Swapping DV tapes from one camera to another.

[gastorgrab]

When VCR's first came out, i remember having trouble with the "Tracking" of the tape across the head if the tape was recorded in one deck and played back in another.

Do DV camera's suffer from this.

A family member wants to send me their tape because they are unable to convert it to DVD. Will playing back a DV tape recorded in one camera have any trouble playing back in a different camera?

Thanks

[thecoalman]

Probably not but your supposed to pick one manufacturer for the tapes you use and stick with them. Different manufacturers use different types of lubricants for the tapes and mixing them is a very good idea.

[daamon]

...and mixing them is a not very good idea.

Edit, on behalf of thecoalman...

[gastorgrab]

...and mixing them is a not very good idea.

Edit, on behalf of thecoalman...

He was understood though!

Chemical reaction.

Thanks

[thecoalman]

...and mixing them is a not very good idea.

Edit, on behalf of thecoalman...

Yea just use some wd-40..... that'll take of er'

I guess chemical reaction could be one thing but some use a liquid and others use a powder type.

[edDV]

When VCR's first came out, i remember having trouble with the "Tracking" of the tape across the head if the tape was recorded in one deck and played back in another.

Do DV camera's suffer from this.

...

Yes, all video tape decks depend on proper alignment and tracking to interchange tapes. The decks are usually adjusted to properly play "standard" alignment tapes by the service technicians.

The MiniDV format was designed for single camera use and record time was favored over interchange safety margin. In contrast, Sony's professional DVCAM format uses wider tracks and an enhanced tape formulation to facilitate tape interchange in a broadcast TV environment where tapes are editied on different equipment than the recording camcorder. For DVCAM, tape record time was compromised to 40min on a 60min MinDV tape. The actual DV 25 Mb/s recorded stream is the same as the consumer model.

That said, I've had good results interchanging consumer MiniDV tapes using fairly new equipment. The older the camcorder is and the higher "mileage", the more the probability of interchange issues. Best to just try it and see.