Talked with a Sony Tape Rep. - Differences in TAPE
 

I was at a HVR-Z1U Demo in Denver this week and there was a sony tape representative ("expert") there. I asked him about the differences in DV tape (excellence v premium v DVCAM) and he said there is very little difference (I read into what he was saying as there is NO difference).

He did say that with the new HDV format tape is more important. (Due to the Long GOP and potential drop out issues). He explained that the new Digital Master tape was the way to go because it is actually made differently than the previous DV tapes. I guess the big difference is that this new tape is "Dual Layer" I don't know if this is all a bunch of marketing BS, but I bought it (figuratively, not literally).

FWIW
matt rickman

You can't always trust what the marketing people say though. Examples:

1- Panasonic tape: There was different information over which particular brands used wet and dry lubricant. The normal PQ series tape uses dry lubricant as does the master MQ series tape. (I believe there was a while where Jan Crittenden, a Panasonic rep, said the PQ series tape uses wet lubricant).

2- Sony specs for its consumer camcorder line:
The TRV22 is specced at 520 lines and the higher models at 530 lines or 540 lines. The TRV22 is nowhere near 520 lines... the difference between it and the higher models is *very* noticeable. The higher models may all be very close to achieving the theoretical maximum resolution of the DV format (540 lines).

And then there are the professional DV camcorders, which Sony specs in the 700-900 lines of resolution range. These camcorders are practically the same resolution as something like the VX2100 (which is 530 or 540 lines in the consumer literature).

Glenn,
What camcorder has ever been spec'ed at 700-900 lines of resolution?

matt rickman

The Sony professional/broadcast ones. Example:
http://bssc.sel.sony.com/Professiona...cam_family.pdf
PDF brochure (about 1.5MB). Use the search feature on "lines" and you'll see them being specced around 700-900 lines.

A consumer camera like the VX2000 has practically the same resolution (depending on how you want to measure), but is specced different (530 or 540 lines).


Just spreading uncertainty here...

got ya... I thought you were implying a one piece camcorder.. I should have read a little closer.....

matt rickman