I know there are numerous threads on the subject--most of which don't answer the question.

I have used a cheaper Canon DV cam for capture--works okay until the last time when a tape got eaten by the cam--maybe it was the tapes fault--maybe not.

Regardless I am looking for a reliable playback deck for capture. Seems like several people have had problems with some of the Sony units.

Just wondering if there are any recommendations?

Thanks

Ron

Hi Ron,

If you're feeling flush with money, by all means buy something like the Sony DSR-11 Mini-DV Deck (I'd rather buy more gear - lights, sound, software/hardware, royalty free music, 1x7 DVD duplicators, multipe DVD printers, camera stabilization, lens, portable monitors, etc, etc)

The Sony certainly os a standard used by many videographers. But if you'd rather save yor dough for other toys, you can certainly get by using an expensive Mini DV camera as a deck. I haven't had any problems with my Canon ZR800 for the last year and probably download 2-4 tapes per week (also recording about 1 tape per week on trips as my "play camera"). On my last trip in Russia, I dropped the sucker out of my jacket pocket and was shocked to watch it bounce down marble steps until a well-meaning tourist stopped it by stepping on it (ugg, "thanks, I think...) Fortunately, the baby is light and continues to work flawless for a year now - my high-end cameras would be toast falling down even one step. If/when the ZR800 goes, no problemo - I'll buy some more.

But if I was doing heavy-duty tape capture/archive work, I'd certainly buy a deck. On that note, I am careful not to needlessly move the camera's tape back and forth during capture. Rather than mark a ton of in-out points, I capture big chucks of tape data and cut it up once it's on the hard disk. That way I'm not constantly banging the camera's transport head back and forth. If I had a Sony deck, I wouldn't think twice about capturing small chunks of video. Hope that helps.

Warm Regards, Michael

Thanks for the reply Michael--like you thats' what I have done in the past use a canon ZR for capture---until this last time I was capturing footage from a tape shot with my GL2--I rewound the tape in the Canon ZR--and at the end of the rewind was the Eject tape! message--when I did the tape was messed up--I believe it was the cassette holding the tape that was at fault--not the Canon ZR--of course now I'm "gun shy" about using the ZR-

I think I'll take a new tape fast forward it and rewind it and see what happens and then shoot some footage with the GL2--and try and captrue again--if al Is well I guess I can assume it was in fact the cassette--

like I said before i use Panasonic's Master series tape so as to always stay with the same brand--although the tape in question is the 83 min. tape--wondering if the tape is perhaps a bit thinner or packed on tighter that may have helped to cause the problem--

I also have a hard drive unit that hooks up to the XL2, GL2 which makes all things with regard to tape irrelevant-and makes capturing a 30 second breeze---but I shoot tape as a master at the same time.

Thanks
Ron