What is Video8 XR / Hi8 XR ?

[Bwaak]

Attached is a snippet from Sony user manual. It does not say much. Basically, XR recording played on an XR machine gives some improvement, but what sort of improvement and how it is achieved - it does not say.

This does not seem like the usual increase of the carrier frequency and expansion or the bandwidth, because XR was offered both for Video8 and Hi8, and it is compatible with both.

Some additional data, maybe on a PCM track or something? Like PALPlus, which had additional digital data inside an otherwise compatible analog PAL?

Anyone has a clue?

[dellsam34]

A slight improvement in sharpness compared to the base V8/Hi8 by cramming more signal bandwidth I believe, No, no separate data recorded anywhere. But there is no way to see the difference because I believe it's a feature that you cannot turn on and off to see the difference between recordings with it being on and off, So you just have to take Sony's word for it, But it sounds like a marketing gimmick to me to keep the format selling back then.

[Bwaak]

This infomercial: https://youtu.be/JDy4p57nUGk?si=V8GjkVIHdqhqqsHZ&t=156

XR - up to 16% more resolution. Both for Video 8 and Hi8, starting from 1998.

Now through Sony's innovative XR or extended resolution system you get higher resolution that translates into greater detail and clarity. How did Sony do it? By variably expanding the bandwidth for luminance. Handycam camcorders can record in low contrast situations up to 280 horizontal lines of resolution for Video 8 XR, and up to 440 horizontal lines of resolution for video Hi8 XR using its video input. That's right: video Hi8 XR delivers 50% more horizontal lines of resolution than both VHS and VHS-C.

So, "by using its video input" the camcorder can "variably expand the bandwidth for luminance" in "low contrast situations".

They expand the bandwidth for low-contrast scenes... making them high-contrast? Do they remain high-contrast when played back?

[Cornucopia]

No, I believe if done properly, it is a reciprocal companding function, like preemphasis and deemphasis.
But I don't trust those numbers so much because that much change, when not reciprocating (using different, non compatible equipment) would show marked errors, and yet it doesn't.

Scott

[dellsam34]

The difference between the marketing specs and real values is like the difference between the picture of the food on the package and the actual food removed from the package.