Hi8 tape playback problems after head servicing

[pkn25]

Hi,

I started to see sync'ing problem on my Sony camcorder and had the camcorder head serviced. Now, the tapes that I recorded a year or so do not play back (they did before servicing) on this camcorder or even on a new camcorder. There're a lot of jittering, jumping, color shift, and audio either drops or barely audible.

I figure the tapes had been recorded and played back OK with the bad head before the servicing, and should be easy to fix to resync, well, how wrong. I've tried the video restoration services, as well as tried to clean up with hardware TBC (Datavideo TBC-1000) with no success.

Please help if you have any suggestions, either some solutions or referring to some restoration place for this. The tapes are from kids' birthdays and such occasions and we just hate to lose all the memory.

Thanks in advance
pkn25

[edDV]

If only the head was changed, you have a warranty claim.

If you also requested a tape path alignment to standard, then all the tapes that were recorded while your camcorder was out of standard won't play correctly.

Proper playback requires the same misalignment that was present when the recording was made.

A good camcorder tech can misalign the deck to play yours well. You need to negotiate a two step deal. Misadjust until old tapes are transferred then set it right.

[jolphil]

edDV
Made a powerful point here...

If you also requested a tape path alignment to standard, then all the tapes that were recorded while your camcorder was out of standard won't play correctly.

Proper playback requires the same misalignment that was present when the recording was made.

This maybe the underlying reason for many many previously unexplained differences in VCR's and camcorders..
Everyone knows new VCR/camcorders should be factory calibrated to the VHS standard ..This requires accurate electronic calibration, and just as important mechanical calibration..Lower cost machines may bypass some of the calibrations and even worse, a machine can slowly drift out of calibration with use..Tape guides wear,heads wear,tape tensions change,stresses on some plastic parts change dimensions etc..We are talking microns not inches or milimeters in some cases..
please remember this was the "state of the art" back in the earlier days..Nobody could afford a Ampex machine in their living room but could afford 1000 bucks of so for a Betamax or VHS..
anyway, edDV hit it right on the head..Once a tape is recorded with an out of standard machine
then another machine may not play back correctly..
Sorry to rant on but I thought this should not be passed over lightly..
jolphil

[edDV]

edDV
Made a powerful point here...

If you also requested a tape path alignment to standard, then all the tapes that were recorded while your camcorder was out of standard won't play correctly.

Proper playback requires the same misalignment that was present when the recording was made.

This maybe the underlying reason for many many previously unexplained differences in VCR's and camcorders..
Everyone knows new VCR/camcorders should be factory calibrated to the VHS standard ..This requires accurate electronic calibration, and just as important mechanical calibration..Lower cost machines may bypass some of the calibrations and even worse, a machine can slowly drift out of calibration with use..Tape guides wear,heads wear,tape tensions change,stresses on some plastic parts change dimensions etc..We are talking microns not inches or milimeters in some cases..
please remember this was the "state of the art" back in the earlier days..Nobody could afford a Ampex machine in their living room but could afford 1000 bucks of so for a Betamax or VHS..
anyway, edDV hit it right on the head..Once a tape is recorded with an out of standard machine
then another machine may not play back correctly..
Sorry to rant on but I thought this should not be passed over lightly..
jolphil

The pro's have the same issues with the expensive machines but invest in frequent transport alignment calibrations to keep tapes interchangable.

The typical consumer, me included allow the machine to drift out of calibration until it has serious playback problems. Only then do we take it in for service. When the machine comes back, pre-recorded and early tapes play fine but recent ones don't.

[marklewis]

Hello

I have a Sony EV-C400E Hi8 player and I suddenly get snow and image jumping ... what can I do?

[edDV]

Hello

I have a Sony EV-C400E Hi8 player and I suddenly get snow and image jumping ... what can I do?

My first guess is the heads are dirty. Use a cleaning tape.

If that doesn't work take it in to the shop for a cleaning and alignment. The tech will suggest parts replacement if necessary.

[handyguy]

Did you try a tracking adjustment? You push certain buttons to change it. Look at your manual.