Is my Mini DV Camera damaging the tapes as I playback to transfer to my computer?

[cleandemon]

I have a Canon MV3 MiniDV camera that was given to me a few years ago.

It has not been used for a while, but now I'm trying to transfer some old tapes that I filmed on to the PC.

The problem is, sometimes during this process the picture becomes distorted with a mosaic like effect of blocks of colour. This is on various different tapes, seems to occur most if the tape is played from the very beginning and seems to get worse the more you play a tape. There also appears to be a slight "scrunching" sound from the bit of the camera with the tape in.

So, is the camera destroying the tapes? Are the heads dirty or something?

I'm reluctant to carry on as these are tapes of my children as babies and seem to be being ruined.

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[senu]

Originally Posted by cleandemon

...........

So, is the camera destroying the tapes? Are the heads dirty or something?

I'm reluctant to carry on as these are tapes of my children as babies and seem to be being ruined.

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Very likely if the tapes have been stored properly
Try a camcorder tape head cleaner.
If that doesn't work, get it professionally cleaned ( if affordable)

A damaged tape head can destroy precious footage irretrievably

[Gerrit]

Originally Posted by cleandemon

I have a Canon MV3 MiniDV camera that was given to me a few years ago.

It has not been used for a while, but now I'm trying to transfer some old tapes that I filmed on to the PC.

The problem is, sometimes during this process the picture becomes distorted with a mosaic like effect of blocks of colour. This is on various different tapes, seems to occur most if the tape is played from the very beginning and seems to get worse the more you play a tape. There also appears to be a slight "scrunching" sound from the bit of the camera with the tape in.

So, is the camera destroying the tapes? Are the heads dirty or something?

I'm reluctant to carry on as these are tapes of my children as babies and seem to be being ruined.

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Well I have a Canon MV600 videocamera.
I had the CCD problem, but also your problem.
I sent it to the Canon repair shop.
They repaired the CCD for free.
But the failure on the cassette mechamism would cost me EUR 176

They would replace the "Motor Assy, Capstan".

Till now I did not let it repair.
But now if I transfer the movies from the cassette on the computer, the pictures are quit normal, but the sound is very bad. You see the stereo sign on the camera display continuously dissappearing. I have also a scrunching sound when play a tape, and if I fastwindind the tape there is a screaming sound.

I have the same camcorder and had the exact same problem recently. I decided to work through all my 3-4 year old recordings and get them onto the pc to edit them and was gutted when the same problem appered.

I cleaned the heads a number of times but it made little difference, so eventually transferred the tapes onto my pc for my brothers camcorder. Unfortunately, the mosaic effect you described in the early part (first couple of minutes) of the tapes remained but the rest was fine.

I'm guessing and I'm no expert is that the problem may have been a mixture of tape quality, storage methods (although mine were stored ok as far as I'm concerned) and possibly issues with the camcorder. Either way, the lesson I learnt was to transfer the tapes onto the pc as soon as filmed so I know if there are problems at the time. I have checked more recent recordings and they have been ok, so I'm guessing its less ikely to be the camcorder. That said, I'm now replacing it anyway as its given me good service for the last few years.

With regards to your issue, I would suggest that you clean the heads anyway but definitely try and transfer the footage from another camcorder if you can as that was my concern as well re video of my young son getting destroyed. Once the heads are cleaned, record some new unimportant footage and test it out.

Hope my same experience helps a bit.