I sometimes got drop outs (a one second black frame) with my HV20, and I was wondering if anyone else had the same problem. These drop outs would occur, roughly speaking, about every 30 or 40 minutes.

Might be your tape. I had been using TDK DVC60 from Costco on both my HV20 and ZR200 but it started to drop out toward the beginning and the end of the tape every other tape. Could have been a bad batch. I switched to Panasonic on the HV20 (tried PQ and AMQ) and haven't had a dropout since. The ZR200 still uses the TDK.

Not yet, fingers crossed. ;-)

I sometimes got drop outs (a one second black frame) with my HV20, and I was wondering if anyone else had the same problem. These drop outs would occur, roughly speaking, about every 30 or 40 minutes.

This appears to be a common problem, I don't know what causes it. A lot of people have serious dropout issue and a lot of people don't experience any dropout problems at all.

We've done a 3-day scene shoot with the HV20 (5 tapes) without a single dropout so thus far I'm a happy camper.

Tapes we used were new Sony Premiums.

This appears to be a common problem, I don't know what causes it. A lot of people have serious dropout issue and a lot of people don't experience any dropout problems at all.

We've done a 3-day scene shoot with the HV20 (5 tapes) without a single dropout so thus far I'm a happy camper.

Tapes we used were new Sony Premiums.

I also bought cheap TDK DVC60 from costco but haven't noticed a drop out yet. However I haven't shot for a full hour but instead did a lot of testing and rerecorded over the first 15 minutes of tape.

I do wonder if 'HD' tapes are really significantly better (for casual shooting).

I've shot 25 hours/tapes (TDK DVM60) on my HV10 with nary a detected dropout. Never had many on my Optura either.
I "blackstripe" the tape first then rewind and record over it, then never re-record on the tape again, only playback.

Might be your tape. I had been using TDK DVC60 from Costco on both my HV20 and ZR200 but it started to drop out toward the beginning and the end of the tape every other tape. Could have been a bad batch. I switched to Panasonic on the HV20 (tried PQ and AMQ) and haven't had a dropout since. The ZR200 still uses the TDK.

I used Panasonic AY-DVM63PQ tapes.

I used Panasonic AY-DVM63PQ tapes.

Just shot 7 tapes of those. No dropouts.

i shoot on panasonic PQ's as well, and every once in a blue moon i'll have a dropout, and it's usually with in the first minute of tape. keeping your heads clean helps too.

I have gotten those one frame black dropouts on a Canon XL-H1 with Panasonic AY-DVM63PQ tapes, but never had them with the same tape on a Sony HVR-A1U.

So maybe I should have the camera serviced, and then switch my tape brand?

I get dropouts fairly often with my HV20.

I've been using the el cheapo TDK tapes. I used the same tapes with my Panny DVX and never had a single dropout.

I get dropouts fairly often with my HV20.

I've been using the el cheapo TDK tapes. I used the same tapes with my Panny DVX and never had a single dropout.

I have the el cheapo TDK tapes as well but not any dropout yet (keep my fingers crossed). I recorded so far about 1 hour.

I shot about 40 minutes over 2 days (using the sony HD tapes), and played the footage back on the tv and had about 2 dropouts, then did an end-search and took the cam back out over the next 3 days and finished up the tape.

when I replayed the entire tape to import into the computer, the older footage where there had been 2 dropouts, there were now about 25 or so, and these lasted for 1 second to 3 seconds each. (during the original 40 minutes that had already been played back with only 2 dropouts) the dropouts were still there when played on a different cam, so it is in the tape. (but the newwer 20 minutes of shooting that had never been rewound and played prior to importing had no dropouts)

Didn't have this problem before on the XLH1 or XHA1 or FX1. Is it not recommended to rewind and play back tapes prior to importing with this cam or maybe it was the changes in temperature and humidity here (Toronto)?

humidity will def goof it up. it seems to me that the hv20 is fairly sensitive about "bad spots" i was shooting some underwater stuff, and had to change some stuff in the field (100+ temps) and then plunk the camera back into 68 degree water, and everything fogged up and it made all the footage i shot from that point on worthless. i also got a few "dirty heads" warning in the lcd.