[AV Media Matters] Analogue vs digital tape stock

[russm@idirect.com]

No, I'm not starting an arguement...

Question, what's the difference between a reel of 1/2" audio tape stock and
a reel of 1/2" digital audio tape stock?  Marketing?  I want to recycle
some digital tape stock for use in an analogue recorder.

Russ M.

Moderators Comment:
I hope Eddie Zwaneveld contributes on this one - at one point in a SMPTE
meeting he showed results of precisely this investigation for BetaSP tape
and Digital Betacam tape. By my recollection - and this is only a
recollection - there were two differences that were significant in the test
results. One difference was where the little holes were punched in the
cassette shell to tell the machine what type of tape it was - the other was
the price. In the testing process I don't seem to remember that there were
other major differences in performance..... again this was just a
recollection which may be - - - faded....