8mm camcorder tape going to blue screen every few seconds during playback

[w@ntonsoup]

So I've got my 8mm camcorder capture rig going and have only one tape that's caused me any trouble. It was fillmed on a Sony 8mm camcorder about 6 years ago, and during playback it goes to blue screen every few seconds for about 3 seconds. It's like 5 seconds of playback, 3 seconds of bluescreen, repeat. Most of the time you can still hear audio playback during bluescreen.

Funny thing is that most of this tape is fine, it's just one 10 minute clip at the end that's doing this.

I've cleaned the heads to no avail. Any ideas?

[schematic2]

Best try a different 8mm deck. Its likely a tracking issue that your existing player can't resolve....

[handyguy]

Or adjust the tracking on it.

[Richard_G]

It isn't the camcorder or tape that is going to blue screen, but the monitor or capture device that is receiving the feed. Most units will go to blue screen if they lose sync pulses, you ideally need something that doesn't and displays what it is actually receiving. At least then you would know what the problem is.

[RowMan]

It actually could be the camcorder producing the blue screen when the tracking issue becomes too severe. Check your camcorder settings and you may be able to turn this feature off. I have several VCRs that do the same thing.

[thecoalman]

First is to determine where the source of the blue screen is, does it do this if you hook it directly to a TV?

[handyguy]

Does it play in your viewfinder okay?

[lordsmurf]

Signal is unstable. Could be anything from bad tape to bad wires. But the transmission is somehow incomplete.

[SingSing]

First is to determine where the source of the blue screen is, does it do this if you hook it directly to a TV?

Same Question = Is the blue screen on your capture computer monitor or on the TV screen ?

[w@ntonsoup]

It's the camcorder itself giving the blue screen right on it's LCD display. I'm guessing it's tracking... I'll try to dig around with family - someone probably has an 8mm camcorder collecting dust somewhere!!