Which brand of tape do you use with your MX 500? at DVinfo.net

Sean Allen · May 3rd, 2003, 04:32 AM

Hi,
I'd like to know which brand of tape you use with your mx 500, also, is there any to avoid.
I know that you should stick with the same brand.......
Thanks.....

Jeff Donald · May 3rd, 2003, 05:36 AM

Hi Sean,

Thanks for posting. Your question is probably the most frequently asked question here at DV Info. Please use the search function to help locate the many threads on this subject. To start your search, please use the search button in the upper right.

If after reading the posts you still have additional questions please post back under a new topic. Thanks again fro posting.

Frank Granovski · May 3rd, 2003, 02:27 PM

Just to add..., find a good brand/type of tape, if it works fine, stick with it. In other words, don't mix tape brands and don't mix models of tapes from the same brand. My experience has been with mixing tapes, you get head problems---sooner or later. If you pick a good one, and only use that one, you'll have the least amount of head related problems.

Sean Allen · May 4th, 2003, 03:27 AM

Hi Frank,
Thanks for your reply.

So in that case, do you recomend any brand, that would work well with the MX 500/ MX 5000?

I'm about to purchase the above camcorder, and would like to avoid the problems you had by mixing tapes.

As I dont know which tape would work well, i'd have to buy many different brands, and as you say, this is bad.......

So as soon as I purchase the Camcorder, I'd like to get the one and only RIGHT DV tape, right from the very start.

IE is it better to use Panny tapes with the MX 500/5000?

Ive seached this part of the forum, and can find no exact answer to my question.

Thanks for any help........

Frank Granovski · May 4th, 2003, 03:34 AM

Well, to be honest, I would recommend the Fuji brand minDV tape. That's what I use. Here's a bit about miniDV tape:

http://www.dvfreak.com/tape.htm

Also, in my first MX300 cam, I only used Panasonic tape, and did not have any problems. I did have problems with JVC tapes in my 1st DVL9500U; and I've heard several horror stories from people using Maxell and this other cheap brand which I can't recall at the moment. Anyways, I've been using Fuji for a number of years and I think it's great tape.

Sean Allen · May 4th, 2003, 12:23 PM

Hi Frank,

Thanks for your reply.

Fuji it is then. Thanks.
Is Fuji DVC the one you use?

Frank Granovski · May 4th, 2003, 12:42 PM

Yes, the one I use says this on the front cover:

Fujifilm
SP60min
DVCassette
miniDV - digital video cassette
In LP Mode 90min
(70.4m/230ft.) DVM60(ME)

On the side cover it reads:

Fujifilm DVCcassette DVM60AME U

PS: it's the one I use.

Sean Allen · May 4th, 2003, 01:01 PM

Hi Frank,
Thanks again for the help.

Ive got one of these Fuji DVC tapes, still unwraped.

It has a few different numbers on it, but that must be because i'm in Europe.-

DVM60CME E

This will be the tape I use with my new camcorder.

Ive been using different Sony tapes in my old DV camcorder, and you can see the muck on the rollers inside it.
I think i'll give it a clean, then change brands to Fuji too.

Thanks again for all of your help.

Yow Cheong Hoe · May 4th, 2003, 08:07 PM

We have no Fuji tapes in Singapore, at least, I haven't found any.

I use Sony tapes, the cheapest type. For head-cleaner, I use the Panasonic dry cleaning tape.

I found that head clogs happens very often when I used Panasonic tapes (about 10 tape hours per cleaning), but the Sony tapes can go for about 50 tape hours before any cleaning is required.

Frank Granovski · May 4th, 2003, 11:01 PM

That's exactly my point: find a good one and stick with it. However, when I used to do a lot shooting with other people's cams, before I owned a cam, I found that many brands of tapes had no consistency with quality. Sometimes the tape was good, other times it was not. Of course I also mixed tapes in those days, because I used what was handed to me. Over the years I've found that Fuji was always consistent and of very high quality. One final point: JVC tape always let me down with G_d awful head clogs.

Sean Allen · May 5th, 2003, 12:10 PM

Thanks guys..... I'll be using Fuji from now on.....

Joel Specter · May 7th, 2003, 08:31 PM

Does the use of a brand name tape , i.e. Fuji, require a specific brand name Head Cleaner? I can't find one made by Fuji. Is the Panasonic Head Cleaner OK to use?

Frank Granovski · May 7th, 2003, 08:48 PM

From my experience, a head cleaner is a head cleaner. I would say it's okay.

Steven Khong · May 8th, 2003, 08:21 PM

Hi, all.

While we're on the subject of which tapes to use....

Just out of curiosity: how long does your DV tape's recording last i.e. has anyone experienced "dropouts" or blocks that appear after keeping the tape for a certain amount of time i.e. 1 year, 2 years etc.

And kept properly of course, completely rewinding and fast forwarding the tape every 6 months as suggested by the manual (somewhere at the back - Cautions for use - Cassette).

Frank Granovski · May 8th, 2003, 08:31 PM

After 5 to 7 playbacks, I see drop-outs and blocks. I've got some tape as old as miniDV itself, and they seem okay. It's the playing back that hurts them, I think.

May 3rd, 2003, 04:32 AM	#1
Sean Allen Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: An English man in the South of Germany..... Posts: 40	Which brand of tape do you use with your MX 500? Hi, I'd like to know which brand of tape you use with your mx 500, also, is there any to avoid. I know that you should stick with the same brand....... Thanks.....

May 3rd, 2003, 05:36 AM	#2
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	Hi Sean, Thanks for posting. Your question is probably the most frequently asked question here at DV Info. Please use the search function to help locate the many threads on this subject. To start your search, please use the search button in the upper right. If after reading the posts you still have additional questions please post back under a new topic. Thanks again fro posting. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

May 4th, 2003, 08:07 PM	#9
Yow Cheong Hoe Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Singapore, Passport: Malaysia Posts: 407	We have no Fuji tapes in Singapore, at least, I haven't found any. I use Sony tapes, the cheapest type. For head-cleaner, I use the Panasonic dry cleaning tape. I found that head clogs happens very often when I used Panasonic tapes (about 10 tape hours per cleaning), but the Sony tapes can go for about 50 tape hours before any cleaning is required. __________________ Cam: Panasonic MX350EN, SOLD my MX8EN Mac: G3 400MHz PowerBook, 256 MB, OS 9 PC: Pentium 4 2800MHz, 512 MB, WindowsXP SW: iMovie, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, Ulead Video Studio, various little utilities

May 3rd, 2003, 02:27 PM	#3
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Just to add..., find a good brand/type of tape, if it works fine, stick with it. In other words, don't mix tape brands and don't mix models of tapes from the same brand. My experience has been with mixing tapes, you get head problems---sooner or later. If you pick a good one, and only use that one, you'll have the least amount of head related problems.

May 4th, 2003, 03:27 AM	#4
Sean Allen Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: An English man in the South of Germany..... Posts: 40	Hi Frank, Thanks for your reply. So in that case, do you recomend any brand, that would work well with the MX 500/ MX 5000? I'm about to purchase the above camcorder, and would like to avoid the problems you had by mixing tapes. As I dont know which tape would work well, i'd have to buy many different brands, and as you say, this is bad....... So as soon as I purchase the Camcorder, I'd like to get the one and only RIGHT DV tape, right from the very start. IE is it better to use Panny tapes with the MX 500/5000? Ive seached this part of the forum, and can find no exact answer to my question. Thanks for any help........

May 4th, 2003, 03:34 AM	#5
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Well, to be honest, I would recommend the Fuji brand minDV tape. That's what I use. Here's a bit about miniDV tape: http://www.dvfreak.com/tape.htm Also, in my first MX300 cam, I only used Panasonic tape, and did not have any problems. I did have problems with JVC tapes in my 1st DVL9500U; and I've heard several horror stories from people using Maxell and this other cheap brand which I can't recall at the moment. Anyways, I've been using Fuji for a number of years and I think it's great tape.

May 4th, 2003, 12:23 PM	#6
Sean Allen Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: An English man in the South of Germany..... Posts: 40	Hi Frank, Thanks for your reply. Fuji it is then. Thanks. Is Fuji DVC the one you use?

May 4th, 2003, 12:42 PM	#7
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Yes, the one I use says this on the front cover: Fujifilm SP60min DVCassette miniDV - digital video cassette In LP Mode 90min (70.4m/230ft.) DVM60(ME) On the side cover it reads: Fujifilm DVCcassette DVM60AME U PS: it's the one I use.

May 4th, 2003, 01:01 PM	#8
Sean Allen Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: An English man in the South of Germany..... Posts: 40	Hi Frank, Thanks again for the help. Ive got one of these Fuji DVC tapes, still unwraped. It has a few different numbers on it, but that must be because i'm in Europe.- DVM60CME E This will be the tape I use with my new camcorder. Ive been using different Sony tapes in my old DV camcorder, and you can see the muck on the rollers inside it. I think i'll give it a clean, then change brands to Fuji too. Thanks again for all of your help.

May 4th, 2003, 11:01 PM	#10
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	That's exactly my point: find a good one and stick with it. However, when I used to do a lot shooting with other people's cams, before I owned a cam, I found that many brands of tapes had no consistency with quality. Sometimes the tape was good, other times it was not. Of course I also mixed tapes in those days, because I used what was handed to me. Over the years I've found that Fuji was always consistent and of very high quality. One final point: JVC tape always let me down with G_d awful head clogs.

May 5th, 2003, 12:10 PM	#11
Sean Allen Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: An English man in the South of Germany..... Posts: 40	Thanks guys..... I'll be using Fuji from now on.....

May 7th, 2003, 08:31 PM	#12
Joel Specter New Boot Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Northridge CA Posts: 14	Does the use of a brand name tape , i.e. Fuji, require a specific brand name Head Cleaner? I can't find one made by Fuji. Is the Panasonic Head Cleaner OK to use?

May 7th, 2003, 08:48 PM	#13
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	From my experience, a head cleaner is a head cleaner. I would say it's okay.

May 8th, 2003, 08:21 PM	#14
Steven Khong Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia Posts: 112	Hi, all. While we're on the subject of which tapes to use.... Just out of curiosity: how long does your DV tape's recording last i.e. has anyone experienced "dropouts" or blocks that appear after keeping the tape for a certain amount of time i.e. 1 year, 2 years etc. And kept properly of course, completely rewinding and fast forwarding the tape every 6 months as suggested by the manual (somewhere at the back - Cautions for use - Cassette).

May 8th, 2003, 08:31 PM	#15
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	After 5 to 7 playbacks, I see drop-outs and blocks. I've got some tape as old as miniDV itself, and they seem okay. It's the playing back that hurts them, I think.