Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Heads

Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Warmstep--no maximum on the number or head rotations, but it shouldn't take many to get the head clean.

Guys, I'm not planning on step-by-step photos--it would be hard to get decent shots without disassembling the camera. The photo I posted should be enough to identify the parts. The only delicate parts are the recording heads. Just make sure you use a synthetic chamois swab and always clean in a gentle horizontal motion.
 
Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Excellent instruction. I have been wet cleaning video heads since the 2" quad days. So, how do you get you fingers down into the DVX head area? I don't see a way to get them clean?
 
Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Well if you use swabs you are able to get to some points but not all. I pushed down on the tape mechanism to give me more room and it worked fine. I recorded some info on mqs after the use of sony tapes and it seems to function alright.
Will update later on.
 
Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

When I pan sidway or up and down the picture begings to brake up. Is that a head cleaning issue?
 
Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

When panniny picture brakes up. Is the durty heads?
 
Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

I think that is the 24fps thing.
 
Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

What are the signs of a dirty head!!!! :-[
 
Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Mosaic-like noise on play back, blue screen or maybe even an error screen. Never had the last two but mosaic noise happened to me once i had a sony.
 
Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Barry, How come your tape guides are blue and white in the picture? Did you color them in photoshop so we could see them better? I was just looking at mine, and they're all silver...
 
Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Nope, some of the tape guides in my DVX100 are blue and white. They probably changed some of the parts in ths DVX100a, but they still serve the same purpose and you should clean them the same way.
 
Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Thank you Barry for this info!

I read about 'technical grade' alcohol for cleaning the heads in VCRs years ago. I also gave up _looking_ for technical grade alcohol years ago!

The link you provided displays the 99% (anhydrous) alcohol as a pump spray or for use straight from the bottle. The 'years ago' info I read indicated that exposing pure or nearly pure alcohol to the air would draw enough moisture in a short time to basically ruin it for cleaning purposes. Although the anhydrous description may indicate an added stabilizer, I'm always sceptical. Basically there's no easy way to measure the water content over time to be sure.

Just a little caveat to consider.

Once again, thanks for the very useful info!

LHB

Oh yea, alcohol also burns with an invisible flame. So y'all be careful with it around any ignition sources! :P
 
Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Pretty informative, Barry, thanks, but ave you worked on commercial VTRs? As an ex b'cast rental rat, we cleaned heads on every SONY BVW (yeah, i go back ways) each time a rental came back in, so if you're concerned with not getting any surprises on a shoot , I'd reckon more frequent cleanings is prob better than fewer.  Having said that, tho, and how that applies to a prosumer camcorder versus a b'cast deck is another matter.  First off, it's a mighty tight space in there to clean head without taking the cover off, Barry.  Is it removalable?  By not mentioning removing the cover, such a tight squeeze is a bit risky for the average Joe Dvxuser, even this one with some experience cleaning bigger, beefier industrial machines.  Conversely, as Barry so simply put it, it's not rocket science as long as you're careful with that delicate teeny heart of your machine. A Panasonic tech bulletin or someone with access to a shop manual would be a very welcome addition to this dialogue.

BTW, is there a Panasonic tech rep on this site?  If not, there should be as it's such an active (and maniacal) bunch of devotees not unlike us old timer Apple Mac users!
 
Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Chris, I've never seen that brush cassette before, but I don't think it's going to be as effective as using a solvent on the heads. I'd also be a little concerned about bits of fiber coming loose and mucking up the heads.

jamkam--I've almost never had to service any broadcast VTRs myself--there were always service techs that took care of things. Occasionally, at 3:00 am in an editing suite and in the field, it's been necessary. I have cleaned audio recording heads for years, though. The tape cage and door of the DVX aren't easily removable, so I recommend using long-handled swabs because you can get pretty good access even though it's tight. A Panasonic tech is only going to recommend that you send in the camera or use the cleaning tape. It makes no sense for Panasonic to be liable for an inexperienced user trashing their recording heads.
 
Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Barry...I'd concur. b'cast vtrs are bigger, more durable and hence more forgiving for having less than nimble fingers poking chamois swabs in to clean the also beefier heads. IMHO, I'd also rather have a tech be liable for mucking with the tiny pinch roller, capstans etc. That said, I'm sure there's a step-by-step tech bulletin for that kind of routine cleaning, esp in light of the wide pro use of this camera.
 
Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Firstly, Thanx all for an informative site/forum :)

I used my DVX100a for approx. 15 hours and are getting a flashing red circle with a white cross in the top left of the viewfinder indicating, I believe, a dirty cylinder head. After reading the above posts I've decided I'm relatively "all-thumbs" and will not attempt a manual head clean and have opted for a head cleaning tape, however after 2 x 10 sec run throughs I'm still getting the ugly warning light. Is this a sign of something more serious?!!

Thanx in advance.
 
Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

It's impossible to tell without examining your camera. It could easily be a tiny particle lodged in the tape head that can't be removed by the cleaning cassette. In any case, you need to send your cam in for service. With only 15 hours on the heads, Panasonic won't charge you to clean the heads. If it's something more serious--they'll fix it under warranty.
 
Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

Re: Guide To Cleaning The DVX100(a) Recording Head

I had the same error message on a shoot.  I didn't have the manual with me, so I wasn't sure what it was, so we just tried a new tape.  It worked fine, and I've put a few hours on since without a problem. I think I had about 5 hours on the camera at the time.
 
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