"th"
<toolhater@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:9f1ddc7.0404191312.6440adfb@posting.google.com...
> I
bought a used Sony PD150 (PAL) several months ago. When I finally
>
got around to using it, my footage was being coming out pixelated
>
every few seconds. This was happening when I taped over footage that
>
was already there. Also, it seemed like the sound would drop out every
>
five or ten seconds.
>
> I
suspected this had something to do with the fact that part of the
>
tape was shot in DV format and the other part shot in DVCAM.
>
> I
took a fresh tape with nothing on it and shot in miniDV and it was
>
dropping off in sound. When I moved it to DVCAM, the video started
>
pixelating but I noticed if I shot the whole 43 minutes, the last ten
> or
fifteen minutes came out without one drop in sound OR on pixelating
>
image.
>
> I
cleaned to head also with a tape awhile back.
>
>
Does this sound like the camera is fried? I'm recording over tapes
>
that have been used only once and sometimes, even a BLUE screen comes
> on
when I'm just shooting black, not to mentionm the tape will switch
>
from DVCAM to DV sometimes.
>
>
Anyone have any ideas?
Have
you mixed tape brands? Particularly top-end Panasonics with
*anything*
else? Problems with this were more common than
they
are currently (with the exception of the combination noted
above),
but it could still be an issue. If you do use a cleaning tape,
I often
recommend the following: use a cleaning tape of the same
brand
as what most of the tape used was; use it ONLY in VCR
mode;
use it for 3-seconds on the first pass, wait 30 seconds for the
heads
to cool, then use it for 5 seconds, wait 30 seconds again, then
use it
for 7 seconds (care is needed if there is any possibility for
"varnishing"
from heat - and if the heads are dirty, varnishing
resulting
from heating of the residue is a distinct possibility [I've
done
it...]). Overuse of a cleaning tape with Mini-DV/DVCam
can
itself destroy the heads - use it sparingly. If this does not solve
the
problem, repair is likely necessary. BTW, the most trouble
I've
had with worn transports has been with recording over tape
recorded
at one speed with recordings made at a different speed.
Generally,
rerecording at the same speed results in fewer problems
with
worn transports. It sounds like a worn transport may be
the
cause of your problem, though...
--
David Ruether
d_ruether@hotmail.com
http://www.David-Ruether-Photography.com