PAL

1987-2000

S-VHS-C (Super VHS Compact) is a compact version of S-VHS that uses exactly the same tape as the larger cassette version. Like VHS-C, S-VHS-C cassettes could be played in full-size tape recorders with an adapter. However, it is important to note:

S-VHS-C cannot be used with the traditional VHS-C adapter, as the two adapters have different notches to recognize the cassette type.

S-VHS-C can only be played in an S-VHS recorder, it will not work in a traditional VHS recorder even with an adapter.

VHS-C cassettes are backward compatible: they can also be played with an S-VHS adapter, but only in VHS resolution.

S-VHS-C was introduced by JVC in 1987 and offered a horizontal resolution of approximately 400 lines, compared to VHS-C's 240 lines.

Cassettes could hold 30 or 45 minutes of footage at normal speed. S-VHS-C competed with the Hi8 format, which offered similar quality, but the number of S-VHS-C camcorder models remained relatively limited.