Reference

Video & Film Format Timeline

A timeline table of 19 format families and 91 individual video and film formats, 1889-2025. Each entry lists the year it was introduced, its recording medium — photochemical, analogue video or digital video — and the resolution(s) it carries. Switch below to browse by family or straight through in date order.

Year

Film

1889
Film video and film formats: format, year, medium and resolution.
FormatYearMediumResolution
35 mm motion-picture film1889Photochemical—
68 mm Biograph1895Photochemical—
17.5 mm film1898Photochemical—
28 mm Pathé KOK1912Photochemical—
9.5 mm Pathé Baby1922Photochemical—
16 mm1923Photochemical—
70 mm Fox Grandeur1929Photochemical—
8 mm / Double 81932Photochemical—
Technicolor 3-strip1932Photochemical—
CinemaScope1953Photochemical—
VistaVision1954Photochemical—
Todd-AO1955Photochemical—
Super 81965Photochemical—
Single-81965Photochemical—
Super 161969Photochemical—
IMAX 15/701970Photochemical—
IMAX Dome / OMNIMAX1973Photochemical—
Super 351982Photochemical—

Quadruplex videotape

1956
Quadruplex videotape video and film formats: format, year, medium and resolution.
FormatYearMediumResolution
2-inch Quadruplex1956analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈400–450 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈400 TVL

1971U-matic
U-matic video and film formats: format, year, medium and resolution.
FormatYearMediumResolution
U-matic Low Band1971analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈250 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈250 TVL
U-matic S1970sanalogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈250–340 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈250–340 TVL
U-matic High Band1978analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈330 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈330 TVL
U-matic SP1986analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈330–340 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈330–340 TVL

1975Betamax
Betamax video and film formats: format, year, medium and resolution.
FormatYearMediumResolution
Beta I1975analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈250 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈250 TVL
Beta II1977analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈250 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈250 TVL
Beta III1977analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈250 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈250 TVL
SuperBeta1985analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈290 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈290 TVL
ED Beta1988analogue video
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈500 TVL

Type B videotape

1976
Type B videotape video and film formats: format, year, medium and resolution.
FormatYearMediumResolution
1-inch Type B1976analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈400+ TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈400+ TVL
BCN portable Type B1970sanalogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈400+ TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈400+ TVL

Type C videotape

1976
Type C videotape video and film formats: format, year, medium and resolution.
FormatYearMediumResolution
1-inch Type C1976analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈400+ TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈400+ TVL

1976VHS
VHS video and film formats: format, year, medium and resolution.
FormatYearMediumResolution
VHS1976analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈240 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈240 TVL
VHS-C1982analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈240 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈240 TVL
VHS HQ1985analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈240 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈240 TVL
S-VHS1987analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈400 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈400 TVL
S-VHS-C1988analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈400 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈400 TVL
W-VHS1994analogue video
  • 1125 (1035 active) - analog HDTV
  • 625 (576 active) - SD
  • 525 (≈486 active) - SD
S-VHS ET1998analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈400 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈400 TVL
D-VHS1998digital video
  • 1920 × 1080
  • 1280 × 720
  • 720 × 480

1978LaserDisc
LaserDisc video and film formats: format, year, medium and resolution.
FormatYearMediumResolution
LaserDisc / LaserVision1978analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈440 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈425 TVL
CAV LaserDisc1978analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈440 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈425 TVL
CLV LaserDisc1978analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈440 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈425 TVL
CD Video1987analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈440 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈425 TVL
MUSE Hi-Vision LaserDisc1991analogue video
  • 1125 (1035 active) - analog HDTV

1979Video 2000
Video 2000 video and film formats: format, year, medium and resolution.
FormatYearMediumResolution
Video 2000 / V20001979analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - 250 TVL
video 2000 long play1980sanalogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - 250 TVL

CED

1981
CED video and film formats: format, year, medium and resolution.
FormatYearMediumResolution
CED1981analogue video
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈240–250 TVL
Stereo CED1982analogue video
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈240–250 TVL

8mm video

1984
8mm video video and film formats: format, year, medium and resolution.
FormatYearMediumResolution
Video81984analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈240 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈240 TVL
Hi81989analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈400 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈400 TVL
Video8 XR1998analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈280 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈280 TVL
Hi8 XR1998analogue video
  • 625 (576 active) - ≈440 TVL
  • 525 (≈486 active) - ≈440 TVL
Digital81999digital video
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480

DV

1995
DV video and film formats: format, year, medium and resolution.
FormatYearMediumResolution
DV1995digital video
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
Digital-S1995digital video
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
MiniDV1995digital video
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
DVCPRO1995digital video
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
DVCAM1996digital video
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
DVCPRO501997digital video
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
DVCPRO Progressive1999digital video
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
DVCPRO HD2000digital video
  • 1440 × 1080
  • 1280 × 1080
  • 960 × 720
HDV 720p2003digital video
  • 1280 × 720
HDV 1080i2004digital video
  • 1440 × 1080

1997DVD-Video
DVD-Video video and film formats: format, year, medium and resolution.
FormatYearMediumResolution
DVD-Video1997digital video
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
DVD-R1997digital video
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
DVD-RAM1998digital video
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
DVD-RW1999digital video
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
DVD+R2002digital video
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
DVD+RW2001digital video
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
DVD-R DL2004digital video
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
DVD+R DL2004digital video
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480

1999VideoMD
VideoMD video and film formats: format, year, medium and resolution.
FormatYearMediumResolution
VideoMD / MD Data2 video1999digital video
  • 320 × 240

MicroMV

2001
MicroMV video and film formats: format, year, medium and resolution.
FormatYearMediumResolution
MicroMV2001digital video
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480

2003DualDisc
DualDisc video and film formats: format, year, medium and resolution.
FormatYearMediumResolution
DVD-Video side2003digital video
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480

2005HD DVD
HD DVD video and film formats: format, year, medium and resolution.
FormatYearMediumResolution
HD DVD-ROM2005 standard / 2006 launchdigital video
  • 1920 × 1080
  • 1280 × 720
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
HD DVD-R2006digital video
  • 1920 × 1080
  • 1280 × 720
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
HD DVD-RW2007digital video
  • 1920 × 1080
  • 1280 × 720
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480

2006Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc video and film formats: format, year, medium and resolution.
FormatYearMediumResolution
BD-ROM2006digital video
  • 1920 × 1080
  • 1280 × 720
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
BD-R2006digital video
  • 1920 × 1080
  • 1280 × 720
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
BD-RE2003/2006digital video
  • 1920 × 1080
  • 1280 × 720
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
BD-252006digital video
  • 1920 × 1080
  • 1280 × 720
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
BD-502006digital video
  • 1920 × 1080
  • 1280 × 720
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480
Blu-ray 3D2010digital video
  • 1920 × 1080 per eye
BDXL2010digital video
  • 1920 × 1080
  • 1280 × 720
  • 720 × 576
  • 720 × 480

2016Ultra HD Blu-ray
Ultra HD Blu-ray video and film formats: format, year, medium and resolution.
FormatYearMediumResolution
UHD Blu-ray 50 GB2016digital video
  • 3840 × 2160
UHD Blu-ray 66 GB2016digital video
  • 3840 × 2160
UHD Blu-ray 100 GB2016digital video
  • 3840 × 2160
HDR102016digital video
  • 3840 × 2160
Dolby Vision2017digital video
  • 3840 × 2160
HDR10+2018digital video
  • 3840 × 2160
Dolby Vision 22025digital video
  • 3840 × 2160