Persistant head clogging at DVinfo.net

Jim Sofranko · November 29th, 2006, 01:06 PM

Anybody ever have a problem with persistant head clogging? I have 132 hours on my DVX100A and have been experiencing a persistant problem that occurs about every hour or so. I clean the heads and it comes back soon afterwards.

The tape stock is about one year old and has been checked as baggage in an overseas flight so it hasn't been stored well at all.

Any ideas? Thanks.

Peter Jefferson · November 30th, 2006, 03:34 AM

what tape are u using? The DVX has issues with non dry type tapes.. always did...

what if any messages do u get on ur monitor?

Jim Sofranko · November 30th, 2006, 07:14 AM

The Panasonic MQ tapes still in the wrappers. I did have a shoot a few weeks ago where we had to use Panasonic ME tape stock. But I only shot about 2 hours on it.

Gary Moses · December 3rd, 2006, 09:43 AM

The most common culprit of clogged heads is some form of moisture being introduced to the tape-head contact point.
Air conditioning cools the air and causes moisture to form from the humid air. Similar to a cold drink forming water on the outside of the glass. The Demon is moisture, and either the tape or the camera heads or both are the target. If moisture is introduced it causes instant friction that the spinning heads will take off the coating and clog the heads with the iron oxide (or whatever tape formula) particles. The point here is that if you acclimate the camera but keep the tapes in the air conditioning, or vice versa, the same condition exists.
By the way, if you live in a cold climate this situation exists also. I've always allowed at least an hour for things to settle down but I don't know if that's a standard. Oh and the dew light only tells you if the CAMERA is too wet. If you put in a tape right in from an air conditioned environment and plop it in the camera . . . poof clogged heads.

Jim Sofranko · December 3rd, 2006, 03:24 PM

I'm pretty much aware of the moisture/condensation problems from shifts in temp but the tapes and camera weren't subject to that kind of change. Good idea and I wish it were that simple but I'm thinking bad batch of tapes as they all came from one 5-pack.

I just got new tape stock and I'll see how it goes in LA this week. I'm hoping that solves it. Otherwise I keep having to stop and clean heads during the shoot. Grrrrrrrrrr...

Leigh Wanstead · December 3rd, 2006, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Sofranko

Otherwise I keep having to stop and clean heads during the shoot. Grrrrrrrrrr...

Otherwise I would suggest you give service center a try. It is no good to use clean tape if error continue occurs.

Michael Wisniewski · December 3rd, 2006, 06:14 PM

I had similar problems (on another brand camcorder). I religiously use Sony tapes, and in a pinch had to buy a Maxell Head Cleaner, every other tape started glitching. When I finally got back to civilization, I put in the Sony Head cleaner and the glitching completely disappeared.

This is all anecdotal of course, but that was my experience.

Jim Sofranko · December 8th, 2006, 08:49 PM

Used the new Panasonic AY-DVM63AMQ tape stock and the clogging stopped. I'm assuming it was the old tape stock.

November 29th, 2006, 01:06 PM	#1
Jim Sofranko Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: West Shokan, NY Posts: 217	Persistant head clogging Anybody ever have a problem with persistant head clogging? I have 132 hours on my DVX100A and have been experiencing a persistant problem that occurs about every hour or so. I clean the heads and it comes back soon afterwards. The tape stock is about one year old and has been checked as baggage in an overseas flight so it hasn't been stored well at all. Any ideas? Thanks.

December 3rd, 2006, 06:14 PM	#7
Michael Wisniewski Wrangler Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Makati, Metro Manila Posts: 2,706 Images: 32	I had similar problems (on another brand camcorder). I religiously use Sony tapes, and in a pinch had to buy a Maxell Head Cleaner, every other tape started glitching. When I finally got back to civilization, I put in the Sony Head cleaner and the glitching completely disappeared. This is all anecdotal of course, but that was my experience. __________________ "Ultimately, the most extraordinary thing, in a frame, is a human being." - Martin Scorsese

November 30th, 2006, 03:34 AM	#2
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	what tape are u using? The DVX has issues with non dry type tapes.. always did... what if any messages do u get on ur monitor?

November 30th, 2006, 07:14 AM	#3
Jim Sofranko Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: West Shokan, NY Posts: 217	The Panasonic MQ tapes still in the wrappers. I did have a shoot a few weeks ago where we had to use Panasonic ME tape stock. But I only shot about 2 hours on it.

December 3rd, 2006, 09:43 AM	#4
Gary Moses Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 110	The most common culprit of clogged heads is some form of moisture being introduced to the tape-head contact point. Air conditioning cools the air and causes moisture to form from the humid air. Similar to a cold drink forming water on the outside of the glass. The Demon is moisture, and either the tape or the camera heads or both are the target. If moisture is introduced it causes instant friction that the spinning heads will take off the coating and clog the heads with the iron oxide (or whatever tape formula) particles. The point here is that if you acclimate the camera but keep the tapes in the air conditioning, or vice versa, the same condition exists. By the way, if you live in a cold climate this situation exists also. I've always allowed at least an hour for things to settle down but I don't know if that's a standard. Oh and the dew light only tells you if the CAMERA is too wet. If you put in a tape right in from an air conditioned environment and plop it in the camera . . . poof clogged heads.

December 3rd, 2006, 03:24 PM	#5
Jim Sofranko Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: West Shokan, NY Posts: 217	I'm pretty much aware of the moisture/condensation problems from shifts in temp but the tapes and camera weren't subject to that kind of change. Good idea and I wish it were that simple but I'm thinking bad batch of tapes as they all came from one 5-pack. I just got new tape stock and I'll see how it goes in LA this week. I'm hoping that solves it. Otherwise I keep having to stop and clean heads during the shoot. Grrrrrrrrrr...

December 8th, 2006, 08:49 PM	#8
Jim Sofranko Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: West Shokan, NY Posts: 217	Used the new Panasonic AY-DVM63AMQ tape stock and the clogging stopped. I'm assuming it was the old tape stock.