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On tape stock
I have read posts about the different tape stock and I have seen mostly the yellow stock. this is really for Panasonic DV25 material. I had a tape that was shot 720P HD and had error issues on a 1200 deck. It did play ok on a 1400 deck. but the tech threw in all his alignment cassettes in my deck and they all tracked fine. I had one small tape path issue, but nothing major.
The tech said we really shouldn’t use the yellow cassettes because they will cause more errors….much like using non metal tape in a Beta SP….a standard oxide tape….much more prone to errors. The lavendar tapes are better for HD and he was going to check with Panasonic about the differences with the Red HD tapes.
Beware the yellow cassettes! Even though, for the most part, they were working fine. Just remember that with a 1/4 inch width errors are more likely especially with the tyep of tape you use. The yellow cassette was not designed for HD camcorders!
Just an FYI.
Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media -
8 Replies
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No difference in the tapes from what I’ve heard. One just says HD on it.
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We use yellow tapes all the time for HD. Red ones are hard to come by.
What camera did you shoot with?
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The tech said we really shouldn’t use the yellow cassettes because they will cause more errors….much like using non metal tape in a Beta SP….a standard oxide tape….much more prone to errors. The lavendar tapes are better for HD and he was going to check with Panasonic about the differences with the Red HD tapes.
Not true – the colors were for ID purposes, there is no difference between the tape itself in the cassettes. Only 2 companies make DVCPRO/HD tapes, Fujinon and Maxell and I have never seen a difference between the Mfgs
Jeff Merritt- has posted this info a number of times on this forum – do a search.
gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows -
[Rich Rubasch] “The tech said we really shouldn’t use the yellow cassettes because they will cause more errors….much like using non metal tape in a Beta SP….a standard oxide tape….much more prone to errors. The lavendar tapes are better for HD and he was going to check with Panasonic about the differences with the Red HD tapes.
Beware the yellow cassettes! Even though, for the most part, they were working fine. Just remember that with a 1/4 inch width errors are more likely especially with the tyep of tape you use. The yellow cassette was not designed for HD camcorders!”
This is completely and factually incorrect. The tape stock in the yellow and red label DVCPro HD cassettes is completely identical. The Red label is for identification of the HD running time as this is shorter than the Yellow label time. Why? Because the HD equipment pulls the tape across the heads faster. So a yellow 126 runs for 63 minutes in a 1200A or 1400 and 33 Minutes in a Varicam.
Whomever gave you this information is completely wrong. We have been working on DVCPro HD shows for over three years now, all with yellow label tapes.
Here, these folks are pretty much the video tape experts. Read what it says at the top of the page. All of this has been confirmed with the folks at Panasonic who run the DVCPro HD equipment line.
https://www.tapeonline.com/dvcpro.aspx
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.comStop Staring Start Grading with Apple Color The new Color Training DVD now available!
https://store.creativecow.net/p/66/stop_staring_and_start_grading_with_apple_colorRead my blog! https://blogs.creativecow.net/WalterBiscardi
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[gary adcock] “Only 2 companies make DVCPRO/HD tapes, Fujinon and Maxell and I have never seen a difference between the Mfgs”
On this we have seen a major difference between Maxell and Fuji/Panasonic and no longer use the Maxell tapes here. I used them one time to Master out a series of show and PostWorks in New York reported all sorts of errors with the tapes during the PAL conversion process. I worked with TapeOnline and they worked with Maxell to determine there was an issue with their tape stock.
Supposedly this has been corrected by Maxell but we don’t purchase them any longer.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.comStop Staring Start Grading with Apple Color The new Color Training DVD now available!
https://store.creativecow.net/p/66/stop_staring_and_start_grading_with_apple_colorRead my blog! https://blogs.creativecow.net/WalterBiscardi
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The only thing I have heard (but not seen) is that if you have shot on an HDX900 and try to use the tapes in a 1200, you will get more errors due to the difference in microns. The 1400 will play them back fine (which sounds like the problem you are having). I don’t know too much about it, and perhaps I am spreading erroneous information, but I figured I put it out there as your situation sounds similar. I am prepared for the wrath of Gary.
We shoot Varicam, use a 1200 with the yellow tapes and everything works great.
Any chance, Rich, this footage came from an HDX?
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[JeremyG] “I am prepared for the wrath of Gary.”
Why?
you are correct— the HDX 900 has the 9 micron record/ playback heads and the varicam and 1200 work on 18 micron DVCPROHD standard.
gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows -
It’s one of those things that I know just enough about to get me in trouble.
Know what I mean?
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