Bulk erasing MiniDV tapes???
 

OK! I'm stumped!

Wanting to wipe the slate clean on some 200 MiniDV tapes (Blacking is way to long for such a task), I got my hands on an old bulky and very heavy bulk eraser. A few days ago, I decided to use it on my MiniDV tapes. Hold and behold... Nothing! Not one dropped frame on the whole tape. I then take a VHS tape, pass it through the eraser, and whamo! Gone! No more video.

I figure the EM field is way too weak for the new formulations on DV tape. Or perhaps age and overuse got the better of the coils? Anyhow, I shop around the usual electronics store to buy a new one... only to be surprised by not finding any.

So where does one find a powerful bulk eraser capable of completely flushing DV tapes?

miniDV tape uses metal evaporated (technology). It has much higher coercivity than metal particle (i.e. VHS), which makes it much harder to erase.

Apparently the HIGH power version of the radio shack / realistic tape eraser will do it. I have the normal version... it doesn't work. You just get a rolling band of dropouts.

Bulk Erasing Mini DV's?
 

Anyone out there with a tip on a bulk tape eraser for MiniDV's? I have wasted my money on 2 of them so far with no luck.

I managed to destroy a bunch of tapes by accidentally putting a powerful earth magnet next to them if that counts for anything.