Re: Questions about switching from Panasonic to Sony mini-DV tapes

On Tue, 02 Dec 2003 05:33:27 GMT, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Jason)
wrote:

>On 29 Nov 2003 03:05:16 GMT, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Andys cam) wrote:
>
>>Fear not, you will not have any problems switching to Sony tape with so little
>>time on the camera.
>
>Thanks for answering! For a while I was afraid nobody would reply.
>I didn't realize it took significant usage to build up enough
>lubricant (or whatever it is they use that causes clogging problems)
>from the mini-DV tape to cause a problem when switching.
>
>I assume you agree I should just chuck the $6 Panasonic tape rather
>than continuing to use it mixed-in occasionally with the Sony tapes?
I talked with a technician at a major tape company and they said that
clogging due to wet then dry or vis versa lubricant tapes, will not
happen if you actually switch back and forth often.  They said it is
only when you stick with either one for a long time then switch that
you are more likely (yet not guaranteed) to have a problem. 

I have heard that you problems may arrise even between different
series of dry tapes that each have slightlly different dry formulas.
Who knows. 

>From what I read, I think you do not want to run cleaning tapes in
camcorders that are not dirty, as there is not dirt to clean off, then
you will just be abrading the new heads which could not be good.  
If it were me, based on the confidence that the technician said (it
was not just some random phone rep, it was someone who actually called
me back, after I went through like 6 reps). I would just stick the
tapes you want to use in there now .  But I would not run that Panny
tape if you are going to exclusively use the sony tapes from now on.
I would chuck it after you make the switch, and not clean anything for
that initial switch.

Good luck, and by the way I am a newbie, but I talked to someone who
seemed very knowledgable at the technical questions I was asking him.