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Mini DV Tapes and Hardware
| - Is there a Mini DV tape for Mastering? - Do you think the Sony Master DV tapes are worth their cost? - What is the best way to make back-up copies of my mini-DV tapes? - I need to Download My Mini DV tapes to my PC but don't want to use my camcorder - When using Mini DV Head Cleaners, Do you need to use the same brand as the tape you use? - How many times can you re-record over a Mini dv tape? - Shooting with a DVX100 using AMQ tapestock can we pre-stripe and lay down time code ahead of time so that we get unbroken timecode? Q: Hi Andrew, is there a mini-dv tape for mastering? A: Hi Mike, the answer is yes and no. Although there are no tapes specifically sold for that purpose alone, some fit that description. Sony Digital Master tapes offer the ultimate protection against tape errors and dropouts so they are a good choice to master onto. Q: Hi Andrew, Do you think the Sony Master DV tapes are worth their cost? A: it really depends on whether what you are shooting is valuable or a one time opportunity, and whether you have time to review the footage to ensure there are no dropouts. Most cameramen agree that anything you can do to reduce the likelihood of tape errors on any shoot is worth it. The fact is that the cost difference in monetary terms is not that high if you are already using DVCAM. Look at it another way, if you lose a crucial moment of your filming to dropout, can you put a price on getting that footage back? Q: Andrew, What is the best way to make back-up copies of my mini-DV tapes? I would like to save all data on DVD's with my mac; is that the most secure way to make copies? A: I am not sure exactly what you mean by 'secure' but I would not suggest you use DVD as a first choice for backing up MiniDV tapes. With DVD, you will lose quality to the MPEG-2 format, which has a relatively high compression. Like most tasks there are a number of options to choose from, and there is no single best option - it depends on your circumstances. With that in mind, here are my suggestions: 1. If you have two camcorders, simply hook them up together with a Firewire cable and transfer directly by playing on one and record on the other camcorder. 2. If you have a camcorder and a standalone deck such as a DVCAM or MiniDV, you can likewise connect your camcorder to the deck and record on to your digital standalone format - again you will have a perfect digital copy. 3. If you have a DVD recorder you could record the footage directly on to the DVD recorder. Remember that this will convert the footage to MPEG-2, so you will lose some quality. 4. You could capture the footage to your Mac, again by a firewire cable, then export it out again to the camera. If you only have one camcorder this is more time consuming than the other options, but at least you will have your backups. Q: Hi Andrew, Is there any device out there that I can use to download my mini DV tapes to my PC instead of using my camcorder? A: Hi Joe, yes a number of manufacturers offer standalone players that will play Mini-DV tapes. It's a sensible idea because not only does it free up your camera to be used elsewhere, but it saves additional wear on the camera's recording heads. The most popular player, which can also record is the Sony DSR-11. It has another benefit of being able to handle both PAL and NTSC formats. Q: Hi Andrew, Is it better to use a Mini DV head cleaning tape that is made by the same manufacturer of the DV tapes you use (just like you dont want to use different brands of DV tapes)? A: Hi Ryan, with head cleaners it really doesn't matter which manufacturer you use because they all work in the same way, with the same type of formulations. Q: How many times can you re-record over mini-DV tapes before they start to degrade or start to show digital errors? A: Although there is nothing to stop you doing it, Sony and the other media suppliers do not recommend re-recording over any digital tapes, including MiniDV. Re using tapes can lead to dropouts and errors after only a few times. With MiniDV prices so inexpensive these days (in the grand scheme of things), is there any reason NOT to use new tape? Also, many companies keep all their MiniDV tapes as a kind of stock footage archive. You never know when you might need a shot that you have already filmed, and it saves considerable time and money to pick the tape off the shelf. Q: Hi Andrew, we are planning to shoot an industrial in Brazil in two weeks, with a Panasonic DVX100, using video AYDVM63AMQ tapestock. The question: can we pre-stripe and lay down time code ahead of time so that we get unbroken timecode? Will the camera still be able to lay down its other information about progressive and so on? A: Hi Alison, striping a tape is something that used to be routinely done when working with non-linear equipment. In a digital environment it's not necessary and it won't give you any advantage because DV records timecode onto the tape every time a new recording is started. As long as you record without a gap in the tape, you will be fine even if you stop and start many times. | ||
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