Reuse D8 tape

[tempe]

Someone was telling me it is better to erase the content inside the D8 tape before reuse it. Is it true? If yes, how to erase the content of the tape? Any guide will be very much appreciated.

[solarfox]

I don't know that bulk-erasing a Digital-8 tape is strictly necessary, really... the flying erase heads should be more than sufficient to wipe the previous signal before recording. It couldn't hurt, though. Radio Shack sells a couple of bulk-eraser models; basically, it's just a giant electromagnet inside a plastic shell, with a pushbutton switch.

The preferred method is to hold the button down while you run it back and forth over the tape for a few seconds, then slowly back it away from the tape -- while still powered up! -- until the bulk eraser and the tape are about 2 -3 feet apart. This slow separation randomizes the magnetic domains more evenly by gradually fading the field strength applied to the tape; simply letting go of the switch while the bulk eraser is still being held against the tape causes an abrupt collapse of the field which can, in the wrong circumstances, so strongly magnetize the domains that the recorder's erase-head field might not be strong enough to undo it completely. (Thus leading to a recording which might be more noisy than if you hadn't erased the tape at all!)

[Jester700]

Metal tapes are tough to erase. Plus, digital signals are much less susceptible to problems stemming from this. Big companies' backup data tapes are not bulk erased before reuse - 'nuff said.