Hi8 camera doesn't play Hi8 well, only plays Video8 well.

[digicube]

Model is CCD87. A lot of snow and streaking occurs when playing Hi8 tapes. Kinda like when you play SVHS on VHS machine. I've cleaned the head manually using paper and isopropyl alcohol but still no fix. After watching a few 12voltvids videos on youtube, I'm guessing it's a bad capacitor problem.

[dellsam34]

Maybe the CCD87 is not a Hi8 camcorder, If it is you need a magnifying glass to inspect the heads for cracks or chipping. The model of the camera doesn't exist anyway, and I'm not going to do the guess work.

[smrpix]

It took 3 seconds to determine you do have a Hi8 camera. Nonetheless, the artifacts you're seeing are consistent with Hi8 playing on a regular 8 player.

How to proceed is determined by whether you are looking for an electronics project, or whether you are trying to play a tape. If it's the latter, getting a different Hi8 or Digital 8 camera is probably your least expensive, least time-consuming option.

[digicube]

Yes it's Hi8 XR camcorder. SONY CCD-TRV87. I don't think it's the heads because it plays Video8 well, so it must be components on the PCB that's gone bad. I'm trying to save it going to the landfill. I have the tools to fix it but not the knowledge.

[dellsam34]

Thanks for correcting the model #. Try spraying the format switch with detoxit, The switch should be on the right rear bottom corner of the tape compartment, it looks like a needle and it's fragile.

[digicube]

The switches seems to be working because when I cover the hole on a Hi8 tape and play it, there is no picture, so the video is being processed by Video8 circuitry instead of Hi8.

[digicube]

I was told I have some bad caps in the AGC circuit (Automatic Gain Control) or the DOC circuit (Drop Out Compensation) or both.