New "FULL SIZE" HDV tapes from Sony
 

Just read that Sony has released the ONLY -- so far -- full-size HDV tapes:

PHDV-186DM ---- offers 124M with DVCAM
PHDV-276DM ---- offers 184M with DVCAM

Obviously, Sony didn't do this just for fun -- which means "someone" must be going to release a new HDV camcorder at NAB that will use these tapes.

These tapes open the way for JVC to offer up to 50Mbps to tape with 60M or 90m recording time.

Well, I wonder what more they could offer. I suppose real 24p and much less compression would be the two top things they could do with these tapes. But who knows, we'll see at NAB! =)

Steve,

Sony has announced new HDV decks that use a full size tape transport.

I have run into problems where I wanted to make a master of an HDV edit that is longer than 63 minutes (the max tape size for the Sony HDV format).

Maybe a replacement for the DSR-250 will be HDV based?

Just a guess.

Dan Weber

You are totally correct -- the new HVR-M25U and HVR-M15U VTRs can use full-sized HDV tapes. I guess I never thought of mastering a couple of hours to HDV, but of course folks will need to do so.

I don't get the 63 minute limit.
 

I have 80 minute mini-dv tapes that I use. They seem to work fine.
Am I doing something wrong?

The tape base of the 80-min DV tapes is thinner. This means that over time, they're less likely to resist stretching or breaking. It might be 10 years before the difference showed up, but for important footage, I'd always use the standard lengths, to get the best durability.

Jvc Brhd50u
 

All,

The BR-HD50U, shipping for 9 months now, has always accomodated the larger tapes. It can use DV, HDV, or DVCam tape stock, with lengths up to 4.5 Hours.

We also sell large shell tapes up to 4.5 Hours. They say "ProDV" on them, but they will also work on HDV. Model numbers are:

LA-DV124PRO - 124 MINUTE DV CASSETTE (STANDARD SIZE)
LA-DV186PRO - 186 MINUTE DV CASSETTE (STANDARD SIZE)
LA-DV276PRO - 276 MINUTE DV CASSETTE (STANDARD SIZE)


Regards, Carl

But isn't it just JVC HDV not Sony 1080i?

Ron Evans

Br-hd50
 

Hi Ron,

The BR-HD50U will record and play the progressive, HDV1 spec. It will also record and play the DV spec, and it will play DVCam. It will take both the large and the small tapes.

Sony's decks are designed to play and record HDV2 - interlaced HDV.

By the way, HDV1 is a format standard. It's not "JVC's HDV". JVC has choosen to build product to the HDV1 standard for now. Other companies may come along and build product to the HDV1 standard. That could change one day.

The same holds true for the interlaced HDV2 standard. It's not "Sony HDV". Canon and Sony have choosen to use the HDV2 standard for now. That could change one day.

HDV1 (Progressive) and HDV2 (interlaced) are not "married" to any one manufacturer. Rather, HDV1 and HDV2 are format standards that any manufacturer can choose to build product for.

Regards, Carl

I do understand exactly what you have said. The fact remains that the majority of HDV product out there is Sony at the moment and in this case the JVC deck is not a lot of use. A deck with full capability to record progressive and interlace would be a VERY useful product. While I have a JVC person answering questions could you explain the capabilities of the Pro DVHS SR-VD400US deck to manage both progressive and interlace input from a computer. I assume it will not record a transfer from a Sony HDV camcorder but will it from an NLE after editing? UNlike the consumer version it appears to have a DV to and from MPEG conversion capability, but not sure about HDV?

Ron Evans

Hi Ron,

The BR-HD50U is VERY useful to the 12,000 plus customers who have purchased the GY-HD100U camera, and to buyers or our previous JY-HD10U HDV camera, and the consumer GRHD1U.

The SR-VD400US DVHS unit will record an MPEG-2 Transport Stream from a computer over firewire. It doesen't care if it's interlaced or progressive. I think it will also record the MPEG-2 stram directly from a HDV1 or HDV2 camcorder, although I have not tested it that way.

Regards, Carl