Final answer:
The question refers to the timecode format used in video production that includes hours, minutes, seconds, and frames, separated with colons. This format is used in multiple video systems like PAL and NTSC, not solely in one videotape format such as VHS.
Step-by-step explanation:
The format used to report time in hours, minutes, seconds, and frames, separating units with colons, is associated with video formats like PAL, NTSC, and SECAM. Each of these systems records and displays video content differently, with specific frame rates. For instance, PAL generally runs at 25 frames per second, whereas NTSC operates at approximately 29.97 frames per second. Although not one of the options provided, the timecode format is standard in video production and editing to specify hours, minutes, seconds, and frames. The correct answer to the question is not explicitly listed because both PAL and NTSC use this method, and it generally refers to the way time is reported in video editing, not the videotape format itself (VHS, for example, is a tape format and not a time reporting method).