Time Lapse Video
Law enforcement, surveillance, nature shows, etc. These are just a few uses of a time lapse recorded videotape. But try to play a time lapse recording in your normal VHS VCR and time will fly right past you.
To extend the recording time of a videotape, a time lapse VCR records fewer frames per second than a normal VCR. While the same type of VHS videotape is used in each machine, it’s the recording method that is different.
A time lapse VCR is able to play a VHS videotape recorded in various time lapse speed modes. To achieve this, a slow motion effect or accelerated playback effect can be achieved by using a slower or faster playback speed than the speed used in the original recording.
NTSC video runs at 60 fields (30 frames) per second. A time lapse machine may only record 1-10 fields from each second. If a T120 (2-hour) videotape is recorded with a time lapse VCR at the 2 hour mode, it will record every 1/60 of a second which is every field. If the same machine is set to the 24 hour mode, it will record every 12th field or 5 fields per second. At the 72 hour mode, it will record every 36th field.
Going back to the 24 hour mode setting example, for a time lapse VCR to record every 12th field it will record a 24 hour period onto a 2 hour tape. At the 72 hour mode, a time lapse VCR will cover a 72 hour (3 day) period on a 2 hour tape.
So the next time you see footage of a sunrise, clouds flying past, and sunset in a matter of only a few seconds, you’ll know how it was accomplished…with time lapse recording.
Duplication Media has been servicing law firms, police officers, banks, convenience stores, and more with the ability to duplicate a time lapse videotape in a way that the human eye can see what’s really happening.
