miniDV LP Mode Problems

[Shaun Kendall]

We have four different devices (3 cameras and one deck) that can play back miniDVs here in the studio and yet, not a single one of them can play back miniDV tapes that clients have recorded in LP mode.

Now before you get onto me about how stupid it is to record in LP mode, let me make it clear that clients bring in tapes that they’ve recorded in this mode, not us. We have a JVC BR-DV600U deck that we use for most of our miniDV standard def capturing, but after a few seconds of playback it will come up with an “LP Inhibit” message and stop playing. We have a Sony DCR-VX1000 that will play them back, but at the wrong speed, so that everything is sped up.

Can anyone tell me some specific camcorders or decks that can play back miniDV tapes recorded in LP mode? We’re just looking for something inexpensive because this is mostly for transfer jobs that are a very small part of our company’s revenue anyway.

I had heard that different camera brands record LP mode differently, so if you have (for example) a Sony camcorder that records a tape in LP mode, it may not play back in a JVC camcorder, etc. Is this true?

Thanks a million.

[Johnny Clark]

Find out what cam they shot on and see if they can loan it to you so that you can get the footage. I don’t think buying a piece of equipment for the sole purpose grabbing LP recorded footage is necessary. Just be sure to tell your clients not to do it. They should take advice from someone like you who understands formats and conversions and such. Best of luck.

Johnny C

[Chris Borjis]

[johnny clark] “Find out what cam they shot on and see if they can loan it to you so that you can get the footage”

I used to do this until I made a discovery that someone else told me about the BRHD50U jvc deck CAN play LP mode tapes just fine.

What you need to buy is an external RS-422 controller with a jog wheel.

connect the serial port to the deck, put in the LP tape and turn the jog wheel about 1/4 turn. It will playback the LP tape perfectly.

I have pleaded with JVC engineers to just enable this capability
with the caveat that its not guaranteed, but no cigar. (The deck can do it perfectly fine, sony decks cannot, they show garbage)

The thing is you CANNOT blame folks for recording in LP mode
as most camcorders come that way by default in the factory settings.

[Shaun Kendall]

I’d love to be able to ask every client who brings in a tape recorded in LP mode to also bring the camera it was shot on, but often times they don’t have the camera anymore, a friend shot it, etc. I can’t tell them not to shoot in LP mode ahead of time because they don’t come to us until they need to transfer the footage to DVD, so we don’t get the luxury of speaking to them before they shoot. These aren’t professional clients, mostly people shooting weddings and other family events.

Like I said, this is a small part of our business, but it still annoys customers when we claim to be professional but we can’t even play back their tapes.

[Chris Borjis]

so get the rs-422 controller with a jog wheel and be done with it 🙂

[Keith Troester]

The Sony DSR-45 can play LP-recorded tapes. No SDI, but firewire.

My Weekly Comic for TV Techs: https://fpscomic.blogspot.com

[Wei Yuan]

I know this is an old thread but can anyone confirm if it’s in fact the JVC and the SONY model mentioned here could play tapes recorded in LP mode? All the manuals (for these two models) says specifically the LP mode is not supported.