Can't play mini dv cassettes on different camcorder

HDR-HC9 (2008). HDR-HC5, HDR-HC7 (2007). HDR-HC3 (2006). HDR-HC1 / HVR-A1 (2005).
Shoulder-mount HVR-HD1000.
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Stephan
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Joined: 20 Mar 2010 18:51
Location: Paris, France

Re: Can't play mini dv cassettes on different camcorder

Post by Stephan »

fk2010uk wrote:Also a post by acgold seems to describe this same issue as an alignment problem: the only difference in my case is that I do not get a blue screen, I can view the video but with bad quality (both sound and image, as I said above)
DCR-PC330E is a DV camcorder, not HDV. DV vs. HDV camcorders may exhibit different symptoms when the raw tape signal is altered. That's because of HDV's long-GOP MPEG2 encoding, which is somehow less tolerant and may cause full loss of video/audio ('blue screen') when GOPs (Group Of Pictures) are damaged.

Back to your question, if you're not going to use that old cam for anything else, I think it's a good idea to try & have a repair shop do bespoke head alignment settings for you. Not sure Sony can do that, because here apparently (my speculating) you may be asking them to take the camcorder out of baseline tape specifications -- which Sony might not want to do, but a local shop might (bespoke work just for you).
fk2010uk
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Joined: 26 Sep 2010 11:56
Location: London, UK

Re: Can't play mini dv cassettes on different camcorder

Post by fk2010uk »

Thanks Stephan for your suggestion. I will try to contact a local repair center on the subject
Regards
halfpipe
Posts: 36
Joined: 24 May 2010 18:51
Location: Canada

Re: Can't play mini dv cassettes on different camcorder

Post by halfpipe »

fast forward all the way to the end then fast rewind all the way back and try playing the tape again
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