Tape for HD100
 

I use the chipest Panasonic tapes (DVC Linear Plus) since September. Just before Christmas I bought five "Panasonic Master" Both great tapes.
Honestly, I don't feel any difference. I still have couple dropouts even with the Master too.
Now, I need to buy more tape. I can buy a chip Pana. DVC Linear Plus for 2.10 ea. if I buy 100+
My question is this linear Plus tape is also "dry lubricant" just like a "Master"
Or just a "Professional, Master and Advanced Master are "dry lubricant" ?

Thanks: Laszlo

Hi Laszlo,

I've been using these tapes for 7 years (Click here for JVC tape) in everything. The HD-100 is no exception. They perform without dropouts and I've rebuilt many timelines from the past without any issue at all. You get them by the brick of 10. I usually get 4 or 5 bricks at a time.

good luck...

It is normally fine just to stay with one brand. I've always used sony excellence, so now I'm continuing with sony. Not that I think that's the best tape (or one of the best), but changing is risky. I'm getting quite some dropouts as well when reusing tapes. That is just something I shouldn't do. The only thing I'm considering is switching to sony's DVCAM tapes - they have hard cases - interesting for protection against shocks and dust when it's in my camcorder bag...

Dry lubricant
 

Thanks guys!

I always use Panasonic MiniDV tapes, and I'll stay with it.
But I really want to know which one of the four (Linear Plus, Professional, Master, Advenced Master) have "dry lubricant" cote.


Thanks

ProHD Tapes
 

Keep in mind also that JVC did bring out a new tape in conjunction with the ProHD products. It's model # is MDV63PROHD. It is tested to have an even lower drop-out rate than our previous premium tape, the MDV63PRO. Most of my clients are using the MDV63PROHD tapes and getting excellent results.

From what I've been reading on many posts in here the type of lubricant depends on the brand. All Sony tapes have wet lubricant; Panasonic, JVC, Fuji... have dry lubricant. I can't find info on the net about tapes, I'd like to hear from an expert or technician. Someone was told by a technician from JVC that Panasonic tapes are ok for using with the HD100. Seeing that JVC and Panasonic are cousins ore brothers ore what ever they are, I wouldn't be surprised if the tapes were the same.

For the record...
I was told that the Panasonic AY-DVM63MQ-Master Quality was a good tape for the HD100. But after running 35+ tapes I can say I'll never buy another. I had bad dropout on one tape during a recent shoot and had to try another tape in mid shoot. A good portion of the other tapes had long horizontal and misc. small block dropout on occasion as well. I don't mind the minor dropout after hitting VTR, but when they pop up 15 minutes into a 30 run... that's a problem. And yes, I clean the heads.

I guess it's time to try the MDV63PROHD.

Hi Dan,

Try these for a small investment (Click here for JVC tape). They perform without dropouts or any inssue at all. One brick of these is $22 and I tell you they always work without dropout. I had the same problem with the Panasonic tape in the HD-100 but the M-DV60DU JVC tape is clean over and over in anything. Try one brick and you'll be a believer...

Which brings up the next question...

When is the firestore drive going to be available?

My plan is to strictly use the firestore drive and only use the tape drive
as a secondary to important shoots.

Now that's the million dollar question. I emailed Focus on the weekend asking the same thing. I hope to hear back soon.
They were careful to say on the new webpage for the DR-HD100 that it captures m2t only for HDV - no transcoding.
http://www.focusinfo.com/solutions/catalog.asp?id=149

This doesn't mean "Direct to Edit" for most NLE systems, yet. I'm now really hoping that FCP6 simply has the ability to work with m2t so that we don't have to transcode everything captured on a firestore.

Also, does this mean that the timelapse function won't work in HDV either?

Oddly, on Focus' Firestore Compatibility chart, the HD100 and 101 are listed as only working with the DR-HD100 and not the FS-4Pro HD. I thought they were essentially the same thing?

Good question Tim..

Let us know if you hear anything.

Thanks

I have a feeling there may be other issues going on than just tape stock.

I've used the JVC60ME tapes (also suggested in this thread) and had some drop out issues on playback. (replaying the same area again didn't product drop outs).

I've switched to the Panasonic DVM63MQ with no problems yet....

So it seems different users are having random results from these various tape stocks.

I ordered one yesterday from B&H, but haven't received any confirmation about a shipping date yet. Of course, it's Monday and they probably won't catch up from the weekend's business until the end of the day. Has anyone received one of these yet? I'd be curious to know if they're working out well or if any of them have even shipped yet.

Are the Fs-4 HD's still having time code issues?

The intervalometer function was brought up at the JVC event. It was still unknown at the beginning of Feb and to this day one of my counterparts here in Chicago that does stop animation has just discovered the intervalometer functions of iMovie and may give up on the Focus Enhancement product.

I read somewhere that the "Pro" version was needed in order to set it so that it will demux the files and provide DTE for Liquid. Otherwise the m2t's are demuxed upon import from the FS into Liquid's media management. It's not a transcode but instead breaking the m2t down to elementary streams upon import. The "Pro" version is supposed to keep the files demuxed. The real question is, how does it embed TC? In any other DTE with AVI sources the TC is created upon ingest into the system. It is likely the same scenario for m2t...