Question about Digitizing DVCAM footage

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DV and DVCAM is a constant dititizing rate of sliughtly under 13GB per hour.

DV NTSC (or DV PAL, if that’s where you are) is the proper codec.

[Muresan12]

There’s no difference between DVCAM and DVNTSC? I was under the understanding that DVCAM was higher quality than DVNTSC. Thanks again for your help.

[Jeff Carpenter]

It’s DVCAM tape that’s higher quality. Not only is the video tape better made, it runs faster and records more redundant information. So if you have a drop-out on DV you might get a screen-glitch but on DVCAM tape there’s a good chance the system can recover and fix that with the extra information it recorded on the tape.

But that all has to do with the actual, physical tape and the magnetic particles on it. Once you get the video into the computer…the ones and zeros…DV and DVCAM is identical. So it’s SAFER to use, but the computer can’t even tell the difference between them. They look the same, image-wise.

[Jeff Carpenter]

Another stray fact…

Here’s an analogy, SAT style:

DV is to DVCAM as
DV LP is to DV SP

DV LP, DV SP, and DVCAM are all exactly the same, video-wise. Once you’ve captured them there’s no way to tell them apart. It’s just that DV SP is safer than DV LP and DVCAM is safer than DV SP. It only has to do with how the magnetic particles are recorded and how much “extra” info is saved on the tape to help fix drop-outs. DVCAM is very safe and DV LP is very un-safe. Normal DV SP is generally “safe enough.”

But quality wise, the video itself is identical. This is different from VHS where each speed setting (SP, LP, SLP) actually affect the quality of the video.

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[Jeff Carpenter] “But that all has to do with the actual, physical tape and the magnetic particles on it.”

There’s an awful lot of debate on THAT, as well.

The quantifiable facts seem to indicate that the ONLY difference in DV SP and DVCAM is the speed of the tape-travel past the heads (as you mentioned).

The “numbers” concerning fewer negative effects from Drop-outs, and the wider track-pitch and better “interchangeablity” between units is all atributable to the higher tape speed… ALONE.

There is much speculation that the actual tape on the hubs is the SAME tape in both DVCAM and DV SP cases.
The less expensive DV SP tape might (MIGHT) come from closer to the “edges” of a wide roll of magnetic tape at the factory, while the DVCAM-labled cassettes might (MIGHT) come from the more centered area of that wide master roll.

Regardless, I have shot (literally) hundreds of cassettes of DV tape…
the lowest-priced home video DV SP tape that Panasonic makes, and the lowest-priced home video DV SP tape that Sony makes, and DVCAM-labeled “Professional” Tapes”… and have had zero, zilch, nada tape drop-outs, missing video, or head-clog problems with any of these.

[Will Salley]

…and DVCAM provides full SMPTE Timceode implementation.

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[Will Salley] “…and DVCAM provides full SMPTE Timceode implementation.
“

But that has nothing to do with anything other than Sony intentionally locks out the full TC features on the DV SP setting.

[Bret Goldsworthy]

1. According to rabidjackalope.com – 30mins of digitised DV = 6.52GB as DV digitises @ 3.62 MB per second therefore 25 hours = 325GB approximately. Digitalheaven.com says 25Hrs of DV PAL = 317.84GB or 25 Hrs of DV NTSC = 267.55GB
2. Yes, your finished 90 minute timeline rendered out should equate to 113.4 GB. consider render files – depends how many effects and transitions you apply but generally I’d batch digitise only the best 3 takes of each scene. Hi Rez? it doesn’t get any better than the original acquisition
3. DV (PAL or NTSC) 48K is the go. You’d need a hell of a lot of audio , graphics and render files as well to fill up your Terrabyte storage, assuming you’ve nothing else already on there. Remember assume makes an ass out of U and me.

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