Hi8 Playback issue on Sony Handycam

[kernelfree]

I'm getting this playback issue on my Sony TRV-65. Happens on all tapes that were known to work fine. I already tried cleaning the heads and I can't try another camera at the moment.

[ozymango]

Well, the times I've seen this effect, is when I tried to play back a Hi8 tape on a regular 8 camcorder -- but you're using the exact same camcorder, and it was working fine before, and now you're suddenly getting those lines? Hmmm. Do you have a blank tape you can try recording on with the camcorder, and see if this effect happens on new recordings? I'm grasping at straws here but maybe the Hi8 circuitry is flaky, and so your camcorder is trying to play back in standard 8 mode, and thus the issue. Or could be a million other things. Anyway I'd try a new (old) blank tape, or whatever tape you can afford to tape over, to see if you get the same playback results. If so, then I'd start shopping around for another camcorder. Sorry!