This IS the Avid L2: [Avid-L2] Re: HDCAM tape lifespan...

That's very interesting. I had just figured the contact of the spinning heads was burnishing down the tape smoother. What element on the tape changes so the tape deck recognizes a non virgin tape? I'm amazed I'd never heard about this specific feature.

--- In Avid-L2@yahoogroups.com, Mark Spano <cutandcover@...> wrote:
>
> I think that is true of Sony decks but only after pass 1. When you load a
> fresh tape into a Sony Digi or HDCAM deck, there is a ruby cutter that
> slices off the tiniest slivers of tape prior to head wrap. Sort of a tape
> guide and path insurance. Once that has been done, the machine recognizes
> previously sliced tape and doesn't drop the cutter in.
>
> DVW and SRW machines are the Rolls Royce of our profession…
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 25, 2013 at 2:57 PM, johnrobmoore <bigfish@...> wrote:
>
> > **
> >
> >
> > I'd heard over the years sense we got away from analogue recording formats
> > and went to recording digital data on the tapes, around the D2 days and
> > certainly with digibeta, the tapes actually got better performance after
> > use. The theory was the heads passing over the tape actually smoothed out
> > the surface of the tape which made for better performance. I would imagine
> > this would not be something that you'd ever really see on screen but has
> > more to do with the magnetic coercivity of a smoother less bouncy surface
> > on the heads. I can't say this is a fact but it makes sense to me. Of
> > course damaged tape from a bad transport is another story.
> >
> > --- In Avid-L2@yahoogroups.com, Tim Selander <selander@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Yep, that's the info I'm hoping for, how many times can a tape
> > > reasonably be recorded -- though the shelf life info is good to
> > > have too!
> > >
> > > I found a pdf put out by Sony that said HDCAM SR tape is good for
> > > an impressive 50 uses with no loss of quality. SR is a completely
> > > different formula than 'just' HDCAM... but I wonder if durability
> > > is similar.
> > >
> > > Tim Selander
> > > Tokyo, Japan
> > >
> > > On 4/26/13 1:12 AM, Terence Curren wrote:
> > > > I think he is more concerned with number of times over the heads as
> > opposed to age of tape.
> > > >
> > > > --- In Avid-L2@yahoogroups.com, "Tom McDonnell" <ltr54@> wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >> Not sure how if this is any indicator but I have SONY brand BETA SP
> > and Beta
> > > >> Oxide tapes over 30 years old and 15 year old SX tapes that play back
> > like
> > > >> the day I recorded them.
> > > >>
> > > >> Tom McDonnell
> > > >> Cinematographer/Operator
> > > >> Weisscam Hi-Speed Tech
> > > >> Los Angeles, CA
> > > >> New Orleans, LA
> > > >> 818-675-1501
> > > >>
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
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>