Tape Rewinder...

Any recommendations on these? Using miniDV tapes. Figured the less rewinding on the drive the better for it. And are these rewinders safe? I used to work at a video store with VHS tapes, and it seemed like those things spun at 200mph and would go full force into the end of the tape. CRASH!

Tape decks, and rewinders have more powerful motors usually and were designed for that type of thing. I myslef try to avoid using the camera as a rewinder. I use my Sony M-10U instead for both HDV and Mini DV tapes.

Yup I agree, I hate to use my Canon XH-A1 to rewind and play tapes so I use my backup Canon HV-20 to play tape to computer and all rewinding duties. The HV-20 is still an expensive tape rewinder but better than wearing the more expensive one out faster. After capturing tape to computer I don't rewind the tape, just log it away for an emergence backup.

Don

I also do that Don, play the capture then leave it unrewound for later retrieval. I am just thinking about one day wanting to rewind all of those for some reason. I guess I'll just buy a new camcorder by then :-). I don't know why I worry so much about using equipment for its purpose. I always imagine how some person with their family video's watching them thousands of times, and here is me on my 7th tape worrying about rewinding.

hmm, this reminds me of another one of my evil tricks...

Get the program capDVHS, go into tape mode on the camera, and then hit the record button on capDVHS. Now switch the camera into "camera mode" everything will be recorded to your computer "live" ... It will be higher quality too because it wont use tapes at all, it will record directly to the computer.

In the past I have used a very small laptop and I rigged it up to my camera so it would record directly to the hard drive of the computer. lol it was higher quality. The laptop was refurbished and it was barely working, but it didn't matter because I just took out the hard drive. I don't care about using my camera as a VCR because if it ever breaks I can go back to that system. So I don't really need tapes to run my camera,

hahaha great plan! I Know I can do live capture in premiere... Might have to try this out next time I am recording.

Of course you could always get one of those small portable hard drive devices that attaches to the camera and records. There is a company called Focus Enhancements that makes a variety of these devices. I used to use a desktop drive system of theirs when I shot entire 3 hr comedy shows. Tapes weren't good as the show would not wait for a tape change. Hence I just put various sized drives to work based on suspected show length. Of course that was cool as all I needed to do was connect the drive up for immediate access to the files and bring them right in to the editor - no more tape capturing - what a time saver. I was able to put out finished DVD's the next day.

Can you link me to one of these things?

vadervideo, When I'm doing a dance recital I use a Sony VRD-MC5 DVD recorders instead of tape to record the shows. Beats having to change tapes every 60 minutes. Then I just rip the DVD's in less than 10 minutes to my editing system.