"HD tapes" are marketing gimmick. Just get good quality tapes and you're set. I always use Panasonic AMQ and they are fine, so far.

I've never used Canon tapes for 2 reasons:

1. they don't manufacture tapes
2. they cost an arm and a leg

Panasonic PQs here, I've used them exclusively now for several years in a variety of DV cameras and now in my HV20...no dropout issues or any other concerns.

Where online is a good place to buy tape for reasonable prices, any suggestions? Or is that out of bounds for the forum??

Have been using Sony PR60's since I bought my first mini-dv camera. Work just fine in the Canon HV20 for me.

The Canon tape that ships with the Canon XHA1 seems to be a Sony. Same case, results, etc.

What about tapes found at local electronics stores, I see Fuji DVCM603PK, or Panasonic AY-DVM60EJ3, JVC MDV60DU3, in 3 packs for about $20.

Then there are the Panasonic AY-DVM80EJ2, Panasonic AYDVM80XJ2, and JVC MDV63HD2HT in two packs for for about $22-25.. Any issues with these tapes?

I don't see many of the other tape's mentioned here in local stores, only online.. Which is Ok, if you buy a number of tapes up front, but sometimes not convenient if something crops up and you used your last tape..

I always thought Panasonic made Canon tapes, but that was years ago. Is there a signature or serial on tapes that indicate which OEM made it?

I just use whatever's cheapest. Normally a pack of 5.. Most of those I've used over the past year are Fuji. No problems at all, even with the 80 minute tapes.

I've been soaking up all the great info here and decided that I don't need a HDV specific tape for my HV20. I've had it for a week now and am itching to use it, so I made the choice to try the Panasonic AMQ tape.
But looking on one sellers web site - it states that the AMQ runs for 63min in Mini DV, and only 42min for DVCAM/HDV. Is this true?

Have you noticed this run time difference David? If true, it's actually more expensive to shoot in HDV then say the Sony DVM63HD, in terms of cost per minute.
It's the last thing holding me back from finally choosing my poison :p

that's true AND untrue at the same time.

miniDV and HDV runs at the same rate (63 min tape, 63 min recording time)
DV CAM, on the other hand, runs at the faster rate (63 min tape, 42 recording time).

I use Panny PQs. They are cheap, work well, and have great reviews.

Panasonic PQs on everything (multiplie SD & HD cams), ever since they first came out. No dropout issues ever (so far), but no re-using tapes either. Tape cleaner through a camera when it enters my workflow.

Guess, I am still sort of curious whether the slightly cheaper Panasonic AY-DVM60EJ tapes would be OK, or whether the PQ, though I cannot seem to spot them on store shelves are worth ordering from someplace with reasonable pricing..??

Used the cheaper 60s before PQs came out. They're okay. No dropout issues with SD, used one time only, though. Didn't use these with HDV at all, though, sorry i can't be of more help. Now buy my PQs through Amazon.com for pretty good prices.

Cheap for its own sake begets cheap, don't forget.
Coming from film where the stock alone starts $10 per minute average (no processing or telecine, just the stock), I find it easy to pay $7 to $15 per hour, total.
What we're after here is cost effectiveness.
More than that is putting your money straight into someone else's profit margin.
Quality first, but after that, value for money, right?

I get mine at supermediastore.com.

They sell it $17 for 5 tapes which works out to $3.40 per tape.

http://supermediastore.com/panasonic...-tape-5pk.html