It is brand new.. pretty sad :(

L.A. Color Blog (http://lacolorshop.com/blog/view.asp?id=29)

Take a look at the video.

I too had bad luck with the Impact brand. It says it is made in Japan, but I doubt that. Most likely made in China and assembled in Japan.

Of course it destroys the tape. It's a $25 piece of junk. Any such device that doesn't slow down as it approaches the beginning (or end) of the tape will put a lot of stress as it comes to an abrupt halt. Proper DV mechanisms use a microprocessor-controlled stepper motor with detection electronics to work out where the tape is. A dumb analog motor is not a viable substitute for (re)winding high precision tapes. Also, it seems a weird video to post. And I'm very surprised at some of the respected retailers who have sold this.

Caveat emptor.

Adorama refunded my entire purchase including the shipping cost. No need to send the item back. Then I bought a Maxell tape rewinder. It's the same one to replace the broken one I have. It is working fine.

Just now, the fact that they named the brand "Impact" is somewhat telling. Especially as it only takes the closing of the unit/shell to do the damage.

Andrew

I have had one for years made by (or for) SIMA that works OK, but I still won't use it. I don't trust them. I use my deck or the camera instead. In fact a cheap older used miniDV camera may be a better option if you need a rewinder.

John