Universal HDV?

[Neil Corbett]

A real basic question but are hdv/mini dv tapes universal? or rather is the hdv format universal - no pal/ntsc problems?

My situation is I'm going to the USA next week and hiring a Z1. if i take tapes with me or buy hdv tapes out there and film, am i going to have any compatabilty problems back in the UK?

thanks

neil

[Barry Kay]

Well, the UK is on a PAL system...not NTSC.

Some camcorder makers also would suggest a higher grade (or shorter length) miniDVD's for better quality.

But a miniDVD is a miniDVD, as far as standard cassette size and tape size is concerned. I'm pretty sure.

BUT - I've read on this forum that if you tape using a Sony camera it won't play back on a JVC or Cannon, etc.
So you'd have to play back your tape from whatever system you shot it with.

I do believe.

[Phillip Palacios]

What matters is what format is recorded to the tapes, the Z1 can switch to PAL, which means it records PAL. If your delivery is PAL, you should shoot PAL.

You should be able to play back your miniDV tapes on a PAL 1080i HDV deck no problem, regardless of where the tapes were bought.

The tapes are just a medium for data storage, and if you write PAL format to it, that's what it is.

Anyone correct me if I am wrong.

Phil

[Neil Corbett]

Maybe I'm not explaining myself correctly but I want to shoot hdv in america. Is hdv in america the same as hdv here? or is there hdv pal and hdv ntsc?

thanks

[Bruno Donnet]

On the tape side: DV or HDV tapes are the same for PAL or for NTSC. For the same announced time of duration, the real duration is globally the same (less than 4 seconds of difference per hour between PAL and NTSC).

On the camera side: if you plan to hire a Sony Z1, you can switch to the HDV-1080i/50 even on a US model; doing so, you will be able to record exactly the same HDV/50 flow than with a HDV/50 camera bought or hired in a PAL land...
if you don't change the recording format, you will have problem to read the tapes back to England because, yes, HDV-1080i/60 (NTSC lands) differs from HDV-1080i/50 (PAL lands).

So, be sure that a Z1 will be available for hiring at the time and place you have planned to be: for the moment, only this HDV model owns the option to choice the recording format (1080i/50 or 60).

[Neil Corbett]

thanks bruno, that cleared everything up. that saves me from taking tapes to america. i'll buy them out there and just change the z1 i hire out there to hdv pal.

thanks

neil.