Changing the tape speed

[rymannryan]

I have a tape that contains eight hours of footage when on the lowest quality. I have filled up this tape and want to change it to the four hour setting so the picture quality is better. I know how to do it on my VCR, but I was wondering if you can tape over the full eight hours on the higher quality without messing the tape up.

[Cweedchop]

Originally posted by rymannryan
I have a tape that contains eight hours of footage when on the lowest quality. I have filled up this tape and want to change it to the four hour setting so the picture quality is better. I know how to do it on my VCR, but I was wondering if you can tape over the full eight hours on the higher quality without messing the tape up.

You should be OK.. However, you won't be able to record for eight hours on a lower setting.. For most VCT tapes, this is the following that you get:

9 hr tape - 3 hrs on SP
6 hrs on LP
9 hrs on EP

8 hr tape - 2 1/2 hrs on SP
5 hrs on LP
8 hrs on EP

6 hr tape - 2 hrs on SP (barely)
3 1/2 on LP
6 hrs on EP

The more times you record over something the tape quality deteriorates..

If it's only a one time deal, the quality should not suffer much at all..

There is however a huge difference between recording on SP as opposed to EP.. I go with SP every time.. You might spend a little more on buying more tapes, but to me it's worth it to tape stuff on SP..

I tape all National Team matches on SP on my satellite dish and the quality is simply amazing compared to some of my dodgy 96' EP tapes of D.C. United matches..

[Wolves_67]

If you are just saying you want to tape over what is there now with something new and use a different taping speed this time, there will be no problem.
I have a JVC S-VHS ET and it records great tapes in the extended mode on regular tape also.. I can get 3 games on one T-120 tape.
This type of VCR gives a much higher quality and I don't just mean in the S-VHS mode but in everything.
They are dirt cheap now. Less than 150 for a super vhs now..
SP is always best though for taping speed, of course, but on my machine it is hard to tell the difference from the broadcasts.

[rymannryan]

Alright, thanks. I understood it would be less taping time but I just want better quality. However, I'm using this tape to tape the Premiership game on Comcast everyon Wednesday. And I will only stop taping over it if it is an awesome game. So you're saying that by me always taping over it, the quality is going to get worse?

[Warren Van Orden]

Originally posted by rymannryan
So you're saying that by me always taping over it, the quality is going to get worse?

Only barely as the physical tape wears. As long as the machine is clean and you don't leave the tape in the sun or on your heater you should be able to reuse it over and over with only minimal deterioration.

[rymannryan]

Originally posted by Warren Van Orden
As long as the machine is clean . . . . .



And I believe we have tape thing that cleans the machine so I guess it will be good. I've noticed some obvious deterioratoin in the first two games on the current tape cuz those are the ones I always tape over. However, the last two are fine. So I guess that tells me it should be ok. I'm just wondering since on SP, I'll now only be able to fit one game instead of four, if it will deteriorate much less.

[Andy_B]

So you're saying that by me always taping over it, the quality is going to get worse?

To start with, the quality of tape is so poor, any deteriozation you encounter will be in the noise.

cough "getativo" cough

Andy