On Sat, 11 May 2002 03:34:09 GMT, John Smith <6g8nc2e001@sneakemail.com> wrote:

>Can someone tell me the difference between the three different types
>of Sony MiniDV tapes: EXM, EX2, and PR? I've heard not very good
>things about PR, but what's the difference between EXM and EX2?

The EX supposedly has a 2db S/N advantage compared with PR,
invisible on recordings, but perhaps useful with long-term
storage; the chip in the EXM is for most a useless extra
expense. All are excellent tapes.

>Also, is it okay to re-use MiniDV tapes (tape over previous video)?

Yes.

>How many times can one do this before wearing out the tape?

MANY times. The limit is reached when the dropout rate becomes unacceptable to you...

>And since
>I am using a Sony camcorder (TRV27), should I even consider using
>other brands of tape (Fuji, Panasonic)?

Use any tape you can get easily and reliably, but once
you start with a tape, DO NOT CHANGE TAPE BRANDS!!!
Incompatibilities in lubricants *can* cause problems,
though some report that if the tape brands are mixed
often enough, problems are minimal (or those who do
this don't notice the higher rate of minor dropouts,
if any...). There is no manufacturers' info on this,
but the reporting here has, over a long time, indicated
a problem with tape brand mixing - though most brands
are made by either Sony or Panasonic, so mixing *some*
brands may not really be a problem as a result. I don't
know who makes what brands, so I never mix brands
at all. (This is for Mini-DV tape only...)