What is the difference between a super VHS tape and a VHS tape?
Super VHS was an 'improved' version of VHS. The picture was much
better. But, while you could play a VHS on a Super machine, you
could NOT play a Super tape on a regular VHS machine. It never
matched the mainstream success of regular VHS.
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Most standard VHS VCR's made since 1995 can *play* S-VHS tapes
but the resolution is reduced to that of standard VHS. It's called
SQPB for Super-VHS Quasi-Playback. S-VHS VCRs have the S-VHS logo
and a mini DIN 4 video output port and one for input. AFAIK all
S-VHS VCRs also support linear stereo and Hi-Fi stereo recording
and playback.
Playing a standard VHS tape on an S-VHS VCR, using the S-Video
out, will get you the best possible playback quality from the
standard tape, but it will still be less than S-VHS.