Video Head Damage From Cleaning Tape? Fact or Myth?

[Habby]

I've heard it over and over. Are there any camcorder repairmen out there that can answer this question and settle this. I would like to clean my heads more often but I am afraid to.

[zoobie]

I took my SVHS deck in once to be serviced. The guy said that those head cleaners were the #1 reason for repairs in his shop. He then showed me how to clean the head myself. He took a business card, put some cleaner on it, and gently rubbed the head back and forth all around. He showed me the dirt. Camcorders, being much smaller, have their own issues and probably should be professionally cleaned.

[FulciLives]

I use to have a ton of Toshiba VHS VCR units (now I'm down to only one that works correctly) and they never ever liked the "wet" type of VHS cassette cleaner. It would start to play (or record I forget which button you were supposed to press now) and it would make a "grinding" noise then shut-down.

After that I never used anything but "dry" type of VHS cassette cleaner. My favorite was the one made by TDK.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[handyguy]

Heads shouldn't be cleaned until it's needed.

If you buy a longer guarantee at circuit city, it comes wit h a free cleaning each year.