Program I can use to black my DV tapes?

[CursedLemon]

I decided I'm going to black all of my DV tapes (yes, I'm aware of the head-wear issue).

What program can I use to do this? Besides Movie Maker, as it doesn't seem to want to cooperate...

[lordsmurf]

Why? If you want to dispose of them, run the unspooled tape through a shredder, and then melt it in a fire. The tapes cannot be reused.

[aedipuss]

put a cover over the lens and push record.

[CursedLemon]

Why? If you want to dispose of them, run the unspooled tape through a shredder, and then melt it in a fire. The tapes cannot be reused.

I'm lending the camera to someone who needs a lot of tapes, and I just want to know for future reference anyway.

I just want to record a black picture onto the tapes from my computer, but I don't know what programs can write back to the camcorder.

[guns1inger]

Pretty much any editor - even Windows Movie Maker. But a lens cap does the same thing without tying up your computer.

[aedipuss]

a heavy duty magnet would do it without running them through the cam.

[Cornucopia]

Why? If you want to dispose of them, run the unspooled tape through a shredder, and then melt it in a fire. The tapes cannot be reused.

OF COURSE they can be reused!

Should they be reused? Not often, or much. But your friend knows this already right? So you're covered.
(And you've backed up ALL the stuff you originally had on those tapes, right?)

To OT:
1. Make a black picture (BMP, JPG, etc) in Paint, Photoshop, etc (720x480 for NTSC, 720x576 for PAL)
2. Drop/Import it in Windows Movie Maker and extend or loop it for however long you want (can drag rightmost handle)
3. Do - [File | Save Movie File], and choose [DV Camera] and roll the "video" out to your connected DV camera!
DONE!

It'll be black, with silence (since you didn't put in any soundtrack).
I just tried it, so I know it works.

Scott

EDIT:>>>>
Just noticed you said, "Besides WMM". Well, I'd figure out why it's not wanting to cooperate first, as it's likely other video editing apps would have trouble as well until what's causing the trouble is solved. Do you have the right NTSC/PAL settings for your camera and country's TV system?

[lordsmurf]

They can't be reused if you care at all about the recording quality.

[MOVIEGEEK]

Grab a can of black spray paint.

[Cornucopia]

We're not talking about analog tape here, DV is digital, with error correction, so it quite easily handles minor glitches in the recording/playback chain.

If they were so fragile, broadcast companies wouldn't have used them for years with Re-record/Edit VTRs that do that very thing on a regular basis.

Maybe it's the quality of tape you're buying...

Scott