RE: [AV Media Matters] 1' tape

[Jim Lindner <jim@vidipax.com>]

eleanor@bavc.org wrote:
>
>To our very quiet AV Media Matters group,
>
>What's the consensus about pre-type C 1' video tape and how well it's
>held up over the years?
>
>Specifically these types of tapes:
>UV-340
>EV-210
>
We support both of these formats - the tape has been terrible in
general.  It is similar to 1" A tape that was made around the same
period and used in similar technology machines.  The machines themselves
were superior to 1" A- ok let's face it, scissor guides were a TERRIBLE
idea. The machines have a HUGE drum, so the stiction issues are really
really bad when playing back - the tapes have to be really cleaned well.
It has been a while since I cleaned one of these myself but I believe
(don't hold me to this, it may have been another format) I remember that
one of them had a terrible backcoat problem where the stuff literally
stripped itself from the base for a section of the tape.... it would
have been in the early days of backcoat technology I suspect. I guess
one issue is that I suspect that tape production for either of those two
formats was always low so they may not have been able to get the recipe
just right and they must have been short runs with some pretty poor
product.  All things considered - not the brightest achievments.

jim