How to make a mini dv tape unplayable forever?

Question

Is there any way to make it so a mini dv tape appears / looks fine, but the tape is damaged so it will not play forever? Can I tear the cartridge, draw on the tape, or do something to it...?

Answer 1

Pull the tape out, rip it up, burn it, throw it in the trash. Put it in the camera, put the cover on the lens and tape over it, it will appear fine but only play black.

Answer 2

leave the lenscap on, hit record, in a silent room, or bag, or if the model allows, turn the audio level to 0.

Buy the same model of blank tape and transfer the labels?

Do you want to make the tape appear undamaged but to actually have nothing on it?

Don't follow the oil advice, as that will bugger up your camcorder, their camcorder, will smell and smear and be obvious.

Back up the tape first or swap it with a blank.  It;s obviously sensitive footage.  At some point youmay depend on it's exsistance.

Answer 3

find someone with a tape degausser, it will magnetically erase a tape to a factory new condition.

if you can find something with a very strong magnetic field, that will wipe out a tape.  

maybe the thing at the checkout at stores will do it?  it says to keep credit cards away from it.

With some skill involved, you could get a same blank tape, open the cartridge, and swap the tape inside for a blank one.

keep in mind, oil like WD40 will contaminate a tape  ; )  If done in sections, it will ruin it.