Mini DV Tape Stock

[John Adolfi]

What constitutes "great" Mini DV tape stock. And why? What sould I stay away from, Walmart brand? Radioshack?

[Phil Rhodes]

Hi,

 

I don't think it makes the slightest difference, really. I tend to avoid TDK tape stock of any kind, but that's based entirely on one bad experience years ago with some Hi8 stuff and probably has no basis in fact. There's only a few coating plants which actually make the tape media itself in any case.

 

I tend to buy either Sony non-chip 184minute DVCAM, the small-shell 40 minute DVCAM, or Panasonic's AY series miniDV tapes. The only real reason for this is that these types have a pliable rubbery plastic case rather than the super-easy-shatter clear acrylic cases favoured by other manufacturers - the blue Sony shells are particularly sturdy. However I occasionally use other types, particularly of miniDV, when my preferred brand is unavailable, and I haven't noticed any difference in the pictures. Brand to brand differences seem to be less than batch to batch differences, so it's all really quite academic.

 

Phil

[Alvin Pingol]

...I tend to avoid TDK tape stock...

 

...a pliable rubbery plastic case rather than the super-easy-shatter clear acrylic cases favoured by other manufacturers...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I bought a bunch of TDK MiniDV tapestock once because of a good deal (3 dollars apiece). They don't come in those shatter-easy plastic jewel cases. However...

 

The cases they come in are shatter-proof, but they are cheaper quality. Still made of plastic, but a softer kind. The "hinge" is nothing more than that thin plastic segment that breaks if you bend it several dozen times.

[Guest Daniel J. Ashley-Smith]

Higher grade tapes contain gold, therefore homing better connections which means less digital mistakes.

 

Get the Sony Excellence tapes, you?ll never go wrong.

 

Things is, when it comes to MiniDV tapes theres not a great deal in it. They are all pretty good. I'v never had any problems and I use the Sony standard.

 

Some of them also have IC memory, which can be usefull but it's not neccesary.

[J. Lamar King IMPOSTOR]

I always use the Panasonic MQ or PQ tapes. I've not noticed any real difference between them and Sony tapes. However, I'm editing a project now where they delivered 11 JVC tapes to me and 3 have serious dropouts. I didn't shoot the tapes so I can't say for certain it's the tapes or the handling of them.

[Alvin Pingol]

More than anything, it's probably the tapedeck heads...