Hello.
I've recently purchased two Sony DVM60EX3 tapes and two Sony DVM60PR3 tapes. The question is, will the quality vary much when I'm going to use only SP mode?

Thank you in advance
-D.K.

mini-DV records digitally, so you're going to be getting the exact same quality since it's all 1s and 0s.

Sometimes, there are errors in the 1s and 0s which will lead to dropouts. It's "debatable" whether or not the pricier tape leads to less dropouts. I'm sure someone can do a test and statistically figure out whether the premium tape makes a meaningful difference in dropout rate. Personally my guess is that the difference would be statistically/pragmatically insignificant. If you do a search you'll find a bunch of people here giving you annedotal reports.

If you've shot hundreds of normal tape in your equipment with few dropouts, then I wouldn't bother using more expensive tape. This is because you now know normal tape has a neglible dropout rate, based on your own experience.

Mini-DV has error correction, much like a CD. You can scratch the CD and the CD will stay play back perfectly. However, once you hit a certain threshold, errors will start showing up.
It seems to me that error correction would tend to make the differences between tape insignificant.


If you can't tell already, I think you should use normal tape which is like $3USD shipped within the United States.

No discernable difference in quality at all...


ash =o)

This may be false, but I was told by a reputable video guy that the difference between the excellence and the regular sony tapes is only that the excellence were cut from the center of the large reel of tape at the factory. the normal tapes are the outer layers. They are the same tape, however. The center part of the big reel is supposedly 'better' tape with less chance of dropouts. This is all anecdotal at best, but I know this guy to be well informed of things like this. It would be nice to know for sure, so i don't waste money on the same exact tape stock!