OT: safely transporting tapes through airports - got some questions, and I'm going tommarrow

FrigidNDEditing wrote on 5/10/2005, 9:21 PM
Hey guys, been pretty busy lately, and haven't had much of a chance to be here much, but I was wondering if you have any tips as to keeping video tapes safe during transport through airports, I don't think X-rays are a problem, but are there magnetic things that can screw with the data on em? ( is there a way to protect them if that's the case? ).

Dave

Comments

farss wrote on 5/10/2005, 9:23 PM
Do worry about it, it takes an enormous magnetic field to erase digital tapes. In fact trying to deliberately erase DV tapes is quite difficult.
Bob.
FrigidNDEditing wrote on 5/10/2005, 9:28 PM
I'm gonna assume that you mean do not / Don't worry about it ;-)

Dave
farss wrote on 5/10/2005, 9:42 PM
Ooops sorry, yes that's what I meant to say, been typing TOO much today.
Bob.
hugoharris wrote on 5/10/2005, 10:20 PM
However...

Some countries are still using outdated equipment, such as smaller airports in Africa and South-East Asia. You could take lead impregnated bags (that are fairly cheap) that are made to help protect undeveloped film, and insist that your tapes are hand-checked and not passed through the mega-xray-blasters. The decrepit airports in Southern China are particularly bad.

In most Western countries - as Farss has said - no worries.

Kevin
farss wrote on 5/10/2005, 11:38 PM
Ah, lead offers lots of protection against X-Rays (which will not harm magnetic tape) but absolutely none against magnetic fields!

Trust me, a friend of mine has tried erasing DV tape on an old bulk eraser, SP and VHS tapes are gone after one pass, DV takes about 6 or more, DigiBeta, it just will not erase!

Just something we found in recent travels to the USA. If you want to avoid hassles at airports try to avoid anything that's opague to X-Rays. One of our group had bought some leaded crystal glassware in Vegas and he had to do the 'please show us that item' to the TSA guys.

Bob.
DelCallo wrote on 5/12/2005, 1:27 AM
"leaded crystal glassware in Vegas"

Well, I'll be, it just never ceases to amaze me what this software can do. What settings did your friend use?? LOL?

Caruso
farss wrote on 5/12/2005, 3:28 AM
He uses iMovie. But to get the same effect in Las Vegas try setting opacity to 0.005 and add 0.01 lens flare.
Bob.
rdolishny wrote on 5/12/2005, 5:29 AM
Don't worry about it. I've done travel shows from Russia, Asia.. the old xray machines aren't that old.

Have a good trip.

- R