch 3M 360, and others.  Operational playback equipment is limited. 

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Testimonials

Greentree, you have provided some of the best customer service I ever experienced with an online company.

Kudo to you! Marsha   

Thanks a lot for your effort is recovering these very old TV station 1" Type-A tapes.  The material from the Download is as good as we can expect.  Great work!!!!  Santiago,  Columbia

   

[Re, CV video tape reels to mp4 files on flash drive]  Great work!  It was special to see home movies from 1969.  I am planning to send more tapes later this week.

Frank   Illinois 60030

[Re. CVC Technicolor to mp4 files on flash drive]  Thanks Greentree, the videos lookgreat and it has been a pleasure working with you.

Carlos   Austin Texas 78752

Thanks again for the nice video transfer [5" EIAJ video reel to h264.mp4 file DOwnload] and your customer service is great!

Cheers, Kevin from   British Columbia, Canada

Great to see these 3 IVC tapes have survived, thanks so much...  Good to get these out while most of the folf in the video are still alive!!

Jim   Pittsboro NC 27312

OMG I would hug you if I could, you can't imagine what [PAL CVC tapes to mp4 files on flash drive] this means to me and my family...  My Dad and Aunt are on these tapes and sadly are not with us any more.  You brought tears to my eyes, you did such a great job with these tapes that Mom hand carried from Spain.

Sara   TX Texas 78078

We received the BetaCam and EIAJ video reel transfers to mp4 files on flash drive. . . thanks.  Really great job on the transfes.  Actually, I'm amazed that it can still be done at all!!  Much appreciated.  Walter MA 01602

   


How it works:

1. CONTACT US with questions or to get an estimate.
2. Print our SHIPPING LABEL from the tab at the top of the web page.
3. Number your tapes/media, keep a list, and enclose titles and contact info.
4. Seal in plastic bags, pack well, use tracking, and save the number.  
5. We confirm arrival, email findings after recorded, and bill using PayPal.  
    Paypal accepts credit cards - you do not need to be a member.
    Prepay and checks accepted; make checks payable to "GreentreeAV".
6. Most orders: Postal Priority mail $10.00.  Heavy or International: actual cost.
7. Order shipped after payment.  Normal completion is 3 weeks.

Did you know - the early days of video recording was like the "wild, wild west" of video where every company thought they had the best recording format and all were non-compatible with each other.   These "format wars" (similar to VHS vs Beta) in early days of 1/2" video tape reels  resulted in 6 non-compatible formats that could be recorded on the same tape reels including: CV, NV, AV5000, AV5000A, Shibaden, and finally standardized EIAJ-1, 2.