| A Mini
DV Cassette is less than half the volume of an 8mm cassette and can hold up
to 120 minutes of video when recorded at the LP speed. This table compares the size of the Mini DV with other
formats.
| Format |
Cassette
L x W x H |
Tape
Width |
| Mini
DV |
2.6 x 1.9 x 0.5 inches
(66 x 48 x 12.2 mm) |
1/4-inch
(6.35 mm) |
| 8mm
& HI8 |
3.7 x 2.5 x 0.6 inches
(95 x 62.5 x 15 mm) |
Slightly less than
1/3-inch
(8 mm) |
| VHS
& S-VHS |
7.4 x 4.1 x .98 inches
(188 x 104 x 25 mm) |
1/2-inch
(12.7 mm) |
In the illustration below, the Mini DV
tape in the foreground is just a fraction of the size of the VHS tape in the background
and is also larger then the 8mm or HI8 tape.
 |
Mini DV tapes are
currently available in
30, 60, 63, 80 and 83-minute lengths. Mini
DV tapes are manufactured by:
TDK, Maxell, Sony, Fuji,
Panasonic,
RCA, and JVC. |
The tape is coiled within a protective housing,
held tight by a reel locking system. A tape door protects the tape from dust and damage
and opens when you insert the cassette into a camcorder or Mini DV player/recorder. The
cassette has a record-prevention tab that slides open to prevent anyone from recording on
the tape, and closed to allow it. On the bottom of the cassette are ID holes that a
recording or playback device can use to determine the tape’s grade and thickness when
deciding what settings to use.
 |
A label on the cassette
indicates if it’s a Mini DV cassette. |
Mini DV cassettes can also have a small 4K memory
chip referred to as memory in cassette (MIC). You can use this to
record a contents list, times and dates of recordings and the camera settings used. It
does not however effect the way the picture or sound is recorded and great results can be
achieved without using a tape with memory.
The tape is metal evaporated (ME) which means it
is stronger and longer lasting than previous tapes. Mini DV tapes are also layered:
- The base layer has two magnetic layers of evaporated metal for higher
image quality.
- The magnetic portion is covered by a layer of carbon that protects
it.
- A back coating reduces friction and provides smoother tape movement.
| * DV Standard Size Tape In addition to the Mini DV format, there is also a larger
DV Standard cassette used by professionals that holds up to 4.5 hours. However, recording
formats are not standardized with the larger cassette so cameras are incompatible with
each other. The formats include DVCAM, DVCPRO, and DVCPRO 4:2:2. |
For more
information, please visit our Info Center.
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