Sony Handycam DCR-HC42 can no longer read/write to tapes

[tgp1994]

Hi everyone.

We've had our Sony Handycam for a long time, and it just seemed to start having problems at one point. First, the lens stopped functioning completely, then it automatically fixed its self within three months. Now, the camera no longer seems able to read or write to tapes. After I record for a period of time and switch to play mode, it seems to be able to read the timecode off of wherever it left off, but when I rewind and play the tape, the screen remains its normal blue-ish color, and no timecodes seem to be detected.

I can still hear the tape moving, however. It seems to progress normally, yet no picture.

At one point, the camera told me the video head was dirty, so I got a Q-tip and some rubbing alcohol, and I cleaned what I thought was the recording head (that tilted drum near the top of the camcorder, right?), brushing the metallic side that would be exposed to the tape. That did fix the dirty error problem, although I'm still unable to read from/record to the tape.

Does anyone know of how I can fix this on my own? This camera is too old to still be under warranty, and not worth paying to have a specialist repair it, although I would like to get this camera functioning again if possible.

Thanks for any help.

[tgp1994]

It seems like I've "sort of" repaired the camera.

At some point in time, the casing of the camera had begun to open up where it was originally pieced together near the top. I just realized now that when I blow into it, I can begin to get some of the video back as a tape is playing back, almost till it's playing with no "bars" left. In fact, I was even able to record.

However, it seems that as the tape plays, it begins to falter. Some bars will appear of the screen, then some pixelation, then nothing. No sound, either. And now, I'm getting the "dirty" error again, which I seem to be able to fix by blowing in the tape housing.

Could there actually be some dirt in there? It seems clean as a whistle.

[tgp1994]

Well, I'll be.

It seems like thumping the camera on my table, hand grip-side down, has somehow restored full functionality to my camera (and/or MiniDV tape). Perhaps whatever was messing with the recording head, is no longer.