DVCAM playback on DV machine

Nicholas Storr · February 5th, 2005, 06:55 PM

Hi all :) I hope this is the right forum for this...

I was going through some unlabelled DV tapes I found, and came across some old dubs from a show I used to work on. Naturally i was pleased - but I remembered I'd dubbed them on a DVCAM recorder. My Panasonic NV-DA1 camcorder was playing them back without a hitch, but I was just wondering if anyone knew of any ramifications of playing back DVCAM tapes in a non DVCAM deck.

As I say, it seems to work, but the transport is being run faster than it is designed for, right? If I'm going to damage my camcorder, I'd rather just go get it re-dubbed.

Thoughts?

Barry Gribble · February 5th, 2005, 07:04 PM

The few times that I accidentally played back a DVCAM tape on a Mini DV player it looked like slow speed and had no audio, which is what I would expect.

Is it possible that you dubbed it as DV? I think it is highly unlikely that a non DVCAM deck has the potential to know it was a DVCAM tape and speed up to play it...

Boyd Ostroff · February 5th, 2005, 07:40 PM

Just about any Sony camcorder will play back DVCAM tapes, even the cheap ones. I'm surprised that a Panasonic machine will however...

Nicholas Storr · February 5th, 2005, 11:38 PM

I was equally surprised! The slow speed/no audio thing is what I would have expected too, to be honest.

Yes, I'm 100% sure they were DVCAM dubs.

Barry Gribble · February 6th, 2005, 04:52 AM

Well, if it plays it then it is by design and it isn't doing something outside of spec for the camera. I'm guessing you're safe.

Ed Sharpe · November 8th, 2006, 11:37 AM

I discovered this myself yesterday and thought my Sony DVCAM deck was hosed! ( it does NOT record in DV) Well yes the litle panny plays DVCAM tapes at normal speed with sound...... that means for $250 I paid for this camera I have another play back device in a pinch for DVCAM.... we are overjoyed!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicholas Storr

Hi all :) I hope this is the right forum for this...

I was going through some unlabelled DV tapes I found, and came across some old dubs from a show I used to work on. Naturally i was pleased - but I remembered I'd dubbed them on a DVCAM recorder. My Panasonic NV-DA1 camcorder was playing them back without a hitch, but I was just wondering if anyone knew of any ramifications of playing back DVCAM tapes in a non DVCAM deck.

As I say, it seems to work, but the transport is being run faster than it is designed for, right? If I'm going to damage my camcorder, I'd rather just go get it re-dubbed.

Thoughts?

Glenn Chan · November 8th, 2006, 03:49 PM

Some DV devices will be able to playback DVCAM (I believe my panasonic GS70 does it).

Sony's DSR-1700 also plays back panasonic's DVCPRO format.

2- The VTR will take some time to get to the right tape speed, getting dropouts in that process.

Sharyn Ferrick · November 8th, 2006, 08:04 PM

It would be interesting to see if the fact that the DVcam head has a wider gap might cause a situation where overwriting with DV might not get the old signal completely replaced. Most people don't reuse tapes, so not sure if anyone has any extensive experience with this

Sharyn

February 5th, 2005, 06:55 PM	#1
Nicholas Storr New Boot Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia Posts: 24	DVCAM playback on DV machine - the risks? Hi all :) I hope this is the right forum for this... I was going through some unlabelled DV tapes I found, and came across some old dubs from a show I used to work on. Naturally i was pleased - but I remembered I'd dubbed them on a DVCAM recorder. My Panasonic NV-DA1 camcorder was playing them back without a hitch, but I was just wondering if anyone knew of any ramifications of playing back DVCAM tapes in a non DVCAM deck. As I say, it seems to work, but the transport is being run faster than it is designed for, right? If I'm going to damage my camcorder, I'd rather just go get it re-dubbed. Thoughts?

February 5th, 2005, 07:04 PM	#2
Barry Gribble Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 817	The few times that I accidentally played back a DVCAM tape on a Mini DV player it looked like slow speed and had no audio, which is what I would expect. Is it possible that you dubbed it as DV? I think it is highly unlikely that a non DVCAM deck has the potential to know it was a DVCAM tape and speed up to play it... __________________ Barry Gribble Integral Arts, IMDB

February 6th, 2005, 04:52 AM	#5
Barry Gribble Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 817	Well, if it plays it then it is by design and it isn't doing something outside of spec for the camera. I'm guessing you're safe. __________________ Barry Gribble Integral Arts, IMDB

February 5th, 2005, 07:40 PM	#3
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	Just about any Sony camcorder will play back DVCAM tapes, even the cheap ones. I'm surprised that a Panasonic machine will however...

February 5th, 2005, 11:38 PM	#4
Nicholas Storr New Boot Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia Posts: 24	I was equally surprised! The slow speed/no audio thing is what I would have expected too, to be honest. Yes, I'm 100% sure they were DVCAM dubs.

November 8th, 2006, 03:49 PM	#7
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	Some DV devices will be able to playback DVCAM (I believe my panasonic GS70 does it). Sony's DSR-1700 also plays back panasonic's DVCPRO format. 2- The VTR will take some time to get to the right tape speed, getting dropouts in that process.

November 8th, 2006, 08:04 PM	#8
Sharyn Ferrick Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Sitka Alaska Posts: 128	It would be interesting to see if the fact that the DVcam head has a wider gap might cause a situation where overwriting with DV might not get the old signal completely replaced. Most people don't reuse tapes, so not sure if anyone has any extensive experience with this Sharyn