Can S-VHS record widescreen?
S-VHS will record widescreen video as long as it is standard
definition. VHS does not support high definition at all. A feed
from a source on either a composite or S-video connection will be
recorded whether it is 16 : 9 or 4 : 3 format.
In Europe, widescreen format has been used in standard
definition broadcasts for almost 20 years. Many VHS recorders in
Europe can also capture an indicator within the signal to show that
it is in a widescreen format (known as WSS for wide screen
signalling). The recorder will then pass the signal to the
television on playback enabling the television to adjust the screen
format automatically.
However, in North America, widescreen has not been introduced
for standard definition signals. VHS recorders often will not
handle the WSS so if a widescreen format is played back, the screen
format may need to be adjusted manually. Some experimentation may
be needed to get the image format right.