D-2 (video)

D-2, in the context of video, refers to a component digital video tape format developed by Ampex in the late 1980s as a lower-cost alternative to the D-1 format. Unlike D-1, which is uncompressed, D-2 uses composite digital recording, encoding the video signal into a digital composite format before recording it onto the tape.

The D-2 format records a composite video signal, typically NTSC or PAL, digitally. This means that the luminance (brightness) and chrominance (color) information are combined into a single signal before digitization and recording, which contrasts with component digital formats that keep these signals separate.

D-2 tapes utilize a 19mm tape width and use metal particle tape formulation. It employed a complex system of error correction to ensure reliable playback. While offering cost savings compared to D-1, D-2 resulted in a compromise in video quality due to the inherent limitations of composite video processing and the introduction of data compression techniques.

D-2 became a popular format for broadcast television and post-production during the late 1980s and 1990s, particularly for applications where high-end image quality of D-1 wasn't essential or budget constraints were a major factor. Its usage gradually declined with the advent of newer digital video formats that offered superior image quality and editing capabilities, such as Digital Betacam and various component digital formats. It is now considered an obsolete format.