Glossary VHS Video Home System. The Standard home video format. S-VHS Super VHS, which has 60% improved sharpness and will not play on an ordinary VHS machine. Some newer VHS machines with 'quasi-S' can play but not record S-VHS tapes. DVD Originally stood for Digital Video Disc, someone decided it should stand for Digital Versatile Disc. DVD-R (or DVD+R) is the recordable version, which will play on most commercial DVD players, allowing you to preserve your most precious moments. PAL Phase Alternating Line - Main European system of colour TV. NTSC National Television Systems Committee - USA system of TV. SECAM Sequential Couleur avec Memoire - Used in France, and a few other countries.