Memorex HS 10-hour tapes...too long? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

bb25 · 08-27-2003, 01:00 AM

I'm just wondering if anyone's used Memorex's 10-hour cassettes...? Many experts on this subject tend to say, the longer the tape, the thinner the material, so avoid anything over 8 hours, not to mention the extra strain on the VCR motor to pull and push the extra load, although Memorex claims it is still made from good, high quality material and not thin cheap junk to acommodate the extra ribbon...what do you guys think, should I try em?

garrettgam · 08-27-2003, 02:27 AM

Definitely! I have a bunch of them. I have had them for almost 6 years. Back then they were common but now they are getting hard to find. I know a website where you can still get them. I strongly recommend them. I only have 1 that I have stuff on that will stay on there. The others I use over and over again for when I am out of town and want to tape like all my soaps for that week or if I am at home and want to tape marathons on SP. Then later on I copy them and edit them. They are very nice videos! And you can put so much on them. We have one with our home movies on it.

Garrett

bb25 · 08-28-2003, 01:55 AM

Thanks for your input, I will definitely try them! I know you can purchase them online, along with the other lengths of Memorex HS, but Circuit City sells the 10-hours in a 2-pack for $7.99 - that's a little steep for just 2 tapes, but the added length is definitely a bonus for me...how are they in the durability department? I know tapes like TDK Revue are exclusively designed with heavy re-recording in mind and hold up well, but how are these? Thanks again!

musicradio77 · 08-29-2003, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bb25
I'm just wondering if anyone's used Memorex's 10-hour cassettes...? Many experts on this subject tend to say, the longer the tape, the thinner the material, so avoid anything over 8 hours, not to mention the extra strain on the VCR motor to pull and push the extra load, although Memorex claims it is still made from good, high quality material and not thin cheap junk to acommodate the extra ribbon...what do you guys think, should I try em?

I don't like the 10-hour tapes. They're hard to find. The tape is much too long and the tape has 10 hours in EP mode. I will avoid buying 10-hour tapes. I have both the 6 and 8-hour tapes.

garrettgam · 08-29-2003, 10:10 PM

Well, if you were a TV freak like a lot of people on this board, and me, a tape is NEVER 'too long.' When you are taping something, I would think you would want the longest tape possible. What I don't understand is why people like 30 minute tapes. In my book, LONGER is BETTER, meaning videos

Garrett

Agent 13 · 08-29-2003, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by garrettgam
Well, if you were a TV freak like a lot of people on this board, and me, a tape is NEVER 'too long.' When you are taping something, I would think you would want the longest tape possible. What I don't understand is why people like 30 minute tapes. In my book, LONGER is BETTER, meaning videos

Garrett

I agree. Besides, a ten hour tape takes up as much room as a six hour tape. We are very careful to not do much fast forwarding and rewinding with our tapes in ep which helps them last longer than they otherwise would.

Jen

bb25 · 08-30-2003, 02:58 AM

Well the longer may not be the better...my main beef with the long tapes is that they are usually made with thinner material and the extra load on the reel can strain the VCR motor. I generally don't use anything longer than 8-hour, but with all the recording I've been doing lately a good quality long tape would be cool, but I don't want anything wrecking my VCR...so should I buy these or not?

garrettgam · 08-30-2003, 06:32 PM

The material may be SLIGHTLY thinner, I don't know but here is what I know:

They atleast last 6 years, so far.
The one tape I have that is full, contains my favorite episodes of Roseanne, commercial free. I stick it in EVERY night, and watch them until I go to sleep, then they run on all night and rewind themselves when the tape is done. It is a ritual I have been doing every night since I recorded the episodes, which was right after I got the tape. So, if my 10 hour tape can last THAT long, by watching it EVERY NIGHT for 6 years, I am sure it is practically as durable as the others. Besides, most of us don't watch the same tape every day, just occassionally. So, I give you that advice, and admit my crazy obsession for Roseanne, and recommend the tapes.

Garrett

musicradio77 · 08-30-2003, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bb25
Well the longer may not be the better...my main beef with the long tapes is that they are usually made with thinner material and the extra load on the reel can strain the VCR motor. I generally don't use anything longer than 8-hour, but with all the recording I've been doing lately a good quality long tape would be cool, but I don't want anything wrecking my VCR...so should I buy these or not?

I agree with that bb25. I can buy either a 6-hour and a 8-hour tapes at both stores and flea markets in which they sell used unrecorded video tapes that I can record over some movie that I don't like.

garrettgam · 08-30-2003, 09:24 PM

Well only buy these tapes for when you want to record long marathons. I used 2 today to record the Little House marathon. It went from 6am - 3am. I recorded the first 11 on one tape, taking out most of the commercials to fit 11 and then the second tape, still recording, will tape the remaining 10. They are more 'convenient' tapes, rather than to be used all the time. Most of my videos are 6 hours but these I use occassionally. Everyone should have atleast 1 in their collection.

Garrett

bb25 · 08-30-2003, 11:55 PM

Well, the main thing I'd be using these for would be daily recording. I record 2 episodes of a certain show every weekday. I generally use an 8 hour tape, which usually lasts a week and a half excluding weekends. While I sometimes just keep using the same tape, there are lots of times where I'll want to keep particularly memorable episodes, so I end up just using a new tape every few weeks. These tapes would be nice, since I could start them on a Monday and they wouldn't be full until 2 weeks from that Monday. It may not seem like much, but it's a plus in my book. Also, you're right, for running a tape every single night all the way through every day for years, that proves that these must have outstanding durability. I plan on making a trip out to Circuit City tomorrow to buy some...

bb25 · 09-01-2003, 01:46 AM

Well, I did go to Circuit City today but decided against getting the 10-hour tapes. Instead, I got a 3-pack of JVC E-HG HiFi. I haven't used them yet, but they seem interesting. For one, the tape is on translucent blue reels as opposed to the normal clear/white. Also, JVC has unfortunately cut back on the labels the same way Fuji & Maxell have, by making the face label much smaller and the spine label alot shorter (Maxell still has the same length spine label). Personally, I hate the shorter labels and don't know why they must cut those back, but oh well...while there I also got a few items that I've been looking for that I didn't think anyone carried, Memorex DBS audio tapes and Sony batteries, which is cool also. Either way, I may buy the 10-hour tapes in the future, but for now I just decided to save a few bucks and get something else...

cp32 · 09-01-2003, 02:28 AM

I never had those. I just picked a 3 pack of 9 hr tapes by maxell to try. I ll let you know how the tape looks. They cost the same as a three pack of 8hr sony.

cp32 · 09-09-2003, 10:02 PM

Well, I like those 9 hr maxell . I recently did the chronicles of narnia for someone. Which is a hair under 9 hrs . The quality looked good and it saved on shipping . I will be buying more of them.

bb25 · 09-10-2003, 12:03 AM

That's cool you remembered to keep us posted

I was about to ask you anyway...yeah, I like Maxell. They seem to have produced some bum tapes the past few years, but lately they seem to have improved. I used a Maxell 8-hour tape recently and the more I re-recorded and used it, the better the picture quality got! It's weird, but true...I'll be trying to 9-hour soon!

08-27-2003, 01:00 AM	#1
bb25 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 22, 2002 Posts: 784	Memorex HS 10-hour tapes...too long? I'm just wondering if anyone's used Memorex's 10-hour cassettes...? Many experts on this subject tend to say, the longer the tape, the thinner the material, so avoid anything over 8 hours, not to mention the extra strain on the VCR motor to pull and push the extra load, although Memorex claims it is still made from good, high quality material and not thin cheap junk to acommodate the extra ribbon...what do you guys think, should I try em?

09-01-2003, 02:28 AM	#13
cp32 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 26, 2003 Location: Wintersville Oh Posts: 385	> Memorex HS 10-hour tapes...too long? I never had those. I just picked a 3 pack of 9 hr tapes by maxell to try. I ll let you know how the tape looks. They cost the same as a three pack of 8hr sony.

09-09-2003, 10:02 PM	#14
cp32 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 26, 2003 Location: Wintersville Oh Posts: 385	> Memorex HS 10-hour tapes...too long? Well, I like those 9 hr maxell . I recently did the chronicles of narnia for someone. Which is a hair under 9 hrs . The quality looked good and it saved on shipping . I will be buying more of them.

08-27-2003, 02:27 AM	#2
garrettgam TRADER NO LONGER Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 19, 2001 Posts: 278	Definitely! I have a bunch of them. I have had them for almost 6 years. Back then they were common but now they are getting hard to find. I know a website where you can still get them. I strongly recommend them. I only have 1 that I have stuff on that will stay on there. The others I use over and over again for when I am out of town and want to tape like all my soaps for that week or if I am at home and want to tape marathons on SP. Then later on I copy them and edit them. They are very nice videos! And you can put so much on them. We have one with our home movies on it. Garrett

08-28-2003, 01:55 AM	#3
bb25 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 22, 2002 Posts: 784	Thanks for your input, I will definitely try them! I know you can purchase them online, along with the other lengths of Memorex HS, but Circuit City sells the 10-hours in a 2-pack for $7.99 - that's a little steep for just 2 tapes, but the added length is definitely a bonus for me...how are they in the durability department? I know tapes like TDK Revue are exclusively designed with heavy re-recording in mind and hold up well, but how are these? Thanks again!

08-29-2003, 10:10 PM	#5
garrettgam TRADER NO LONGER Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 19, 2001 Posts: 278	Well, if you were a TV freak like a lot of people on this board, and me, a tape is NEVER 'too long.' When you are taping something, I would think you would want the longest tape possible. What I don't understand is why people like 30 minute tapes. In my book, LONGER is BETTER, meaning videos Garrett

08-30-2003, 02:58 AM	#7
bb25 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 22, 2002 Posts: 784	Well the longer may not be the better...my main beef with the long tapes is that they are usually made with thinner material and the extra load on the reel can strain the VCR motor. I generally don't use anything longer than 8-hour, but with all the recording I've been doing lately a good quality long tape would be cool, but I don't want anything wrecking my VCR...so should I buy these or not?

08-30-2003, 06:32 PM	#8
garrettgam TRADER NO LONGER Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 19, 2001 Posts: 278	The material may be SLIGHTLY thinner, I don't know but here is what I know: They atleast last 6 years, so far. The one tape I have that is full, contains my favorite episodes of Roseanne, commercial free. I stick it in EVERY night, and watch them until I go to sleep, then they run on all night and rewind themselves when the tape is done. It is a ritual I have been doing every night since I recorded the episodes, which was right after I got the tape. So, if my 10 hour tape can last THAT long, by watching it EVERY NIGHT for 6 years, I am sure it is practically as durable as the others. Besides, most of us don't watch the same tape every day, just occassionally. So, I give you that advice, and admit my crazy obsession for Roseanne, and recommend the tapes. Garrett

08-30-2003, 09:24 PM	#10
garrettgam TRADER NO LONGER Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 19, 2001 Posts: 278	Well only buy these tapes for when you want to record long marathons. I used 2 today to record the Little House marathon. It went from 6am - 3am. I recorded the first 11 on one tape, taking out most of the commercials to fit 11 and then the second tape, still recording, will tape the remaining 10. They are more 'convenient' tapes, rather than to be used all the time. Most of my videos are 6 hours but these I use occassionally. Everyone should have atleast 1 in their collection. Garrett

08-30-2003, 11:55 PM	#11
bb25 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 22, 2002 Posts: 784	Well, the main thing I'd be using these for would be daily recording. I record 2 episodes of a certain show every weekday. I generally use an 8 hour tape, which usually lasts a week and a half excluding weekends. While I sometimes just keep using the same tape, there are lots of times where I'll want to keep particularly memorable episodes, so I end up just using a new tape every few weeks. These tapes would be nice, since I could start them on a Monday and they wouldn't be full until 2 weeks from that Monday. It may not seem like much, but it's a plus in my book. Also, you're right, for running a tape every single night all the way through every day for years, that proves that these must have outstanding durability. I plan on making a trip out to Circuit City tomorrow to buy some...

09-01-2003, 01:46 AM	#12
bb25 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 22, 2002 Posts: 784	Well, I did go to Circuit City today but decided against getting the 10-hour tapes. Instead, I got a 3-pack of JVC E-HG HiFi. I haven't used them yet, but they seem interesting. For one, the tape is on translucent blue reels as opposed to the normal clear/white. Also, JVC has unfortunately cut back on the labels the same way Fuji & Maxell have, by making the face label much smaller and the spine label alot shorter (Maxell still has the same length spine label). Personally, I hate the shorter labels and don't know why they must cut those back, but oh well...while there I also got a few items that I've been looking for that I didn't think anyone carried, Memorex DBS audio tapes and Sony batteries, which is cool also. Either way, I may buy the 10-hour tapes in the future, but for now I just decided to save a few bucks and get something else...

09-10-2003, 12:03 AM	#15
bb25 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 22, 2002 Posts: 784	That's cool you remembered to keep us posted I was about to ask you anyway...yeah, I like Maxell. They seem to have produced some bum tapes the past few years, but lately they seem to have improved. I used a Maxell 8-hour tape recently and the more I re-recorded and used it, the better the picture quality got! It's weird, but true...I'll be trying to 9-hour soon!