I note my Sony DCR-TRV18 MiniDV can playback DVCam tapes from a PD-170 seemingly okay. However as the consumer cam is having to play the tape faster is it going to harm the motors inside?

Take a look at how slowly the tape moves in either mode and the answer is no. The head spins at the same speed regardless of the tape speed.

Mike, could you expand on your answer a bit. How does the TRV18 know to play the tape faster?

All Sony DV devices can adjust their playback speed to match the recorded speed of either DV or DVCam except for the two models that predate the release of DVcam ...

Some other brands can play DVCam too, though notably not Canon.

GB

So then I won't need to purchase a DVCAM deck to play my tape shot on a PD 170 in DVCAM mode? I can load it onto my hard drive using my own little DCR TRV20?

> So then I won't need to purchase a DVCAM deck to
> play my tape shot on a PD 170 in DVCAM mode?

Exactly! There are also some non-Sony cameras that have no trouble playing back DVcam or SSP.