https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jiu0LPeLQPE
Didn't know about this.  50GB per tape!  Technically this was an S-VHS format/media but all digital.  This would have been why my previous TV was available in 2001 and could do 1080i.
He plays a sample of iRobot captured via component.  Video quality looks really good!
Want to get HD video into the machine to record?  Need to use IEEE1394 FireWire.