Hello folks,

I stupidly played on old tape on my
SONY CCD-F355E camcorder which left
probably some residue on the control-head
since tracking has worsen and detection
of tape-speed has been failing ever since.

I once had the same problem with a very
old CCD-V8AF where I simply cleaned the
control-head and the problem would vanish
but on the newer model I cannot find one,
where does stationary control-head hide,
is it integrated in the stationary part
of the drum-assembly ??

Or was there never one in Video 8 systems ?

thanks,
Adrian

Video8 systems do not have control heads. The stationary head on the CCD-V8 was a full track
erase head. After this, pretty much all went to flying erase heads, on the cylinder. You
likely need to simply clean the video heads.

--
Stephen Sank, Owner & Ribbon Mic Restorer
Talking Dog Transducer Company
http://stephensank.com
5517 Carmelita Drive N.E.
Albuquerque, New Mexico [87111]
505-332-0336
Auth. Nakamichi & McIntosh servicer
Payments preferred through Paypal.com
"Adrian G." wrote in message
om...
Hello folks,

I stupidly played on old tape on my
SONY CCD-F355E camcorder which left
probably some residue on the control-head
since tracking has worsen and detection
of tape-speed has been failing ever since.

I once had the same problem with a very
old CCD-V8AF where I simply cleaned the
control-head and the problem would vanish
but on the newer model I cannot find one,
where does stationary control-head hide,
is it integrated in the stationary part
of the drum-assembly ??

Or was there never one in Video 8 systems ?

thanks,
Adrian

Hello Stephen,

that's what I anticipated Well I have cleaned
the video-head several times with Isopropyl,
but tracking problems remain. Either it's
an Hi-ESR problem now or I missed something.

How does tracking and speed-detection work
on Video8 without any control head, there
must be something to detect tape-speed,
isn't there ??

Regards,
Adrian

The ATF, auto-track-find, servo does both the tracking and speed detect. If you have lines of
static in the picture, one or both tape guides have drifted out of place(due to thermal changes
loosening the set screws), which would screw up speed detection if it was far enough off. If
you have unpatterned static through the picture, your heads ain't clean enough yet. Isopropyl
is pretty poor for head cleaning. MEK, methyl ethyl ketone, works best, without endangering
the head coils or anything else(except your liver, if you sit around huffing the stuff). Once
you are positive that the heads are quite clean, then it may be physically leaking surface
mount electrolytic caps in the head amp causing the problem.

--
Stephen Sank, Owner & Ribbon Mic Restorer
Talking Dog Transducer Company
http://stephensank.com
5517 Carmelita Drive N.E.
Albuquerque, New Mexico [87111]
505-332-0336
Auth. Nakamichi & McIntosh servicer
Payments preferred through Paypal.com
"adrian82" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello Stephen,

that's what I anticipated Well I have cleaned
the video-head several times with Isopropyl,
but tracking problems remain. Either it's
an Hi-ESR problem now or I missed something.

How does tracking and speed-detection work
on Video8 without any control head, there
must be something to detect tape-speed,
isn't there ??

Regards,
Adrian

Listen to what the other guys said: Isopropyl alcohol won't dissolve tape
residue...MEK, etc, will, but will also dissolve paint and almost any plastic
except nylon.

All speed and phase tracking on V8 is done by analyzing video head output. The
early Sony shop manuals have a very good description.



Hello Stephen,

that's what I anticipated Well I have cleaned
the video-head several times with Isopropyl,
but tracking problems remain. Either it's
an Hi-ESR problem now or I missed something.

How does tracking and speed-detection work
on Video8 without any control head, there
must be something to detect tape-speed,
isn't there ??

Regards,
Adrian



webpa

MEK actually dissolves a very limited spectrum of enamels, but does indeed attack styrene
plastics. But all of the tape contact parts are either metal or nylon, so no worries. You
just have to use a small amount of caution not to spill any on the cosmetic parts of the unit
that are styrene. My favorite thing about MEK, though, is how it works on pinch rollers, since
it very effectively removes not only the deposits, but also the oxidised layer of rubber,
leaving pristine the good rubber underneath.

--
Stephen Sank, Owner & Ribbon Mic Restorer
Talking Dog Transducer Company
http://stephensank.com
5517 Carmelita Drive N.E.
Albuquerque, New Mexico [87111]
505-332-0336
Auth. Nakamichi & McIntosh servicer
Payments preferred through Paypal.com
"WEBPA" wrote in message ...
Listen to what the other guys said: Isopropyl alcohol won't dissolve tape
residue...MEK, etc, will, but will also dissolve paint and almost any plastic
except nylon.

All speed and phase tracking on V8 is done by analyzing video head output. The
early Sony shop manuals have a very good description.



Hello Stephen,

that's what I anticipated Well I have cleaned
the video-head several times with Isopropyl,
but tracking problems remain. Either it's
an Hi-ESR problem now or I missed something.

How does tracking and speed-detection work
on Video8 without any control head, there
must be something to detect tape-speed,
isn't there ??

Regards,
Adrian



webpa

Hello Stephen

Stephen Sank wrote:
The ATF, auto-track-find, servo does both the tracking and speed
detect. If you have lines of
static in the picture, one or both tape guides have drifted out of
place(due to thermal changes
loosening the set screws), which would screw up speed detection if it
was far enough off.

Well there aren't any lines in the picture, but detection of speed does
not
work, i.e. tape will always be played in LP even if recorded in SP.
When
I playback an LP, picture is a little instable and video sometimes
drops out periodically. But when I record a tape and playback on
a known-good camcorder, both SP and LP recordings are perfect in
picture and sound. So what's the matter with it ?


regards,
Adrian

Now it's starting to sound like your camcorder is starting to have electrolytic caps failing.
The fact that you get something like a good picture on LP just about clinches it.

--
Stephen Sank, Owner & Ribbon Mic Restorer
Talking Dog Transducer Company
http://stephensank.com
5517 Carmelita Drive N.E.
Albuquerque, New Mexico [87111]
505-332-0336
Auth. Nakamichi & McIntosh servicer
Payments preferred through Paypal.com
"adrian82" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello Stephen

Stephen Sank wrote:
The ATF, auto-track-find, servo does both the tracking and speed
detect. If you have lines of
static in the picture, one or both tape guides have drifted out of
place(due to thermal changes
loosening the set screws), which would screw up speed detection if it
was far enough off.

Well there aren't any lines in the picture, but detection of speed does
not
work, i.e. tape will always be played in LP even if recorded in SP.
When
I playback an LP, picture is a little instable and video sometimes
drops out periodically. But when I record a tape and playback on
a known-good camcorder, both SP and LP recordings are perfect in
picture and sound. So what's the matter with it ?


regards,
Adrian

Ever looked at a video headwheel, or the heads themselves, with a microscope or
very strong lens? The heads consist of chips of a very high density ferrite
with or a very few turns of very, very fine wire wrapped through a hole. The
insulation on this wire MIGHT be nylon, or it might be something MEK does
attack. I'm adverse to experiments of this kind.

p a w e b e r @ a o l . c o m



MEK actually dissolves a very limited spectrum of enamels, but does indeed
attack styrene
plastics. But all of the tape contact parts are either metal or nylon, so no
worries. You
just have to use a small amount of caution not to spill any on the cosmetic
parts of the unit
that are styrene. My favorite thing about MEK, though, is how it works on
pinch rollers, since
it very effectively removes not only the deposits, but also the oxidised
layer of rubber,
leaving pristine the good rubber underneath.

--
Stephen Sank, Owner & Ribbon Mic Restorer
Talking Dog Transducer Company
http://stephensank.com
5517 Carmelita Drive N.E.
Albuquerque, New Mexico [87111]
505-332-0336
Auth. Nakamichi & McIntosh servicer
Payments preferred through Paypal.com
"WEBPA" wrote in message
...
Listen to what the other guys said: Isopropyl alcohol won't dissolve tape
residue...MEK, etc, will, but will also dissolve paint and almost any
plastic
except nylon.

All speed and phase tracking on V8 is done by analyzing video head output.
The
early Sony shop manuals have a very good description.



Hello Stephen,

that's what I anticipated Well I have cleaned
the video-head several times with Isopropyl,
but tracking problems remain. Either it's
an Hi-ESR problem now or I missed something.

How does tracking and speed-detection work
on Video8 without any control head, there
must be something to detect tape-speed,
isn't there ??

Regards,
Adrian



webpa

MEK absolutely does NOT attack any form of the enamels used to insulate the head coils. Even
if nylon enamel was used, I already stated that MEK does not attack nylon at all. And I'd
hardly call it an "experiment" after the 20 years I've been using MEK on all manner of audio,
video & DAT heads.

--
Stephen Sank, Owner & Ribbon Mic Restorer
Talking Dog Transducer Company
http://stephensank.com
5517 Carmelita Drive N.E.
Albuquerque, New Mexico [87111]
505-332-0336
Auth. Nakamichi & McIntosh servicer
Payments preferred through Paypal.com
"Paweber02" wrote in message
...
Ever looked at a video headwheel, or the heads themselves, with a microscope or
very strong lens? The heads consist of chips of a very high density ferrite
with or a very few turns of very, very fine wire wrapped through a hole. The
insulation on this wire MIGHT be nylon, or it might be something MEK does
attack. I'm adverse to experiments of this kind.

p a w e b e r @ a o l . c o m



MEK actually dissolves a very limited spectrum of enamels, but does indeed
attack styrene
plastics. But all of the tape contact parts are either metal or nylon, so no
worries. You
just have to use a small amount of caution not to spill any on the cosmetic
parts of the unit
that are styrene. My favorite thing about MEK, though, is how it works on
pinch rollers, since
it very effectively removes not only the deposits, but also the oxidised
layer of rubber,
leaving pristine the good rubber underneath.

--
Stephen Sank, Owner & Ribbon Mic Restorer
Talking Dog Transducer Company
http://stephensank.com
5517 Carmelita Drive N.E.
Albuquerque, New Mexico [87111]
505-332-0336
Auth. Nakamichi & McIntosh servicer
Payments preferred through Paypal.com
"WEBPA" wrote in message
...
Listen to what the other guys said: Isopropyl alcohol won't dissolve tape
residue...MEK, etc, will, but will also dissolve paint and almost any
plastic
except nylon.

All speed and phase tracking on V8 is done by analyzing video head output.
The
early Sony shop manuals have a very good description.



Hello Stephen,

that's what I anticipated Well I have cleaned
the video-head several times with Isopropyl,
but tracking problems remain. Either it's
an Hi-ESR problem now or I missed something.

How does tracking and speed-detection work
on Video8 without any control head, there
must be something to detect tape-speed,
isn't there ??

Regards,
Adrian



webpa

MEK is ???????


On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 18:24:38 -0700, "Stephen Sank"
wrote:

MEK absolutely does NOT attack any form of the enamels used to insulate the head coils. Even
if nylon enamel was used, I already stated that MEK does not attack nylon at all. And I'd
hardly call it an "experiment" after the 20 years I've been using MEK on all manner of audio,
video & DAT heads.

Methyl Ethyl Ketone, a common solvent sold by almost any paint supplier.

--
Stephen Sank, Owner & Ribbon Mic Restorer
Talking Dog Transducer Company
http://stephensank.com
5517 Carmelita Drive N.E.
Albuquerque, New Mexico [87111]
505-332-0336
Auth. Nakamichi & McIntosh servicer
Payments preferred through Paypal.com
"Mirko S Veselinovic" wrote in message
...


MEK is ???????


On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 18:24:38 -0700, "Stephen Sank"
wrote:

MEK absolutely does NOT attack any form of the enamels used to insulate the head coils.
Even
if nylon enamel was used, I already stated that MEK does not attack nylon at all. And I'd
hardly call it an "experiment" after the 20 years I've been using MEK on all manner of
audio,
video & DAT heads.

"Stephen Sank" bravely wrote to "All" (17 Jan 05 21:36:42)
--- on the heady topic of " Stationary control-head in Video 8 mechanism ?"

SS From: "Stephen Sank"
SS Xref: aeinews sci.electronics.repair:7571

SS Methyl Ethyl Ketone, a common solvent sold by almost any paint
SS supplier.

Maybe not ever locality because many people have become environmental
freaks and anything chemical sounding is hard to find on store shelves
anymore. Idiots sell welding flux (hydrochloric acid) in full reach...
Shhhhh...!

A*s*i*m*o*v

.... Puddy-tat's not so bwave in Gwanny's microwave!