MiniDV playback question.

[venport]

Hi everybody,

I'm new to this web site and I'm not sure if this is the forum to place my question (my appologies if not )

Is been 10 years since I touched a camcorder (last one being a Sony Hi8) and I'm trying to work with a MiniDV camera. I'm trying to download to my computer to do some editing.

I'm trying to play a MiniDV tape (FUJIFILM DVM60), recorded in a Sony camera (don't know the model), on a Panasonic NV-EX3 and I get the message: "UNPLAYABLE TAPE [OTHER FORMAT]"

I tried browsing the camera's menu but couldn't find anything that would lead me to solve this issue.

If Sony, Panasonic (and others) are involved in the design of this format (MiniDV), then why this camera will report such error? I don't think it will have anything to do at all with LP, ES speeds of recording.

If anybody could give a lead on what can be happening........

Thanks a lot in advance.

[gadgetguy]

My guess is that either it's just a bad tape and won't work anywhere, or the heads on either your Panasonic or on the Sony (or both) are out of alignment. Do you still have access to the Sony cam? If it plays back ok on the cam that it was recorded on, but has trouble everywhere else then that cam's heads are probably mis-aligned. If it only has problems in your Panasonic and plays in other cams ok, then it's probably your cam that has the misaligned heads.

[venport]

Thanks for your reply, gadgetguy.

The tape plays OK on the Sony; I saw it.

I will only have access to that camera next Saturday, and then I'll try the tape that's been used on the Panasonic (MAXELL DVM60SE) to see what happens.

[JohnnyMalaria]

When you have access to it, see if it supports DVCAM format recording. If so, it may have been recorded as such. It's like DV but the tape runs faster. Most Sony's can play DVCAM, too.

All is not lost, though (even if it isn't DVCAM). You can dub from the Sony to your MiniDV cam by connecting them via a FireWire cable.

[venport]

Thx for the info, JohnnyMalaria.

I'll try asking the owner the model, or straight up if he knows, and I'll check the manual online(if I find it) to verify this.