On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 09:11:21 GMT, Craig Busch <clbusch@earthlink.net> wrote:

>I have used and played Hi 8 and Super VHSC tapes and have never had one

>go bad to the best of my recollection. I played a few MiniDV tapes that

>I recorded on during the last year or so. There was quite a bit of

>break up on 2 of the tapes-especially towards the beginning- say 3

>minutes or so. It is almost like a digital effect trying to scramble the

>picture. In one of them several minutes into the picture I started

>getting the sound dropping out. Luckily I kept the Super VHSC tape

>masters of these events that happened before I got a miniDV camera and

>was able to rerecord them to another MiniDV tape and the tape looks

>fine. The tapes that went sour on me are Sony Premium tapes and haven't

>been played that much. They are stored in a proper area.

>

>It might be the camera, but some of the tapes I have record and play

>fine in the camera.

>

>Is it possible I picked up a bad batch of tapes? Or is there a better

>tape to use? I'm thinking about just using Sony Excellence unless I can

>figure this out.

>I would appreciate your help here.

>Thank you

Have you been mixing tape brands? This can cause

head-clogging... Otherwise, Mini-DV tapes stored

rewound, upright, and in even, moderate humidity

and temperature conditions should last a long time...