Hi,
This is my first time using this forum, so I hope I'm posting in the right place.

I'm trying to play a Panasonic DvcPro tape in a JVC Br Hd50.
Every time I put it in it spits the thing right back out.
Does anybody know if there is there some kind of setting I can select on the deck in order to keep this from happening?

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

The BR-HD50 is a Mini DV / HDV format machine. The whole Mini DV profile is built around Metal Evaporated tape technology. Panasonic DVC Pro on the other hand is built around the Metal Particle tape technology.

Don't quote me here as I'm digging through the memory banks. DV had a track with of 10 microns, DVCam was 15 microns and DVC Pro was 18 microns. DVC Pro was Panasonic's move to modify and move the universally agreed DV format into a format that would meet SMPTE ratification in the broadcast world. The DV metal evaporated tape spec is incapable of recording linear time code and linear audio tracks, two things required for SMPTE certification, hence DVC Pro was born.

Sad to say the DVC Pro formats are not compatible with the Sony and JVC DV machines. Panasonic DVC Pro studio machines on the other hand could play back Mini DV tapes with a special Mini DV tape adapter for those tapes or could play back the full size DV / DVCam tapes without the adapter. You will need to find a DVC Pro deck. If the tape is recorded DVC Pro 50 as opposed to DVC Pro 25 then you would need a Panasonic AJ-D950 deck or similar.

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney