Mini DV Tape

[Redd]

Anyone have an idea how many times a mini DV tape can be used over?
I'm taping kids Soccer games and there's no need to keep each game on tape. Mini DV tapes arn't cheap so I'd like to use one as many times over again as possible.

I've called a half dozen photo shops and they all say "Gee, I don't know".

Thanks

[BJ_M]

Gee, I don't know


depends on the quality of the tape -- since its digital storage, you would expect better than avg. life ..

[MachineMan]

The Clowns down at my local Fry's electronics say that they are comparable to the preceeding Hi8 DV tapes. Not sure if its ligitimate but I would think that they could be recorded over many times with out loss. The tapes may wear out physically (stretched, dirt, creases,...) before they become digitally defected.

[Redd]

The tapes may wear out physically (stretched, dirt, creases,...) before they become digitally defected.

Thanks...good news.

[racer-x]

You should expect to be able to record at least 5 time over per tape. I've done this w\no quality loss. In fact you're suposed to format the tape before you record to it. That means record entire tape with the lens cap on.

[overloaded_ide]

WHAT?

I am very new to DV, but to me that makes no since at all, but what do I know?

I just pop in a new tape and record, only done 3 full and one 20 mintues, so I am NOT experienced, but I had no problems with tapes. I have recorded over the first 3 at least once each also.

I could maybe see fast forward and rewind once to be sure of proper tape tension, not to tight or too lose, but a full record?

Unless the tape just wears out I would expect it to last extremely long myself. Unless maybe cheap low quality ones!

Anolog cassettes I have used many many times and also VHS ones for recording without a noticeable loss. And tape backup from the old 480mb days I used over very many times without data errors.

I would expect DV tapes to be better than any of those!

Of course the main factors of concern are Quality Tapes, how you store them, and your camcorder!

If you have a poor cheap camcorder it might wearout the tape faster than a better quality one? If you leave your tapes lay around in a dusty or humid area alot out of the case, don't expect maximum life
And of course if you buy a cheap generic tape for $1, well.....
And then how dirty the tape head gets in the camcorder might have an effect also how long the tapes last?
Just plain age, do they rot also? They are tapes! One 5-10yrs old used only once, may not work as well as a new tape 2 weeks old used 20 times?

Basically I think quality tapes and taken care of they should last a long time and many records! But no answer as to how long as your mileage may vary and objects in mirrors.... ect...

[The village idiot]

DVCpro tapes get about 30 passes before errors are too large. DV tapes I would expect to last at least 10 passes, maybe 15.

DV tapes have a lubricating coating applied to the tape. As the tape gets used, this coating gets worn down. When the coating is gone, the heads will wear down the metal particles of the recording surface of the tape! This is also why you should choose one brand of tape and never use any other brands. Not all manufacturers use the same lubricant. And they are not compatible. They will form a sludge that clogs the heads. Read more at:http://www.adamwilt.com/DV.html

[TheSeven7hSon]

Fast forwarding and Rewinding the tape will retention the tape. It will also drop off loose particles or so I've read with anolog tapes. Recording the tape with the lens cap on (and no sound) is called striping I believe. What this does is give the tape one long, continuous time recording instead of getting dead spaces. This way you can tell a program to download onto the computer only certain time segments of video from the video camera.

Seven

[BJ_M]

Fast forwarding and Rewinding the tape will retention the tape. It will also drop off loose particles or so I've read with anolog tapes. Recording the tape with the lens cap on (and no sound) is called striping I believe. What this does is give the tape one long, continuous time recording instead of getting dead spaces. This way you can tell a program to download onto the computer only certain time segments of video from the video camera.

Seven

doesnt work that way for DV (what you are refering to is for beta sp , 3/4" , etc .. )

though the principal of recording video black over a prev. recorded tape is not a bad idea ...