Audio with crackling sound using the JVC HM-DH30000U

[Litaiff]

A strange popping noise in the audio, like a crackling, occurs on some VHS tapes when I play them on my D-VHS JVC HM-DH30000U. It's not always the case, but it seems that some type of tape or recording on it causes this to happen to the audio. I'll give you an example.

Out of 10 tapes from the same person that arrive here and that I play on it, at least 1 or 2 end up like this. Any solution?

[timtape]

I hear a random high pitched ticking. This can be reduced with an audio Declick tool.

But the more difficult problem I hear is many momentary dropouts of the sound. This can be caused by a dirty tape at its top edge or a tape stretched at its top edge. I'm a transfer technician. I would inspect the tape under the cassette flap to see if the tape is stretched or otherwise damaged, especially at the top edge.

[Litaiff]

I hear a random high pitched ticking. This can be reduced with an audio Declick tool.

But the more difficult problem I hear is many momentary dropouts of the sound. This can be caused by a dirty tape at its top edge or a tape stretched at its top edge. I'm a transfer technician. I would inspect the tape under the cassette flap to see if the tape is stretched or otherwise damaged, especially at the top edge.

In the case of this tape, it needed to be restored, there was fungal corrosion on it, it went through several processes to recover the video, including being submerged in water for a certain amount of time.

But I don't think it's because of damaged tapes. There are also some tapes that are in perfect condition, without any problems, but sometimes this pitched ticking noise occurs. By the way the problem is only with this JVC HM-DH30000U

[timtape]

You didnt mention this. Successfully removing fungus (mold) from magnetic tapes is difficult work. Unless it is done well it can make things worse.

I'm not sure which problem in the audio you are referring to. Here is your sample declicked. Is it just those (here removed)clicks you were referring to?

[Litaiff]

You didnt mention this. Successfully removing fungus (mold) from magnetic tapes is difficult work. Unless it is done well it can make things worse.

I'm not sure which problem in the audio you are referring to. Here is your sample declicked. Is it just those (here removed)clicks you were referring to?

Exactly, you removed the noise. I also do this with an audio edit, but it's kind of work. I already have a lot of work to do to recover these tapes that get stained with this insect chemical. It's a problem exclusive to the Amazon region in Brazil. As far as I know, no one outside of here has ever seen this. So, I just wanted to play the tape without this problem occurring in the audio. As I said, it only happens once in a while, regardless of whether the tape is good or not, on this JVC HM-DH30000U deck.


This type of insect is what eats, feeds on mold, and a generation of them has this party inside the tape case for years leaving the magnetic tape in this unfortunate case.

[Attachment 87456 - Click to enlarge]

[timtape]

Yes an audio declicking tool is far simpler and faster than manually editing out each and every click. Digital declicking was first used professionally around 1990.

Do you want to discuss the mold issue further? These people are world experts in tape disaster recovery including successfully dealing with mold.

http://www.specsbros.com/

[Litaiff]

Yes an audio declicking tool is far simpler and faster than manually editing out each and every click. Digital declicking was first used professionally around 1990.

Do you want to discuss the mold issue further? These people are world experts in tape disaster recovery including successfully dealing with mold.

http://www.specsbros.com/

But just for the record. Mold is the least of my problems, it's just a powder that quickly comes off the tape. When I see a very moldy tape, I feel even more at ease, it means that the insects didn't eat the mold and mess up the tape, which would give me a lot of work to fix.

But thanks, I will take a look on this website

[timtape]

OK. Are you saying that when the insects eat the mold they also eat some of the oxide layer?

[Litaiff]

OK. Are you saying that when the insects eat the mold they also eat some of the oxide layer?

No, although I have found some tapes with parts missing from the edges, they were certainly eaten by certain insects. (An example on a pic) Maybe other larger species that ate not only the mold but also pieces of the tape, but 99% of them only eat the mold and leave this chemical spread across the magnetic tape. I even took a part of a tape like that to a chemistry lab, where they told me that this slime which penetrated the tape it's chemicals from insects, which certainly release when they are feeding on the mold. When I do the restoration, where these stains were, the carbon is corroded by a few %.


Here's an example: all this dirt is the decomposition of dead insects, which spent years and years there making cocoons and feeding on the mold.


[Attachment 87478 - Click to enlarge]




[Attachment 87477 - Click to enlarge]

[timtape]

What a mess. Obviously the eaten edges can't be restored. It's now an expert cleaning task before attempting play back of what remains. Cleaning the debris from inside the shell is probably a lot easier than cleaning the fragile tape. The eroded edges may also damage VCR rotating heads as they catch on the edges at high speed. It might be worth emailing Peter Brothers at Specs Bros.

[Litaiff]

What a mess. Obviously the eaten edges can't be restored. It's now an expert cleaning task before attempting play back of what remains. Cleaning the debris from inside the shell is probably a lot easier than cleaning the fragile tape. The eroded edges may also damage VCR rotating heads as they catch on the edges at high speed. It might be worth emailing Peter Brothers at Specs Bros.

I sent a message on that website you sent. No response yet. I sent these photos

[timtape]

Great, all the best with it.

[Litaiff]

Good afternoon. I'm still trying to solve the problem of the audio crackling on the JVC, so I did some tests here. It happens with some tapes and it seems to be an internal problem, when the device has been on for more than 1 hour and a half and warm. Out of 10 tapes, mainly VHSC that I put in it, at least 3 give this crackling sound in the audio. If anyone has any other tips for solving this problem, I'd appreciate it.

This same device has a digital audio output option, I even have the cable, but the capture cards I use do not have these inputs.

Would it work with this converter and maybe solve the problem?

[Attachment 87558 - Click to enlarge]

[timtape]

I would try another VCR in good working condition and compare.

[The_Doman]

If the VHS tapes are recorded with HiFi audio you could switch to regular linear audio?
Even sometimes using only L or R can help

[timtape]

If the VHS tapes are recorded with HiFi audio you could switch to regular linear audio?
Even sometimes using only L or R can help

The main speech audio we hear in the uploaded example is already linear. Dont you hear the many signal dropouts, both in the voices and in the background noise? This can have varying contributory causes but it is classic linear magnetic audio tape fault. HiFi audio faults dont sound like that.

Possibly this is a HiFi audio copy of that linear audio where the linear audio dropouts are now mixed with HiFi audio clicks. The OP should be able to confirm this by switching the VCR's audio monitor from linear to HiFi stereo, and HiFi left or HiFi right as you mentioned. If there is no HiFi in any switched position, it's linear.

i'm wondering if the clicks might be a machine fault or possibly humidity/static electricity related.