How many times can I record at DVinfo.net

Dragos Cambrea · June 6th, 2005, 11:17 AM

I'll try to buy a vx2100e but my question is, how many times can i over record the same tape. I heard opinions just twice 3 times and opinions 10 times 15 times.

In practice what is the real thing ? Since is digital i think the image quality cannot be afected but after a number of uses i think it will make drops or distorsions like in the digital TV signal loses.

10x,

Dragos

Matt Stahley · June 6th, 2005, 02:19 PM

IMO tapes are pretty inexspensive and its best to use them only once especially if you are getting paid for the shoot. Why take chances?? Plus you will always have a backup of all your footage if changes need to be made after final output etc. I havent had a problem yet using Sony Premiums and you can get them for about $3-4 each or so.

Boyd Ostroff · June 6th, 2005, 02:28 PM

I agree; use a fresh tape every time for best results. As a practical matter, you might get away with using them two or three times, but I wouldn't do it for anything important.

K. Forman · June 6th, 2005, 04:04 PM

I only use a tape once, but I do have a "junk tape", which I use for whatever catches my attention. The last "junk tape" refused to work anymore after a good bit of shooting and capturing.

Tom Hardwick · June 7th, 2005, 08:21 AM

I'm of the other persuasion. I reuse my old tapes again and again. Once you know you have a perfect one it's worth reusing indefinately.

We pay 2 quid for something that we hope will be perfect. We get 70 metres
of unspliced amazing multi-layer tape technology, beautifully slit and wound
onto hubs, packed into a tiny matchbox case that has location pins, guide
rollers and tiny bearings. It comes with a spring loaded double-action door, and has a small release lever. It has a clear window bonded into the case, a sliding safety door and is colour printed. It's all machine assembled and packaged in another box complete with self adhesive stickers and a card insert. Two quid! A lot less than a M & S sandwich.

If we assume the production process is 99.99% perfect (highly unlikely, and
almost impossible to achieve) then a goodly number of tapes (maybe 100 a
day) will be faulty in some way. Then let's assume the end of line checkers
pick up 99% of these (again unlikely with the vast numbers of tapes being
produced). That still means every year hundreds of faulty tapes hit the
shop shelves and meet the insides of your camcorder. Faulty may only mean
the tape is slit over width, but it may also mean faulty components have
been used in the cassette assembly, or components that are maybe all on the plus side outside production tolerances.

At 2 quid a pop we're asking a lot and expecting too much if we think they'll all be perfect. For important work I use a tape I've tested out 100%, in the same way as I'll use a tripod and camera I've tested out 100%.

tom.

June 6th, 2005, 11:17 AM	#1
Dragos Cambrea Tourist Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 1	How many times can I record I'll try to buy a vx2100e but my question is, how many times can i over record the same tape. I heard opinions just twice 3 times and opinions 10 times 15 times. In practice what is the real thing ? Since is digital i think the image quality cannot be afected but after a number of uses i think it will make drops or distorsions like in the digital TV signal loses. 10x, Dragos

June 6th, 2005, 04:04 PM	#4
K. Forman Capt. Quirk Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Middle of the woods in Georgia Posts: 3,596	I only use a tape once, but I do have a "junk tape", which I use for whatever catches my attention. The last "junk tape" refused to work anymore after a good bit of shooting and capturing. __________________ www.SmokeWagonLeather.us

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June 6th, 2005, 02:19 PM	#2
Matt Stahley Major Player Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Waynesboro, PA Posts: 648	IMO tapes are pretty inexspensive and its best to use them only once especially if you are getting paid for the shoot. Why take chances?? Plus you will always have a backup of all your footage if changes need to be made after final output etc. I havent had a problem yet using Sony Premiums and you can get them for about $3-4 each or so.

June 6th, 2005, 02:28 PM	#3
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,787	I agree; use a fresh tape every time for best results. As a practical matter, you might get away with using them two or three times, but I wouldn't do it for anything important.

June 7th, 2005, 08:21 AM	#5
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	I'm of the other persuasion. I reuse my old tapes again and again. Once you know you have a perfect one it's worth reusing indefinately. We pay 2 quid for something that we hope will be perfect. We get 70 metres of unspliced amazing multi-layer tape technology, beautifully slit and wound onto hubs, packed into a tiny matchbox case that has location pins, guide rollers and tiny bearings. It comes with a spring loaded double-action door, and has a small release lever. It has a clear window bonded into the case, a sliding safety door and is colour printed. It's all machine assembled and packaged in another box complete with self adhesive stickers and a card insert. Two quid! A lot less than a M & S sandwich. If we assume the production process is 99.99% perfect (highly unlikely, and almost impossible to achieve) then a goodly number of tapes (maybe 100 a day) will be faulty in some way. Then let's assume the end of line checkers pick up 99% of these (again unlikely with the vast numbers of tapes being produced). That still means every year hundreds of faulty tapes hit the shop shelves and meet the insides of your camcorder. Faulty may only mean the tape is slit over width, but it may also mean faulty components have been used in the cassette assembly, or components that are maybe all on the plus side outside production tolerances. At 2 quid a pop we're asking a lot and expecting too much if we think they'll all be perfect. For important work I use a tape I've tested out 100%, in the same way as I'll use a tripod and camera I've tested out 100%. tom.