Topic: DDS Tapes- recording Time Code

[SPLASTiK]

After telling a friend of mine about DDS tapes and how I use them for recording Audio with my portadat and how much cheaper they are than buying DAT Audio Tape he had a question.

He works in Post-Production and was wondering if you can record Time Code onto DDS tapes just like on regular DAT Tape with the audio.

Any help is well appreciated!

[greenone]

You betcha. It's exactly the same tape (well, almost - see below) and mechanism, with a slightly different case (the configuration of the holes on the bottom edge of the tape is the only difference, I believe).

There are varying stories about the differences between DAT and DDS tapes... some say they're cut from different parts of the same roll, others say there's a different backing or adhesive on one, but the bottom line is that many, many tapers use DDS tapes - I've used 'em for seven years on the same Sony D8 with zero adverse effects.

--Dave

[SPLASTiK]

Awesome. I figured they were pretty much the same but I've never heard anyone talk about using them with timecode..... He goes through tons of DATs and had never heard of them before and was shocked to find they are 1/3 of the price.

It's so much cheaper to buy DDS in Canada! Canada has a media tax on all audio media (DAT, Cassettes, Minidisc and both Audio and Computer CD-R) and since DDS is for DATA drives they're exempt!

[firmdragon]

Awesome. I figured they were pretty much the same but I've never heard anyone talk about using them with timecode..... He goes through tons of DATs and had never heard of them before and was shocked to find they are 1/3 of the price.

It's so much cheaper to buy DDS in Canada! Canada has a media tax on all audio media (DAT, Cassettes, Minidisc and both Audio and Computer CD-R) and since DDS is for DATA drives they're exempt!

Really? Where do you get them from?  I've never been able to find reasonably priced DDS tapes in Vancouver, BC.  For clarification, audio grade DAT tapes were not taxed - I used to buy them from London Drugs up until recently.  

[SPLASTiK]

I thought DATs were taxed? Maybe not, but they're damn expensive!

What kind of music are you into? I live in Vancouver as well!

It took me about a month to find a place that sells reasonably priced DDS tapes here in Vancouver (well, they're in burnaby actually, but worth the 20min drive).
www.PrecisionSound.com

They're currently out of stock of 60m/90m, but they'll order you tapes (I just placed an order yesterday for a 10pk of both 60/90) and they're Maxell Hs-4's.
They charge:
Maxell HS-4/60 S 4mm Backup Tape
singles - $4.00ea
10pcs - $3.50ea

Maxell HS-4/90 S 4mm Backup Tape
singles - $4.55ea
10pcs - $3.95ea

[firmdragon]

huh another vancouver taper.  theres only about a handful of us.  i do mostly indie/hardcore/metal shows.  
what do you tape with?

DATs weren't that expensive... well relatively speaking.  They came in at 3.90 + tax if i recall correctly.  

[SPLASTiK]

really? I've never seen them that cheap before....

I mostly tape metal shows... I kind of just started really....

I have a Sony PCM-M1 and a Sony ECM-MS907 Mic.  Only taped a couple shows with it with decent quality.  
Going to tape the Iced Earth show tomorrow.  I need to get to know some local sound people for SBD patches....

Should be getting a pair of Sonic Studios DSM-6S/L and Power Supply in the next week and a half in the mail. I'm also getting a standalone DAT deck soon to run digital into a ProTools rig for editing and burning to CD-R.

I see on your website you might have taped In Flames? I was thinking about going to the show but decided not to for some reason.....  Ever ask the sound guys at the Commodore for a patch?

[firmdragon]

nice you'll like that rig.

yes i have asked for board patches at the commodore.  but i've only had the balls to ask when i was certain the soundman was affiliated w/ the band and not a local soundman.  tried twice.  have not been successful yet.  the main problem is the board usually never has any available outs for some reason.

if you have any other questions give me a shout.  thefabulousone@hotmail.com