Isn't the tape speed the same? DVCAM writes a wider track and consumes more of the tape as it writes to it.

As Richard says, it also runs the tape faster.

As far as the cable station is concerned, it's not a question of quality - DV and DV Cam are identical video wise, it's simply a tape record/play difference. In theory, DVCam is more reliable, although no-one seems to have reliability problems with DV.

They're probably set up to use DV Cam, but AFAIK any DVCam machine can also play DV.


The Z1 can record DVCam.

The digital video signal bits are identical.

DVCAM has 50% wider tracks to reduce the risk of dropouts. This necessitates running the tape at a 50% higher speed, because the tracks are recorded with helical scan at nearly a 90 degree angle.

The end result is exactly the same bit rate from the tape.

It appears that DV really doesn't have a drop out issue that some in the industry must have thought it would.
Based on the postings so far a camera with HDV would take priority over DVCAM for me since I wouldn't be able to "see" a difference and most likely wouldn't have drop out problems.

I want to but a HDV camera but uncertain what to buy. Not needing DVCAM opens up other possibilities. Spend the $ on other features.

Thanks for the info.

Jeez, How much misinformation can one thread have?

"My understanding is that the information recorded on DVCAM is identical to DV"
The video data are absolutely identical. DVCAM can also record SMPTE Timecode, DV can't.

"Isn't the tape speed the same? DVCAM writes a wider track and consumes more of the tape as it writes to it."
DVCAM and DV are on the same head and transport. DVCAM runs 50% faster than DV, and it's the faster tape speed that results in longer tracks. "Wider tracks" is a result of the tape speed. The tracks are really he same width, but in DV mode, they overlap slightly. (In LP mode they overlap 50%, which is why LP mode is generally unreliable).

" In theory, DVCam is more reliable"
"DVCAM has 50% wider tracks to reduce the risk of dropouts. This necessitates running the tape at a 50% higher speed, because the tracks are recorded with helical scan at nearly a 90 degree angle."

As I said, DVCAM and DV are on the same hardware, so the helical heads are the same for both modes. DVCAM proponents like to quote the marketing hype that "DVCAM reduces dropouts". (Not to be confused with Dropped Frames). Dropouts are a fact of life for digital recording - regardless of the media or format. When the data doesn't agree with the check bits (or whatever error detection protocol the format uses), you get a data dropout. The error correction algorithm on your camera or deck fixes dropouts so you never see them. (Unless they are really bad, as in dirty heads). Bottom line, dropouts are not a problem in DV, so "fewer dropoouts" in DVCAM are a non-issue.

If you are buying Mini DVCAM tape, then all you are accomplishing is to make the tape dealer really happy.

The cable station has probably been told by their media or equipment supplier that DV is an inferior consumer tape - and they believed them.

Steve Mann

Hate to tell you this but your chances of recording a DV tape without a single dropout is very remote. You might have to go through a tape frame by frame but I'll bet you'll find or hear at least one. Having also captured 100s of DVCAM tapes I can tell you this isn't marketing hype, there are way less dropouts, oddly enough same goes for lowly D8 tapes too. And no, you don't need dirty heads for droupouts to happen, brand news cameras and brand new tape, at least one little sparkle can be found.
You could also add locked audio as another feature of DVCAM over DV but I've yet to workout why that makes much actual difference, that one might be truly irrelevant.
And I've had dropouts in HDV, Z1with less than 10 head hours and new Sony DV tape, at least two dropouts resulting in many frozen frames.
Certainly there's nothing in buying Mini tapes that Sony have labelled DVCAM, all you're paying for is a bigger box! Recording in DVCAM on normal stock is a different issue. Using HD rated stock for HDV might be a good idea or not, really too early to tell. I guess if your footage cost money to shoot the cost of the stock is not a factor so best to be safe.
So far we've had about the same number of 'HD' and 'SD' tapes go through our Z1s and we've had no reports of any difference in the results.
Bob.