User manual MAXELL CARE & HANDLING GUIDECAREHANDLINGGUIDE

Maxell's Professional Philosophy over three decades, Maxell has been dedicated to producing the finest magnetic recording media available. The strength of our commitment is evident in the superiority of our whole line of tapes and disks. We take special pride in our ultra-high quality professional audio and video products, because it is in these that the virtues of our original magnetic particles and exclusive advanced technologies are the most obvious. Reliability, durability and performance are the attributes that characterize our professional audio and video tape products. Because we know that professional tape products have to do much more than just record a favorite program or a big game, we've created a unique Maxell Philosophy that governs the development of each and every one our professional tape products. This philosophy is the reason why our professional audio and video products not only perform outstandingly, but are also built with the quality necessary for you to get the job done right. For 2 Contents Maxell Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 2 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 4 Recommended Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 5 General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 5 Handling/Operating Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 5 Storage/Archiving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 6 Transport/Recorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 6 Cassette Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 6 Cleanliness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 7 Stray Magnetic Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 8 Environmental Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 10 Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 10 Humidity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 11 Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 12 Physical Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 13 Surface Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 13 Pack Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 14 Edge Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 15 3 Introduction Regardless of its rather simple appearance, magnetic recording media represents a highly complex manufacturing process that remains a critical component of the recording process: equally as critical as the transports on which those recordings are made. The media itself has little value until an artist, performer, actor or engineer makes it priceless by recording on it. Then the value of that magnetic media takes on a whole new meaning -- some master recordings can easily be valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars. Other recordings are considered literally priceless, perhaps not in a momentary sense, but in sentimental or historical value. Therefore, it is simply good common sense to take whatever measures are necessary to ensure that: 1. High-quality, trouble free recordings are created. 2. That these recordings are preserved and protected for future use. Fortunately, proper media care and handling is neither difficult nor expensive. Simple, easy-to-follow principles and practices, when properly implemented, will help ensure trouble-free recordings. 4 Recommended Practices GENERAL 1. Keep media away from all stray magnetic fields; even weak magnetic fields can cause erasures. Induction motors, such as those found in air conditioners, refrigerators and compressors produce very strong magnetic fields. A typical color TV also produces a large magnetic field when it is first switched on due to the automatic degausser that is responsible for the restoration of purity by eliminating any residual magnetism in the picture tube. 2. Never store magnetic media on top of electronic equipment, even temporarily. Almost all types of electronic equipment produce magnetic fields and heat. 3. Discard physically damaged media. Such damage can easily introduce dirt and debris into other transports, affecting the running characteristics of magnetic media, and can even damage the recording heads and transports. 4. For the best protection when not in use, keep magnetic media in the original hard case or equivalent package. HANDLING/OPERATING ENVIRONMENT 1. Never touch the surface or the edges of any magnetic media. 2. Only handle, operate and store magnetic media in an environment that is free of dust, debris, smoke and food. 3. Maintain appropriate operating temperature and humidity at all times. We recommend you obtain a copy of the SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineer) Recommended Practice RP-103 (www.smpte.org) and refer to it for specific parameters, especially for professional video tape. 4. Whenever transporting magnetic media from an extreme environment to an operating environment, allow it to acclimatize to the operating environment for the same period of time it was in the harsh environment, up to a maximum of 24 hours. The greater the change of environment, the greater the required time for acclimation. 5 STORAGE/ARCHIVING 1. Magnetic media should be stored in an environment that meets the criteria of SMPTE RP-103 for professional video tape and the specifications defined by each format for computer tape pertaining to specific temperature and humidity levels (see Figures 3 and 4 below). 2. Put magnetic media in the hard case provided and store upright with the tape pack side down (two-reel type cassette) for long-term storage. 3. The tape should be fully rewound onto the supply reel before storage. 4. Periodically exercise the magnetic media by shuttling from end to end, preferably once a year. This will help ease the mechanical stress that may have been introduced into the tape pack. TRANSPORT/RECORDER 1. Perform routine cleaning, with approved solvents and cleaners, and routine preventative maintenance on all tape path components and alignment mechanisms, such as capstans, pinch rollers, scanners, tape guides and magnetic head assemblies. 2. Follow equipment manufacturer's instructions and recommendations on the use of highly abrasive cleaning tapes. 3. Always clean the entire tape path as thoroughly as possible. 4. Only use approved solvents and cleaners. CASSETTE PRODUCTS 1. Don't rotate spools by hand. 2. Don't use the cassette lid as a handle. 3. Don't open the lid to look at the magnetic media surface. 4. Always rewind the tape fully before ejecting from a transport. 6 Cleanliness The magnetic recording process relies on the recording heads (which may be stationary or rotating) transferring information to the recording media. In order to obtain a high-quality recording, it is essential that proper headto-tape contact be maintained. There are a great number of factors that may cause a loss in head-to-tape contact, many of which are related to the cleanliness of the tape transport and the operating environment. Figure 1 provides a useful indication of the types of debris that can be introduced in the record and play processes. In general, the larger the debris the greater the signal loss and therefore the poorer the resulting signal. Figure 1. Comparison of VTR Head-Gap and Size of Various Debris Found on the Tape The loss of head-to-tape contact is called "spacing loss" or "loss of RF signal" and results in an "analog drop out" or a "digital BER" (Bit or Block Error Rate). Different recording formats process spacing losses in different ways and, as a general rule, most analog video systems simply replace the missing information (drop out) with a reasonable approximation of that missing data developed from the previous data. Digital systems, both video and audio, attempt to mathematically calculate what the missing pieces of data should be. However, the manner in which various systems determine how to replace the missing data is highly complex and differs greatly from format to format. It is easy to draw some conclusions about spacing losses and debris. Quite simply, the less dirt and debris in the operating environment, the less likely that spacing losses will occur. Therefore, the need to keep the operating environment clean becomes apparent. Please note the following: 7 · THE MACHINE ROOM Clean floors (preferably not carpeted), good air filtration and a smoke-free, food-free environment will all help to reduce debris. · THE RECORDING TRANSPORT Properly maintain and clean transports; replace worn pinch rollers and ensure proper alignment of tape path components on a regular basis. · THE OPERATOR Always wash your hands after eating food and before handling tape. Never smoke or eat in the operating environment. Stray Magnetic Fields The degree to which stray magnetic fields may negatively modify or even erase the recorded materials depends on two primary factors: 1. The strength of the magnetic fields 2. The coercivity of the magnetic particle used in the recording media itself Figure 2 shows Maxell's professional recording formats and the approximate coercivity of the magnetic media used in those formats. It is easy to see that older formats used magnetic media with lower coercivity, while most newer generation formats tend to use higher-level magnetic media. The formats with the lower coercivity will be the easiest to magnetize and therefore more susceptible to stray magnetic fields. Stray fields can come from a wide variety of sources, including loudspeaker magnets, fluorescent tube ballasts, handheld metal detectors (such as those used by airport security personnel), electrical transformers and especially electrical induction motors. The magnetic fields from these devices can cause an increased low frequency noise or higher levels of print-through. Total erasure is also a possibility, but not very common. Other devices such as walk-through metal detectors and radar signals generally do not cause problems unless these signals are of extremely high strength. Fortunately, this is a rare situation. 8 Unlike photographic film, X-rays do not affect magnetic recordings in any way. Problems from stray magnetic fields are very rare, even for recorded media shipped internationally without special precautions. However, it is a comfort to know that the magnetic field strength between the source and the target diminishes at a logarithmic rate as the distance increases. This means that even if the tape is near a magnetic source, the chances of it affecting the recording on the tape are very small unless the tape is very close to the source. Figure 2. Compared Coercivity of Various Media Coercivity (kA/m) 200 DDS-3, DDS-4 DVCPRO 180 160 140 120 100 80 S-VHS TR-3, TR-4 LTO-1 SDLT-1, DLT-IV D-5 DDS-2 HDCAM, Hi8 D-3, Digital Beta, DLT-III, Beta-SX, Beta-SP 8mm, D-2 DDS, DAT, MiniDV 60 40 U-matic-SP, Betacam Hi-Bias Audio, U-matic 3480 Low-Bias Audio 20 0 9 Environmental Conditions TEMPERATURE All current magnetic tapes, with the exception of magnetic evaporated tapes (e.g., AIT, miniDV, Mammoth, etc.), are composed of a formulation coated onto the basefilm (polyester or equivalent chemical compound). The magnetic formulation contains a variety of chemicals, including head cleaning agent, binders, surface lubricants, plasticizers, dispersants and of course, the magnetic particles. The temperature conditions recommended by many media manufacturers are dictated by a combination of the basefilm, binders and other components used in the tape itself and/or the plastics used in the cassette shell. The need to maintain dimensional stability of the cassette shells and the tape are critical factors in determining an appropriate operating range of temperatures. The basefilm on which the magnetic formulation is coated is somewhat temperature sensitive. Temperature variations will cause the film to expand or contract. This "growth" or "shrinkage" (which can be quite significant) may create stress within the tape pack that could result in physical damage to the tape. The magnetic particles of the formulation remain relatively stable and unaffected by extreme temperature. 10 HUMIDITY Except for metal evaporated tape, all magnetic tape uses some form of binder system. Binders essentially chemically weld the magnetic particles in place to the basefilm. In the early years of magnetic tape the binder systems suffered from a process known as hydrolysis in which the binder would absorb moisture from the ambient environment and begin to breakdown as the lubricants would seep to the tape surface while the tape was stored. Today's binder systems are significantly more tolerant to high humidity conditions. Binder hydrolysis is a rare occurrence in today's magnetic tape products. It is important to note that storage conditions and the operating environment still play a crucial part in preserving and protecting recordings. There are several other potential problems, such as static build-up and increased abrasivity that may occur under high humidity conditions. RECOMMENDATIONS Most magnetic media manufacturers advocate following the recommendations found in SMPTE RP-103 (until the new RP is completed and published) for professional video tapes and in various standards and specifications for data tapes regarding operation, storage and transportation conditions for magnetic tape products. Some industry bodies suggest that even lower humidity and temperature conditions for archival storage are appropriate. Departures from these recommended conditions can expose the media to potential problems. Figures 3, 4 and 5 show the recommended operating, storage and transporting conditions for professional video tapes. Following these recommendations should prevent any problems. Figure 3. SMPTE RP-103 Recommendation Practice for Professional Video Tapes Storage Conditions Operating Conditions Temperature Humidity Acceptable Temperature Change Acceptable Humidity Change 17 to 25C (63 to 77F) Transporting Short period Long period (Less than 10 yrs) (Less than 10 yrs) Conditions 15 to 23C (59 to 73F) 15 to 19C (59 to 66F) -20 to 45C (-4 to 113F) 30 to 70% RH 40 to 55% RH 25 to 35% RH 5 to 80% RH Less than 10C/hour (18F/hour) Less than 10%/hour ---- ---- Less than 10C/hour (18F/hour) Less than 10%/hour 11 ---- ---- Environmental Conditions Figure 4. Acceptable Operating and Storage Conditions for Major Data Tapes Operating Conditions Temperature 5 to 45C (41 to 104F) 15 to 55C (59 to 113F) 10 to 45C (50 to 113F) 10 to 40C (50 to 104F) Humidity 20 to 80% RH 10 to 80% RH 10 to 80% RH Operating Conditions Temperature Humidity 5 to 32C 20 to 60% RH (41 to 90F) 5 to 32C (41 to 90F) 16 to 32C (61 to 90F) 20 to 60% RH 20 to 80% RH DDS-1, DDS-2 DDS-3, DDS-4 LTO, LTO2 DLT-IV, S-DLT 20 to 80% RH 16 to 32C (61 to 90F) 20 to 80% RH 18 to 28C* 40 to 60% RH* (64 to 82F)* * For archive Figure 5. Safe Storage Conditions (based on SMPTE RP-103) 12 Physical Damage SURFACE QUALITY As mentioned in the Cleanliness section, any surface abnormality may cause a spacing loss. Surface abnormalities include dirt and debris, physical damage to the tape surface, and physical and magnetic scratches. Typically dirt and debris accumulate on, and protrude above, the media surface. The superfluous particles may be firmly attached to the surface or they may be transitory, i.e., the particle may be removed by the head during contact. In the latter case it is usual for a single particle of dirt or debris to cause only one instance of spacing loss (drop out) and then seemingly disappear. However, a more permanent single particle of dirt may cause several instances of spacing loss. Even minute particles may cause impressions in adjacent layers of tape as that particle is wound into the tape pack itself. Tape creases can also cause physical impressions. Because they can compromise the smoothness of the tape surface, impressions may cause spacing losses. Scratches are typically caused by dirt accumulation on a tape path component within the transport. All assemblies within the tape path are capable of accumulating such debris and are therefore capable of causing surface scratches. Upon suspecting tape scratching, the entire tape path should be thoroughly cleaned using the recommended procedures of the equipment manufacturer. In recording formats that use rotating heads, there is a high probability that the head itself is the point where debris accumulation (known as clogging or staining) has taken place. In this case the scratch may be running in the helical track direction on the tape surface, and may be accelerated by an extended period of still-play mode, especially under a lower humidity environment. Physically damaged or scratched tape should be discarded, as the potential to deposit debris in other transports is very high. In the worst case it may cause damage onto the transports or heads. Once contaminated with debris, a transport may easily contaminate other cassettes. 13 TAPE PACK QUALITY The tape surface and edges are least vulnerable to damage when the pack is smooth and even. Therefore, special attention to the pack quality is necessary. Individual popped strands are the most common problem associated with pack quality. As a possible cause of the problem, popped strands are single layers of tape that protrude, or "pop up," above the rest of the pack as a result of air trapped between the layers of tape. This exposes the popped strands to potential edge damage. Popped strands can be a significant issue and reels or cassettes exhibiting such a condition should be shuttled on properly adjusted recorders. To minimize the potential of popped strands and uneven packs, Maxell professional video cassettes utilize our patented SW (Smooth Wind) reels that boast a series of radial channels in the lower flange, providing a place and direction for the trapped air to escape. The tape pack quality is of course highly relative to the uniformity of the tape thickness, straightness of the tape slit, quality of the tape edge end and preciseness of the reel component. Maxell Professional cassettes utilize the highly precise capabilities of tape coating, slitting technologies and molding to stabilize the tape transportation and to ensure uniformity of the tape pack. Winding tensions are another major area that can affect pack quality. As mentioned earlier, the tensilized basefilm used in magnetic media does have expansion and contraction characteristics that should be considered. This is an important issue to remember when sorting products. In particular, the tape pack has a tendency to become loose upon long-term storage under low-temperature environments. The tape pack having slack may cause a threading failure with the tape transport components and result in tape damage. It is possible to cause the tape to snap if the tape is severely jammed in the VTR or tape drive, but this is in the worst case. It is strongly recommended to check tape slack in a reel and remove a slack before usage. If reels or cassettes are loosely wound and stored with their flanges horizontal, layer-to-layer pack slippage may occur due to a looseness of the pack. Slipped packs are then susceptible to damage. Storing reels and cassettes vertically helps to reduce the risk of this problem. Transportation at low temperatures may accelerate the loosening of the tape pack. This in addition to the potential factor of transporting vibration, can be prevented by packing a cassette using materials that will insulate against extreme temperatures and provide shock absorbency especially when 14 shipping the cassette by a combination of air and truck. Excessive tape pack tensions can also cause some pack-related problems. Under high tensions, the outer layers of the pack exert pressure on the inner layers. The inner layers respond to this pressure by developing a small "kink." It is a sign of severe stress within the tape pack that should be exercised (shuttled) immediately. Even so, there is a high potential that edge damage (stretching, bending or creasing) may have already occurred and signal loss and tracking problems may be experienced. Storing under higher temperature conditions may cause potential problems as well as a tendency to put pressure on the inner tape pack layers. Regardless of temperature and humidity conditions, when a tape cassette is dropped or intensely vibrated by rough handling (i.e., momentarily excessive force is given to the tape pack), uneven tape pack may also occur with slippage and shifting between tape pack layers. Single layer pop may occur due to the causes of uneven tape pack, as mentioned above, and the tape's contact with the reel flange can cause severe damage at the edge position. Proper tape winding tensions within the tape path are clearly a major contributor to proper tape care. Although the tape pack leaves our factory with perfectly flat surfaces, its condition is potentially changeable by various usage conditions and environments. This is why we ask you to handle and use a tape under the proper conditions. Also please make sure that the tensions of the transports being used are always adjusted according to manufacturer's recommendations. EDGE QUALITY Physical damages to the edges of recording media also create a potential for inferior recordings. Magnetic recording media is precisely cut or slit to very tight tolerances on a slitter of exceptional precision, creating perfect edges. The quality of these edges must be preserved if the tape is to accurately move through the transport without difficulty. Edge creases, nicks or other damage may result in improper stacking or tracking, leading to signal losses and a variety of other problems. When edge damage is suspected, a thorough cleaning of the entire transport is recommended in addition to checking factors of tape pack quality as mentioned above. Close inspection of the tape path, replacement of the pinch roller and realignment of the tape guides throughout the transport are imperative to a transport's ability to properly handle the tape. 15 For more information, call 1-800-533-2836 or visit our Web site at www.maxellpromedia.com Professional Media Products Group Maxell Corp. of America 22-08 Route 208, Fair Lawn, New Jersey 07410 Maxell Canada 50 Locke Street, Concord, Ontario, Canada L4K 5R4 Maxell Latin America Plaza Btesh ­ Calle 50, Panama City, Panama PI-998023