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Vintage Television and Video Vintage television and video equipment, programmes, VCRs etc. |
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6th Mar 2017, 1:14 am | #1 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Chester, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 6
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U-matic player suddenly had audio only - no visual
I hope someone on the forum can give me some advice here!
I've been digitising some old U-Matic tapes for a client (have MANY to go through). The player I have been using has been working absolutely fine, having successfully played through about 60 tapes. However today, it didn't like a particular tape - the visuals had a great deal of static banding. You could barely make anything out. Must be a bad tape I thought. I ejected it and reached for the next tape. But the next tape resulted in sound only. And the next after that too. So to check, I went back to previous tapes I know played fine that very morning, but now it's audio only. I figure something has been knocked out of alignment perhaps by one of the tapes? Would be great to understand how I can fix this. It's a Sony VP-5040. |
6th Mar 2017, 10:46 am | #2 |
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Oxford, UK
Posts: 27,787
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Re: U-matic player suddenly had audio only - no visual
Have you cleaned the heads? The old tapes are probably shedding a lot of oxide, so frequent cleaning will be needed.
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6th Mar 2017, 10:52 am | #3 |
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Middlewich, Cheshire, UK. & Winter in the Philippines.
Posts: 3,897
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Re: U-matic player suddenly had audio only - no visual
Paul is on the nail, you probably have loads of c**p in the head drum gap, If you don't know how to clean the head I'm sure there is either a "sticky" or a post on here. Do a search. The audio is a separate fixed head, like an audio tape deck.
If not...Just Ask! |
6th Mar 2017, 11:12 am | #4 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 9,427
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Re: U-matic player suddenly had audio only - no visual
Not sure about U Matic but Video heads in general are very fragile and need to be cleaned the correct way, cleaned incorrectly and they can be damaged beyond repair.
As Sam says, if in doubt ask, someone on the forum will have experience with U Matics. Frank |
6th Mar 2017, 11:22 am | #5 |
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Middlewich, Cheshire, UK. & Winter in the Philippines.
Posts: 3,897
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Re: U-matic player suddenly had audio only - no visual
I did a search ( box at top centre ) "u-matic head clean" and struck gold, loads of info.
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24th Mar 2017, 1:56 pm | #6 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Chester, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 6
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Re: U-matic player suddenly had audio only - no visual
Just to come back to you guys.
I got some Isopropyl and sprayed some on a bit of folded printer paper. When a tape was playing I carefully touched the video head with the paper and it was surprising how much muck went onto it. Sorted it! Wouldn't have thought about it without you guys, so thanks! |
24th Mar 2017, 6:45 pm | #7 |
Hexode
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Inverness, Highland, UK.
Posts: 300
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Re: U-matic player suddenly had audio only - no visual
You should have held the paper against the heads with light pressure and turned by hand,doing it when the heads are running increases chance of damage and with a tape in, the isopropyl can cause the heads to be momentarily sticky and the tape can get caught and wrapped round the heads. Count yourself luck neither happened.
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24th Mar 2017, 11:50 pm | #8 |
Octode
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,517
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Re: U-matic player suddenly had audio only - no visual
Very Lucky! I think that's not a 'trick' you'll get away with twice.
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