Using legacy DV equipment with HDV tapes
 

If you have legacy DV equipment lying around - such as a DSR-11 - and you are now solely HDV, there is still something you can do with it.

I've just finished messing around with an HDV tape in my DSR-11 and found something interesting.

Obviously, you can't get the HDV signal from it but you can use it as a rather glorified winder to save wear-and-tear on the camcorder. But - and this is the bonus - it displays the timecode. Only when in winding mode, though. So you can use the deck to wind an HDV tape to the approximate location you need.

What's more - DV applications (on a Windows machine at least) also get the timecode via FireWire - again only in wind mode. e.g., one of our programs designed for DV sees and displays the timecode *and* the deck controls work, too. i.e., you can control the DV deck containing an HDV tape from the PC.

That's a terrible waste of a DSR-11. It would be better to donate it to a high school broadcast program like mine that is in desperate need of SD equipment but has no funds to buy any. You can even get a donation receipth for tax purposes!

True - but I do still use mine. I haven't left the familiar world of DV just yet!