Michael Eskin wrote in message ...

>Is it just my camera, or is Sony DVM60PR not-so-great miniDV tape? I'm
>seeing all kinds of dropouts and digital noise on my Sharp VLD500U. The
>noise either appears as random block drops, or at times, the right side of
>the image is completely lost in the noise. One of two tapes I bought is
>pretty good, the other absolutely unusable. The tape that Sharp provided
>with the recorder is perfect.
>
>I hate to admit that I actually put a Panasonic tape in the camera last
>night, which after a single 10 minute recording required me to finally buy
>a Sony cleaning tape just to get the camera functioning once again, the
>heads were completely clogged up. I retured the tapes to the Good Guys,
>who swapped them for the DVM60PR tapes, which seem really marginal.
>
>Are the Sony DVM60EXM or DVM60NME tapes less prone to dropouts? I've
>already spent way too much on equipment, so I am looking for the best
>possible tape I can find. I only need a couple for field recording so cost
>really isn't a concern.

Wouldn't it be nice if tape compatibility problems were non-existent!!!
My experience with Sony DV camcorders has been that I had no drop-outs
with about 35 Sony DVM60EX tapes, no drop-outs with 10 of the earlier
(same?) ME's, no drop-outs with the three or four PR's I have used of
the 10 I have, but many drop-outs with the one Panasonic tape I tried.
Mixing the Sony tapes in the Sony camcorders has not resulted in problems,
but others have reported that simply switching tape brands will result
in drop-outs. A friend uses Panasonic tapes in his Panasonic EZ-1u with
apparently few problems... More reports...? BTW, I can spare a 5-pack of
the Sony DVM60EX (chipless) for $80 PP in US if you can't find them
elsewhere.
--
David Ruether
http://www.fcinet.com/ruether
ruether@fcinet.com