Digital8 Record Times

[leebo]

Anyone know what is the longest record time possible with this format?

[MpegEncoder]

For most camcorders it's 90 minutes, but that's in LP mode which you may or may not want to use. LP mode compacts more info on the tape by putting the data closer together. This can cause compatiblity problems and can even make the tape unplayable in the future on the same machine that recorded it.

[lchiu7]

I am willing to be corrected but somebody who has one told me to obtain the quality required for DV video on 8mm tapes, the D8 cameras run the tape 2x regular spped. So from that you would extrapolate that the max time is 50% of whatever 8mm tape you're using

BTW they are a great device if you have a lot of Video8 or Hi8 tapes (as I do) and want to move into digital video while not obsoleting your catalogue. Plus I think some models do passthru so you can take a regular video signal from a VCR, pass it through and feed the output via firewire to your PC

[kabanero]

BTW they are a great device if you have a lot of Video8 or Hi8 tapes

Agree.

Plus, when I use A/D pass through with my Sony TRV840 D8 when transferring prerecorded VHS tape to my stand alone DVD recorder via FireWire, it disables Macrovision.

[MpegEncoder]

I am willing to be corrected but somebody who has one told me to obtain the quality required for DV video on 8mm tapes, the D8 cameras run the tape 2x regular spped. So from that you would extrapolate that the max time is 50% of whatever 8mm tape you're using

That is correct for SP mode, 120 minutes for Hi8 and 60 minutes for Digital8. But LP squeezes an additional 50% by packing the data tighter together.

[leebo]

LP mode compacts more info on the tape by putting the data closer together. This can cause compatiblity problems and can even make the tape unplayable in the future on the same machine that recorded it.

Anyone ever have playback problems with LP mode?
I've read the same thing about Mini\DV LP mode, though I don't know how true it is.

I need to be able to record 2hrs at a time though. Guess I'm back to MiniDV, which can record 2hrs onto an 80 minute tape. I was hoping to take advantage of D8's lower tape prices.

[civic]

Sony has a Digital8 tape which holds 90 minutes at the higher SP quality. They're more expensive ($10 per tape or so), but quite handy when storage space is an issue. Last year I took 6 of these on an overseas trip--the equivalent recording time of 9 60-minute tapes. I've never tried recording LP (don't trust it), but I think these 90 minute tapes will hold 120 or 135 minutes at LP speed (I'm just remembering the packaging). I get mine at Best Buy.

[leebo]

Thanks civic, but I'll probably still go with miniDV, as miniDV 80min tape runs about the same price (or even a couple of buck lower), and I can get more of the camcorder features I wanted with miniDV as opposed to D8 (like a 3" LCD and headphone jack).

[civic]

MiniDV is probably the best way to go...D8 is on its way out. Sony has gradually decreased the number of available models to almost nothing now; my 3-year old TRV525 has the larger LCD and headphone jack which you mention. The analog pass-through which someone mentioned earlier in the thread has been really helpful to me in capturing analog video to the computer.