Mini DV settings

CycleWriter · Post by **CycleWriter** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:15 pm

I've always set my cameras to record at SP mainly because my analog audio days taught me that the faster the tape speed the more tape used and hence, higher quality. Since we are now dealing with digital signals, which are basically static in nature, is there any advantage to recording in SP versus LP quality-wise? Does 1 minute of video recorded in SP take up the same amount of disc space after capture as 1 minute of video captured in LP? What advantage is there in recording in SP over LP? When striping a tape, does it matter if I use a tape striped in SP on LP mode or will new timecode be generated as it records? I realize that the faster the recording speed the less digital info that can be recorded on a given length of tape, but with a digital signal does that necessarily translate into a lower quality video? I mean, the digital signal being recorded stays the same, right? You just use more tape to record it at the higher speed, no?

DVDDoug · Post by **DVDDoug** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 7:45 pm

In theory the bitrate (the amount of data per second) is the same in either mode, so the video quality should be identical... as long as the data is readable... But, if you do have a dropout, a "weak spot' on the tape, or a slight alignment problem, these issues can be worse for digital tape than for an analog tape. (A digital signal is usually perfect, slightly- bad and perfectly-correctable with error-correction, or terribly-bad and totally-uncorrectable.)

I found some information on the videohelp.com forum.

CycleWriter · Post by **CycleWriter** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 10:41 pm

DVDDoug wrote:In theory the bitrate (the amount of data per second) is the same in either mode, so the video quality should be identical... as long as the data is readable... But, if you do have a dropout, a "weak spot' on the tape, or a slight alignment problem, these issues can be worse for digital tape than for an analog tape. (A digital signal is usually perfect, slightly- bad and perfectly-correctable with error-correction, or terribly-bad and totally-uncorrectable.)

I found some information on the videohelp.com forum.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Digital information is static so speed should have no effect on quality. Accessing it on the tape is another story, but that should only concern us when FF and REW to specific points on the tape for playback. As far as capturing is concerned it shouldn't matter since it is done in real-time. I guess I should restripe my tapes in LP mode.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 11:44 pm

Without meaning to sound unduly critical, but why are you being so cheap about your video? Mini DV tapes are relatively inexpensive. I personally would never worry about cramming on an extra 30 minutes of video onto a tape simply to save a few cents... especially with projects which are precious to me. And I guess, for the most part, every project is precious to me in some way or other...

CycleWriter · Post by **CycleWriter** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 12:30 am

Ken Berry wrote:Without meaning to sound unduly critical, but why are you being so cheap about your video? Mini DV tapes are relatively inexpensive. I personally would never worry about cramming on an extra 30 minutes of video onto a tape simply to save a few cents... especially with projects which are precious to me. And I guess, for the most part, every project is precious to me in some way or other...

That's twice in one week you've asserted that I'm cheap, Ken.

Actually, I was merely curious because I know from my understanding of digital processes that it should not matter to the quality of the actual video. As I have investigated more it appears that is true. The problem is a mechanical one. At the LP setting the chance for a tape transport problem is higher, which can ultimately affect how the digital information is recorded to the tape and result in dropouts. It isn't a quality issue, it is a mechanical one. As such, you're right, it isn't worth losing a shoot due to a mechanical problem or dropout. At the least, it isn't worth risking problems in capturing and/or editing so I'm sticking to SP mode. Cheap *** that I am.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 3:34 am

When I converted over 300 VHS tapes to DVD using exactly the same equipment and exactly the same settings the majority of the tapes transferred without problem.

Those that did give me trouble were either worn, slightly damaged or recorded in long play mode.