Reuse tape in different camera causing problem? at DVinfo.net

Stan Harkleroad · January 13th, 2011, 04:04 PM

I probably know the answer but will ask anyway. I have 2 Panasonic cameras and use JVC tapes. My wife has 2 Canon HV40's at her school where she teaches and uses JVC also. I had some tapes I had filmed on and didn't need anymore and gave to her to use. I didn't think about it at the time but yesterday one of the cameras she had used one of those tapes in is cutting out during playback. Could residue from my camera the tape was in originally have gotten into hers? I told her to use a cleaning tape and never use a tape again that had been in another camera.

Edward Carlson · January 13th, 2011, 04:47 PM

Don't reuse tapes and you'll never have that problem. MiniDV tape is thin and relatively fragile, so reusing it is a bad idea. If you must reuse it, degaussing the tape might help since it will erase everything on the tape. I personally hate JVC tapes and only use Panasonic.

Colin McDonald · January 13th, 2011, 05:07 PM

I don't reuse tapes myself but opinion is divided on the reusing of DVHDV tapes (plenty of discussion on that topic in this forum). Degaussing will have absolutely NO effect on whether a tape is clogging up heads and tape paths however, as the issue is about different tape lubricants and the shedding of particles of the coating due to mechanical wear. The magnetic alignment of the particles on the tape coating is surely irrelevant.

Chris Hurd · January 13th, 2011, 05:10 PM

Sorry, but I have to state the obvious... as inexpensive as these
cassettes are, there's really no point in re-using them. Avoid it
if at all possible.

Stan Harkleroad · January 13th, 2011, 08:07 PM

She teaches a broadcast class at her high school and has tapes on order. I just had a few tapes with raw footage I didn't need and didn't think about it at the time when I gave them to her. I've reused tapes plenty of times in my same cameras and never had any problem. The issue here was going from one brand of camera to another which we know better than to do now.

January 13th, 2011, 04:04 PM	#1
Stan Harkleroad Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Gautier, MS Posts: 175	Reuse tape in different camera causing problem? I probably know the answer but will ask anyway. I have 2 Panasonic cameras and use JVC tapes. My wife has 2 Canon HV40's at her school where she teaches and uses JVC also. I had some tapes I had filmed on and didn't need anymore and gave to her to use. I didn't think about it at the time but yesterday one of the cameras she had used one of those tapes in is cutting out during playback. Could residue from my camera the tape was in originally have gotten into hers? I told her to use a cleaning tape and never use a tape again that had been in another camera.

January 13th, 2011, 05:10 PM	#4
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Sorry, but I have to state the obvious... as inexpensive as these cassettes are, there's really no point in re-using them. Avoid it if at all possible. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

January 13th, 2011, 04:47 PM	#2
Edward Carlson Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: North Hollywood, CA, United States Posts: 807	Don't reuse tapes and you'll never have that problem. MiniDV tape is thin and relatively fragile, so reusing it is a bad idea. If you must reuse it, degaussing the tape might help since it will erase everything on the tape. I personally hate JVC tapes and only use Panasonic.

January 13th, 2011, 05:07 PM	#3
Colin McDonald Trustee Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 1,546	I don't reuse tapes myself but opinion is divided on the reusing of DVHDV tapes (plenty of discussion on that topic in this forum). Degaussing will have absolutely NO effect on whether a tape is clogging up heads and tape paths however, as the issue is about different tape lubricants and the shedding of particles of the coating due to mechanical wear. The magnetic alignment of the particles on the tape coating is surely irrelevant.

January 13th, 2011, 08:07 PM	#5
Stan Harkleroad Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Gautier, MS Posts: 175	She teaches a broadcast class at her high school and has tapes on order. I just had a few tapes with raw footage I didn't need and didn't think about it at the time when I gave them to her. I've reused tapes plenty of times in my same cameras and never had any problem. The issue here was going from one brand of camera to another which we know better than to do now.