videorecorder

A videorecorder is a device that records moving images and accompanying audio onto a storage medium for later playback. Historically, the term referred mainly to analog tape-based machines, but it now encompasses a range of digital recording systems, including camcorders, digital video recorders, and personal video recorders.

In the early years, videorecorders used magnetic tapes and analog formats. U-matic, Betacam and VHS were among notable systems for professional and consumer use. VHS-based VCRs became widely popular in households during the 1980s, competing with Betamax and other formats before digital technologies transformed the market.

The digital era brought recorders that store video on hard drives, flash memory or optical discs. DVD recorders and Blu-ray recorders became common for home media, while hard-disk and networked digital video recorders (DVRs) allowed time-shifted viewing of broadcast television. Personal video recorders (PVRs) integrated into set-top boxes and standalone devices enabled scheduling, pause and rewind of live TV, and later on-demand features.

Common media types include magnetic tape (historical), optical discs such as DVD and Blu-ray, hard disk drives, and solid-state memory. Modern systems may also record streams over networks or to cloud storage. Recording formats span standard-definition and high-definition video, with encoding codecs such as MPEG-2, MPEG-4/H.264, and newer codecs for 4K and beyond.

Uses range from home entertainment and personal archiving to professional production and broadcasting. Videorecorders remain central to capturing and preserving video content, evolving from simple playback devices to versatile recording and editing tools.