Panasonic finds bridge over DV divide. (digital video consumer video format; competition with Sony Corp.)

Broadcasting & Cable, May, 1996 by Dickson, Glen

Sleight-of-hand at NAB convention leads to discovery In a move that may ease the controversy over Panasonic's and Sony's competing professional versions of the DV consumer video format, Panasonic has announced that its DVCPRO VTRs are capable of playing back Sony's DVCAM cassettes by adjusting the decks' playback speed.

The differences between Panasonic's DVCPRO and Sony's DVCAM are in two areas: track pitch and tape material. Panasonic uses an 18 micron track pitch and metal particle tape, while Sony uses a 15 micron track pitch and metal evaporated tape. These two relatively minor differences have rendered the formats incompatible and have started a so-called format war. Now Panasonic says that the two formats are compatible in one direction, which...

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