XHA1 playback stutter on old DV tapes
 

Hey folks.

I tried doing a search but couldn't find a definitive answer on this one. I've used my XHA1 for shooting in HDV and in SD without any problems. However, I trying to use it to capture some footage I shot a few years back on the Sony DSR-250. It's just standard DV-footage - no wacky frame rates or anything. But when playing back these tapes (I've tried several) on the XHA1, the footage is all stuttery. (On the actual viewfinder.) Same thing when I capture in Final Cut. It will capture for a couple of seconds and then tell me there's a timecode break. (Which there isn't.) The couple of seconds of footage plays back in Final Cut with the audio and video having a stutter.

I thought DV footage was DV footage but does the XHA1 have problems playing back mini-DV tapes shot on other cameras? I no longer have the original camera the footage was shot on so I'm trying to figure out the best way to do this. Thanks for any insight.

Jarrod

Just a follow up, is it possible to record DVCAM format on a mini-DV tape? I always thought DVCAM was only recorded on the larger tapes but maybe I recorded in DVCAM mode on the mini-DV tape?

It's possible it may have been shot in DVCAM, not DV?

I'm pretty sure the DSR250 didn't record in LP, but thought I'd bring it up as a possibility. It's most probably recorded in DVCAM, and that may be where the problem lies.

Upon giving this some more thought, I am almost positive that this footage WAS shot in DVCAM. Thanks for the responses guys. I've been driving myself crazy going through all of the A1's camera settings seeing why my tape wouldn't play properly. Mystery solved!

As to the last part of your question, yes you can put DVCAM and also HDV onto miniDV tapes. As far as HDV and DVCAM are concerned, tape is tape. The more expensive tapes, such as Sony's PHDVM Digital Mastering tapes are, allegedly, better quality, but they're still DV tapes.