Dropouts at DVinfo.net

Urban Skargren · July 27th, 2007, 02:06 PM

Hi!
We're shooting a short film in HDV 25F and are using the Panasonic AY-DVM83PQ PRO tapes. We're using two brand new A1:s and in ten tapes we have had about ten dropouts or more, spread out on the two cameras. That's far more than acceptable.

Recommendations anyone? The AMQ tapes were out of stock. Anyone else had bad experiences with the 83 min tapes? Should we run cleaning tapes? The cameras have not been used extremely much after being bought and I think we never runned any cleaning tape in any of them.

Edit: dropouts while playing back the tapes, we haven't captured to computer yet.

Bill Busby · July 27th, 2007, 03:56 PM

I believe 83 min tapes are thinner, so more can be packed onto the take-up reels. I also believe they're more prone to dropouts due in part to their thinness.

Bill

Bill Pryor · July 27th, 2007, 07:58 PM

Most people stay away from the 83 minute tapes. What I would do is use the head cleaning tape on the cameras and go with a good quality 63 minute.

Juni Zhao · July 27th, 2007, 08:58 PM

I use JVC or Panasonic (never Sony tapes on non-Sony cameras) 60 minute tapes, so far, never have had a single drop-out......

Urban Skargren · July 30th, 2007, 04:59 PM

We still had frame drops in both cameras after running cleaning tapes. About one drop per cassette.

Don Palomaki · July 31st, 2007, 05:52 AM

Were they at the same spot on the tape each time it was played?

Buddy Frazer · July 31st, 2007, 06:50 AM

In about 14 recordings on Panasonic 63PQ tapes I had one dropout in HDV with the Canon A1. I shot an event last week with a 83PQ tape and had about three dropouts in an hour.

I am not sure Panasonic still makes an 83MQ, although some vendors still have them in stock.

Charlie Durand · July 31st, 2007, 01:32 PM

I had this same problem with the 83-minute PQ tapes on my GL2. I didn't even try to use them on the XH-A1 as result.

Try the 63 minute PQ's. You should have better results. I still get the occasional dropout even with the AMQ's though. Just the nature of HDV I guess.

Richard Zlamany · July 31st, 2007, 02:00 PM

Thats strange. I use the Panny 83 on a pd170 and in the last few months have experienced many dropouts. Before that... it was rare. I wonder if it is the tape? I just sent the cam out and to see what sony says.

Jason Sovey · August 2nd, 2007, 08:20 PM

Sometimes storage can be an issue. A friend was having dropouts using a SD camera. We cleaned the heads, but it didn't help. One day I noticed that after filling a tape, he was placing it in small storage bag, worn on his belt. He also carried his cell-phone in the same pouch. The ringtone speakers on some phones have powerful magnets, which can erase tape. Now he doesn't carry them together, and the dropout issue has stopped.

July 27th, 2007, 02:06 PM	#1
Urban Skargren Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Medellin, Colombia Posts: 225	Dropouts Hi! We're shooting a short film in HDV 25F and are using the Panasonic AY-DVM83PQ PRO tapes. We're using two brand new A1:s and in ten tapes we have had about ten dropouts or more, spread out on the two cameras. That's far more than acceptable. Recommendations anyone? The AMQ tapes were out of stock. Anyone else had bad experiences with the 83 min tapes? Should we run cleaning tapes? The cameras have not been used extremely much after being bought and I think we never runned any cleaning tape in any of them. Edit: dropouts while playing back the tapes, we haven't captured to computer yet.

July 31st, 2007, 05:52 AM	#6
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,487	Were they at the same spot on the tape each time it was played? __________________ dpalomaki@dspalomaki.com

July 27th, 2007, 03:56 PM	#2
Bill Busby Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 959	I believe 83 min tapes are thinner, so more can be packed onto the take-up reels. I also believe they're more prone to dropouts due in part to their thinness. Bill

July 27th, 2007, 07:58 PM	#3
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Most people stay away from the 83 minute tapes. What I would do is use the head cleaning tape on the cameras and go with a good quality 63 minute.

July 27th, 2007, 08:58 PM	#4
Juni Zhao Regular Crew Join Date: May 2007 Location: North Andover, Ma Posts: 102	I use JVC or Panasonic (never Sony tapes on non-Sony cameras) 60 minute tapes, so far, never have had a single drop-out......

July 30th, 2007, 04:59 PM	#5
Urban Skargren Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Medellin, Colombia Posts: 225	We still had frame drops in both cameras after running cleaning tapes. About one drop per cassette.

July 31st, 2007, 06:50 AM	#7
Buddy Frazer Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Addison (Dallas) Texas Posts: 88	In about 14 recordings on Panasonic 63PQ tapes I had one dropout in HDV with the Canon A1. I shot an event last week with a 83PQ tape and had about three dropouts in an hour. I am not sure Panasonic still makes an 83MQ, although some vendors still have them in stock.

July 31st, 2007, 01:32 PM	#8
Charlie Durand Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Mountain View, CA Posts: 92	I had this same problem with the 83-minute PQ tapes on my GL2. I didn't even try to use them on the XH-A1 as result. Try the 63 minute PQ's. You should have better results. I still get the occasional dropout even with the AMQ's though. Just the nature of HDV I guess.

July 31st, 2007, 02:00 PM	#9
Richard Zlamany Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hamden CT Posts: 470	Thats strange. I use the Panny 83 on a pd170 and in the last few months have experienced many dropouts. Before that... it was rare. I wonder if it is the tape? I just sent the cam out and to see what sony says.

August 2nd, 2007, 08:20 PM	#10
Jason Sovey Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 81	Sometimes storage can be an issue. A friend was having dropouts using a SD camera. We cleaned the heads, but it didn't help. One day I noticed that after filling a tape, he was placing it in small storage bag, worn on his belt. He also carried his cell-phone in the same pouch. The ringtone speakers on some phones have powerful magnets, which can erase tape. Now he doesn't carry them together, and the dropout issue has stopped.