How to Erase tape?

[cba]

How to Erase tape? like make a used tape to blank again.
helpful site! thank u :-*

[Barry_S]

I'd recommend against reusing tapes--it increases your chance of dropouts and (possibly) head clogging. *The recording head spins at 9000 RPM, so thats putting a lot of friction against the tape surface and even tiny particles that flake off can cause dropouts (loss of signal). *However, if you're in a real bind, you can pass the tapes through a strong magnetic field to erase them.

[uhrgl]

You trying to destroy some evidence or what? mini DV tapes are way cheap.

[cba]

no, I just want to save money ;D

[scharky]

You'll end up saving time and money in the long run if you don't reuse your tapes. First off, you won't experience nearly as many dropouts if you don't reuse your tapes. Second, it is always nice to have a backup of everything that you shoot. You have no idea how many times I have gone into my tape archives to find some footage that I shot earlier and decided to use. A few months ago, during the MQ tape shortage, I found myself forced to use the Panny PQ tapes, and at about 3.95 a tape, they have been great. I can't think of any dropout that I have had and they seem just as reliable as the more expensive MQ tapes. They also use the same Dry lube as the MQ so there is no problem there either. IF you want to save money, that is the way to go.

[pookie_old]

DV tapes are reusable, no reason not to, but there is a resonable limit to the times you can safely reuse them, but it's far safer than you read on this thread.
You'll discover when to toss due to dropouts, but yes, they're reusable. No reason not too.


Sorry guys.

[ericcosh]

I have to go with Pookey on this one. On the average, I go through 6 to 7 tapes per shoot. All kinds of cameras and all kinds of tapes. In all those years of shooting, I've only had a few mishaps and guess what? It was with brand new tapes, not used ones.

Years ago, I remember talking with a Sony tech at NAB and we were discussing how many times you can go over a digital tape. He told me that Sony had over 5000 passes on one tape. Of course that was a test. No one would ever suggest that you should use a tape 5000 times, but I do use the Sony DVCam 184's over and over again. I've never had one problem with them. Not One!!!

Having said that, I would never suggest anyone ever using a used tape to shoot a project. I use used tapes only for backup. That way, if there were to be a problem, I could always just do it over. The way I look at it, tape is the cheapest part of our profession.

[pookie_old]

It's one of those marketing myths, that somehow became "truth".


"Don't reuse your tapes!!!! They're soooo cheap, always use a new one, contact your supplier, and stock up today!!!".



Pure marketing, they can be reused, including for projects.

A new tape, every time???

LOL

Stop buying new tapes constantly, use the money you'll save for that new tripod.

[cba]

i m using a pan. ME 80min. tape, those good? been using it couple times already. b4 i was reusing 60min. seem more stable than the 80min. by way my beast is a gs200, but lately i find i m using a DC to do everything; pictures and video. its minolta X20 very good cheap DC, feels like it's replacing my DV, if my gs200 is the size of DC and use memory stick... should be that way! ::)

[matthewd5]

i almost never reuse a tape.

that said i had a friend who passed away and i had to "sanitize" his mini-dv collection before i could throw them away, don't ask...

so i got a bulk eraser from radio shack, i know everyone stresses about their tapes getting erased by mistake.

i was VERY surprised how hard it was to erase a tape.

in my experience i had to take the bulk eraser pull the trigger with the unit about 6-10 inches away from the tape, lower device towards tape until it touches, then go in a circular motion 5 or 6 times, move away from tape and flip tape over and do the same action again.

and even then every once in a while a tape would come out perfectly clear like it was never erased.

matthew

[XCheck]

HA! It's like those fools who think they will remove any evidence by formatting hard drives! ;)

[matthewd5]

well in my case they went through an industrial shredder.

there was nothing illegal, just nothing you would want to show in public and i was trying to do the family a favor.

matthew

[cba]

anybody using the tape rewinders? or everybody is use there DV to do it?