I decided to invest in these Sony 'HDV' tapes after having problems trying to record 1080i video onto standard mini DV tapes. On almost all of the mini DV tapes I tried, I experienced intermittent drop-out of both sound and video. Whilst the overall picture quality of these tapes is probably no different, they are much more reliable. I have recorded several hours worth of footage on these Sony tapes, and haven't had any problems with drop-out whatsoever. So my advice would be this: if you intend to record something at 1080i resolution which you'll only get one shot at, invest a little more in these tapes to guarantee a trouble free and reliable recording.