THE EQUIPMENT

Output

Sure, you can still get a videographer to supply a VHS tape, but DVD now dominates the market and is currently the standard output. However, just around the corner, VHS will disappear altogether and DVD will be challenged, and surpassed, by the new kid on the block - High Definition. It isn’t quite here yet, but when it does arrive the picture quality will blow you away.

If you search long and hard enough you may just be lucky enough to track someone down who has spent an awful lot of money of HD equipment and can provide it – but beware, it is likely to cost you an arm and a leg. So for now, DVD is a good, safe option and at a reasonable price too.

The quality of DVD is better than VHS (240 lines of resolution on a VHS Cassette, as opposed to 430 on a DVD - more lines equate to better depth and quality to the picture) although nowhere near as good as what HD will provide (1080 lines of resolution for reference).

The longevity of the DVD and HD disks are greater than VHS cassettes also (VHS will last around 15 years whereas DVD and HD are expected to last far longer, although as they have only been around for a short while, how long is anybody’s guess!). The ability to ‘skip’ direct to where you would like to in the movie lies only on DVD and HD formats, compared to long rewind and fast forward sessions that are synonymous with VHS cassettes.