The gist in one paragraph
S-VHS (Super VHS) is the upgraded VHS format JVC introduced in 1987: the same ½-inch tape and cassette size, but a different magnetic coating and wider signal bandwidth, so the picture is far sharper. That advantage survives only if the tape is played on an S-VHS deck. In practice two transfer services can deliver very different results from the same tape, so it is worth asking what equipment will be used.
VHS and S-VHS side by side
About 240 lines. Colour and brightness travel together in a composite signal. Plays in any home VCR.
About 400 lines. Brightness and colour are recorded separately (Y/C), so edges are crisper and colours bleed less. Needs an S-VHS deck.
VHS: TV recordings and family parties. S-VHS: wedding videographers, schools, cultural centres, serious hobbyists.
VHS needs a good VHS deck. S-VHS needs an S-VHS deck and an S-Video connection, or half the detail is lost.
| Feature | VHS | S-VHS |
|---|---|---|
| Launched | 1976 | 1987 |
| Tape width | 12.65 mm | 12.65 mm |
| Horizontal resolution | ≈ 240 lines | ≈ 400 lines |
| Signal path | composite | Y/C (S-Video) |
| Plays in a plain VCR? | yes | usually not, or noisily* |
| Our price | €15 / cassette | €9 / cassette |
* Some later VCRs had “SQPB”, which shows S-VHS but only at plain VHS quality.
Spotting an S-VHS cassette
- “S-VHS” or “Super VHS” on the shell, label or spine.
- An extra hole underneath. S-VHS shells have a small identification hole that plain VHS lacks.
- Who filmed it. A hired videographer at a wedding or graduation very often used S-VHS.
- Notes on the box such as “S-VHS master” or “original”.
- S-VHS-C is the compact camcorder version; see the VHS-C article.
Why S-VHS can’t go in just any player
A plain VCR lacks the circuitry for the higher frequencies, so you get either no picture or a noisy, flickering one; SQPB only gives VHS quality. We play S-VHS on S-VHS decks with a time base corrector and capture through S-Video, keeping brightness and colour separate right up to the capture card. More on that chain in our article on analogue digitization.
Where S-VHS turns up in Lithuania
S-VHS never became a mass home format here; decks and cameras were expensive. In the 1990s and around 2000 it was the tool of event videographers, regional TV studios and school video clubs. So we mostly find S-VHS among professionally filmed weddings and christenings, in school and choir archives, and on the shelves of community centres, parishes and museums. For organisations we can agree a schedule and invoice the institution.
What threatens S-VHS tape
The denser coating is more sensitive to damp and binder breakdown. Tapes kept in cellars often show mould spots or stickiness and must be cleaned before playback, or they can foul the heads and tear. Cleaning or repair is €9 a cassette, only with your approval. If you have a videographer’s S-VHS original and a VHS copy, always send the original.
Price and shipping from Lithuania
S-VHS and S-VHS-C cost €9 per cassette regardless of length. MP4 via Google Drive (€7.90) or USB (from €12); 10% off above 20 cassettes. Post with Omniva (from €7.49), LP Express (€8.99) or DPD to the Tallinn locker named in our reply.
Ordering in three steps
- Write to usList the formats and how many cassettes. We answer with exact details, the price and shipping instructions.
- Drop the parcel at a lockerUse Omniva, LP Express or DPD in Lithuania; the receiving locker in Tallinn is in our reply.
- Get your recordings backTypical turnaround is 10–14 working days. Files arrive as MP4 in a cloud folder or on a stick; you settle an invoice afterwards.
S-VHS questions
Why is S-VHS cheaper than VHS with you?
That is simply our price list: S-VHS, like the camcorder formats, is €9, plain VHS €15. Quality is unaffected; S-VHS always goes on an S-VHS deck.
Will the file look different from a VHS one?
Yes, especially in fine detail such as faces, lettering and fabric patterns, and colours stay inside their outlines.
Can S-VHS be captured straight to HD?
The source is standard definition, so we deliver it at native resolution. Upscaling adds no real detail.
How can I pay?
An invoice follows completion, issued to an individual or to a business, as you prefer.