Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Heads

"I've cleaned many heads, from 3/4" U-Matics to Digibeta, never have we used chamois, only disposable lint free tech cloth. When asked why, my boss stated chamois can snag and damage the heads. He does use the chamois swabs to clean capstains and rollers."

Your boss is correct, one should never use chamois cloth for cleaning heads and drums only stationary head like control track and audio.
 
"I am not confident in cleaning my camera heads. Which cleaning tape is recommended purchase for my dvx? And is the recommended time to play the cleaning time 5 seconds or 10?
The other alternative is to get it professionally cleaned, where can I have that done? And how does that work? Anyone had experience getting their dvx professionally cleaned?"

Roger Macie sells the ultimate cleaning kit or components that you might need:

http://www.macievideo.com/products.htm

If you need pro servicing Roger is probably the best place in the country to send it. In the mean time I will talk to him about letting me make a head cleaning DVD for the DVX with him as the instructor. It can't get better than that:

http://www.macievideo.com/service.htm
 
The best cleaning tape is the original Panasonic cleaning tape. Run it for just 5 seconds instead of 10 and ONLY use it when you are noticing head clogging. Video breakup, audio breakup, TC breakup are all good signs of head clogs before your camera actually indicates it with an error message. We have many customers that have longer lasting gear because they send it in periodically for general cleaning. And of course, never mix brands. If you have a piece of DV equipment that used Sony tape and now is using Panasonic tape, have it cleaned. Also never use rubber cleaner. It leaves a strange residue on the pinch roller that sticks to the tape. That causes head clogs.

Andrew Hoffman
Specialized Communications Corp.
20940 Twin Springs Dr.
Smithsburg, MD 21783-1510
800-359-1858
Fax: 301-790-0173
andrewh@spec-comm.com
www.spec-comm.com
 
ericcosh said:
Denatured alcohol can only be purchased at your local pharmacists as far as I know. It's very cheap and a bottle should last you a lifetime, unless you decide to consume the rest of it at cocktails.
Click to expand...

I picked up a gallon can of denatured alcohol at Home Depot for work. I believe it was in the paint department.

Dave
 
Man oh man. I am such a freaking coward. I was going to purchase ALL of the necessary items to clean the heads on my cameara. Oddly enough, as bad luck would have it, I received the RED X OF DEATH on both cameras within a week. Well, there is SO much conflicting info on this thread...use chamois, DONT use chamois, never use rubber cleaner, USE rubber cleaner....ugh! Rush, I think I am just going to call you and order 4 cleaning tapes. Two to get her done now, and two for future emergencies.
 
rlm7189: cleaning tapes can be used more than once. just never rewind them. one cleaning tape is enough for many cleanings.

Andrea
 
That's true rlm, you just one for maybe a whole year. I can also tell you it is always safer to clean the heads manually than with the tape, that is really just a last resort. Imagine it's like sandpaper on teeth rather than a toothbrush :huh: These guys also do a good job keeping all our rental cameras serviced regularly:

Digitron Electronics
7801 E. Telegraph Rd.
Montebello, Ca. 90640
323-887-0777
(Attn. Simon)
 
cleaning tape

cleaning tape

a question of curiosity.
what would happen if u ran the cleaning tape for longer than 10 seconds, let say 30s?
 
I just read the new specs for dvx100b: • "Unique pre-cleaning heads and auto head cleaning to maximize reliability"
What does anyone know about this and how might this change how and how often we might clean the heads on this model?
I don't own the camera yet, thinking about buying my first panasonic.
 
oatman said:
a question of curiosity.
what would happen if u ran the cleaning tape for longer than 10 seconds, let say 30s?
Click to expand...

Hi OM, the cleaning cassette is coated with an abrasive. It will eventually file down the heads if overused. It is only an emergency procedure, and should only be run for 10 sec. to prevent damage. Think of it like brushing your teeth with sandpaper. :shocked: It works, but at a cost.
 
here is the story

here is the story

i was shooting one day and i got the 'red x', i knew i had to clean the heads and it was the first time it appeard (140hr+) since i purchased the camera. i ran the tape for 10s, then began recording again. it was fine for about 30s then the 'x' appeared again. put the tape cleaner back in and ran it for a little longer this time. anyways i ran it 4 times and it went away after that. i then decided to check if i everything had recoreded properly and it get this mixed playback (example linked below, top image). i then placed the tape in my little elura 60, which i use as my playback/capture deck and it plays perfectly. also after about 10-30s the dvx will play back fine as if the head syncs up, and sometimes it keeps playing like that. in my experience with video it appears the playback head is out of alignment. and should i send this in for service?

also if anyone knows of a service depot near Windsor, ON, Canada (including Michigan) closer then Toronto, please let me know.

http://www.instantclassic.org/dv/photos/playback-blink.jpg

thank you
 
Sounds like you shouldn't take anymore chances cleaning the DVX with the tape headcleaner as it will ruine your head. Take it into the shop and have them take a look at it. You could try cleaning it the way that this thread describes how to clean the heads with swabs, etc. But why chance it at this point. Take it in. $200 of service is better than buying a new camera.
 
5 step easy access to DVD cylinder

5 step easy access to DVD cylinder

Thank you Barry for the great info.

Here are some guides to assist others with access. These guides must be used with the instructions provided by Barry. They are to too vague to use alone.

accessDVX.jpg

illustDVXinside.jpg



Chris
 
so i've shot about 5 hours on my dvx and was paranoid in switching over to the MQ's from the wet lube tapes that i had used for the first two hours or so. i was told that i shouldn't run into any problems though b/c i've barely used it. when i switched, i got an occasional red "x" but would just take the tape out and put it back in and it would work again for another half hour or so (enough for me not to worry about it b/c i had to keep shooting). tonight i shot with it for the first time since then and got a constant red "x." i need it to be fixed quickly by tomorrow afternoon...should i try to clean it myself (which i'm not comfortable at all doing) or does this sound like there could be something else wrong with it? thanks.
 
The problem is that you essentially coated the whole tape path in wet lube and the dry lube tapes seem to precipitate out particles that accumulate on the heads. Take it to a authorized service center and make sure they clean the *entire* tape path.

downnfront said:
so i've shot about 5 hours on my dvx and was paranoid in switching over to the MQ's from the wet lube tapes that i had used for the first two hours or so. i was told that i shouldn't run into any problems though b/c i've barely used it. when i switched, i got an occasional red "x" but would just take the tape out and put it back in and it would work again for another half hour or so (enough for me not to worry about it b/c i had to keep shooting). tonight i shot with it for the first time since then and got a constant red "x." i need it to be fixed quickly by tomorrow afternoon...should i try to clean it myself (which i'm not comfortable at all doing) or does this sound like there could be something else wrong with it? thanks.
Click to expand...
 
is there any way that i can clean it enough so i can get by on my shoot tomorrow? i won't be able to get it serviced tomorrow i know, so i'm looking for some way that i can "hold it over" til the shoot is over. thanks.
 
You mentioned ypu weren't comfortable cleaning the heads, so you could try using the cleaning tape. I don't particularly like them, because they're (very mildly) abrasive, but in a tight spot they can be useful.
 
ok so i ran around all day trying to find the proper cleaning materials with no luck...i had to buy a cleaning tape at best buy. i just ran it and put a tape in to see if things were working. pressed record for a few minutes, no red x, awesome. then i go to play it back in vcr mode and there are black bars across the tape. i put in a different tape (same MQ type), record for a minute, play it back, and its the same image from the other tape with the bars? is this now only a playback issue, and if so can i still record normally? kinda urgent b/c i'm supposed to shoot in about an hour and a half. any help is sweet.
 
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