[MacDV] Re: Sony DV Tape Stocks (HELP!)

[Danny Grizzle]

On 12/29/02 9:52 PM, "Richard Brown" <richard at go2rba.com> wrote:

> The Sony Professional DVCAM tapes are vastly preferred for real
> production work than the consumer grade tapes. One of our reasons for
> using the Sony PDVM-40N stock is merely the excellent case quality
> which is simply lacking in the consumer tapes.

Agreed... but I do find it offensive to pay almost three times as much for
sake of packaging. Besides, given my workflow, I only handle each tape once.

I remember when the industry press first started to discuss digital
recording. Back then in the analog era, there were all sorts of exotic tape
formulations, different oxides, and varying coercivity. CrO2 audio
cassettes, for instance. High end recorders had special amplifier and
calibration sections so that characteristics (bias and equalization) could
be tuned specifically for each tape formulation. When the possibility of
digital recording came up, one of the top benefits was the prospect of
simple tape formulations. After all, we're only recording 1's and 0's... it
either works or it does not.

I find it laughable that Sony's website promotes their "Excellence" tape
formulation as "Ideal for LP recording." What? Do they expect people
committed to horrible corner cutting to purchase an upscale tape
formulation? You have to wonder what is going on in Sony's head... it
appears that Excellence media is a marketing move to offset revenue loss due
to lower LP tape usage with a 50% upcharged tape stock.

Another claim for Sony Excellence is "2db greater carrier-to-noise ratio." I
don't know any special meaning for C/N ratio, but I suspect this measurement
is not as significant in a digital recording process as a 2db
signal-to-noise benefit would be in audio recording. This claim appears to
be bogus -- it would only have merit if signal playback were failing,
certainly not the case with Sony Premium.

Let's consider the Sony range of DV tape stock:

  + Premium (consumer)
  + Excellence (high end consumer)
  + DVCAM (pro)
  + DVCAM Master (high end pro)

Despite high-profile marketing of "Diamond-Like Carbon" protective layer in
DVCAM stocks, it appears this feature is standard across the board,
including the basic consumer Premium tape stock. I'm not seeing anything
related to lubricants or headwear characteristics offered by Sony to
differientiate their product line.

Stated benefits of higher grade tapes:

  + Lower dropout count
  + Higher C/N ratio
  + Tighter tolerances, precision slitting
  + Dimensional stability

I've had no problem with dropout on Premium DV stock. Of the remaining
items, the most significant is perhaps dimensional stability, if archiving
is an issue. With most NLE workflows, the acquisition tapes are the defacto
backup system. What Sony does not provide is any information on why DVCAM is
more dimensionally stable. This will come down to two issues: better quality
substrates and/or better quality binders... or perhaps more manufacturing
steps, such as calendering. On all these, the Sony website is silent. There
is very little information on tape stocks, with the Sony web effort mainly
oriented towards eCommerce and trying to sell these tapes to consumers at
2-3 times the going street price.

Some of the Sony hype is a throwback to yesteryear. Very few DV producers
are using tape-based editing, so stress and strain of repeated shuttling and
prolonged head contact are not an issue, except for people using Sony's own
tape-based editing systems, or else reusing tapes -- which may be a common
practice in Public Access, but does not apply to me.

All-in-all, Sony marketing stinks so bad, it makes me want to consider other
brands.

The alternates are Panasonic, Fuji, and Maxell.

Panasonic reps roundly badmouth any ME (Metal Evaporated) tape formulation
as unsuitable for archival purposes. That kills all Sony product. Their
alternative is MP (Metal Particle). MP is actually the tried-and-true
traditional way to manufacture tape. Theory behind all this (according to me
-- maybe completely erroneous): ME is diffusive process like fogging a lens
with your breath. It results in smaller magnetic particles, higher packing
density. MP is direct mechanical application, like a spritz of lens cleaner.
It results in larger particle sizes, but a more direct application process
which can perhaps incorporate stronger binders and more mechanical force in
application.

With their MQ (Master Quality) formulation, comparable to Sony's Excellence
in product lineup, Panasonic claims to have magnetic particles approaching
ME sizes in a more traditional MP tape stock.

Fuji -- I don't know what their claim to fame in DV is. All I know is that
this brand was a favored tape among the Betacam crowd in Dallas, Texas for
the last 15 years. The Fuji MiniDV stock carried by TapeResources is
comparably priced to Sony Premium, so obviously a consumer product. Fuji
also markets tape specifically for DVCPRO, but curiously not for DVCAM... at
least not through TapeResouces. Maybe I should investigate their website. My
own experience with Fuji was prejudiced by some bad 3.5" floppy disks, back
before factory formatting. I never bought a box of Fuji floppy disks where
all disks formatted successfully, but I never encountered a single Sony
floppy disk which failed to format.

Maxell -- I don't know about Maxell. At one time when audio cassette ruled
supreme, this was a flagship brand. My understanding (hearsay -- apologies
if this is bogus info) is their tape operations are in decline, with some
product lines discontinued, maybe pro stocks. Another factor in my vague
uneasiness about Maxell is the faint recollection that ownership of this
brand passed through Tandy Corp. hands (Radio Shack), which would inevitably
have corrupted any corporate priority on quality. Would I use Maxell?
Absolutely -- I've never heard anything bad. But somehow, they are not my
top pick for DV.

Final strike against all non-Sony tape stocks: the lubricant issue and
lingering fear, uncertainty, and doubt. Maybe if some of these guys
advertised specifically for DVCAM users, instead of labeling for DVCPRO
only.

-----------

All this consideration for miniDV used in my PD-150, mainly used as a second
camera and handheld. My primary camera is a DSR-500, in which I use only
DVCAM large cassettes.

Why worry? Consider TapeResources pricing for 100 tapes, 60 minute loads (40
minute in DVCAM mode):

  Sony Premium    $   449.00
  Sony Excellence $   759.00
  Sony PDVM-40N   $ 1,170.00

Dang! Do you really see nearly 3x quality difference on the screen? Is a
"pro" tape case really worth this much over a consumer jewel box? I'll pay
for quality, but I need to smell it, taste it, or see it where it counts --
in the quality of my show. Frankly, I can't see hardly any difference on
screen between the DSR-150 and the DSR-500, nevermind tape stock issues.

Right now, Sony marketing is failing to justify the difference. I'd rather
blame marketing than engineering, to give the brand its due. Yesterday, with
the "Live Support" on Sony's website, their representative "Chris" tried to
do a hose job on me, "With Excellence tape formulation, your pictures will
look way better than with Premium!" I wish they would save the
unsubstantiated hype for selling big woofers to head bangers in their
automotive products division.

> Also, if your program length runs over 40 minutes, and you need to get
> it laid back to DVCAM, I can do this for you at my facility from your
> hard drive (if you are posting in FCP.)

I've got a DSR-11 for I/O into FCP. I'll need to outsource bumping to Beta
from a large DVCAM cassette.

Danny Grizzle