Okay, I'm starting to accumulate a little pile of DV tapes.

How do you guys store, organize tapes? If these were CDs or DVD, no problem. Lots of storage options. Are there tape sleeves out there? I like envelopes rather than towers.

Keith,
Yes, that's the dirty little side effect of the video camera; you accumulate these tapes. And, just as tiny snowflakes accumulate to eventually cripple a city, so can tiny little tapes accumulate to cripple a room.

Cool, dry, and consistent are the watchwords of tape storage. Tapes I'm currently working with go into plastic food containers similar to those Glad storage containers you'll find at the grocery store. (A local Japanese restaurant provides perfect containers for free each time I order a delivery.) For intermediate storage I use an old array of those inter-locking 3.5" diskette drawers (now vacated with the obsolescence of 3.5" diskettes). For long-term storage I use a foot locker case. What happens when that overflows? I've no idea. Perhaps a mountain in Nevada?

You see, I've already stepped on one and went flying against my computer...

Hi, I posted a similar question before, here it is:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2594

Thanks.

I posted the same message on DVDA and the consensus is: shoeboxes.

I keep mine inside a fire proof gun safe within the small tower type storage units so I can stack them up neatly.

I also keep plenty dessicant in the safe to keep the moisture out.

Along with Ken's suggestions of cool, dry, and consistent there are a few more rules for maximum tape life in storage. The tape should be rewound to the head of the tape. Do not leave tapes partially wound. Partially wound tapes sag and stretch and when put in player may be eaten. At least once or twice a year exercise your tapes. They need to be fast forwarded and rewound . This will re-tension the tapes evenly and release residual magnetism. Residual magnetism is caused by two magnetic surface (one layer of tape on top of another) that stay in close proximity or contact with each other. By fast forwarding and rewinding the tape is not in contact with exactly the same piece of tape as before. These suggestions are for maximum archival storage.

Jeff

I was wondering if there is some specific way to store blank and recorded tapes (ie such as film in the freezer). I tried a search but didn't find anything that answered both questions. Thanks.

Cool, dry, protected from dust and direct sunlight, and protected from wide variations in temperature. I believe that edge-up, rather than flat-down, may be the preferred attitude for long-term storage. I know that that position was often recommended for larger tape cassettes.

Maybe we should call this new forum The Long, Cool, Dry, Clean Black Line.

Thanks Ken.

What would you recommend to store DV tapes? Especially lots of them....I've seen some of these DV tape storage cases at B&H. Anyone recommend a certain brand/model? Those wall-mounted ones should be very nice...my room/office is already crowded enough on the ground. :-)

Dave, a quick search of your key words (DV tape storage) revealed many threads on this topic. After scanning the possibilities, this thread (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3429&highlight=DV+tape+storage) seems like a good one for you.

Has anyone tried one of these? I am thinking about buying one from B&H (I can't find it anywhere else local). The wall-mountable idea seems very neat and some can place 25 and some place 50 MiniDV tapes. Would be great for organization to hang in an office or video editing room/place. :-)

Has anyone ever tried these? I know some people just use a regular box for storage and jam tapes in there, but I want to find a more organized approach...

Is it open or closed? Definitely go with a closed system.

Opened...why closed? Take a look at B&H's inventory, search for Datrax. They are like insertable-DV-tape trays.

I use these trays, not mounted on a wall but inside desk drawers and plastic storage drawers. They're perfectly good to use and a really good idea for tape organization. There's not a lot to say about them except they work great (no moving parts) and they're very handy. Hope this helps,

I might have come off a bit strong on the closed thing. But I
would still prefer it. Less dust, less changes of things going
wrong etc. etc.

A fire proof gun safe in nice to keep them from being stolen but will not help much in a fire. Most fire safes are designed to protect paper from burning. That is several hundred degrees. What you need is a media safe. These are rated to keep the contents below 125 degrees F. Expensive but worth it.

Hi all,

a simple question, but one that is proving hard to answer by searching...

Can any recommend a supplier of tape storage racks (a range if possible including miniDV, small DVCAM, large DVCAM) in the UK?

I'm looking for something rugged. Modular is good. I'll worry about price after looking at the racks...

Regards,

Julian

A recent thread (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3429) that may be of interest.

And another (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20494).

Looking at Ken's second link above, the Datrax products look like the kind of thing I'm looking for.

Does anyone know where to buy this kind of thing in the UK? (Google "datrax site:.uk" returns one UK site that list US stores!! Ho hum)

Regards,

Julian

For anyone else who needs to know, www.datavision.co.uk sells Bryco moulded (open) miniDV tape storage racks.

Julian

I'm also wondering whether or not to purchase some Datrax trays/racks. They seem nice and are wall-mounted for easy organization.

I'm a big fan of the Gemtracs.

After no luck searching for a local source that sells MiniDV tape racks, I found these at Walmart for 6 bucks each.

www.logiconn.com/ct/storage1.jpg
www.logiconn.com/ct/storage2.jpg

They are Rubbermaid Drawrer Organizers. They hold 64 tapes each, quite tightly, with 4 compartments that hold 5, one that holds 13, one that holds 9, and the bottom shelf that holds 22. These pics show 2 of the units. I stuck them to the wall with heavy weight 3M Command strips, rated for 22 lbs.

Good deal. I've wanted a rack for my tapes, but at like $30 bucks to hold 25-50 tapes was ridiculous. I gotta check out my Walmart.

<<<-- Originally posted by Chris Thomas : After no luck searching for a local source that sells MiniDV tape racks, I found these at Walmart for 6 bucks each.

www.logiconn.com/ct/storage1.jpg
www.logiconn.com/ct/storage2.jpg

They are Rubbermaid Drawrer Organizers. They hold 64 tapes each, quite tightly, with 4 compartments that hold 5, one that holds 13, one that holds 9, and the bottom shelf that holds 22. These pics show 2 of the units. I stuck them to the wall with heavy weight 3M Command strips, rated for 22 lbs. -->>>

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Have you tried checking these?

http://www.tapeandmedia.com/detail.asp?product_id=MDV-50

I've got 4 of them and they work great!

Does anyone know if it's a bad idea to stage my dv tapes next to my
speakers on the shelf?

greets
Tim

I'm pretty sure that's a bad idea, Tim! There isn't *that* much of a magnetic field from a small set of speakers, but you really shouldn't risk it, in my opinion.

You probably shouldn't risk it in my opinion.

However, mini-DV tapes are a lot harder to demagnetize compared to non-metal-evaporated tape (i.e. VHS).

I know because I have a tape eraser... and it isn't very good at erasing mini-DV tapes. like 80% of the picture information is still there.

I shoot Sony PDVM-40N, mini-DVCAM tapes. These come packaged in a large blue, plastic case, which while it provides excellent protection, the storage racks made for consumer mini-DV tape will not work with them. I can find a rack for full size DV tape, but I believe mini case size is different.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=303266&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

Does anyone know of good modular racks for these tapes?

Hi all -
Fellow DVinfo'er, Marco Leavitt and I were chatting the other night and the question of how to store DV tapes came up. One of us advocated standing the tape horizontally, the other thought that standing the tape on the long edge was the way to go.

A search of the Long Black Line had only one mention that applied to this question... http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=19114&highlight=tape+storage and that person felt that on edge was the best way to store a DV tape.

Any thoughts? (Besides the fact that we need to get a life!)

I have always heard standing up tape vertically was best at least in theory. However, in practice I am not sure how much it really matters.

You're supposed to stand them up vertically. Having them horizontal for long periods of time could distort the edge of the tape as the weight of the tape presses it down. I also read that you should fast-forward and rewind tapes periodically.

The winding out and rewinding of a tape prior to its 1st use is a good thing to do. Sometimes, tape can stick to itself, and that can be problematic when recording.

OK Marco - I owe you a beer

Just to make it clear, "on it's side" or "horizontally" means the cassette is resting on its face (where the label goes) or on its back (the drive side), whereas "on edge" or "vertically" means the tape reels are suspended like toilet paper: ready to go!

This is also why in most cases you do not want to transport a tape from one location to another while in the camera. Since it is untensioned and unlocked, the tape pack on each reel can shift, causing ripples in the media. Not good, though digital recording has masked this to a marked degree.

I've always stored them "vertically", on the short edge, like a book in a book case. But it's weird that I just realized I store new tapes in the boxes, vertical on the long edge. But once they are used, I store them in a rack vertical on the short edge. Hmm, I should work on my consistency.

I don't know for sure, but you could check www.tapeonline.com and see what they carry.

Pretty sure this is the one you want for Mini DVCAM tapes:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=331197&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Searcing on the model #DV8-36 lists the smaller DVCAM tapes as compatable. I have this on order and will post yes or no when I receive it.

Just to follow up, the tape rack in the above post is what you need for Mini DVCAM tapes. I just received it and the tapes fit perfectly.

He needs a rack to hold the large DV cases:

http://www.taperesources-store.com/store/prodinfo.asp?number=XRDCLG&dept=241

He needs a rack to hold the large DV cases:

http://www.taperesources-store.com/store/prodinfo.asp?number=XRDCLG&dept=241

He's asking for storage for DVCAM MiniDV tapes. The link in his post is to one just like you posted (large DVCAM). He wants something for the Sony PDVM-40N Mini DVCAM tapes.

Anyway, hope this helps Jeff.

I like GemTrac

http://www.russbassett.com/products/gemtrac.cfm

They are very strong in the Corporate World, I don't know about home studio however.

He's asking for storage for DVCAM MiniDV tapes.

Oh, I see it now. I had to re-read it a couple of times. I wonder if anybody ever made racks for pro Hi8 album cases. You sure couldn't buy replacements or even labels for love or money. Well, that's moot, now.

Hey guys I ned a way to store miniDV tapes with production scripts and possibly some DVD's on shelf in an organized way for each project I do. Is there any sort of folder or plastic book style storage system that can put all these different media types together in one storage container per project besides just a generic plastic shoebox? Something made for the media itself.

This comes close to what I'm looking for, but it doesn't store scripts and DVD's with the tapes.
http://www.tapeandmedia.com/detail.asp?product_id=MDV-9

I have been storing my tapes in a shoe box...

Do they make dedicated DV tape storage boxes? Something waterproof?

I was thinking about this as well (miniDV), currently I am using an aluminium tool/photographic case with the foam taken out. The big problem is miniDV is that the small plastic cases have perfectly square corners, your average pelicase, tupperware, etc has nice ergonomic rounded corners which makes the storage less economical.

In the UK B&Q currently have a set of nesting cases lined with felt that have very square corners for a mere £11.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aluminium-Tool-Case_W0QQitemZ160133683787QQihZ006QQcategoryZ11706QQcmdZViewItem

To give you an idea what I mean.

A question of my own I suppose, what orientation is best for storing my tapes?

I am using MiniDV tape racks from Bryco.
Then I store the racks in a up right tool chest that I picked up at Sears. So far this works for me.

Rob

Any office supply store has waterproof/fireproof safes:

http://www.officedepot.com/ddSKU.do?level=SK&id=903732&Nr=200000&N=2527238&An=browse