Video Asylum

Posted by Some Guy on June 19, 2003 at 05:33:02

In Reply to: Video cassette tape query. posted by [Badfinger] on June 05, 2003 at 09:29:42:

One trick I learned early on in pro video was to leave the first minute of the tape blank of program. Generally we would lay down 30 seconds of color bars and then 30 seconds of black... the reason for the first is obvious: you need to have that signal to calibrate the tape to match broadcast standards for color.

The 30 seconds of black, however, was more common sense. The first minute of tape is where you generally have the most tape failures... it's the smallest part of the takeup wheel and it just tends to get crinkled more easily. Tapes usually have some fair amount of tracking problems at the beginning of the tape because of this.

Try putting between 30 - 60 seconds of black or blank signal on a tape (usually selecting an unconnected output like the front aux ports will do fine) and then pick up the program later. It'll solve your problem of not being able to re-record the first second or two very easily.