Home > Consumer Reviews > Sony 10 Pack 60 min DVM Premium

This ten pack is superb value when on usual offer for under £15 from Amazon - so stock up for the hols and Xmas (as a single cassette in a high-street shop can cost up to 5 times more than the unit price offered here). Quality and reliability seem perfectly fine for my budget Sony HC22E HandyCam, never a dropout and the picture is noticably better than with my old Hi8 tapes - I always record in SP though.

Note video tape such as used in these cassettes are proprietary 'lubricated' and sticking to the same brand of tape (e.g. these Sony ones) has been thought by many to reduce problems with the video head clogging up and miss-tracking. No-one seems to have reported problems mixing Sony MiniDV with Fuji, and manufacturers modified their dry lubricants back in 1997 just in case - but if you want to be really careful stick with one brand.

Incidently, MiniDV Hi8 standard8 video cassette tapes like these, and their recorded video images, have a projected life of 10 years after which even the plastic components of the cassette mechanism start to fail (besides will there be any miniDV camcorders to play these tapes in 20 years time). Over this period some of the signal on the tape will be lost slowly to noise by 'print-through' as the tape sits in contact with itself (by magnetic induction). This is particularly bad for older analogue tape (e.g. Hi8), but MiniDV isn't immune. Fast forward/rewinding the tape every year or so will help reduce this (as will recording the original in SP not LP). So transfer video tape to digital DVD before this becomes a problem, using the AV 'analogue in' on a DVD recorder works as well as a PC - and recopy your video DVD [with 'verify write' on] to a new DVD every 5 years [using a PC]. Keep the Sony tape master as well. Also look after your MiniDV camcorder, as tapes recorded on one don't always replay perfectly on another manufacturer's model. So think about archiving sometime or your precious memories might simply fade away.

Guys, at the lower end of the Mini DV market, the Sony is probably the best tape.

And trust me, I've done all the trawling through the internet and you will NOT get it cheaper than here.

Save yourself the hassle and get the 10 pack for the cheapest DV in town.

:-)

I am writing this in California, I am attending the JavaONE 2006 conference in San Francisco. Forgot to bring tapes with me, I had to go RadioShack in Market Street and buy a two sets of Mini DV 3-Packs that cost $24.99 each. Never will make the same mistake again. This is excellent value for money. Order these tape before you go away on holiday to Spain or whereever !!!!

I have used numerous brands of miniDV tapes over the years and have been sticking to these Sony ones for at least the last 2 years, firstly because these are great value, secondly I have not had any problems so far.

I actually upgraded from an ordinary Panasonic DV cam to the all new Canon HV20 Hi Def cam this year and still use these tapes in the new cam to record Hi-def footage! Yes, you can buy specialist HDV tapes, but they cost more. These normal Mini-DV tapes work just fine recording HDV footage. Obviously I can also record normal DV footage onto these tapes as well.

I am no expert in HD recording, I have no idea what advantage of using proper HDV tape is, surely there must be some reason. But for my casual use, I am happy to just still with these ordinary mini DV tapes. I may try the proper HDV tapes when I have an important event though.

All in all, I have no reason to switch to a different tape yet.

Wow cant get these cheaper anywhere,great quality great price .