What are E-180 videocassettes?

There are three main analog television systems in the world: NTSC (US), PAL (Europe), and Secam (France). (Click here)

In the NTSC system, blank VHS cassettes have a “T” prefix, while PAL and Secam have an “E” prefix.

In the US, as well as other countries that use the NTSC system, a VHS videocassette would typically carry a T-120 designation. In countries that use the PAL or Secam recording system, a T-120 would carry an "E" prefix and be referred to as an E-180.

The length of either tape is essentially the same and, as blanks, these tapes are interchangeable among systems. For example, an E-180 blank tape, if used in an NTSC recorder, will deliver 127 minutes of recording time in the "SP" mode. Conversely, a T-120 will deliver about 170 minutes at the equivalent speed in a PAL or Secam recorder.

Remember, blank VHS tapes can be used in any of the three systems, but once recorded they cannot be played back on a VCR incompatible with the original recorder, unless you have a triple standard machine or have the tape converted.
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