Dropouts on brand new DVX100 at DVinfo.net

Peter Richardson · June 6th, 2003, 04:32 PM

Hey everyone--So I shot three or four hours on my brand new DVX100 using the recommended Master Series tapes from Panasonic. I had recorded interviews and was playing back a good portion of my footage and occasionally, gasp, there were "dropouts", though I wouldn't classify them as noise, rather it was short digital glitches that resulted in dropped audio or a pixelated picture. WHen I rewound the tape to replay these sections they played back fine. The camera had a number of droup outs so finally I ran the tape cleaner through and that seems to have solved the problem. So it sounds like it was dirty heads, I guess. Does this seem a little strange to anyone considering the camera was brand new? I have been very careful with the camera and always keep the tape transport closed unless changing a tape. Anyone else have this problem? Thanks!

peter

Frank Granovski · June 6th, 2003, 08:59 PM

A brand new miniDV camera can have drop-outs with the first few tapes. This is my experience, anyway.

http://www.dvfreak.com/tape.htm

Christopher Go · June 8th, 2003, 06:03 AM

Would fast-forwarding then rewinding tapes before you use them help prevent these kind of situations?

Frank Granovski · June 8th, 2003, 02:09 PM

Gee, I don't know. It sounds to me like his heads were dirty though.

Shai Levy · June 8th, 2003, 05:51 PM

had the same problem , a drop on the very first (MQ of course!) cassette.
i rewinded and played back again and all looked good..

Jarred Land · June 9th, 2003, 09:44 AM

yeah i use DVCAM tapes in my DVX100 and the same thing happened first time... I guess it takes a few minutes to "break in" :)

Jarred Land · June 9th, 2003, 10:13 AM

oh another thing, make sure your camera speed is SP, my camera came with LP speeds as default out of the box.

Peter Richardson · June 9th, 2003, 04:54 PM

Thanks for the replies guys. I have been doing a bunch of logging today and everything looks alright, except for one section where there were pretty severe dropouts (a quick 4 sec. shot). It looks to be that it was recorded this way, as I played it back a couple times and had the dropouts. Maybe it is that the camera is being "broken in". As long as this doesn't become an issue the camera is fantastic. I'll keep you all posted if it continues to be a problem.

Peter

Peter Jefferson · June 10th, 2003, 08:35 AM

funnily enough, ive noticed this dropout on teh mx500 as well.. using 2 of these and a smaller (and older) single chipper i had to run a tape thru each one completely whereas with the older cam i didnt have to do that...

I guess they know shelf life for these cams is relatively higher than a standard consumer cam so they dont lube the heads as much for fear of fungal infections... or something aong those lines...

after afew rounds theyre cherries are popped and all is good...

cant wait for tmy DVX to come to pappa!!

June 6th, 2003, 04:32 PM	#1
Peter Richardson Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 608	Dropouts on brand new DVX100 Hey everyone--So I shot three or four hours on my brand new DVX100 using the recommended Master Series tapes from Panasonic. I had recorded interviews and was playing back a good portion of my footage and occasionally, gasp, there were "dropouts", though I wouldn't classify them as noise, rather it was short digital glitches that resulted in dropped audio or a pixelated picture. WHen I rewound the tape to replay these sections they played back fine. The camera had a number of droup outs so finally I ran the tape cleaner through and that seems to have solved the problem. So it sounds like it was dirty heads, I guess. Does this seem a little strange to anyone considering the camera was brand new? I have been very careful with the camera and always keep the tape transport closed unless changing a tape. Anyone else have this problem? Thanks! peter

June 6th, 2003, 08:59 PM	#2
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	A brand new miniDV camera can have drop-outs with the first few tapes. This is my experience, anyway. http://www.dvfreak.com/tape.htm

June 8th, 2003, 06:03 AM	#3
Christopher Go Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 429	Would fast-forwarding then rewinding tapes before you use them help prevent these kind of situations?

June 8th, 2003, 02:09 PM	#4
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Gee, I don't know. It sounds to me like his heads were dirty though.

June 8th, 2003, 05:51 PM	#5
Shai Levy Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Berlin, Germany Posts: 31	had the same problem , a drop on the very first (MQ of course!) cassette. i rewinded and played back again and all looked good..

June 9th, 2003, 09:44 AM	#6
Jarred Land DVX User Join Date: May 2003 Location: Vancouver Posts: 281	yeah i use DVCAM tapes in my DVX100 and the same thing happened first time... I guess it takes a few minutes to "break in" :)

June 9th, 2003, 10:13 AM	#7
Jarred Land DVX User Join Date: May 2003 Location: Vancouver Posts: 281	oh another thing, make sure your camera speed is SP, my camera came with LP speeds as default out of the box.

June 9th, 2003, 04:54 PM	#8
Peter Richardson Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 608	Thanks for the replies guys. I have been doing a bunch of logging today and everything looks alright, except for one section where there were pretty severe dropouts (a quick 4 sec. shot). It looks to be that it was recorded this way, as I played it back a couple times and had the dropouts. Maybe it is that the camera is being "broken in". As long as this doesn't become an issue the camera is fantastic. I'll keep you all posted if it continues to be a problem. Peter

June 10th, 2003, 08:35 AM	#9
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	funnily enough, ive noticed this dropout on teh mx500 as well.. using 2 of these and a smaller (and older) single chipper i had to run a tape thru each one completely whereas with the older cam i didnt have to do that... I guess they know shelf life for these cams is relatively higher than a standard consumer cam so they dont lube the heads as much for fear of fungal infections... or something aong those lines... after afew rounds theyre cherries are popped and all is good... cant wait for tmy DVX to come to pappa!!