Laying Down Black on future target tapes at DVinfo.net

Barrie M. Yacher · June 22nd, 2003, 10:20 AM

It seems like I have asked about the necessity of laying down black on blank vhs tapes before copying to them. I tried looking for my old post in this section of the Community, but didn't find it. Maybe I left the post in the GL2 Community. In my quest for knowledge on the subject, I wanted to take the question one more step and ask if the following type of item, that I have seen for sale at about $300.00 is what would really"fix my clock"?: I have seen black burst generators for sale. When we talk about leaving your lense cap on and recording "black" to the target blank tape, aren't we talking about black burst, so it would seem that such a generator (some kind of a box with outputs) would be just what I needed. If so, I wouldn't have to use my good GL2 or my old Hi8. Now that I have bought the latest Matrox editing program that came with Premiere 6.5, I see that each one talks about laying down black on the target tape when going to DV tape.

George Brackett III · June 23rd, 2003, 04:44 AM

I feel the same way. If you have to "black" your tapes before use, and only have one cam, then that cam is gonna get twice as much wear and tear, and half the tape mechanism life...

Nigel Moore · June 23rd, 2003, 04:59 AM

If you purchase a cheap cam for capture, as was suggested on another thread, you could also use it to set the timecode.

Mike Rehmus · June 23rd, 2003, 11:12 AM

In general, laying 'black' on a VHS tape is only necessary if you are going to do 'Insert' editing. Not many DV editing programs I know of even offer this. Insert editing allows one to insert either audio or video in the middle of an already recorded tape without interrupting the clock track.

It only works, BTW, if your VHS deck has an insert mode. Most don't because it requires some elaborate electronics and/or a flying erase head. Hi-8 and most production record VTRs offer Insert capabilities.

Your editing system is very likely going to overwrite anything already on your VHS tape so 'blackening' the tape is a waste of time and totally unecessary.

Joe Carney · June 23rd, 2003, 12:19 PM

another reason to black your tapes is some camcorders reset their timecode when they are tuned off/then on and see blank tape. Reset timecode can cause problems if you a logging your shots.

June 22nd, 2003, 10:20 AM	#1
Barrie M. Yacher New Boot Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Chicago, Illinois, 3 blocks from Wrigley Field Posts: 14	Laying Down Black on future target tapes It seems like I have asked about the necessity of laying down black on blank vhs tapes before copying to them. I tried looking for my old post in this section of the Community, but didn't find it. Maybe I left the post in the GL2 Community. In my quest for knowledge on the subject, I wanted to take the question one more step and ask if the following type of item, that I have seen for sale at about $300.00 is what would really"fix my clock"?: I have seen black burst generators for sale. When we talk about leaving your lense cap on and recording "black" to the target blank tape, aren't we talking about black burst, so it would seem that such a generator (some kind of a box with outputs) would be just what I needed. If so, I wouldn't have to use my good GL2 or my old Hi8. Now that I have bought the latest Matrox editing program that came with Premiere 6.5, I see that each one talks about laying down black on the target tape when going to DV tape.

June 23rd, 2003, 04:44 AM	#2
George Brackett III Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Waterville, NY USA Posts: 83	I feel the same way. If you have to "black" your tapes before use, and only have one cam, then that cam is gonna get twice as much wear and tear, and half the tape mechanism life... __________________ If the quality of mercy is not strained, then how do they get the lumps out?

June 23rd, 2003, 11:12 AM	#4
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	In general, laying 'black' on a VHS tape is only necessary if you are going to do 'Insert' editing. Not many DV editing programs I know of even offer this. Insert editing allows one to insert either audio or video in the middle of an already recorded tape without interrupting the clock track. It only works, BTW, if your VHS deck has an insert mode. Most don't because it requires some elaborate electronics and/or a flying erase head. Hi-8 and most production record VTRs offer Insert capabilities. Your editing system is very likely going to overwrite anything already on your VHS tape so 'blackening' the tape is a waste of time and totally unecessary. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

June 23rd, 2003, 04:59 AM	#3
Nigel Moore Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: Switzerland Posts: 358	If you purchase a cheap cam for capture, as was suggested on another thread, you could also use it to set the timecode.

June 23rd, 2003, 12:19 PM	#5
Joe Carney Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Centreville Va Posts: 1,828	another reason to black your tapes is some camcorders reset their timecode when they are tuned off/then on and see blank tape. Reset timecode can cause problems if you a logging your shots.