crevitch wrote:

I am in the process of transcribing my 8mm tapes to DVD. After doing
about 8 of them, I started to experience sync problems. I used a head
cleaning cassette. This seems to work, but now I cannot get through a
whole tape without needing to clean again. This happens with two
cameras, and more than one tape. The tapes are about 12 years old. When
the heads are clean the tapes look perfect.

Does anyone know what is going on? Have I damaged the machines by using
the tape cleaners such that they get dirty much faster. Or is there
some coincidence that I have several tapes that are dirty. Is there
some way to clean the tape?

I have used the camera for recording for many years without using the
cleaning cassette, and never experienced problems with record or
playback. However, this is the first time I am using the camera for
playing entire 2 hour tapes.

Any help or suggestions are appreciated.

Hi crevitch...

Your head cleaning cassette just isn't going to do the job for you
in this case. It will indeed abrade some of the dirt off the heads,
but then just deposit it instead on the fixed heads, guides, capstan
and pinch roller. It soon will find itself right back on the heads
where it started

I'd urge you to instead clean them with a bit of real chamois, perhaps
glued onto a popsicle stick, and do all. The flying heads gently, then
the audio and control heads, the guides, and virtually everything in
the tape path. You should be able to see all of it with the door open.
Repeat with a new bit of chamois until the chamois comes away spotless.

Sadly, if the tapes you're transcribing are old and perhaps even dusty,
you may have to do this with each new tape you copy, but old memories
are well worth it.

And finally, a heads-up. After using the isopropyl, give the machine
plenty of time to thoroughly dry before putting a tape in it, lest
the tape stick to something damp and self-destruct.

Perhaps go so far as to put a tape of no importance in and try it
first, before putting an irreplacable one in.

Good luck, and take care.

Ken