Re: [AV Media Matters] F1 format PCM tape deterioration

[pomeroyaudio@att.net]

I have a whole closet full of F-1 format Beta videotapes,
recorded in the mid to late 1980's. Recently there was a
need to play a few of them. They all played perfectly.
I have the Nakamichi and the Sony 500 converters. The tapes
were *not* played back on the same Beta deck on which they
were originally recorded, since it died long ago. I have found
the *only* playback problems I have encountered so far have
been with the consumer Beta decks (which I buy used); some
will "eat" the tapes, and otherwise misbehave. The point is
that, as far as I am able to determine, the problems encountered
have never indicated any tape deteriorization.

Doug Pomeroy   pomeroyaudio@att.net
Audio Restoration [CEDAR] & Remastering

>From: Charles Repka <Charles.P.Repka@abc.com>
>To: AV Media Matters <AV-Media-Matters@topica.com>
>Subject: RE: [AV Media Matters] F1 format PCM tape deterioration
>Date: Wed, Mar 7, 2001, 1:44 PM
>

>I have heard word ( from a friend of mine in England) that there is
>significant deterioration in the F1 PCM audio tapes recorded on the Beta VCR
>format.  The source of this is the French Bibliotique.  They are supposed to
>have made measurements that showed the tapes have lost 40% of their "carrier
>level".  I have a number of tapes recorded using this format on both Beta
>and VHS formats and have not seen this kind of problem(yet).  I suspect
>their measurements reflect interchange errors that occur when the tapes were
>played back on machines other than the ones used to make the original
>recordings.  All my tapes play fine but I still have the original decks.
>Has anyone else heard about this problem and care to comment?
>
>Charles Repka