MiniDV Video & Audio Problem - Corrupted, Detiriorated, Missing Audio

[4truce]

I just wanted some input from all users. I bought my ZR10 MiniDV camcorder in 2000. Recently, I bought a JVC GR-D775U camcorder to burn DVDs of 35 or so miniDV tapes I have, spanning in dates from 2000-2007. This is because ZR10's tape mechanism kicked the bucket in 2007. 90% percent of the tapes from 2000-2005 have either corrupt or missing sound just like in the following video. Turn down your volume! What you see and hear is exactly how this video imported into my computer using FireWire and Pinnacle 12 software.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MawU8FM4Rf0

So, the video was shot in the Summer of 2003. Could it really have deteriorated this much, or is audio still recoverable if played back on a high-end player?

Please help!

[guns1inger]

Were these tapes recorded in LP mode ?
What do you get if you import with WinDV instead of pinnacle ?

[4truce]

Yes, most of them were recorded in LP. I haven't tried WinDV. It will take me a few minutes to try. Thanks for the tip!

[4truce]

WinDV didn't help one bit. The videos play back the same way in the camcorder to begin with, so I don't think another application will help.

I guess there is no way to fix tapes that were recorded in LP, huh?

[guns1inger]

LP mode allows for more footage on the tape by foregoing some of the error checking normally done. There are very frequently issues with play back of LP tapes on any camera except the camera used for recording. Even using the same model of camera as the original may not be enough to get clean playback. While it may be the tapes, I suspect, given the history of LP issues, that it is a playback issue with the camera and the tapes. One that may well be very difficult to resolve.

[4truce]

What about trying to find a high-end player? Could a professional grade head read all of available sound?

[guns1inger]

Don't know, but it is something you would want to test carefully with multiple tapes before committing to a purchase.

[4truce]

Thank you!

[alexman]

I have the exact same issue, only with a Canon Elura camera. Did you manage to find a player that could read the sound?

[2Bdecided]

For an LP tape which won't play back on a different machine from the one on which it was recorded, a simple trick is to try to play it on yet another different machine.

I now have four different cheap mini DV camcorders for exactly this purpose. Some tapes work better on one, some on another. It's down to the head alignment, but unless you're going to adjust this yourself, having a few random alternatives is very useful.

btw, all four camcorders are nominally "correctly aligned" - certainly in SP mode, tapes recorded any one of them are interchangeable with any other. But for LP tapes, or even other SP tapes which are slightly "off", one machine is often far better than another. So obviously the alignment isn't identical between the four.

I picked fairly old + cheap machines to try to get some variation. Cost me very little from eBay. Brand new machines would hopefully be perfectly aligned, and not help at all!

Cheers,
David.

[alexman]

That makes sense, thanks!

Do you find that head alignment varies between machines of the same model? In other words, do you think I would have a better chance of success if I looked on eBay for the same model as what was used to record on the tapes in the first place? This is in SP mode, by the way.

[aedipuss]

since it's sp almost all cams should read your tapes ok. you might try a head cleaning tape first and also make sure the camera's audio type is set correctly for the tapes either 12 or 16 bit whichever was used.

[alexman]

I was under the impression that cameras automatically detect a tape's audio type. Are there cameras that allow you to specify the audio type for playback? My current camera (Canon ZR930) does not appear to have this ability, so perhaps it's detecting the wrong audio type? It does play back its own tapes fine.

[aedipuss]

it's most likely just playing whatever it finds, but check the captured DVavi with mediainfo to make sure it's outputting the correct 12/16bit type.

[2Bdecided]

If it's SP with perfect picture but no audio then you probably have another problem, not head alignment. It's still possible, but far less likely.

Some machines can only cope with one type of audio.

Is the audio lost when playing back on the machine straight to a TV, or only when capturing? If it's only lost when capturing, there are some obscure bugs in various capture tools that can cause this with some cameras, but it can be worked around.

Cheers,
David.