Originally known as Digital-S, it was given the designation D-9 by SMPTE in the spring of 1999. D-9 uses a 50 Mbps compression scheme which has been widely recognized by the engineering community as the blueprint for digital production and broadcasting.

Taking advantage of our experience and leadership in 1/2" tape and transport technology, JVC formulated a unique 1/2" tape that permits the recording of a vast amount of data and offers additional strength and reliability. The metal particle tape used by all D-9 products offers an unbeatable combination of high performance and reliability, supported by powerful error correction that can even replace missing data in the unlikely event of a tape dropout. Even with a clogged head D-9 may continue to play back high-quality images.