migliore 0 #1 May 2, 2005 I have a PC9 and am about to order some DV tapes. It looks like Sony has 2 main tapes: DVM-60PR for around $4 and the DVM-60EX for around $8. What is the difference? What is normally used for skydiving? Which should do you recommend? Shane Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sdctlc 0 #2 May 2, 2005 I go to Costco and pick up a pack of 6 TDK Mini DV Tapes for something like $16 or $17.. They work fine and I have had no problems with them.. Check out a Costco if you have one near you.. Scott"He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #3 May 2, 2005 It's usually recomended to stick to the same manufacturer of tape as camera. If you jump a Sony camera, only use Sony tape. Some of the off-brand tapes will cause your camera to require more frequent head cleanings, and may even damage the heads. I use the Premium stuff, which I think still comes in the blue case. That'll be the DVM-60PR. TapeAndMedia.com has DVM60PRL for $3.49 each. Unless you get dropped frames with the Premium tapes, there's little reason to switch to the more expensive Excellence line. _Am__ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oiseau60 0 #4 May 2, 2005 TDK and Panasonic work great, had really bad experience with JVC, more than once. Also you get what you pay for. my own 2 cents, from my own experience Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
velocityphoto 0 #5 May 2, 2005 This is as good as it gets man! And free shipping to boot 10 packs of mini dvd sony tapes and 10 packs of jvc tapes ,either one is fine !!! http://www.ecost.com/ecost/shop/detail.asp?dpno=965136 A friend will bail you out of jail , a REAL friend will be sitting next to you in the cell slapping your hand saying "DUDE THAT WAS AWSUM " ................ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zoter 0 #6 May 2, 2005 Dont forget to leave it on 'SP' if you edit your footage. There is a little signal quality loss, and higher chance of dropped frames recording on 'LP' Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kris 0 #7 May 3, 2005 QuoteIt's usually recomended to stick to the same manufacturer of tape as camera. Not necessarily true. IIRC, there are only a few companies that manufacture really good media: Fuji, 3M/Imation, TDK, and I think Sony makes theirs now, but they used to get their media from Fuji and Imation, and may still. I know Sony data tapes (DAT / AIT) used to be absolute garbage back in the day, until they started coming around in 1999/2000. At least they did when I got engineering samples of their media in 2000 when I worked at Seagate for new tape drive technologies. I actually had to pull teeth with Sony to get them to tell me where they were getting their media from when we had an issue with AIT format backup drive media, and was provided a list of where *all* their media comes from. I don't think they meant to give me the whole list. The other players in the industry are bulk-manufacturers of mid-grade quality usually. As for the media, mini-DV is a lot like DAT in how it's made. Get a mylar strip, slather on the magnetic substrate material, then a protective coating, then a layer of lube (measured in nanometers), format it, then box it up and sell it. It's actually pretty nasty stuff, hence the need for constant cleaning. Everytime that tape passes over the heads, stuff is coming off of it. For quality, you really can't beat Sony, TDK, and Fuji these days though. I've used Sony and Fuji brand media in my HC-40 with no problems. And I've used it a lot backing up bought skydiving videos and DVD's I have. And, I really recommend running a cleaning tape after every 6-10 hours of use.Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #8 May 3, 2005 QuoteThe other players in the industry are bulk-manufacturers of mid-grade quality usually. As for the media, mini-DV is a lot like DAT in how it's made. Get a mylar strip, slather on the magnetic substrate material, then a protective coating, then a layer of lube (measured in nanometers), format it, then box it up and sell it. Interesting post. Can you provide the answer to this added info as well.... We know that the Sony Premium and Sony Excellence vary in quality from each other. Most buy the cheaper Premium tape, while the Excellence is of better quality. In manufacture, what medium exactly does Sony (add or take away) to the Excellence tapes to make them better? ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kris 0 #9 May 3, 2005 I haven't seen the manufacturing specs for either. But if I had to venture a guess, the EX tapes probably have a more refined substrate material, allowing for more passes with less R/W signal degradation, while giving up less of the material to head contact. Probably a better protective/lube coating as well. Then again, they could just be using a better formatting process and marking the reams of tape with fewer defect areas (all media has defects, even new media, but it's okay if it's below a certain threshold) as EX-class media and slating those to be loaded into the EX-branded cassettes. A lot of data manufacturers do the latter and also call it "archival grade" media.Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CTSkydiver 0 #10 May 3, 2005 The only difference in the product specs on the Sony web site is this: Excellence tapes have a "2dB higher carrier to noise ratio (vs. PR) making it ideal for LP recording" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kris 0 #11 May 3, 2005 QuoteExcellence tapes have a "2dB higher carrier to noise ratio (vs. PR) making it ideal for LP recording" Yup...that's all I saw as well. I've no doubt it's better media. I was just wondering what the manufacturing differences were.Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #12 May 3, 2005 QuoteQuoteExcellence tapes have a "2dB higher carrier to noise ratio (vs. PR) making it ideal for LP recording" Yup...that's all I saw as well. I've no doubt it's better media. I was just wondering what the manufacturing differences were. And that was my question as well. Anyone? ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jaap 0 #13 May 12, 2005 QuoteI was just wondering what the manufacturing differences were Probably there isn't any. The thing is that it's not a 100% predictable process. Therefore a tape reel may be produced not living up to 'Excellence' standard. To improve the factory yield they sample test the reel, and if oke but not of Excellence quality, package it as Premium. Bottom line, there's nothing wrong with Premium tape, but it's just not Excellence. And if your lucky they have a series of good runs and package Excellence as Premium anyway. Mind you: all this is common practice, but not confirmed in this case! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
