Closed Caption: Many pre-recorded tapes have the "CC" symbol on the box which indicates that an otherwise invisible subtitle display can be overlaid with a suitable add-on box. For more information have a look at the personal web site of Gary Robson.

Commercial advance/skip: VCRs with this feature automatically advance through the adverts during playback.

EP: Extended Play - a VCR with EP recording triples the capacity of a tape by moving at a third of the speed. Picture quality is reduced, but you can record for up to twelve hours on a four hour tape.

Heads: VCRs contain heads for both audio and video playback. Most modern VCRs offer four video heads which gives superior performance when using "trick play" functions (still, scan etc) and Long Play recordings. HiFi sound VCRs also contain two sets of audio heads, one to read the lower quality mono soundtrack and another for the hiss free hifi stereo soundtrack.

HiFi Audio: Essential for those who require respectable sound quality from their VCR, hifi sound models carry a stereo audio signal and do not suffer from the background noise and hiss of cheaper mono VCRs. HiFi audio is to be found on most modern VCRs over about £150.

LP: Long Play - a VCR with LP recording doubles the capacity of a tape by moving at half the speed. There is a trade-off on performance, but many do not object.

NICAM/NICAM Digital Stereo: The delivery system used to provide stereo sound for terrestrial analogue transmissions in the UK and some other countries.

NTSC: A video format used mostly in America and Japan. If a VCR offers "NTSC playback" it will play back such recordings on most modern PAL television sets used in the UK.

On Screen Display (OSD): On screen information which informs you of your VCR's status - playback, counter, channel number and so on.

PAL: The video format used in most of Europe (including the UK). All our VCRs are PAL format, many are capable of playing back NTSC format tapes too.

Programme Delivery Control (PDC): A system which automatically adjusts a timer setting on a VCR if the programme you wish to record starts or runs late. Its successful operation is dependant on a broadcaster transmitting the correct signal.

Scart socket: A multi-function connector which is the European standard for allowing AV components to be hooked together. One lead can carry a multitude of different signal types without creating a wiring nightmare! A VCR's Scart socket usually delivers stereo audio and video signals as both an input and an output, some models have two such sockets which also allow a signal to be daisy-chained through the VCR when it is switched off, thus allowing two components to be connected to a television's Scart input simultaneously.

SECAM: A video format used in some countries (such as France). Other formats include PAL and NTSC.

Set top box control: If you wish to record a programme from an add-on tuner (a Sky or ITV digital box for instance) set-top box control will switch the add-on box to the correct channel during timer recordings even when left unattended.

SP: Standard play - the normal speed which a VCR operates at. Most modern VCRs also offer LP (Long play) and some EP (Extended play) recording speeds.

Subtitle recording: VCRs with this facility record the transmitted subtitle information from Teletext services onto the tape for future playback.

SVHS: (Super VHS) A format which enhances upon the picture quality of standard VHS recorders. The VHS format delivers, at best, about 270 lines of horizontal resolution, whereas Super VHS can deliver about 400 lines.

S-Video: (Super Video or Separate Video) - a way of carrying a picture signal from one component to another (a VCR or DVD to a television for instance). Such a signal can be carried along a Scart lead (provided the connections offer S-Video signal transfer) or a special 4 pin din type S-video connector lead or a lead made up using one of each!

Tape library/navigation: Handy tape-finding solution which delivers programme information on recordings made with the VCR so that specific titles and cassettes are never lost or accidentally erased.

Timer/Time shifting: A preset recording feature which lets you tell the VCR the time, date and channel of an upcoming programme. It will make the recording despite being left unattended. 

Tracking: A head alignment function of a VCR, there to deliver the best picture from each recording. Often a noisy picture or distorted sound is due to an incorrect tracking setting, so many VCRs boast an "automatic tracking" feature.

VCR: Video Cassette Recorder.

VideoPlus: Simply input the VideoPlus number code (found in many listings magazines, on Teletext and in daily newspapers) to set the timer. Much simpler than having to input the information manually. When combined with PDC this offers a powerful, yet easy-to-set timer function.