SX Tape Passes

[Mark McIntosh]

I got into a "heated" discussion about how many passes should be put on SX tape before they are removed from service. This started me thinking that I should find out what other SX users do.
So if you would take a minute and respond to this message it would be great. A tape pass is both recording and playback. Many thanks.

 

[1911A1]

I still have a few tapes from 1999 and 2000 in service. They've had no telling how many passes on them and I don't see a difference between them and brand new tapes.

I've only had to discard a handful of SX tapes over the last six years (a dozen or less?), mainly due to tape creases and/or dropout issues.

Your mileage may vary.

 

[Busabomb]

Ya I must agree with the last poster, I still have tapes in service from `99. Only god knows how many passes are on those tapes...but they keep working, so they keep not replacing them...lol Go figure.

 

[Salty Dog]

Same here. Tapes from '99. They were used in my SP cam, then in my SX and are still going strong.

 

[amp]

SX tapes hold up very, very well. I left a station 5 years ago that uses SX, and they still have a few of my tapes in circulation.

 

[El Guapo]

I've been using the same SX tapes for about 2 years. I've yet to have a single glitch or problem with any of them. My camera hasn't been misbehaving either. The first sign of even the slightest problem though...and they're trash.

 

[Mark McIntosh]

Thanks for the input. FYI Sony recommends 100 passes - Repair facilities, non Sony, say 250 to 300 before tape will effect heads. First sign of wear is tape stretch, which shows up as digitizing.
Thanks again!