Anyone familiar with Sony Handycam CCD-VX3 ?

[bvdd]

This was just given to me and I'm testing it for the first time.
It seems to record ok, but when I playback a tape the picture is badly scrambled.
It reminds me of the old VCR days when trying to play a tape that was made on a different machine.

I can see the footage I just shot popping through every few seconds. It's very distorted but it's there.

I've tried several tapes and cleaned the heads several times with 3 different cleaning tapes - no luck.

This model came out in 1992, so maybe other models from the same era have had the same issue.

Anyone seen this behavior before?

Thanks.

[bvdd]

I just thought of this - the tapes I have are 'Hi-8 MP'.

Maybe this camera can't use those -?

[bvdd]

I may have just solved it.

The tapes I'm using were previously recorded with a Sony digital 8 camcorder.

Google says, once that happens, they won't work in the CCD-VX3.

Can anyone confirm this?

Thanks.