Tape Striping

R Geoff Baker · March 22nd, 2006, 04:35 PM

Nothing wrong with setting a few seconds of timecode to get the hour you want -- so put bars on the first thirty, with the hour you want.

But striping the entire tape is neither necessary, nor 'safe'. The timecode writer in your camcorder looks at where it is parked and carries on from there -- the rest of your stripe is a waste of your time. Additionally, the chances of your second recording consistently and reliably exactly aligning with the 'original' recording will get less and less likely the deeper you get into the tape -- tape handling errors later in the tape may result in timecode values skipped and repeated.

So if your goal is setting the 'hour' value per tape, you don't have to -- and shouldn't -- stripe the entire tape. I too set the hour to represent the reel number -- but striping the tape isn't needed to accomplish that.

GB

Tom Hardwick · March 23rd, 2006, 02:00 AM

Patrick talks of not putting a tape twice through an HDV camera, yet I'd say that the second time through is the safest time of all. Any tiny imperfections will have been spun off the first time round, and the tape surface burnished and smoothed by that spinning drum.

tom.

R Geoff Baker · March 23rd, 2006, 05:25 AM

Having your tape packed and burnished is probably a good thing -- just don't record on it. Use Play, or even Fast Forward.

GB

Dave Halliday · March 23rd, 2006, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R Geoff Baker

Nothing wrong with setting a few seconds of timecode to get the hour you want -- so put bars on the first thirty, with the hour you want.

GB

Good call, I'll run with this.

-D

Frank Howard · March 23rd, 2006, 10:31 AM

If the way the heads work on digital tape is anything like the way they do on analog audio recording, playing the tape through will indeed enhance the quality of the tape.
Fast forward would probably not take the burnishes off, but would pack it.

Jeff Donald · March 23rd, 2006, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Patrick talks of not putting a tape twice through an HDV camera, yet I'd say that the second time through is the safest time of all. Any tiny imperfections will have been spun off the first time round, and the tape surface burnished and smoothed by that spinning drum.

Packing the tape (fast forwarding and rewinding) performs that better than stripping. I've had more students clog a head stripping than any other method.

Timothy Stidham · March 25th, 2006, 02:48 PM

Okay, you guys have totally converted me! I think it still has some value in the DV world, but I will never stripe an HDV tape again! The last one I striped, burps and hiccups so much it's not even funny! Wow, the dropouts are bad when they happen in MPEG-2 15 GOP! This medium has high potential when all components function to their best, but has less than desirable results when the tape isn't cooperating well. Thanks for sticking to your collective guns on this one. I'm now convinced. I might have blamed it on the tape without this forum.

Tim

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March 22nd, 2006, 04:35 PM	#16
R Geoff Baker Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ottawa, ON Posts: 471	Nothing wrong with setting a few seconds of timecode to get the hour you want -- so put bars on the first thirty, with the hour you want. But striping the entire tape is neither necessary, nor 'safe'. The timecode writer in your camcorder looks at where it is parked and carries on from there -- the rest of your stripe is a waste of your time. Additionally, the chances of your second recording consistently and reliably exactly aligning with the 'original' recording will get less and less likely the deeper you get into the tape -- tape handling errors later in the tape may result in timecode values skipped and repeated. So if your goal is setting the 'hour' value per tape, you don't have to -- and shouldn't -- stripe the entire tape. I too set the hour to represent the reel number -- but striping the tape isn't needed to accomplish that. GB

March 23rd, 2006, 02:00 AM	#17
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Patrick talks of not putting a tape twice through an HDV camera, yet I'd say that the second time through is the safest time of all. Any tiny imperfections will have been spun off the first time round, and the tape surface burnished and smoothed by that spinning drum. tom.

March 23rd, 2006, 05:25 AM	#18
R Geoff Baker Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ottawa, ON Posts: 471	Having your tape packed and burnished is probably a good thing -- just don't record on it. Use Play, or even Fast Forward. GB

March 23rd, 2006, 10:31 AM	#20
Frank Howard Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 157	If the way the heads work on digital tape is anything like the way they do on analog audio recording, playing the tape through will indeed enhance the quality of the tape. Fast forward would probably not take the burnishes off, but would pack it.

March 25th, 2006, 02:48 PM	#22
Timothy Stidham New Boot Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dyer, IN Posts: 13	Okay, you guys have totally converted me! I think it still has some value in the DV world, but I will never stripe an HDV tape again! The last one I striped, burps and hiccups so much it's not even funny! Wow, the dropouts are bad when they happen in MPEG-2 15 GOP! This medium has high potential when all components function to their best, but has less than desirable results when the tape isn't cooperating well. Thanks for sticking to your collective guns on this one. I'm now convinced. I might have blamed it on the tape without this forum. Tim