In search of a mini dv tape rewinder at DVinfo.net

Bruce Pelley · February 9th, 2011, 06:25 PM

A couple of weeks ago I bought a Canon A1s HDV camcorder and want to preserve the heads.

What mini dv rewinders would you recommend that will not eat up the tape and are reliable?

Thank you.

Chris Hurd · February 9th, 2011, 07:03 PM

Run, don't walk, to this thread:

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/canon-xl...rame-mode.html

Written for the XL H series but equally applies to XH series. Hope this helps,

Bruce Pelley · February 9th, 2011, 08:40 PM

Chris,

That's way out of my budget.

I'm just volunteer to film church video broadcast on local access cable with all of the money coming out of my own pocket for equipment and production such as it is.

No one is helping me buy all the best stuff.

I'm just an amateur trying do do the best I can with limited means.

Kind Regards

Chris Hurd · February 10th, 2011, 09:57 AM

The price of the HV series camcorders has fallen far below
$900 -- I suppose I should edit the title of that thread. You
can buy a refurbed HV40 for ~$500 or so.

If that's still too much, and if all you want is a rewinder,
then *any* DV camcorder will serve that purpose even
though they can't be used for playback.

You'll want to avoid an actual "rewinder" as there are
too many reports of those devices breaking tapes. A
camcorder's tape transport mechanism is easier on
the cassettes.

That said, you should also know that there's no way
you can "wear out" the heads or the motor on the
XH A1S just from re-winding or capturing tapes.
That's just a bad internet myth and there's no
truth to it whatsoever. As long as you're diligent
about sending the camcorder in for its yearly
factory service checks, you won't ever cause
any damage to the tape transport mechanism,
which is built specifically to handle rewinding
and playback.

The advantage of using a separate camcorder
for that function isn't to "save wear" on the main
camcorder. Instead it keeps the main camcorder
free to continue shooting without tying it up in the
edit bay. Hope this helps,

John Peterson · February 27th, 2011, 07:41 AM

I would take Chris' advice. Years ago I bought a Sima mini DV tape rewinder and after using it twice I decided that the damage it seemed like it would cause to the tape (because of poor construction) wasn't worth it.

John

Bennie Wallace · February 28th, 2011, 09:34 AM

Chris is right. We used to sell the Sima Mini DV Tape rewinder and a similar rewinder made by Maxell. Both were poorly constructed and were prone to eat tape. We stopped selling them and ultimately Maxell and Sima stopped producing them.

Chris Barcellos · February 28th, 2011, 10:37 AM

Got a Maxell sitting on my shelf next to two tapes it ate--a reminder not to use it.

Steve Siegel · March 2nd, 2011, 09:53 PM

I have a Sima two-way tape rewinder for mini DV that I have used for years with no problems whatsoever. It's my tape deck that eats tapes.

J. Stephen McDonald · March 4th, 2011, 05:18 AM

I've had a Sima SRW-62 rewinder for almost 8 years and it's performed flawlessly. It's easy on batteries and has never damaged a tape. I'm sorry they no longer make them. I have no knowledge about any other brands.

Pete Cofrancesco · March 6th, 2011, 08:36 PM

get a consumer camcorder for under $100. not only can you rewind with it you can capture and take it on vacation.

February 9th, 2011, 06:25 PM	#1
Bruce Pelley Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 339	In search of a mini dv tape rewinder A couple of weeks ago I bought a Canon A1s HDV camcorder and want to preserve the heads. What mini dv rewinders would you recommend that will not eat up the tape and are reliable? Thank you.

February 9th, 2011, 07:03 PM	#2
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	Run, don't walk, to this thread: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/canon-xl...rame-mode.html Written for the XL H series but equally applies to XH series. Hope this helps, __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

February 10th, 2011, 09:57 AM	#4
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	The price of the HV series camcorders has fallen far below $900 -- I suppose I should edit the title of that thread. You can buy a refurbed HV40 for ~$500 or so. If that's still too much, and if all you want is a rewinder, then any DV camcorder will serve that purpose even though they can't be used for playback. You'll want to avoid an actual "rewinder" as there are too many reports of those devices breaking tapes. A camcorder's tape transport mechanism is easier on the cassettes. That said, you should also know that there's no way you can "wear out" the heads or the motor on the XH A1S just from re-winding or capturing tapes. That's just a bad internet myth and there's no truth to it whatsoever. As long as you're diligent about sending the camcorder in for its yearly factory service checks, you won't ever cause any damage to the tape transport mechanism, which is built specifically to handle rewinding and playback. The advantage of using a separate camcorder for that function isn't to "save wear" on the main camcorder. Instead it keeps the main camcorder free to continue shooting without tying it up in the edit bay. Hope this helps, __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

February 27th, 2011, 07:41 AM	#5
John Peterson Major Player Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Monroe, NY Posts: 703	Re: In search of a mini dv tape rewinder I would take Chris' advice. Years ago I bought a Sima mini DV tape rewinder and after using it twice I decided that the damage it seemed like it would cause to the tape (because of poor construction) wasn't worth it. John

February 28th, 2011, 09:34 AM	#6
Bennie Wallace Sponsor: Tape and Media .com Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 2	Re: In search of a mini dv tape rewinder Chris is right. We used to sell the Sima Mini DV Tape rewinder and a similar rewinder made by Maxell. Both were poorly constructed and were prone to eat tape. We stopped selling them and ultimately Maxell and Sima stopped producing them. __________________ Bennie Wallace www.tapeandmedia.com

February 9th, 2011, 08:40 PM	#3
Bruce Pelley Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 339	Chris, That's way out of my budget. I'm just volunteer to film church video broadcast on local access cable with all of the money coming out of my own pocket for equipment and production such as it is. No one is helping me buy all the best stuff. I'm just an amateur trying do do the best I can with limited means. Kind Regards

February 28th, 2011, 10:37 AM	#7
Chris Barcellos Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Elk Grove CA Posts: 6,838	Re: In search of a mini dv tape rewinder Got a Maxell sitting on my shelf next to two tapes it ate--a reminder not to use it. __________________ Chris J. Barcellos

March 2nd, 2011, 09:53 PM	#8
Steve Siegel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Posts: 839	Re: In search of a mini dv tape rewinder I have a Sima two-way tape rewinder for mini DV that I have used for years with no problems whatsoever. It's my tape deck that eats tapes.

March 4th, 2011, 05:18 AM	#9
J. Stephen McDonald Major Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Eugene, Oregon Posts: 909	Sima DV Rewinder Works for Me I've had a Sima SRW-62 rewinder for almost 8 years and it's performed flawlessly. It's easy on batteries and has never damaged a tape. I'm sorry they no longer make them. I have no knowledge about any other brands. __________________ Steve McDonald https://onedrive.com/?cid=229807ce52dd4fe0 http://www.flickr.com/photos/22121562@N00/ http://www.vimeo.com/user458315/videos

March 6th, 2011, 08:36 PM	#10
Pete Cofrancesco Inner Circle Join Date: May 2004 Location: USA Posts: 2,995	Re: In search of a mini dv tape rewinder get a consumer camcorder for under $100. not only can you rewind with it you can capture and take it on vacation.