Problem Recording on LP Mode at DVinfo.net

Matthew Amirkhani · September 22nd, 2008, 09:06 AM

Hi All,

Last night for the first time I recorded an interview on LP mode. When I captured the footage I noticed that it has mosaics all over the footage.

By the way I always use Sony 63 HD tapes.

Do you guys think it is camera problem, or Tape? or just the LP mode.

Please let me know.

Thanks
Matthew

Ken Wozniak · September 22nd, 2008, 09:19 AM

I've recorded in SP mode before with no mosaic issues. Here's the steps I would take if I had your problem. Running a cleaning tape through is the last thing you want to try.

1. View the tape from another deck. This will determine if you have a problem with the playback head.

2. Try a different tape.

3. Run a cleaning tape through one time, then try recording and playback again.

Bill Watson · September 22nd, 2008, 04:09 PM

I'd run the tape cleaner through and try recording again.

Tripp Woelfel · September 22nd, 2008, 07:31 PM

For SD, tape speed shouldn't make a ton of difference in general image quality, but since you're cramming more bits into less real estate on the tape you run a greater risk of drop outs. Dirty heads will cause the image to break up with "blocking". If you're getting normal video compression blocking (the image integrity is maintained but there are visual blocks) you may have a different problem. If the blocks contain completely different colors or video elements (it doesn't look like it belongs in the image) that's bad data and indicate dirty heads as a possible cause.

This is what the others have said. I just said it using more words.

Annie Haycock · September 23rd, 2008, 01:08 AM

The original question was about LP mode, but so far the question has been answered only about SP and then SD mode (yes, I know SP and LP are subsets of SD). I suspect that most of us would not bother with LP mode to find if there is a problem. Why use the poorest quality setting? I hope Matthew was only experimenting and just forgot to change the setting back to SP.

Bill Watson · September 23rd, 2008, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Wozniak

I've recorded in SP mode before...

I assume that was a typo.

We are talking about LP mode.

I've recorded lots of times in LP mode on my Panasonic GS400, in SD, and never had any problems, even when using 80 minute tapes.

I assume Mathew was recording in HD. I think if you're recording LP, in HD, you'd want the camera to be working 100%, hence a head clean would be the first thing I'd do.

Annie Haycock · September 23rd, 2008, 01:36 AM

The XH-A1 does LP in SD mode only.

Tom Hardwick · September 23rd, 2008, 01:52 AM

Matthew I use LP mode all the time and don't know what I'd do without it. My unattended camera runs at the back of the church awaiting the (late) bride, or at the speeches covering the join where I change tapes on the SP camera.

I do play the tape back in the camera that recorded it though, and although the DSR-11 Sony VCR appears to play the LP tapes ok, it does add dropouts at regular intervals.

So there's nothing wrong with LP mode - and of course the picture and sound quality are the same as in SP. I use bog-standard Sony tapes with never a dropout (FX1).

So Matt - how did you 'capture the footage'?

tom.

Matthew Amirkhani · September 23rd, 2008, 06:26 AM

Thanks everyone,

I captured the footage via firewire to Vegas 8C.
Last night I changed the mode back to SP and then I captured it again and what you know, the footage was perfect and had not mosaics and distortion.

I assume maybe the head was dirty or the firewire connection wasn't good on the first capture.

Thanks

Matthew

September 22nd, 2008, 09:06 AM	#1
Matthew Amirkhani Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 279	Problem Recording on LP Mode Hi All, Last night for the first time I recorded an interview on LP mode. When I captured the footage I noticed that it has mosaics all over the footage. By the way I always use Sony 63 HD tapes. Do you guys think it is camera problem, or Tape? or just the LP mode. Please let me know. Thanks Matthew __________________ Canon XHA1, Brevis 35mm, Manfrotto 028,501,Vegas Pro 10e

September 22nd, 2008, 09:19 AM	#2
Ken Wozniak Regular Crew Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Bend, IN Posts: 179	I've recorded in SP mode before with no mosaic issues. Here's the steps I would take if I had your problem. Running a cleaning tape through is the last thing you want to try. 1. View the tape from another deck. This will determine if you have a problem with the playback head. 2. Try a different tape. 3. Run a cleaning tape through one time, then try recording and playback again. __________________ Woz

September 23rd, 2008, 01:08 AM	#5
Annie Haycock Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Pembrokeshire, Wales Posts: 734	The original question was about LP mode, but so far the question has been answered only about SP and then SD mode (yes, I know SP and LP are subsets of SD). I suspect that most of us would not bother with LP mode to find if there is a problem. Why use the poorest quality setting? I hope Matthew was only experimenting and just forgot to change the setting back to SP. __________________ Canon XH A1; Canon XF100; Nikon D800

September 23rd, 2008, 01:36 AM	#7
Annie Haycock Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Pembrokeshire, Wales Posts: 734	The XH-A1 does LP in SD mode only. __________________ Canon XH A1; Canon XF100; Nikon D800

September 23rd, 2008, 06:26 AM	#9
Matthew Amirkhani Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 279	Thanks everyone, I captured the footage via firewire to Vegas 8C. Last night I changed the mode back to SP and then I captured it again and what you know, the footage was perfect and had not mosaics and distortion. I assume maybe the head was dirty or the firewire connection wasn't good on the first capture. Thanks Matthew __________________ Canon XHA1, Brevis 35mm, Manfrotto 028,501,Vegas Pro 10e

September 22nd, 2008, 04:09 PM	#3
Bill Watson Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Noosa Queensland Australia Posts: 248	I'd run the tape cleaner through and try recording again.

September 22nd, 2008, 07:31 PM	#4
Tripp Woelfel Trustee Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: North Conway, NH Posts: 1,745	For SD, tape speed shouldn't make a ton of difference in general image quality, but since you're cramming more bits into less real estate on the tape you run a greater risk of drop outs. Dirty heads will cause the image to break up with "blocking". If you're getting normal video compression blocking (the image integrity is maintained but there are visual blocks) you may have a different problem. If the blocks contain completely different colors or video elements (it doesn't look like it belongs in the image) that's bad data and indicate dirty heads as a possible cause. This is what the others have said. I just said it using more words.

September 23rd, 2008, 01:52 AM	#8
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Matthew I use LP mode all the time and don't know what I'd do without it. My unattended camera runs at the back of the church awaiting the (late) bride, or at the speeches covering the join where I change tapes on the SP camera. I do play the tape back in the camera that recorded it though, and although the DSR-11 Sony VCR appears to play the LP tapes ok, it does add dropouts at regular intervals. So there's nothing wrong with LP mode - and of course the picture and sound quality are the same as in SP. I use bog-standard Sony tapes with never a dropout (FX1). So Matt - how did you 'capture the footage'? tom.