Serious dropout problems with new XH AI’s

[Don Greening]

Hi Martin,

Welcome to Creative COW. Rest assured that if there was something inherently wrong in the design of the A1 this forum would be swamped with posts similar to yours. Since this isn’t the case I would suggest that there is either something wrong with your particular cameras or there’s something happening when you’re capturing to your NLE. It’s not unheard of to have the same problem present in two cameras with serial numbers that are close together. I’m not saying this is the case, but if you’ve played back your problem tapes in the A1’s and you’re seeing the dropouts in your camera’s viewscreens as well as in the captured footage in your NLE then I would return them to your broadcast supplier post haste and find out from them what their recommendations are. Since the cameras are so new they may just give you two new ones instead of sending your present ones in for repair.

Also ask your supplier what tape stock THEY recommend.

Keep in mind that when you get a tape dropout with HDV it’s going to last at least a half second because of the nature of the long GOP MPEG2 recording format. Also, try and avoid using the thinner 83 min. tapes because they’re much more prone to dropouts than the thicker 63’s. Once your cameras have some miles on them they may be a little friendlier to the 83’s. I know this was the case with my XL2 when it was new, and I use the exact same Panny tapes that you’re using.

– Don

[Donald Berube]

Try using a higher grade of tape when recording HDV.

– Don
https://noisybrain.com
https://www.bosfcpug.org

[Miodrag Ristic]

< Donald Berube: Try using a higher grade of tape when recording HDV. >

What’d be a higher grade tape Donald?

Don, where are you getting al those info, shouldn’t we all know about it? I was using 83 min
master Panasonic, until they were discontinued, I wonder why, thinking I’m doing good
thing, 83 minutes, master quality, less handling of the transport tape system (ejecting 63 min tape is more often than 83 min).
I remember your info about GL2 and XL1s having same tape transport system.
Friend of mine (XLs1) was told specificaly not to use 83 min tapes after his transport system gone south.
I was told nothing (on my 2 GL2 cameras recently getting serviced for the same thing).

Thanks

Mio

[Don Greening]

The fact that your friend was told not to use the 83’s after his repair probably had nothing to do with each other. He probably asked and was given a proper answer. 83 min. tapes are thinner than the 63’s and are more prone to recording glitches. As a user I’ve made a choice to use 83’s when I have a continous shoot that lasts more than an hour. Anyone with experience using both will tell you to stay with the 63’s because of the reliablilty factor.

Since the Panasonic Master series 83’s have been discontinued I have switched to the Panny Professional series which still come in the 83 min. variety, but still use the 63 Master Series when I don’t need that extra 20min.

– Don

[Miodrag Ristic]

Yes, I’m doing the same, but it’s my trusty Firestore that gives me the confidence
of finding the complete footage later.

In fact that new 63min Master is for HDV as well?

Thanks Don.

Mio

[Don Greening]

[Miodrag Ristic] “In fact that new 63min Master is for HDV as well?”

Not the Panasonic tapes. But the high end Sony tapes are HDV/DV. They aren’t cheap, either. My local supplier said that the HDV/DV tapes from Fujifilm are the same as the Sony tapes but are exactly half the price. I bought a box of the Fuji tapes but haven’t tried them yet.

– Don

[Miodrag Ristic]

My supplier only offers Sony, not Fuji, I’ll have to do a search (we Down Under don’t have as many options).

Mio