"Mike Collins" <mikecollins86@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:56013da1.0309241140.37d6548b@posting.google.com...

> 1) What websites would you recommend to (like this one) share

> stories/find info on digital video camcorders/problems?

Rec.video...

> 2) (long story) I purchased a Panasonic MX-3000 camcorder a little

> over a year ago (of course, the warranty JUST expired). I spent the

> extra bucks/deal with the Japanese menues because we had a baby on the

> way and I wanted to get something that would be (supposedly) great for

> a long time.

Sometimes mfgrs are "kind" if the problem occurs just out of the

warranty period - though with this camera, it is obviously not

US-import, so the US importer *may* not honor the warranty

(but it is worth a check).

> Recently, we went on an outing and it was recording fine. The next

> morning, I notice that there are horizontal 'bands' (about 5, that

> alternate with bands of good picture) of digital 'noise' and garbeling

> of the picture. I took it to a 'repairman' and he said the video

> head's gone...$750!!!

Sounds like it needs a cleaning, which should be a LOT less.

Try a DV cleaning tape, 5 seconds only, in VCR mode only,

with a 30-second wait, then a repeat. Try this sequence once

more if this does not solve it. BTW, had you just put in a tape

of a different brand from usual? Or mix a Panasonic white-case-

with-blue-lid tape with anything else? This can cause problems.

> Here's what I'm wondering: I have used an aquarium cleaning magnet

> set-if you don't know, it's where two magnets are put together, one on

> the inside of the aquarium, one on the outside, then you move it

> around to clean the glass without getting wet--to erase my dv tapes.

These will not erase the tapes, though they may disruptrecordings

on them...

> I didn't know at the beginning that you were supposed to 'blank' them

> by recording all the way through in order to lay down timecode, so all

> my tapes were jacked up by me stop/start recording on blank tapes and

> creating all these gaps.

You do not need to "blank" tapes, nor should you (due to

head wear), if you are careful about being within timecode

when you start recording after looking at recorded parts...

> I don't buy that my video head went bad overnight sitting on the couch

> doing nothing, what I AM worried about is do you think it's possible

> that by using these aquarium magnets to erase my tapes that I actually

> created a field, and by it sitting in the camera it could have

> magnetized the video heads? If so, do you think demagnetizing the

> video head could fix it?

No, and no - one of the heads is dirty or damaged (most likely the former).

> I read somewhere else that you should NEVER demagnetize the video head

> that you could actually damage it...that demagnitizers were just for

> audio heads.

Likely true... In audio, just recording demagnitizes the heads - but

the demagnitizer can be useful on other iron parts in the transport.

With DV, magnetization of transport parts is not an issue...

> If anybody is knowledgable about this I beg you, PLEASE help me as I

> need to make a big decision as to wether or not to get this fixed,

> sell it as is, or risk the demagnetization...

Do none of the above, at first. If repair is called for, you can likely

find a much cheaper place to do it. Buy a cleaning tape and try that

first... (but be careful with it - it can quickly destroy heads!).

--

David Ruether

d_ruether@hotmail.com

http://www.David-Ruether-Photography.com