I am selling a dedicated miniDV rewinder. Bought it from B&H in May, it does fast forwarding as well as rewinding. Email me for pics and more info.

tape rewinder
 

What should I look for in a tape rewinder for my Canon GL-2?

These are mini-DV tapes

Generally, I'd advise you to use a cheap MiniDV camcorder as a rewinder/player. The problem with rewinders is that they have no slow-down function, so you slam into the end of the tape hardcore. After a tape goes through four or five runs on that rewinder, you'll have a noticeable degradation in quality.

Would I also be able to use another miniDV to transfer video to my PC?

Assuming it has stereo sound, will the quality be the same as my GL-2?

Assuming that the camcorder has a FireWire-out port, as almost all of them do nowadays, then yep, you can use it to transfer your footage.

As for quality...well, the footage and audio has already been recorded and committed to tape by the GL-2. It's not like the other camcorder is re-recording your audio or anything like that.

We tossed the subject of a good mini-DV tape rewinder around thoroughly last year. I and several others got a Sima SRW62. It works very well and has never damaged my tapes. It has a smart sensor that slows it and keeps it from crashing against the end of a tape. It can be used with a plug-in DC adaptor, but I always run mine on batteries for convenience and portability. It cost about $40. and is small enough to fit into a pants pocket.

MiniDV Rewinder for $20. Which do you use?
 

Greetings,
I know this has been discussed before but I just wanted to see if anyone has the following or what pros/cons they can give me, both of these being under $30 (with s/h).
Lenmar - MDV66
Maxell - MDVRW1
I will be using another MiniDV camcorder for transfers and I usually don't use the same tape more than a few times, I guess narrowing my chances of ruining a tape in one of these. Thanks for feedback.

First of all, these units, DV or VHS, are made quite simply but quite ingeniously as well. The way these rewinders automatically stop, at least the VHS models, is by self ejection due to the jerk of the tape stopping and triggering a spring loaded latch that is activated when you close the door. It's like a trap but in reverse. I haven't used one for DV but have for VHS countless times. I would just make sure that it has something called soft eject to prevent it snapping the tape from an abrupt stop. That's why most decks slow down within a minute or two from reaching the leader when rewinding. The only issue I had with the VHS model was that the latch was too secure so the tape would not eject when it was done. The unit would just sit there and whine while the rubber belt continued to spin around the pulley gears. The worst that could happen is that the belt would disintegrate and break before the tape broke but the motor could be damaged as well. I fixed that problem by opening the unit and filing down the plastic latch just enough to make the mechanism more sensitive. The good news is that it ejects every time now but it sometimes stops too early with about 5 minutes of tape left because the vibration from the spools jars the latch. It's better than burning up the motor though. What can we expect for $20? If I got one, it would have to be bi directional because I like to spin (shuttle, cycle, stir) my new tapes before using them and don't like using a camera or deck to do it. If you get one, let us know how it works.

Chris,

I have the Maxell unit. It works fine but I really don't use it that much, so can't comment on durability. Seems I'm only puting about 10 or 15 minutes on a tape and end up just rewinding in my deck.

One thing I did to save problems is to attach it to the top of my computer with velcro. They are so light, only a few ounces, that they move all over when you try to put in a tape or hit a button. Just velcro it down!

I hope that this helps.

Mike

I use a Maxell MDV/RW1, have for several years. I have read the warnings about these units snapping tape but in many, many hours of use I have never had a problem. And for a few bucks, all those hours aren't on my VX2000.

David Hurdon

The problem with snapping tapes mainly comes from the weight of the rotating mass, the big spool, when they stop suddenly. On these little DV tapes, however, that mass is so small it probably would rarely if ever cause a break in a tape. Also, the rubber drive belts are so small and loose, that I doubt they could ever break a tape.

Mike

I've been using the Maxell for over 2 yrs. Never once snapped a tape. Good little unit to have around.

maxwel mdv
 

I have had one for awhile and i use it daily, never a problem yet.

Can you get one for a standard high 8 tape too???

Gus

Yep. As you'll see, a couple of the DV units are identical in design as different brands and way different in cost for the same unit.

8mm
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...goryNavigation

All Selections
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...rch&Q=&ci=1988

If you're referring to the difference between the Lenmar MDV66 and the Power-2000 models, there IS a difference. The Power-2000 comes with the AC adapter, while the Lenmar MDV66 does not. While B&H generally has good pricing, Pro-Tape has the Power-2000 for $33 (and very good prices on MiniDV tapes). Here's the link: http://store.yahoo.com/protape/simmindvrew.html

I use the Power-2000 rewinders for rewinding after capture and pre-winding new tapes. They are so great, I bought two of them!

If you want to save money, get the Lenmar, which is likely the same thing w/o power supply. I use NiMH's in my winders anyway and let the batteries get low on purpose, they then run the tape slower.

The only $20 winder I tried was the Kinyo. It ate the first tape I put in it, exchanged for a P2K and haven't had problems since. Buy something good!

I use the maxell rewinder instead of my vx2000 and it works great. I've done a couple dozen tape through it and never had a problem! You can't beat it for under $30.

I've watched it as it comes near the end of the tape and I've never noticed any abrupt snap, the machine doesn't have much torque and it doesn't spin all that fast (just enough to do its job). Any sort of abrupt stopping of the tape seems to be absorbed by the wound roll of tape on the other spool.

have also the Kinyo from b&h for about $ 20. 1 year old and no problems. i never rewind in the camera.

greetings

Has anyone encountered "tape stretch""
 

My interest in this relates specifically to mini DV Tape. Having lots of mainframe systems experience, for years I've been under the impression that the biggest 2 problems with any tape are 1) stretching, and 2) shelf life. ("Back in the day", mainframe tapes were only considered good for a shelf life of 2 yrs. before the coatings might begin to "peel", and if stored for more than 2 yrs, there was some mechanical cleaning process that the operators would perform).

I'd expect the "sudden stop" from mini DV rewinders to increase the likelihood of stretching. Even if recording only once, has anyone experienced stretching to the point where it has impacted repeated playback?

Thanks.

Denis,
Yah the little P2K's I use do stop suddenly. I've never been thrilled by that but it hasn't been a problem as far as I can tell. Good practice is to roll a minute or two at the beginning/end of a tape. My theory (hope) is that if the P2K does stretch something, it is either that preroll, or the nylon leader tape on the spool.

Also as noted above, I tend to run the batteries low which slows the motor down and takes some drama out of the sudden stop.

Do not buy this rewinder
 

http://www.tapeandmedia.com/mini_dv_rewinder.asp

Lenmar MiniDV Tape Rewinder (6mm)

I have messed up three tapes on this rewinder. It doesn't close the door on the tape, I suspect because the rewinder hits so hard at end that it sticks the door somehow.

I just wanted to put out a warning about this rewinder. I'll have to get the tapes recased if I ever need them again.

I second that!! First tape I put into that POS it tried eating.

Just say no.

shoot. I have this rewinder. I guess I won't be using it.

Does anyone have one of good quality they can recommend?

Bought this one, have rewound about 20 tapes so far with no problem

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

HTH... Steve

Is it me, or does it look like the Lenmar?

Yeah. There aren't that many out there, really. Someone needs to design a metal, solid higher-precision rewinder. I really didn't trust the Lenmar from the beginning.

Only thing I noted on mine was you need to be a bit careful inserting tapes and making sure the lid's all the way down - you're right though, I hadn't checked the lenmar link - looks identical to me too... Steve

I have to give www.tapeandmedia.com props. I called them to let them know of the defect, they're going to RMA it. Givin my purchase was a couple of months out, I'm very happy with thier response.

And yea, I have to go back to using an old cam for rewinding.

My two cents:

I also have the one from B&H (although my label says that it is a DV-90 / MODEL V-90 not a DV-9D / MODEL V-9D. I don't now if the one on B&H is a newer model or something but they look identical).

It also looks identical to the Lenmar as mentioned at the beginning of this thread though.

I have also noticed that you have to make sure that the door is fully closed otherwise you do have a problem (that happened to me the first time I used it but not since).

I have rewound and fast forwarded plenty of tapes in my unit with no problem (except the first time as indicated above).

Before I bought it though I seem to remember reading somewhere on dvinfo that one or two people were concerned with the force with which it stopped at the end of a rewind or fast forward and the solution was to NOT keep replacing the batteries i.e. as the batteries go flat so the operational speed decreases and therefore when getting to the end of a rewind or fast forward less force was required of the tape to automatically stop the unit. I suppose when it stops stopping automatically (how's that for a tongue twister) it is time to change batteries :)

Regards,

Dale.

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_g...terid=2568268/

Maxell, I have had one for years never a problem.

Kinyo rewinder
 

I had the one listed from B&H and had no problems with it, until I dropped it and broke the door :(. I guess that was my only complaint, it cost $40 and felt like it cost $5. I would really like to hear of a more robust model, if anyone knows of one.

I did purchase the other one B&H sells, the Kinyo for $20. I haven't used it all that much, but the basics are that the rewind speed is slower than the DV-90 and the stop is MUCH less harsh or abrupt. There are 2 down sides though: AC power only and no fast forward. I didn't seem to ever use the fast forward, but I did like the portability option of the DV-90.

Here's the link for the Kinyo:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

Rewinder market
 

Absolutely. I have a Kinyo that I bought for around $20 that also tends to dine on tape.

Perhaps the manufacturers know better than I, but I would think that if there was a smooth operating, solidly built rewinder with accurate sensors to detect the end of tapes-- that there's a market out there.

Speaking for myself, I'd gladly pay several times what I paid for the Kinyo for such a device.

Jeff, your points are completely valid. I'm more interested in the tape rewinder because the tape is dragged across the heads during rewind. If that is not the case, I'd like to know how the camcorder can display the timecode for the tape during rewind. Thus, my interest in a DV rewinder is to reduce wear on the tape as well as dirtying the tape heads.

I lost my first tape to the Kinyo the other day. AARGH!!! Thankfully it was after the tape had been captured to my hard drive. If it haddn't been, I don't know what I would've done. Since then I've taken to using an older cam as my rewinder. No issues there as of yet, but I guess that nothing is 100%.

One thing that I did notice about the Kinyou is that you can get the tape into it misaligned, which I would have to think of as raising your chances for malfunction.

HTH...

I'm all for a cheap playback/rewinder cam, but my Panasonic GV250 refuses to rewind or do anything with the HDV tapes from my Sony Z1.

What's the cheapest HDV playback camcorder ? I would like to see one that has either a component video breakout cable or HDMI out. The Sony HDR-HC5 is about $1000, which is a lot for what I would use it for.

used HC3? They are not the greatest image wise, but built solid, and I think use the same imager as the 5... and not too high on the resale market.

HV10's are running about $5-600 on ebay...

The problem is they don't like sony tapes, I tried importing Z1 tapes with it...

If you capture the footage w/ a Z1 it's fine, it rewinded/played back fine... just sucked when it came to capturing the Z1 stuff w/ HV10...

After 3.5 years, my Sima SRW-62 DV tape rewinder works fine and has never damaged a tape. Unfortunately, they don't seem to sell it anymore. However, the Maxell rewinder shown on the Pro-Tape website that is linked at the beginning of this old thread, looks exactly like the Sima SRW-62 and might be the same item, sold under another brand. Looks aren't always what they seem, so check it out carefully before buying.

MY 3 year old SIMA SRW-62 eats tapes
 

My Sima srw-62 has always been noisy and takes a hard to push to stop/start the rewinder. I have never notice it slowing down at all when it reaches the end of the tape - just slams to a stop. Now when I try using it just crimps and pulls the tape out of the casestte, usually just an inch or two of crimpled tape, but no rewind/fast forward. It is now useless. I would like to find a good "gentle" unit to replace it with. Any recent recomendations / finds?
Thanks - PK

My Sima SRW-62 still does fine after 5 years. I've just changed the batteries for the first time. I don't know of any other brands that would be available, but hopefully someone will provide a suggested model. Unless I trusted a rewinder, I wouldn't use it, as I have two DV VCRs and a DV camcorder that could rewind my HDV tapes.