Videotape

An assortment of video tapes

Videotape is magnetic tape used to record moving images and (usually) sound. Videotape was invented in the 1950s for recording television shows for later broadcasting. In the 1970s it entered use in low-cost filmmaking. In the 1980s analog tape became commonplace at home, and replaced the use of photographic film for home movies. Better digital videotape systems started replacing motion picture film at the end of the 20th century. 21st century video mostly uses digital recording media such as memory cards and hard drives rather than videotape.