Sony microMV: The baby camcorder tape.

[@brunomarado890]

Very good video. The Micro MV system capabilities were quite good: 64k chip, tape Title and auto numbering, thumbnails, titles, ''go to'' scene function. Even the MPEG2 encoding was ''good'', with higher bitrate (12Mbps) than commercial DVDs. In my experience the two anoying things were: - Everytime I stop a recording, and start again, there is a image freeze for ~0,5s. - Lack of format support (no desk VTR, few software, no DVD desk recorders recognize it...) Again, another great video from video99!

[@voceyc]

I have this freeze also between scenes, a really nice format, although very small!

[@brunomarado890]

Some time ago I searched the entire internet and there aren't pictures or videos on the inside of these tiny cassetes or how to recover them. Finaly you did it! Thank's.

[@NicholasAndre1]

FYI you can repackage files with ffmpeg. It will take the existing video stream and repackage it in a different container without transcoding. Basically you hand ffmpeg the original file, specify “-c copy” and give it a modern container format like mov. It looks like ffmpeg may actually support this camera as an input device which would enable capturing directly to MOV in mpeg2.

[@video99couk]

I use ffmpeg for converting DV-AVI to DV-MOV files for the occasional customer who can't handle DV-AVI for some reason. I could try it with these micromv files.

[@digitalmediafan]

Hmm fascinating. Did you see techmoan's video about his ip1e version ? I'm just waiting for delivery of a ip55e but still wanting a 1e as it's so tiny !

[@video99couk]

Yes I saw that one recently. The IP55E seems to have been the most popular model.

[@klaushergesheimer8602]

I really like your new series where you explain the rather obscure video formats. Keep up the good work!

[@cromulence]

Have you used FFMPEG previously? I'm sure it probably supports those MMV files and could transcode them into a standard MPEG or TS file, retaining the original MPEG 2 data. It might even be able to massage it (again without re-encoding) to make it a DVD compliant MPEG2 stream. It's command line driven so it's easy to integrate into a workflow. Best of all is that it's totally free!

[@video99couk]

I use FFMPEG for other jobs. I'm told that the problem with using anything other than Sony MovieShaker, is that lip-sync errors tend to creep in as the tape runs past the crash edits. So FFMPEG might work, but it might not be reliable.

[@Capturing-Memories]

Depends on how you look at it, NTSC DV 4:1:1 allowed every field's scan line to have its own chroma information with half the horizontal chroma resolution (every 4 pixels have the same chroma info), while PAL DV 4:2:0 opted for twice the horizontal resolution (every 2 pixels have the same chroma info) and every two scan lines from odd and even fields have the same chroma info or half its own vertical resolution. 4:2:1 would have been the best of both worlds but it isn't much enough of tape real estate in a DV cassette to achieve that, So each color system used its own trick to save it. In conclusion NTSC DV has 1/2 the horizontal chroma resolution but full vertical chroma resolution since it has only 480 lines a frame, and PAL DV has half the vertical resolution in a progressive point of view since it has more vertical resolution of 576 scan lines a frame but twice the horizontal chroma resolution of a NTSC system.

[@video99couk]

In the SD days, DV was permitted for parts of UK broadcast, it was considered that good. Not whole programmes though.

[@NevilleStyke]

RMT-817 has the menu controls, so you can use it to navigate to the volume and set it.

[@northernplacecorporation]

MiniDV lasted from 1995 to the late 2000s, while HDV lasted from 2003-2011. As for DVCAM, it was introduced in 1996, and is still in use today.

[@pl1068]

I still have the Sony IP7E I bought in 2002 for £1000 The bluetooth feature I used with the Sony cdm z5 flip phone of the time, it allowed me to email pictures out in the field direct from the memory stick. Was a major pain to setup but worked a treat.

[@video99couk]

Well done for having the patience to get the bluetooth working.

[@zx8401ztv]

I used to mess about with video files, the biggest problem was so many formats and problems with editing packages, some worked and some failed in odd ways like jumping picture or sound out of sync. I used a plug in card for capturing, happenharg or something like that, it was a real pain to capture a video without random problems or missing/corrupted sections. The card drivers were unstable as hell, i tryed all available versions and every version failed in a stupid way. I tryed a different pc but no difference, dam rubbish. It nearly sent me mad, sorry madder lol.

[@video99couk]

It's not always easy. Even with known good systems, weird faults can occasionally crop up. But in my business, I'm probably digitising about 20 - 40 hours of material per day, every day, on my rigs.

[@smvwees]

I've had always trouble with internal video capture cards. Dropped frames and lip sync issues. I've got a CanopusADVC110 and trouble is mostly gone, although it uses Firewire connection, so your pc has to have a Firewire or Thunderbolt connection.

[@lutello3012]

4gb is enough for a relatively good DVD quality two hour movie, I wish MicroMV had a setting for that bitrate. Guessing it's because of an inferior codec chip they had to use in the camera or impracticability of running the tape slower.

[@ohlive751]

Really interested listening from the beginning.just wanted to know if you still have this Sony camcorder now and it’s charger&cables?

[@SFtheGreat]

Pro decks, like DSR-2000AP also recognizes cleaning tape and also counts how many times it was used, so once it considers a tape used up, it will automatically eject it when you try to use it. You can still reind it and use in camcorders. Wondershare, I never used it, I just wrote a batch convert script for ffmpeg. One hugely important detail, if you're reading this. The S-video and FireWire comparison shows something incredibly dangerous when working with digital video. Total lack of understanding how SD video works by some (not all) creators of video software. The sample aspect ratio. We can clearly see the bottom part is wider than the top. The top has black bars, which is the nominal analog blanking. Bu using analog video, only the midle 702 samples are used for video, while with digital you can get all 720 samples, which then correspond to 788 square pixels, because 720x576 pixels DO NOT expand to 4:3, or 16:9, only the middle 702 samples correspond to the 4:3, or 16:9 video. You need a tiny screwdriver, like cellphone repair services use, I had to borrow this once from a local chap.

[@TVperson1]

I remember reading about those in 2003 and I thought it wasn't really worth it for the lack of compatibility with editing software.

[@balzhan734]

Fascinating and detailed video! I am actually participating in a project related to obsolete media. And particularly interested in the Sony MicroMV cassette. I was wondering if you could provide me with the specific measurements of this cassette, such as height, width, and depth in millimeters, please! I WILL GREATLY APPRECIATE IT!!

[@Capturing-Memories]

Have you tried CapDVHS? It can capture MPEG-2 SD over firewire, I've experimented with it to capture VHS using a D-VHS deck over firewire and I get normal MPEG-2 720x480 files. But I'm pretty sure there is a better way to strip the MMV files you have to MPEG-2 rather than transcoding them to mpeg-4 and loose some quality.

[@video99couk]

That is what I would have tried next if Sony Movieshaker hadn't worked. But I believe you will get corrupted video between shots with that, and so probably risk lip sync drift.

[@digitalmediafan]

PLEASE HELP ! Can someone preferably your good self explain how to capture microMV with vegas pro 11. I am all set up here with the correct lead and vegas 11 etc but there is no option to capture it imo. Techmoan did it but I see no way to do this

[@ohlive751]

Hi there! Randomly seen this video Just wanted to ask if you still have this camcorder?dcr-ip7e? Plus it’s charger and cables? Really dying to get this missing piece..so we could record our wedding day last 2005..pls.reply…thanks in advance

[@video99couk]

I do still have several of these but I'm keeping them for the business. There's one more just come in for me to test though. Why do you want one?

[@НиколайСтефанов-з8о]

thank you!!!

[@ohlive751]

Or better yet..i should send few of mytapes? Can’t find the email ad though,,,

[@video99couk]

Yes that makes more sense. Email me on [e-mail] or via my web site video99.co.uk

[@pierrejeanf.dupuis4150]

Opening that tape was brutal. A basic set of watchmakers screwdrivers should only set you back a few pounds on Ali. I find I use my set a lot more often than I expected when I got it.

[@video99couk]

I'll investigate smaller screwdrivers, but the tape survived and works so it wasn't that brutal. I suspect many screwdrivers will have too much shaft width to fit these tapes.

[@paulb4uk]

I never even knew this format existed shame if the gear is failing ,i finished getting a denon cassette deck head alignment done some weeks ago was finally happy with it i done a recording test and that also sounded great and a bit more testing and it stopped took apart and a flexible gear failed only part available is 3d printed may or may not last long and its a budget m07 from 1987 so not worth much so it got dismantled for parts deck mechanism is by panasonic and it seems many other models of panasonic/technics can have gear problems or may do .

[@DAVIDGREGORYKERR]

I have a CANNON MV750I which had to be repaired as a power glitch while I was charging it caused a few problems which had to be fixed.

[@StilltheOneTCF]

Nope,VHS-C is baby vhs,its MiniDV will be adopted by me

[@angielocke368]

So good. Do you offer a service where I can send micro MV tapes top you and you put them onto something that I CAN PLUG INTO MY MAC AND TRANSFER TO EDIT INTO iMovie? Thanks. Angie

[@video99couk]

Yes I can transfer them to video files which iMovie will accept. Send me an email on [e-mail]

[@Super8Rescue]

I am about to capture a pile of dv tapes. wish me luck. I have so many dv tapes. They got a helical scan in that tiny plastic thing?

[@video99couk]

DV tapes are (usually) easy. Apart from those odd occasions when they are not. Yes there's a helical scanning head inside the micromv, it's just like miniDV but smaller.

[@frankowalker4662]

What a clever design. Quick question, I have 3 head cleaners for VHS but none for Beta. Would it be safe to transplant a VHS cleaner into a Beta cassette ? I thought I would ask you, an expert, before trying it.

[@video99couk]

That would be safe, but make sure you splice the Beta metallic leader tape onto the head cleaner, otherwise the autostop won't work which can be a bit unpleasant for the machine. Also be sure to get the tape the same way round on Beta as VHS, so the same surface touches the heads.

[@northernplacecorporation]

1. Why didn't the MicroMV format have long-play, unlike MiniDV? 2. Why did you record your cassette with only 19 MMV files on the cassette? And 3. Why didn't newer Windows operating systems run the MovieShaker app that is supplied with each MicroMV camcorder?

[@video99couk]

1: It had already used all the available bandwidth to get 1 hour on the tape. 2: Not sure what you mean. Just took all the clips from the tape. 3: It's the other way round really, the software is incompatible with later versions of Windows, even in "compatibility mode" settings.

[@bobsbits5357]

HI been watching alot of hours of your video's i am looking for a cam i and use over my work place not usb with live video out put so i can slow mate what to look out for what cam's is the best for the money i know you have some kind of tripot to hold cam there's some many now i seeing people are buying lot of old analog gear

[@lutello3012]

If I get the data version of NT, I'll store a 1gb mp4 movie on it. There, world's smallest tape is the smallest video tape! *Ignoring the fact that you would have to copy back to the computer before playback.

[@video99couk]

I wasn't aware there was a data version of NT.

[@DavidHowlett-f4b]

I have a load of MMV files on my windows PC that i am looking to convert to a more user friendly format. Any idea what software will do this for me please?

[@video99couk]

FFMPEG or Wondershare UniConverter should both be able to do that for you.

[@andres9542]

Can you transfer to an old mac ?

[@video99couk]

Possibly. I believe that micromv might have been supported for a while on iMovie. Generally though iMovie is a poor capture choice because it doesn't report any dropped frames.

[@scottstrang1583]

That format needed to die. Too small and fragile. Just like DAT.

[@video99couk]

It was too small, but surprisingly robust. I've had very few failures of tapes or camcorders. DAT was a lovely format but I do wonder why they made the tape quite so narrow.