The DV tape of death? What do I do?

[Mavoz]

Had an older family friend ask me for help with a DV tape of a wedding he took.

He couldn't get it to play right in his camera...I tried it a few times and could see that it wasn't registering the time code properly...

upon ejecting and reinserting it would then occasionally pick it up...then drop out again

I figured he maybe had a camera issue..but also maybe just a dodgy tape..

anyway I decided to try it out in my older Panasonic MX 300 (Thankfully not in my new HVX!)

After working the very first time I put it in...the tape has now succesfully killed my MX300!!

Not only will it not register the time code on his dodgy wedding tape...it will now no longer register the time code on ANY tape I put in there...

I've tried a couple tapes that I know have recorded material on them..and the camera can no longer play them or read any time code...

This tape is indeed a DV tape of death. Any clues what I can do to fix my camera?

[dory_breaux]

Run a tape head cleaner thru it, see if that helps.

[Mavoz]

Thanks for that...it is one of the more bizarre things I have ever seen...

like something out of "Be kind, please rewind"...this 'virus' tape just destroys video cameras by rendering them incapable of playing back or displaying time code.

I've just put in a brand new tape...and it does occasionaly record then play back...and then the time code drops out again...as if it was blank...

Dodgy tape must have somehow left residue or something on the heads....

Can anyone make any recommendations re: Head cleaner??

[Mavoz]

Thanks to your post actually remembered that I had an old head cleaner I got with the camera..and had never used it.

Decided to give it a try and the camera works again! Thanks so much!

Shall certainly make sure I NEVER again put someone else's dodgy tapes into my camera!!

[Carl Marxx]

:kali::kali:
Had an older family friend ask me for help with a DV tape of a wedding he took.

He couldn't get it to play right in his camera...I tried it a few times and could see that it wasn't registering the time code properly...

upon ejecting and reinserting it would then occasionally pick it up...then drop out again

I figured he maybe had a camera issue..but also maybe just a dodgy tape..

anyway I decided to try it out in my older Panasonic MX 300 (Thankfully not in my new HVX!)

After working the very first time I put it in...the tape has now succesfully killed my MX300!!

Not only will it not register the time code on his dodgy wedding tape...it will now no longer register the time code on ANY tape I put in there...

I've tried a couple tapes that I know have recorded material on them..and the camera can no longer play them or read any time code...

This tape is indeed a DV tape of death. Any clues what I can do to fix my camera?

You need a cleaning tape! Most likely the Tape was dirty cousing both heads on your comcorder to lierally short out. Play for only 10 seconds and see if you can get an image. It scarry, I had that happen on my deck; sometimes you will see 4 large stripes of video only, this means that one of the two 10,000 rpm heads can read, when both can read, you will have a full screan. Loss of time code is a tip-off it debree in the head gap! Some Mini DV tapes are noted to do this because of a bad binder in the manufacture process. Sony's Premium Tape from France will clog your head after 5 passes -- I've had it happen to me. If it works, quickly dub to another tape and donate the DV to the al-queda peace releaf fund. Try a Panasonic Mini DV, I have never had problems with them. Puting someone elses tape in you machine is a risky business. Also never leave the tape in the camcoder for any length of time. I had one client that left it in his machine for three days in the dessert, the tape was dirtier than "Deep Throught:kali: Carl Marxx."