Standard HDV tapes or ProHD tapes
 

Just wondering what advantages (or drawbacks) there are by using JVC's ProHD HDV cassettes, with the thin cobalt magnetic layer. Are these easier or rougher on the heads?

I've been using JVC HD tapes with no problem. I'm highly budgeted but certainly would opt for the extra two bucks per tape if it added sufficient extra security against drop outs.

And yes, one day I'll go tapeless, but for now...

Standard HDV tapes or ProHD tapes
 

Hello Chuck,
What I can tell you is that although I have used the standard tapes I would experience numerous problems capturing, cuing and even just playing them back. This was primarily on the BR 50 deck. Since switching exclusively to the ProHD (M-DV63ProHD) tapes I have had no problems. If I recall Tim Dashwood has a post somewhere on here that talks about this, I know he also references and recommends the ProHD tapes on his DVD. The price difference isn't much of an issue when you calculate in the timesaving and lack of headaches in post.

Jay Webster
Director/Cameraman
New York

Perfect Jay.
Thanks

Your going to laugh or groan, but I use the cheapo JVC mini dv tapes primarly and for more important things i use the good JVC HD Pro tapes. I see maybe a drop out every other tape with the cheap tapes. In my defence I use a Focus Enhancements DTE drive, so the tapes are for backup and a physical non HDD library that I will 99% likely to never use again. I also don't delete my footage, every few months, yank a SATA out and drop another in in my bay of 4. So for me the tapes are a 2ndary concern. I love working with a DTE drive by the way and I haven't spent 1 second capture tapes in 2 years. So I say get a DTE drive and use cheap tapes, unless it's important footage that you intend on keeping and reusing years in the future.

Your going to laugh or groan
 

Hey Alex,
Good Point.
Yeah, we all know that the direct to disk thing is "the bomb"...no two doubts about it...
So, Laugh or groan? Well for me I guess it's a bit of both.
Most of the stuff I do requires a pretty quick footage turn in and most of those clients expect you to "give" them the physical drive at the end of the day/week...etc. When you see it again...what condition...???
Well, again, laugh or groan??? I just give em the dam tape and...move on.

BTW, as you point out the best option is to also back up to tape if you are going to disk. But as Chuck points out in his original post...he's not going direct to file just yet...so in that case I would stick with the higher grade tape.

Cheers!

Jay Webster
Director/Cameraman
New York