I'm just here to say I had a ruined capture because I had been reusing a miniDV tape multiple times (artifacts appeared). Given the low cost of tapes, reusing them needs careful consideration.
I'm just here to say I had a ruined capture because I had been reusing a miniDV tape multiple times (artifacts appeared). Given the low cost of tapes, reusing them needs careful consideration.
hv20 tapes
Hello new to the forum.I own a hv20 any recommendations as to what type of brand tape to be used? i was told that sony should not be used because it is a "wet" lubricant opposed to a "dry" like maxwell or panasonic? any light shed would be helpful
any tapes are fine really. just be consistent and always buy the same ones. and if you haven't already. buy a tape cleaner
The Somnium - Winner of Antman's Film Contests #9 & Indy Mogul 5mmh #9Snoballs Winner of Indy Mogul 5mmh #27
That Dry/Wet nonsense has already been debunked years ago .... by no other than Sony themselves.
"It is dark the other side. Very dark!" - "Oh, shut up and eat your toast!"
I think that one is dead too. Wasn't it connected to the wet/dry lube thing?Originally Posted by Fade to inferno
The Korova milkbar sold milk-plus, milk plus vellocet or synthemesc or drencrom, which is what we were drinking. This would sharpen you up and make you ready for a bit of the old ultra-violence.
yep.
"It is dark the other side. Very dark!" - "Oh, shut up and eat your toast!"
Sony Premium tapes are quite OK, I have over 60 of them, only one little drop-out in all 60 of them.
I use (normally**) the Panasonic letter salad (the second cheapest). Don't even know what a drop out is. However, before any major gig, I run a head cleaner. Otherwise about every 10 hours
** if no Panas are available, I take whatever I can get locally (mostly Sony).
"It is dark the other side. Very dark!" - "Oh, shut up and eat your toast!"
I use Maxell. I know, for some they are "cheap" tapes. However they are easy to find. I've always used the same brand with my HV20 and my Sony camcorder. In the last 3 months I have gotten like 2 drop-outs but I have never cleaned the heads on my HV20 (which I always use as B-Cam and as capture device) so it could be related to that. Some people have recommended me the Sony Premium ones which cost about the same as the Maxell's but I don't want to change brand now. I've read it is not recommended so I better not do it and cause damage to my equipment.
Don't believe that nonsense.I've read it is not recommended so I better not do it and cause damage to my equipment.
"It is dark the other side. Very dark!" - "Oh, shut up and eat your toast!"
- purchase name-brand head cleaning cassette & use as directed
- change to new tape brand
- profit
I still don't want to risk it... I don't know if Sony and Maxell tapes use the same lubricant or not. Lots f people don't recommend switching to another brand... I have never tried the Sony Premium tapes. What if they are worse than the Maxell's? I would first clean the heads and IF the drops continue then I'll definitely look at switching. I'll still give Maxell the chance, never had problems with them until a few months ago.
Yea... you can use any tape you want. Doesn't have to be the same brand. I mean, I use TDK tapes all the time... but thats because they're cheap and easy for me to find. If I could get Sony tapes for the same price, I'd get those instead!
I'm going to merge this with THE tape info thread ... which (if you can be arsed to read all 16 or so pages of it) debunks many of these old wives' tales.
Chico, do you actually know that there are only about 2 or 3 manufacturers of tape in the world? Most of the tapes on the market are coming from the same factory under different brand names.
As Erik said, those are old wives' tales.
Keep the maintenance schedule of one head clean per 10 hours or before an important gig, and you should be fine.
"It is dark the other side. Very dark!" - "Oh, shut up and eat your toast!"
Today I went to my local Sears to pick up some tapes as tomorrow I have a beauty contest to shoot, but they did not have Maxell tapes! So I had to get a pack of Sony DVC Premium tapes (blue package). This is the first time my Sony V1U and Canon HV20 are going to see a different brand of tape other than Maxell. I hope everything goes well. Who knows, I may switch to Sony as they are easier to find in most stores.
You take whatever tape you can find. Tape is tape.
I must confess though that Maxell are the only tapes I ever had real issues with. Even though Maxell is one the handful companies that actually PRODUCE tape and not just relabel them.
"It is dark the other side. Very dark!" - "Oh, shut up and eat your toast!"
Same here, a Maxell clogged the heads once, one Maxell got tangled into a dvcam deck (not my HV). Seventy Sony tapes have caused just one dropout.
Suggestion: Run a head cleaning tape for 10 seconds before starting the shoot. Won't hurt, can be a lifesaver...
I don't have a head cleaning tape... I tried to find one at my local Mall but no store I went to had one. I'm praying nothing wrong happens... This is an important job!
I've bought 3-packs of Sony Premium that include a free cleaning tape - for 9,90 euros, that's about US$14. I've seen single cleaning tapes advertised for three times that price!
I recorded about 2 minutes using the new Sony tapes on both the V1U and HV20. Then rewinded and played back. No problems. I will keep you informed. By the way, I am looking at buying a head cleaning tape. Since I can't seem to find one locally, I guess I'll be ordering online. What brand do you recommend? Since my cameras have always used Maxell tapes do you recommend to buy a Maxell head cleaner or a Sony one?
This is the Sony:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._Cassette.html
And the Maxell:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...i_DV_Head.html
Please recommend me one based on your experience/knowledge. Next saturday I have a wedding to shoot and I want to clean the heads on both cameras as I have never done so.
I've only used Sony's cleaner, all OK.
Is the Sony cleaner wet or dry? I want to use it on both cameras but in the HV20 manual it says not to use wet cleaners.
Dry. I don't think you can even buy wet cleaning tapes these days, at least not for DV use.
(I still have a wet cleaning tape for my old Betamax - it included a bottle of isopropyl alcohol that was used to wet the cleaning tape before use...)
Thanks Janke. I'll order the Sony one. Is it safe to use the same cleaning tape on both camcorders or is it recommended to use one for each?
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