Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Heads

I've just recently been made aware of the difference of the quality of tapes within the Panasonic Brand of tapes. I've been using the DVM60's (AY-DVM60EJ) because they are what I had on hand. I've just ordered some of the MQ's and I'm going to start following the advice to stick to one type of tapes all the time (I used tons of different types of tapes with my Canon GL-1 and only had to clean my heads once a year) but I'm going to stay on the safe side w. my DVX.

My question is: If my camera (bought last month) only has 8 hours, should I clean the heads (using my Panasonic Cleaning tape the AV-DVMCLA) before beginning to use the MQ's or should I just switch to the MQ and do what I have always done: wait until the camera tells me to clean the heads.

I'm leaning more towards the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" policy and thinking about just switching to the MQ's and going about my business.

Any opinions about this?
 
Hi,

I have a question. Does the DVX100A's miniDV tape mechanism have a built-in feature to self-clean the miniDV tape as it is running, just like the DVX100B has? I am hoping the DVX100A has this feature. Thanks.
 
Hi Barry - you recommended not using head-cleaning tapes, but (and this is before I use it if at all) I have bought a DVC head cleaner with the 'dry' cleaning tape required for Panasonics - is this not the way to go?
thanks
 
Hello,
I get a small flashing red circle w/ an X upper left viewfinder
nothing in manual i can find to explain it
clogged head ? playback has scrambled digi-image
seems intermitent

what is it THANKS chris a.
 
I've used my DVX100B for 52 hours and because of some unplayable tape errors I decided to clean the head.
When I open the tape door this is what I get:

DVX100B-tape-mechanism.jpg


Are these 9 all that should be cleaned? or I've missed something?
That white roller, is it the one that is used for automatic head cleaning and should I clean that too, and if so, should I use isopropanol or rubber cleaning fluid?
thanks.
 
I would buy myself a bag offered by B&H- 84.00. Keeps your camera safe from rain and dust. A little uncomfortable to work with but Im sure after hours of practice it would be worth it. Course you dont want to cook your camera. Just a thought. Good luck. Sounds fun.

josh
 
Just as an FYI, I found the chamois cleaners, alcohol and rubber conditioner at Microcenter back in the build-your-own-computer area.
 
You can also find the chamois and alcohol (MG Chemicals brand) at Fry's. No rubber conditioner, though. Well, not that I could find.

Good news: the head cleaning was simple and it worked.
Bad news: Red X of death appeared after five minutes of taping during Christmas on my wife's folk's farm in rural Iowa. So much for my first annual Christmas video. Unless I get very creative in the edit. Hmmm.

Anyway, thanks to Barry and everyone else who's contributed to this thread.
 
Can I use these instructions for 100 B

Can I use these instructions for 100 B

Is it ok if I use these instructions for my 100 B camra also. I have been logging in alot of hours and while I have not had any error logs, I would rather be safe then sorry. Thanks.
 
Just my 2 cents. I've been shooting for 20 some years and was told by some very good engineers that one of the best cleaning "swabs" for any kind of head is plain old typing paper saturated with denatured alcohol. Most of it does have some rag content, but it is burnished into the paper and presents no problem. You can actually feel the heads when using your finger to press gently down as you turn the head. The real problem with cleaning heads is the danger of catching the edge of the very thin deposited layer that actually transfers the signal to tape. This layer has a very strong bond in the direction of head spin, but is relatively weak at 90 degrees to the head spin direction. The big risk is catching the lip sideways and doing damage to the medium that is deposited on the heads. The trick is to place the paper swab over the head and press gently down only. Never rub the swab at all in any direction. Once you have put pressure on the swab and only then, can you turn the head drum so the heads pass under the swab. One of the major advantages of using low rag content typing paper is it's almost always available no matter where you find yourself. Just find a copy machine or a printer, and Bob's your uncle. I've been cleaning 3/4", betacam, vhs, and dvcam deck and camera heads with typing paper and alcohol for many, many years and never had any damage from said cleaning. YMMV.
Click to expand...
Does anyone have an opinion on this? Chamois swabs are sort of hard to find in my area and if typing paper and denatured alcohol is a safe solution than I'll use that. I have a shoot coming up in a few days and need the heads cleaned pronto. The only cleaning tapes I can find are JVC's and Maxwells. Probably best not to use those, or are they safe in a Panasonic camera?
 
Same old tune...

Bought a DVX100B for our short film project http://www.whiteparkourvideo.com and all was good for the first 10 days of shooting in the cold.

Captures were working properly, and though our 24P footage was carrying interlacing artifacts into Premier (sep thread topic), all seemed right in the world.

Then I made the drastic error of putting an old random tape in the deck and trying to capture some old surfing footage...usual tapes were the recommended, the random tape was who knows. After 20min of fast forward, giant blue lines appear across the screen no matter what tape we put in.

I assume this is a job for a head cleaning tape since none of us have the chops to try and clean it ourselves....?
 
You can try a cleaning tape and see if it clears up the head clog. I'm not fond of cleaning tapes because they're (mildly) abrasive, but they're not bad if you don't use them too often. You probably mixed wet and dry lube tapes which creates a residue that clogs the heads, so my fisrt choice would be to have a professional head cleaning done, because if your camera goes down on a shoot, the $100 will seem like a bargain.
 
I found 99% alcohol at my local pharmacy but can't find any chamois swabs. I did, however, find an eye glass cleaning cloth. It's very soft and does not shed any fibers. The packaging says that it is a "micro-fibre" cleaning cloth and can be used on "camera and computer equipment". Do you think this will be ok for cleaning the heads or do I absolutley need synthetic chamois? I was thinking I could wrap the cloth around something flat and just set it againt the recording head while I turn it with somehing else.
 
Has this procedure changed for the 100B. The door on the 100B looks significantly different than the photos posted earlier in this thread. I can't figure out how to get the door off and am convinced I can't do the job with the door on.

Thanks in advance,
Moe
 
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Figured it out. On the "B" the tape transport door comes unhinged with the single screw on the outside of the door. Safe, easy and well worth doing for head cleaning. The guides and angle pins have been completely redesigned on the DVXB compared to the photos of the 100/100A posted earlier in this thread. I guess this was part of the redesign to beef-up the entire door and transport mechanism for the B.

The trick to getting tiny screws back in is to use masking or scotch tape to hold them in place. Then pierce the tape to get to at the screw head. Once the threads are started just pull away the tape and torque the screw gently down.

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1)Recording Cylinder, 2)Recording Head (bright silver surface banding around the recording cylinder), 3)Angle Pins, 4)Tape Guides, 5)Capstan, 6) Rubber Pinch Roller.

I think these are labeled correctly but I'm not 100% certain. If anyone wants to correct me, please feel free.
 
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Zipper I've been alone in this forum for weeks. You might have to PM Barry if you want to get his attention.

Figure that everything with an arrow gets head cleaning fluid (or 99.5% isopropyl) except the rubber roller which gets the rubber conditioner. That's a fact. Those arrows point to everything that gets cleaned, I'm just not 100% sure that what I labeled as the capstan is really the capstan or a tape guide. Doesn't matter though; they both get cleaned.

Big difference from the 100/100A but compare the two photos closely and you can figure it out. Ya really kinda gotta unhinge the door to get in there, though. It's easy; the only concern would be stripping the screw head. Gotta be careful there. Taking that Screw out will take the black paint off the screw down to steel but you can black it again with a Sharpie if ya want. Getting that little screw in again and lined up with the arm took me about 5 minutes until I figured out the scotch tape trick; then I got it first time.

When you get to cleaning the head itself, as mentioned earlier in the thread, just make sure you don't operate the swab in a vertical motion; that is, don't use the swab in a "sawing" motion. That's the only really critical thing. That and don't get the rubber conditioner on anthing except the roller.

PM me if you have any questions.


Luck,
Moe
 
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