Have a GE CG818 8mm camcorder. It's worked like a champ until today, suddeny
developed severe horizontal lines or snow.

Some observations regarding this malady:

-It's visible both through the viewfinder and from the composite out to the
computer
-It's visble in Rec mode.
-It's visible in play mode when not playing
-Banding *not* visible when playing a tape that was recorded before this
problem developed. Picture is fine in the viewfinder and through the
composite out when playing.
-It's visible on tapes recorded since problem began

Any guesses what kind of component might be causing this problem? I'd really
like to salvage this camera since it's worked great, is simple, yet has both
auto & manual focus.

Thanks for any assistance

"Doc" wrote in message
.net...
Have a GE CG818 8mm camcorder. It's worked like a champ until today,
suddeny
developed severe horizontal lines or snow.

Some observations regarding this malady:

-It's visible both through the viewfinder and from the composite out to
the
computer
-It's visble in Rec mode.
-It's visible in play mode when not playing
-Banding *not* visible when playing a tape that was recorded before this
problem developed. Picture is fine in the viewfinder and through the
composite out when playing.
-It's visible on tapes recorded since problem began

Any guesses what kind of component might be causing this problem? I'd
really
like to salvage this camera since it's worked great, is simple, yet has
both
auto & manual focus.

Thanks for any assistance




Virtually any compact camcorder of that age will be suffering from failing
surface mount electrolytic capacitors. Often virtually every one is bad,
replacement is possible but usually runs a couple hundred bucks.

have you tried the simple things maybe you could re seat some of the
connectors and check solder connections. im not familiar with that model
so i dont know how old it is, if there are any pots make sure you clean
them, you can use wd40 but its slightly risky as few pots are made of
chemicals that break down in the presence of oil. depending on age , you
may have some bad caps, i usually look for any of the electrolytic type
that are bulging, or have already busted. above all - clean it well inside
an out, sometimes even dust can be conductive and will cause a lot of
problems

On Thu, 16 Dec 2004 02:46:33 GMT, "Doc"
wrote:

Have a GE CG818 8mm camcorder. It's worked like a champ until today, suddeny
developed severe horizontal lines or snow.

Some observations regarding this malady:

-It's visible both through the viewfinder and from the composite out to the
computer
-It's visble in Rec mode.
-It's visible in play mode when not playing
-Banding *not* visible when playing a tape that was recorded before this
problem developed. Picture is fine in the viewfinder and through the
composite out when playing.
-It's visible on tapes recorded since problem began

Any guesses what kind of component might be causing this problem? I'd really
like to salvage this camera since it's worked great, is simple, yet has both
auto & manual focus.

Thanks for any assistance


The heads are probably clogged up, run a cleaning cassette for about
3 minutes. Or take it to someone that knows how to do it and have the
heads cleaned by hand.

hank

"No One" wrote

The heads are probably clogged up, run a cleaning cassette for about
3 minutes. Or take it to someone that knows how to do it and have the
heads cleaned by hand.

hank


WHAT!!!
Look folks. Those dry cleaning cassettes are NOT, nor have they EVER been,
intended to be used for any more than TEN SECONDS at a time. And as far as
I'm concerned they are nothing more than a short cut to hell for video tape
heads. Three minutes of running a dry head cleaner will take off hours, if
not ALL of the life you have left on the heads.
Figure out how to open the recorder and give your cameras a good wet
cleaning with a good video head cleaner and a lint free cloth or quality
chamois stick. It is time well spent.

Bill F.
www.billfarnsworthvideo.com

"Bill Farnsworth" wrote in message
news:xjOxd.3084$h.3060@trnddc04...

"No One" wrote

The heads are probably clogged up, run a cleaning cassette for about
3 minutes. Or take it to someone that knows how to do it and have the
heads cleaned by hand.

hank


WHAT!!!
Look folks. Those dry cleaning cassettes are NOT, nor have they EVER been,
intended to be used for any more than TEN SECONDS at a time. And as far as
I'm concerned they are nothing more than a short cut to hell for video
tape heads. Three minutes of running a dry head cleaner will take off
hours, if not ALL of the life you have left on the heads.
Figure out how to open the recorder and give your cameras a good wet
cleaning with a good video head cleaner and a lint free cloth or quality
chamois stick. It is time well spent.

Bill F.
www.billfarnsworthvideo.com

I think some manufacturers say to only run them for FIVE SECONDS at a time.

"Bill Farnsworth" wrote in message
news:xjOxd.3084$h.3060@trnddc04...

Figure out how to open the recorder and give your cameras a good wet
cleaning with a good video head cleaner and a lint free cloth or quality
chamois stick. It is time well spent.

What I was told by a video repair guy was that to clean the heads, moisten
the cloth in clear acetone, and lightly rub across the heads perpendicular
to the axis of the drum but never rub up and down, i.e. never rub parallel
to the axis of the drum.

Since the camcorder is still useful in play mode, how I've "cured" the
problem is to find 2 more 8mm camcorders in a pawn shop that work great. An
RCA and a Sony Handy Cam. Got 'em both for $65. Geez, I thought I
practically stole the other one 5 years ago for $75. Hey, there's something
to be said for using technology that's on the downhill side of being
outdated.

"Doc" wrote ...
What I was told by a video repair guy was that to clean
the heads, moisten the cloth in clear acetone,

Keep the acetone away from any of the plastic parts!
I wouldn't even trust it on the video head drum.

and lightly rub across the heads perpendicular to the axis of
the drum but never rub up and down, i.e. never rub parallel
to the axis of the drum.

The standard head/drum cleaning procedure. Alas many (most?)
consumers are not sensitive enough to the cautions to do this
without significant risk.

[Veronica]

"Doc" wrote ...
What I was told by a video repair guy was that to clean
the heads, moisten the cloth in clear acetone,

Keep the acetone away from any of the plastic parts!
I wouldn't even trust it on the video head drum.

and lightly rub across the heads perpendicular to the axis of
the drum but never rub up and down, i.e. never rub parallel
to the axis of the drum.

The standard head/drum cleaning procedure. Alas many (most?)
consumers are not sensitive enough to the cautions to do this
without significant risk.


Use a cotton bud.
--

http://www.theweddingphotographers.com

"Doc" wrote in message
news

"Bill Farnsworth" wrote in message
news:xjOxd.3084$h.3060@trnddc04...

Figure out how to open the recorder and give your cameras a good wet
cleaning with a good video head cleaner and a lint free cloth or quality
chamois stick. It is time well spent.

What I was told by a video repair guy was that to clean the heads, moisten
the cloth in clear acetone, and lightly rub across the heads perpendicular
to the axis of the drum but never rub up and down, i.e. never rub parallel
to the axis of the drum.

Since the camcorder is still useful in play mode, how I've "cured" the
problem is to find 2 more 8mm camcorders in a pawn shop that work great.
An
RCA and a Sony Handy Cam. Got 'em both for $65. Geez, I thought I
practically stole the other one 5 years ago for $75. Hey, there's
something
to be said for using technology that's on the downhill side of being
outdated.



That and the surface mount capacitors in those things are time bombs, even
sitting unused they'll fail after a shelf life of 5-10 years in most cases,
making older ones simply not worth much.

What?? (again!!)

He did say it was visible in REC mode. Correct me if I'm wrong, but
most videocams run a direct feed to the monitor - ie they do NOT read
the recording display off the tape - in REC mode.
So head cleaning, wet or dry, is unlikely to be the issue.

yes he did , if the video is distorted in record mode this is completely
independent of the tape mechanism/electronics, but concerning cotton buds,
regardless of what anybody says its better to just keep them off the
rotary head (use em on rollers and audio/erase head) that rotary head is
very sensative and in your case has nothing to do with the problem ,
however it never hurts to clean heads and i usually use a cloth that feels
pretty smooth, put a lil good old alcohol on it and rotate the head with
your finger at the top, dont apply much pressure to the side with the
cloth at all, just enough to bath it without snagging the cloth. make sure
you dry it or the next tape played will be swallowed.