Drop-outs - DVX100B!

salils

salils

Well-known member
Today I recorded about 45 mins of video on my DVX100B, and when I played it back I found I had about 4-5 audio drop outs and 1 video drop out! I've only had my camera since 5/2/06, is this normal? Is there anyway to prevent this from happening again? I noticed it happened the most when I was moving the camera. When there was little/no movement I didn't get any drop outs. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
EDIT: I reviewed a tape that I had shot with the day before, and I had 0 drop outs (both audio and video). This leads me to believe that it may have been to the run-and-gun type of shooting I was doing today, in which there was a lot of movement. However the tape from yesterday was only about 15 minutes that I recorded, not sure if that could have anything to do with not getting an dropouts on this tape.
 
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Was the tape that had drop outs on it a different brand than the previous one?

Andrew Hoffman
Specialized Communications
1-800-359-1858
301-790-0103
 
Spec-Comm said:
Was the tape that had drop outs on it a different brand than the previous one?

Andrew Hoffman
Specialized Communications
1-800-359-1858
301-790-0103
Click to expand...
Nope, they were both Panasonic AY-DVM63PQ.
However, I did switch tape brands 3 tapes ago (ran a head cleaning prior). People were telling me that the Sony tapes would cause drop outs, so I should switch ASAP, and that it would be ok if I ran a tape cleaner through. I had only shot about a dozen sony tapes.
 
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Make sure the head is clean. Don't use a cleaning tape too much, as it is abrasive. Use a swab and alchohol. I think there's a sticky in here somewhere with instructions.

Are you handholding the camera? Sometimes pressure on the handstrap may pull open the tape door a little and cause drop outs.
 
Sumfun said:
Make sure the head is clean. Don't use a cleaning tape too much, as it is abrasive. Use a swab and alchohol. I think there's a sticky in here somewhere with instructions.

Are you handholding the camera? Sometimes pressure on the handstrap may pull open the tape door a little and cause drop outs.
Click to expand...

Ah, that might be the cause, I was shooting entirely handheld, sometimes even 1 hand. I only used the tape cleaner once, as directed by panasonic for 10 seconds. I found the sticky on cleaning the heads, but are they the same for the B, seeing as they changed the tape mechanism in the B?
 
I don't have a B model, so I don't know. But I'm sure the procedure for cleaning the recording head and rollers are probably the same.
 
Sumfun said:
I don't have a B model, so I don't know. But I'm sure the procedure for cleaning the recording head and rollers are probably the same.
Click to expand...

Does anyone else have any thoughts on the possible cause for drop-outs or any suggestions as to what I should do?
 
run the cleaner through again... do not rewind the tape cleaner ever. Just run it for another 5 seconds see if it clears. If not... the heads might need a full clean. The sony tapes are wetlube and now you have changed to dry.
 
Might have just been the luck of the draw on tapes - you had a bad tape. I popped in a brand new MQ tape in (a step up from the PQ's) and got clog after clog. Changed tapes and the problem stopped.
 
I don't think the theory of shooting hand held is right. I shoot hand held for tons of my work and have never had drop outs because of that. The door mechanism on the unit is not even truley connected to where the tape is stored, so it does not make sense.

The biggest component for drop-outs is from the kind of tape you use. Use the Panny MQ tapes, they have worked great for me. Clean your heads before doing that and then only stick with the same type of tape all the way through the life of your camera. Cheaper tapes will get drop outs (I first started using crappy ass TDK tape initially and found this to drop out during my first recording session, after switching to MQ's, it's never dropped out again).
 
tbanucci said:
I don't think the theory of shooting hand held is right. I shoot hand held for tons of my work and have never had drop outs because of that. The door mechanism on the unit is not even truley connected to where the tape is stored, so it does not make sense.

The biggest component for drop-outs is from the kind of tape you use. Use the Panny MQ tapes, they have worked great for me. Clean your heads before doing that and then only stick with the same type of tape all the way through the life of your camera. Cheaper tapes will get drop outs (I first started using crappy ass TDK tape initially and found this to drop out during my first recording session, after switching to MQ's, it's never dropped out again).
Click to expand...

Yeah, I started with Sony tapes at the beginning, but I figured that it was at the beginning of the life of the camera so I should probably switch to prevent problems. Btw, I never had a drop out with the Sonys, but got scared off after all of the stuff I heard and people told me. I haven't shot any video since I had this problem...I guess only time will tell whether it was bad luck or this is something more serious.
 
I have a 100b, it's the tape. Never use Sony and then change brands the lubricant is different form the Panasonic ones ( one is dry type one is wet type).

You should be fine if you clean the heads. If your picky use your warranty.
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=6888

I have never had a drop frame (handheld to the extreme with a stickypod) and i only
use MQ tapes.
 
ncje said:
run the cleaner through again... do not rewind the tape cleaner ever. Just run it for another 5 seconds see if it clears. If not... the heads might need a full clean. The sony tapes are wetlube and now you have changed to dry.
Click to expand...


thats true, you should stick to only one brand of tapes.
either wet or dry.

www.vocaremedia.com
call to inspire
 
tbanucci said:
Haha. Well, mine is only crappy like once a day....
Click to expand...

so far, i only got it once.
i thought was hp radiation of something , it drop frame for more than 5 sec
pause and no sount
 
Chronic dropouts on my 100B

Chronic dropouts on my 100B

I'm at about 275 hours on my 100B. I think I've done everything right. I've used the same brand of tape every time, the Panasonic MQ's; I've only used the head cleaning tape once; I'm not shooting in the desert; and the heads have been cleaned professionally at the authorized Panasonic repair place, Nivie, in Brooklyn.

But I'm still getting fairly chronic dropouts. They're really bumming me out. It's depressing to watch an interview as it's interrupted by a glitch. I see no reason why I should be getting them. If James Longley can shoot in Iraq for months and months with no problems, the streets of Philadelphia and New York should be okay, right?

I have an extended Mack warranty. I might try to have the entire head assembly replaced. Does anyone have any experience dealing with them? Any hints?

Thanks,
Garret
 
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