Re: Bulk erase mini DV tapes?
I can confirm that a traditional bulk-eraser for audio tape spools will not touch DV cassettes for the reasons mentioned above. Twice, at the end of a film shoot, I have been presented with such a unit hired-in to erase surplus and unwanted video media, by the production office not checking what type of eraser was needed. I experimented with passing various cassette formats including Digibeta and DVCAM through numerous cycles, with no effect on the error rate as seen from the VTR channel monitor.
Whether PM / DC erasure is suitable depends on what you want from the erasure process. If it's being done data security, and you don't want to re-use the media, then it doesn't matter what condition the tape is left in so long as the recording is gone. But, if you are erasing to prepare the media for re-use then a proper AC erase that ramps down leaving it quiet is better than DC.
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