SONY HC3 - Tape with chip: is it necessery?

[jopereira]

Hi,

I would like to know if the SONY HDR-HC3 has funtional advantage using DV tapes with chip.

ps - I don't know how the camera transmits the date/hour code to PC, but perhaps the chip can incorporate some info.


Thanks,

Joaquim Pereira
Lisbon, PORTUGAL

[redsox_mark]

No - there is no advantage of using a tape with a chip with the HC3. It doesn't support the cassette memory function (which isn't very useful anyway). The date/hour code information is stored on the tape.

Mark

[senu]

Originally Posted by jopereira

Hi,

.........I would like to know if the SONY HDR-HC3 has funtional advantage using DV tapes with chip.
.........

Nope! ( as the man said). I didnt realise they still sold them

There are however a Sony make of tapes said to be optimised for HDV.

They are supposed to be higher grade tapes meant to drastically minimise dropout. Im pretty sure If I had a memorable shoot with the Z1 or A1 ( maybe FX1) I might buy a tape or 2 .
My experience so far with the "regular" premium grade sony tapes has been fine : This makes me wonder if the HC1 or HC3 will benefit from these "ultra high grade" HDV tapes

[bis96gw]

I've been using the normal Sony "Premium" tapes too with my HC3 with no problems so far - they are cheap enough to only use once, so hardly seems worth getting the HDV grade tapes....

[jopereira]

Thank you all for your posts.
I guess I'll buy regular tapes.

About 'special' tapes: I think their more a markting thing than anything else. I've using Hi8 tapes in my D8 cam, and never ever had an issue about droped 'information'; many bits are recorder to recover a possible drop out somewhere in the tape.

Joaquim Pereira
Lisbon, PORTUGAL

[laser]

Originally Posted by bis96gw

I've been using the normal Sony "Premium" tapes too with my HC3 with no problems so far - they are cheap enough to only use once, so hardly seems worth getting the HDV grade tapes....

Same here. I used on Sony Premium DV cassettes at £1.59 each and they have so far proved fine. No drop outs.

Senu said "Im pretty sure If I had a memorable shoot with the Z1 or A1 ( maybe FX1) I might buy a tape or 2"

No, no no, no, NO!
This is the worst advice I've heard, and a sure fire way to get dropout, either use all HDV tapes or all (your chosen brand) tapes, mixing brands is bad enough, but mixing regular with the HDV tapes (which are reported to have vastly different surfaces than any other miniDv size tape) is a complete no no.

Don't do it.

[senu]

Originally Posted by Bobby Jones

Senu said "Im pretty sure If I had a memorable shoot with the Z1 or A1 ( maybe FX1) I might buy a tape or 2"

No, no no, no, NO!
This is the worst advice I've heard, and a sure fire way to get dropout, either use all HDV tapes or all (your chosen brand) tapes, mixing brands is bad enough, but mixing regular with the HDV tapes (which are reported to have vastly different surfaces than any other miniDv size tape) is a complete no no.

Don't do it.

Bobby Jones,
I think you misunderstand the context of that statement.Obviously you know what you are talking about and I could learn a thing or 2 about tape head care from you

However that was not advice, merely what I felt about spending any extra money on the More expensive tapes using higher end HDV Equipment. For instance,I wouldnt use the said tapes on a Vx 2100 or PD 170 . I was merely making the case for not using them in most circumstances. I did use the FX1 for 6 months with regular tapes and no issues.


As somebody who now has a useless camcorder Panasonic MX 500 ( cost £1300) due to a mix of tapes I know not to mix tape brands.
The heads get clogged and useless and actually "contaminate" clean tapes.
Only yesterday I played an old tape in my HC1 and it would not play: it had dirtied the HC1's head ( from gunk off the old MX500) which then needed cleaning before I could use it. I now play all these old tapes on my cheap and cheerful old JVC knock around which I use mainy for DV video capture

However , if the various tapes within the Sony brand of tapes cannot be consistent enough in formulation then GOD help us all!!

Myself and others have been very vocal in the past about warning people off the dangers of mixing tapes due to the "wet" and "dry" lubrication issue especially concerning Sony tapes in the past

One of such posts is This post


If thier use ( ie Sony HDV optimised tapes) used in conjuction with other Sony tapes is as dodgy as you say they should carry a health warning but Obviously Sony wont go down that road.