Anyone having this problem?
 

I have two A-1's, I've shot six weddings and receptions, over the past two months. I've noticed that on one of my cameras, (the static back of the church camera), that on two of the free running one hour wedding tapes I'm getting a timecode break, when looking at the footage at the break, the video does a one or one and a half second freeze and then returnes on recording properly. I'm using Panasonic MQ 63 tapes...(bad camera? tapes,?) anyone repacking tapes before shooting, Gary

The same problem
 

I've just noticed a similar problem with my A1, in fact the identical problem. It doesn't look like a tape dropout, as there aren't any mosaic-y artifacts, just a stutter. It happened 4 times last weekend on a wedding shoot.

I have also been having some problems with the audio, as both channels have been cutting out for a second or two at random when it's on XLR input. In these cases the image doesn't appear to be affected. I know it's not the mic contacts, as each channel has a different input and they are cutting out together. I'm sending it to Canon's repair center in the Netherlands later this week.

I've had the same problem, when looking back at the footage at least 1 time for every tapes I've recorded (JVC M-DV63HDE) happens that I've a jump of 1-1.5 seconds. When Capturing on Vegas I've no Dropped Frames Message; it seems like if the camera stops recording for a while.
Other Users with the same issue?

Yes!I have same kind of issue one time,i have almost 1 hour continous shot,and somewhere i have black frames!Capturing dosn't let me know about dropped frames.But when exporting timeline,export fails at this point.I started to figure out whats problem and find out that strange stuff.

Hi,

I have had these errors, might not be the same exact fault, but in my case, when capturing, the footage freezes momentaraly (without a dropped frame message) the result is the audio and video sync goes out from that point on. This only happened when using cheap tapes...after purchasing Sony Mini HD tapes, I no longer have this fault, also purchased a head cleaning tape.

Check page 144 of your manual

This may be the case.

it's hdv dropout. it's not like DV..it's mpeg, so it's a gop.
dv is per frame, so dropout can be just some artifacts or a quick shot of black.

dropout on the a1 is a whole "group of pictures." 12-15 frames i think.
the a1 just freezes on the last group capped.

it's pretty annoying.

Thanks alot guys, good to know that I'm not the only one with this problem, Eric, seems like this may be HDV drop-out, I haven't cleaned the heads yet but will give it a try, Thanks again, Gary

I had a dropout on the first tape I shot with my new camera. Then I used the head cleaning tape (as I should have done the day I got it) and haven't had a dropout since, and I've gone through at least 20-30 hours of tape. I use only Panasonic AMQ.

What head cleaners are used with Sony DVM63HD tapes?

I have a Sony head cleaning tape.

Hi Bill,

Is there a model number of the Sony head cleaner? I have a Sony Cleaning Cassette DVM-4CLD and wonder if that is ok to use?

All the miniDV head cleaning tapes are basically the same. Just be sure to use it according to the directions. Most of the say to run it for no more than 10 seconds. According to the evidence on this board it's a good idea to run the head cleaning tape when you first get a new camera.

I had a dropout on my first tape and then ran the cleaner and haven't had one since. Back in my Betacam days, using cameras that got 700 hours of head life if you were careful, Sony recommended using the head cleaning tape for 5 seconds about every 50 hours. That seems like a reasonable thing to continue to do.

Thanks Bill,

One more question since the directions are in Japanese.

Do you run the cleaner on VCR mode play or on record? It looks like the diagram is showing the record button.

I think it should work in either mode. I did it in play mode myself, for 4 seconds.

Definitely not record. Play mode only. Read the directions that come with the cleaning tape carefully.