It stores uncompressed digitized component video, encoded at Y'CbCr 4:2:2 using the CCIR 601 raster format with 8 bits,[1][2] along with PCM audio tracks as well as timecode on a 3/4 inch (19 mm) videocassette tape (though not to be confused with the ubiquitous 3/4-inch U-Matic/U-Matic SP cassette).

[4] Because of the uncompromising picture quality, component processing and uncompressed recording, D-1 was most popular in high-end graphic and animation production – where multiple layering had previously been done in short run times via hard drives (Quantel Harry, Henry, Harriet, Hal or Abekas DDR) or via multiple analog machines running at once.

Hard drives in the 1980s that stored broadcast-quality video would typically only hold 30 seconds to a few minutes of space, yet the systems that made them work could cost $500,000.

[8] A small variation removing the top 6 lines to save space was later introduced and made popular in the 1/4-inch DV/DVCAM/DVCPRO formats and for digital broadcasting, which have 720 x 480 pixels for NTSC; and is also used in DVD-Video and standard-definition television.

The D-2 format system from Sony and Ampex soon followed two years later, using composite video in order to lower the bandwidth needed.

1/2-inch Digital Betacam thus became the de facto standard-definition broadcast editing, delivery and archive standard.

Even as HD broadcasting and delivery became more commonplace in the U.S. after 2008–2010, networks would often require standard definition copies on Digital Betacam.

D-1 was notoriously expensive and the equipment required very large infrastructure changes in facilities which upgraded to this digital recording format, because the machines being uncompromising in quality reverted to component processing (where the luminance or black-and-white information of the picture) and its primary colors red, green and blue (RGB) were kept separate in a sampling algorithm known as 4:2:2, which is why many machines have a badge of "4:2:2" instead of "D-1."

Early D-1 operations were plagued with difficulties, though the format quickly stabilized and is still renowned for its superb standard definition image quality.

An external single-rack unit would enable the machine to record an additional key (matte) channel (4:2:2:4) or double the horizontal resolution (8:4:4) by combining two VTRs running simultaneously.

When engineers sought to process and record in real time the huge amount of digital data needed to make the first digital video tape format, keeping the Y, R-Y, B-Y or YUV algorithm was key to simplifying and reducing the initial picture information sampled, saving valuable space.

4:2:2 is Y, R-Y and B-Y; not RGB; 4:2:2 is often erroneously quoted as 4 meaning red, and the remaining 2s standing for green and blue.

Thus with 4:2:2, all color, red, green and blue, is sampled at half the rate of the black-and-white (luminance) picture detail.

The DV format further compressed the digital data at 5:1, meaning compromising the picture information by 80% to get 25 million bits per second onto a small tape moving at a slow speed.

Modern high definition video recorders like Sony's HDCAM-SR format, SR stands for superior resolution, have the ability to switch between 4:2:2 and full RGB recording for giant-screen motion picture work, thus RGB is sampled at every pixel and branded 4:4:4.