DVCPRO, is a new lightweight and low cost digital tape format that has been introduced to the video industry by Panasonic and a number of other manufacturers. This tape format offers digital component recording quality, and digital quality CD sound. It is based around compact cassettes which enable small and efficient products to be manufactured. Careful analysis of all the possible compromises, for example compression artefacts and techniques, data rates, subjective performance, robustness, and multi-generation capability, have produced an optimum system for standard and high definition TV use. (7 pages)