8mm camcorder problems

rec.video

3 Oct 2005 12:59 PM

crevitch

I am in the process of transcribing my 8mm tapes to DVD. After doing
about 8 of them, I started to experience sync problems. I used a head
cleaning cassette. This seems to work, but now I cannot get through a
whole tape without needing to clean again. This happens with two
cameras, and more than one tape. The tapes are about 12 years old.
When the heads are clean the tapes look perfect.

Does anyone know what is going on? Have I damaged the machines by using
the tape cleaners such that they get dirty much faster. Or is there
some coincidence that I have several tapes that are dirty. Is there
some way to clean the tape?

I have used the camera for recording for many years without using the
cleaning cassette, and never experienced problems with record or
playback. However, this is the first time I am using the camera for
playing entire 2 hour tapes.

Any help or suggestions are appreciated.

3 Oct 2005 2:35 PM

Dave D

Show quote Hide quote

"crevitch" <n***@none.com> wrote in message
news:dhr9vg$163@netnews.net.lucent.com...
>I am in the process of transcribing my 8mm tapes to DVD. After doing about
>8 of them, I started to experience sync problems. I used a head cleaning
>cassette. This seems to work, but now I cannot get through a whole tape
>without needing to clean again. This happens with two cameras, and more
>than one tape. The tapes are about 12 years old. When the heads are clean
>the tapes look perfect.
>
> Does anyone know what is going on? Have I damaged the machines by using
> the tape cleaners such that they get dirty much faster. Or is there some
> coincidence that I have several tapes that are dirty. Is there some way
> to clean the tape?
>
> I have used the camera for recording for many years without using the
> cleaning cassette, and never experienced problems with record or playback.
> However, this is the first time I am using the camera for playing entire 2
> hour tapes.
>
> Any help or suggestions are appreciated.

You don't say exactly how much use the camcorders have had, and how old they
are. It could be that the heads are fine, and that the 12 year old tapes are
breaking down and leaving their gunk behind.

However, it could be that the heads are starting to show signs of wear as
well. Heads which require shortening cleaning intervals can sometimes be a
warning that they are wearing out.

I'd certainly suspect that the 12 year old tapes are past it. It's easy to
verify, just buy a new one and see how well it works over a period of time.

A word of warning- head cleaning cassettes are rather bad for your heads,
and will acclerate wear. Furthermore, a cleaning cassette does not do a
proper job of cleaning the heads IMO. You might want to invest in a proper
cleaning kit with chamois cleaning pads and isopropyl alcohol, and read up
on how to wet clean your heads, and indeed the capstan, pinch roller and
tape guides. It's not particularly easy on an 8mm camcorder, but well worth
the results if you feel up to a challenge.

Failing that, ISTR you can buy wet cleaning cassettes, which should do a
better job, but I don't know if they come in 8mm format. As a last resort,
you may have to put the camcorders in for a service.

Dave

3 Oct 2005 2:47 PM

crevitch

Dave,

Thanks for the great answers. One camera is 6 years old and has seen a
lot of use. The other is about 8 years old and has not been used much.

Can you recommend some instructions and a kit for wet cleaning? Does
the camera need to be taken apart? I am up for the challenge of doing
the cleaning, but would prefer not to take the camera apart.

I have heard that wet cleaning cassettes tend to jam. Is this true?

Thanks

Dave D wrote:

Show quoteHide quote

>
> You don't say exactly how much use the camcorders have had, and how old they
> are. It could be that the heads are fine, and that the 12 year old tapes are
> breaking down and leaving their gunk behind.
>
> However, it could be that the heads are starting to show signs of wear as
> well. Heads which require shortening cleaning intervals can sometimes be a
> warning that they are wearing out.
>
> I'd certainly suspect that the 12 year old tapes are past it. It's easy to
> verify, just buy a new one and see how well it works over a period of time.
>
> A word of warning- head cleaning cassettes are rather bad for your heads,
> and will acclerate wear. Furthermore, a cleaning cassette does not do a
> proper job of cleaning the heads IMO. You might want to invest in a proper
> cleaning kit with chamois cleaning pads and isopropyl alcohol, and read up
> on how to wet clean your heads, and indeed the capstan, pinch roller and
> tape guides. It's not particularly easy on an 8mm camcorder, but well worth
> the results if you feel up to a challenge.
>
> Failing that, ISTR you can buy wet cleaning cassettes, which should do a
> better job, but I don't know if they come in 8mm format. As a last resort,
> you may have to put the camcorders in for a service.
>
> Dave
>
>
>
> You don't say exactly how much use the camcorders have had, and how
old they
> are. It could be that the heads are fine, and that the 12 year old
tapes are
> breaking down and leaving their gunk behind.
>
> However, it could be that the heads are starting to show signs of
wear as
> well. Heads which require shortening cleaning intervals can sometimes
be a
> warning that they are wearing out.
>
> I'd certainly suspect that the 12 year old tapes are past it. It's
easy to
> verify, just buy a new one and see how well it works over a period of
time.
>
> A word of warning- head cleaning cassettes are rather bad for your
heads,
> and will acclerate wear. Furthermore, a cleaning cassette does not do a
> proper job of cleaning the heads IMO. You might want to invest in a
proper
> cleaning kit with chamois cleaning pads and isopropyl alcohol, and
read up
> on how to wet clean your heads, and indeed the capstan, pinch roller and
> tape guides. It's not particularly easy on an 8mm camcorder, but well
worth
> the results if you feel up to a challenge.
>
> Failing that, ISTR you can buy wet cleaning cassettes, which should do a
> better job, but I don't know if they come in 8mm format. As a last
resort,
> you may have to put the camcorders in for a service.
>
> Dave
>
> New text

3 Oct 2005 3:07 PM

Ken Weitzel

crevitch wrote:

Show quoteHide quote

> I am in the process of transcribing my 8mm tapes to DVD. After doing
> about 8 of them, I started to experience sync problems. I used a head
> cleaning cassette. This seems to work, but now I cannot get through a
> whole tape without needing to clean again. This happens with two
> cameras, and more than one tape. The tapes are about 12 years old. When
> the heads are clean the tapes look perfect.
>
> Does anyone know what is going on? Have I damaged the machines by using
> the tape cleaners such that they get dirty much faster. Or is there
> some coincidence that I have several tapes that are dirty. Is there
> some way to clean the tape?
>
> I have used the camera for recording for many years without using the
> cleaning cassette, and never experienced problems with record or
> playback. However, this is the first time I am using the camera for
> playing entire 2 hour tapes.
>
> Any help or suggestions are appreciated.

Hi crevitch...

Your head cleaning cassette just isn't going to do the job for you
in this case. It will indeed abrade some of the dirt off the heads,
but then just deposit it instead on the fixed heads, guides, capstan
and pinch roller. It soon will find itself right back on the heads
where it started :(

I'd urge you to instead clean them with a bit of real chamois, perhaps
glued onto a popsicle stick, and do all. The flying heads gently, then
the audio and control heads, the guides, and virtually everything in
the tape path. You should be able to see all of it with the door open.
Repeat with a new bit of chamois until the chamois comes away spotless.

Sadly, if the tapes you're transcribing are old and perhaps even dusty,
you may have to do this with each new tape you copy, but old memories
are well worth it.

And finally, a heads-up. After using the isopropyl, give the machine
plenty of time to thoroughly dry before putting a tape in it, lest
the tape stick to something damp and self-destruct.

Perhaps go so far as to put a tape of no importance in and try it
first, before putting an irreplacable one in.

Good luck, and take care.

Ken

4 Oct 2005 12:33 PM

Dimitrios Tzortzakakis

--
Tzortzakakis Dimitrios
major in electrical engineering, freelance electrician
FH von Iraklion-Kreta, freiberuflicher Elektriker
dimtzort AT otenet DOT gr

? "Ken Weitzel" <kweit***@shaw.ca> ?????? ??? ??????

news:iPb0f.61733$1i.60144@pd7tw2no...
Show quoteHide quote

>
>
> crevitch wrote:
>
> > I am in the process of transcribing my 8mm tapes to DVD. After doing
> > about 8 of them, I started to experience sync problems. I used a head
> > cleaning cassette. This seems to work, but now I cannot get through a
> > whole tape without needing to clean again. This happens with two
> > cameras, and more than one tape. The tapes are about 12 years old. When
> > the heads are clean the tapes look perfect.
> >
> > Does anyone know what is going on? Have I damaged the machines by using
> > the tape cleaners such that they get dirty much faster. Or is there
> > some coincidence that I have several tapes that are dirty. Is there
> > some way to clean the tape?
> >
> > I have used the camera for recording for many years without using the
> > cleaning cassette, and never experienced problems with record or
> > playback. However, this is the first time I am using the camera for
> > playing entire 2 hour tapes.
> >
> > Any help or suggestions are appreciated.
>
> Hi crevitch...
>
> Your head cleaning cassette just isn't going to do the job for you
> in this case. It will indeed abrade some of the dirt off the heads,
> but then just deposit it instead on the fixed heads, guides, capstan
> and pinch roller. It soon will find itself right back on the heads
> where it started :(
>

That's right, my sony 8mm camcorder's manual tells not to use dry cleaning
cassete, but only the genuine sony (of course).But naturally, sony has
ceased any support for "old fashioned" 8mm and HI-8 camcorders, but
strangely enough, still produces VHS VCRs, 8mm and HI-8 camcorder and C-VHS
tapes, and normal VHS tape...
is, perhaps

> glued onto a popsicle stick, and do all. The flying heads gently, then
> the audio and control heads, the guides, and virtually everything in
> the tape path. You should be able to see all of it with the door open.
> Repeat with a new bit of chamois until the chamois comes away spotless.
>
> Sadly, if the tapes you're transcribing are old and perhaps even dusty,
> you may have to do this with each new tape you copy, but old memories
> are well worth it.
>

How can the tapes become dusty?They should be in their cases, and their
protective flaps should also be in their places.
fter using the isopropyl, give the machine

> plenty of time to thoroughly dry before putting a tape in it, lest
> the tape stick to something damp and self-destruct.
>
> Perhaps go so far as to put a tape of no importance in and try it
> first, before putting an irreplacable one in.
>

I personally find difficult even the cleaning of a conventional cassete
deck, and use a wet cleaning cassete, talking about cleaning a miniature 8mm
camcorder?I just opened mine sony ccd-tr425e pal and the flying heads with
the capstan and the control heads or whatever are at least 5 inches from the
cassete insertion gap.Even if crevitch could find 5 inches long cotton wabs,
it would be difficult for the reason that 8mm camcorders have 2 pairs of
heads placed in an angle of 90 deg in between and he had to rotate the drum
so that the actual heads would be exposed and clean them.I find too
difficult to find even how my camera's mechanism works, let alone clean
it.Unfortunately, the only place I know that still has 8mm wet cleaning
cassetes on stock is the store I work and this is 3000 miles away from
USA...
Show quoteHide quote

> Good luck, and take care.
>
> Ken
>

6 Oct 2005 12:49 PM

none

On Mon, 03 Oct 2005 08:59:24 -0400, crevitch <n***@none.com> wrote:

Show quoteHide quote

>I am in the process of transcribing my 8mm tapes to DVD. After doing
>about 8 of them, I started to experience sync problems. I used a head
>cleaning cassette. This seems to work, but now I cannot get through a
>whole tape without needing to clean again. This happens with two
>cameras, and more than one tape. The tapes are about 12 years old.
>When the heads are clean the tapes look perfect.
>
>Does anyone know what is going on? Have I damaged the machines by using
>the tape cleaners such that they get dirty much faster. Or is there
>some coincidence that I have several tapes that are dirty. Is there
>some way to clean the tape?
>
>I have used the camera for recording for many years without using the
>cleaning cassette, and never experienced problems with record or
>playback. However, this is the first time I am using the camera for
>playing entire 2 hour tapes.
>
>Any help or suggestions are appreciated.

Sounds like the tapes are getting a bit too old and are starting to
break down, giving you dirty heads as a result.
Over cleaning the heads wouldn't be the problem, just make sure
they're good and dry before playing any tapes or you'll dirty the
heads back up pronto.(cleaning solution is murder on old tapes and
will wash the loose oxides off and onto the head just like that.)
Just make sure the heads are clean and dry then capture short runs of
the tapes to DVD instead of trying for it all at once.

7 Oct 2005 2:59 AM

David E. Bath

In article <dhr9vg$***@netnews.net.lucent.com>,
crevitch <n***@none.com> writes:
Show quoteHide quote

> I am in the process of transcribing my 8mm tapes to DVD. After doing
> about 8 of them, I started to experience sync problems. I used a head
> cleaning cassette. This seems to work, but now I cannot get through a
> whole tape without needing to clean again. This happens with two
> cameras, and more than one tape. The tapes are about 12 years old.
> When the heads are clean the tapes look perfect.
>
> Does anyone know what is going on? Have I damaged the machines by using
> the tape cleaners such that they get dirty much faster. Or is there
> some coincidence that I have several tapes that are dirty. Is there
> some way to clean the tape?
>
> I have used the camera for recording for many years without using the
> cleaning cassette, and never experienced problems with record or
> playback. However, this is the first time I am using the camera for
> playing entire 2 hour tapes.
>
> Any help or suggestions are appreciated.

I had the exact same problem. In my case it was the tapes, the older
ones would play for a while and then drop out. I'd clean the camera
with a dry cleaning tape and then after a while it would happen again.
Once I got past the tapes that were more than 8 years old or so it
never happened again.