Mini DV Tape Rewinder

Yeah, it's video. If this post needs to be taken off I understand. I've also posted here http://www.camcorderin​fo.com/bbs/index.php but sometimes you don't get a response for MONTHS at a time. I've researched as much as I can and now I'm here.

I have a Canon GL2 and am looking to purchase an inexpensive mini dv camcorder to use strictly as a tape rewinder/forwarder and perhaps to upload video to my system. I'm wondering if the playback heads on an inexpensive mini dv are going to be about the same as the ones on the GL2, using the reasoning that almost all VHS players had the same guts just different shells.

I'm trying to save my GL2 from too much unnecessary rewinding/uploading of about 100 hours of tape that I need to reload onto some hard drives.

I appreciate any help and apologize if the post does not fit. At least were talking about a Canon mini dv anyway.

I think any of the miniDV are the same. Buy a cheap $150 used one and that should be fine. I have 2 Sony miniDV's and they both use the tapes.

Ron,
I have a GL2 and did the same--purchased an inexpensive sony camera--- and actually now take the sony with me as a B roll camera---- have fun!

Yeah, there are a lot of models that use the tapes but I was more concerned with the playback quality on the heads. I might just have to invest in a $200 model and see for myself. Thanks!

stathunter wrote in post #5893418
Ron,
I have a GL2 and did the same--purchased an expensive sony camera--- and actually now take the sony with me as a B roll camera---- have fun!

Hey Scott! You are near my old stomping grounds (I have several relatives in your neck of the woods as well).

What model Sony did you purchase?

Ron Bailey wrote in post #5892960
Yeah, it's video. If this post needs to be taken off I understand. I've also posted here http://www.camcorderin​fo.com/bbs/index.php but sometimes you don't get a response for MONTHS at a time. I've researched as much as I can and now I'm here.

If you are looking for an excellent DV forum try here.

http://www.dvinfo.net/​conf/

neil_r wrote in post #5893489
If you are looking for an excellent DV forum try here.

http://www.dvinfo.net/​conf/

Right on the money! Thanks. http://www.dvinfo.net/​conf/showthread.php?t=​120313

I use this rewinder. It also forwards the tape.

The bad reviews chased me away on these rewinders.

We normally buy broken (LCD, lens) DV camcorders of e-bay and use them as capturing decks.

Paying $150 even for a each dv camcorder from BestBuy does not amortize well when you need to get 10 at a time.

I normally deal with a few Sony/Canon authorized shops and they'll sell me 10+ broken Dv camcorders at a deep discount.

I'm a longtime member of DvInfo and I've purchased a few broken camcorder in a bulk package but that is very rare where you can get a few of them at once.
(If you sign up you need to be a member for 30 days or have a certain number of posts before you can get into the classifieds forum the last time I checked).

The move has gone slowly to firestore hard drives for recording.

I had thought about buying damaged but still playing units but I don't have the time to weed through them and hope that some will play and won't have scratched heads, etc. It's a good idea if you have the need for many and the time to cull them. My needs are pretty small as I only need one but I need it to work when I press the buttons and I need it this week to upload 100+ hours of mini dv tape.

I would also like to go the route of recording to hard drive with my next camera purchase. It seems like the next logical step?

Wait until the prices come down and the technology is a little more dependable. Spoke to many people who know, miniDV is still cheapest and most reliable. I love my HiI8 from 7 years ago still. Best audio ever.

Ron Bailey wrote in post #5897347
I had thought about buying damaged but still playing units but I don't have the time to weed through them and hope that some will play and won't have scratched heads, etc. It's a good idea if you have the need for many and the time to cull them. My needs are pretty small as I only need one but I need it to work when I press the buttons and I need it this week to upload 100+ hours of mini dv tape.

I would also like to go the route of recording to hard drive with my next camera purchase. It seems like the next logical step?

It all depends on your upgrade path you choose.

Firestore hard drives are quite popular for both SD and HD.
Solid state P2 cards and SxS are where Pana and Sony are all putting their money on.

The big time advantage of course is that you don't have to deal with the capture time (100 hours on dv tape using a camcorder to capture is going to be real time so it will take 100 hours).

With a firestore (or any other no tape based system, Pana P2, Sony solid state SxS Express cards) the transfer it much faster and in some cases you simply mount and copy the files to your system.

Believe it or not buying broke dv camcorders from a authorized center is actually better because I actually know heads have had an overhaul and are within spec.

miniDv is nice but by no means the most reliable.

Maybe the most flexible because you can run into a convenience store while on vacation and grab a dvtape.

At glance the reason why miniDV is not the best choice cannot be easily seen.

It is actually the fact that to write to it you use the video heads.
These are the weakest link in the chain.
They wear down and need to replaced which is $$$.

The 2nd biggest reason is that you have real time transfer which is killing your delivery time.

When you have to do an SDE (same day project) and you have 6-8 hours on miniDv tapes you've shot yourself in the foot because it will take 6-8 to capture.

Solid state (Pana P2, Sony SxS) and 3rd party solutions like Firestore hard drive based systems are the way to go.

You remove the video heads from the equation and you add the incredible advantage of transferring the footage a lot fast than real time.

As far as audio I'd have to say using oboard audio is similar to using on camera flash at a wedding. It's ok for a vacation but to get vows at the wedding or interview you need to have a dedicated audio system.

You got to have at least a Sennheiser EW100ENG or a Samson UHF32 kit with a lavalier.
An Iriver 895 with a Giant SQuid lav. is one of my all time favorites audio setups that is cheap and can put to shame kits that cost 100 of $$ more.

Alexajlex wrote in post #5897593
It all depends on your upgrade path you choose.

Firestore hard drives are quite popular for both SD and HD.
Solid state P2 cards and SxS are where Pana and Sony are all putting their money on.

The big time advantage of course is that you don't have to deal with the capture time (100 hours on dv tape using a camcorder to capture is going to be real time so it will take 100 hours).

With a firestore (or any other no tape based system, Pana P2, Sony solid state SxS Express cards) the transfer it much faster and in some cases you simply mount and copy the files to your system.

Believe it or not buying broke dv camcorders from a authorized center is actually better because I actually know heads have had an overhaul and are within spec.

Very good move buying the broken DV cams from an authorized center, you know just what you are getting. I live in the sticks and no such luck for me. The closest would be Denver and thats 300 miles one way.

Firestore is looking better and better to me and when I'm ready to upgrade to HD in a few months that's the way to go for me.