Repair and Recovery of a Moldy, snapped and damaged Mini DV tape

[@jefferyb304]

Recently a friend who lost her daughter let me borrow her Mini DV camcorder and tapes to digitize them. Sadly, the camcorder would just go thump thump thump while trying to play a tape. I had never really even seen anything Mini DV. A little over a week later, I found another Mini DV camcorder at Goodwill. I was shocked that I found it and shocked that it played her tapes perfectly.

[@mykolametin6976]

@12voltvids Hi, I have a peculiar situation. I bought a used HDV/Mini DV camera to finally digitize my old tapes and almost all tapes play back well. One tape however plays back without distortion for 30-60 seconds and starts getting random horizontal distortion (always at random parts of the video, so if I start the playback from a new spot the video is actually safe). If I restart the camcorder or take the mini dv tape out and back in the distortion persists. However, if I insert another tape and play back briefly and then switch back to the mystery tape in question the distortion goes away... and comes back again after 30-60 secs. Once the distortion appears it sort of stays glued/frozen on parts of the frame and if I let it playback eventually the image gets completely mangled altogether and the Timecode stops showing. Only playing back some different tape resets things. Thoughts on what could be the problem?

[@onceinalifetimeproductions]

I've encountered VHS tapes that definitely have no screws. So, carefully drilled out the screws..and transplanted the reels once cleaned. Same problem with audio mini- and micro-cassettes...no screws, so drilled them out. Thankfully I don't encounter them often. I've never seen mini-DV tapes like the one you encountered here.

[@cvideo8797]

How do you like the DHR 1000? I have a Panasonic AG-DV1000 that I found on ebay some years ago that claimed it did not work. It works great and only has 140 hours of use on it.

[@12voltvids]

It serves the purporse. The analog outputs don't work, but the firewire works fine, and it will record from an analog input. I was considering attempting to fix, but decided I would leave it alone as I only need the firewire to work. I use it for archiving only so the digital out is all I will ever use anyway. I got it for 50 bucks and had to fix the transport. It gets the job done.

[@Error42_]

I was wondering why you didn't wind that tape with a motorised screwdriver or something but I can see why you do it manually now. That's some patience to do that. Out of interest, how does that DV player detect how much is on the spools to show on the display? Is it just using some code on the tape or does it have some kind of sensors?

[@12voltvids]

Dv tape has time code for every frame. The player also looks at the different speeds of the tape spools to guess as to where it is.

[@markmarkofkane8167]

I suppose tapes should be stored in a cool DRY place. Dry, as in low humidity. That would work, wouldn't it? PS. When I repaired 8 track tape, I used i record player turntable to wind it for me.(Didn't have a reel to reel deck) But those little spools wouldn't fit on a turntable spindle.

[@12voltvids]

I've never had a problem here but them my electric bill is through the roof running ac to cool and dehumidify the air.

[@cvideo8797]

DVC PRO tapes, used those when I worked at a TV station in San Antonio about 25 years ago. Hey Dave you probably know the answer to this. Is DVC Pro similar to MiniDV? I ask this because there was an adapter you could get where you could place a MiniDV tape inside a DVC PRO adapter and it would play.

[@12voltvids]

There are major differences between DVC and DVCPro. First is the tape, DVC came in 2 sizes, Mini and Standard. DVCPro came in medium and large. DVC (aka DV, minDV DVCAM) tapes are all ME, Metal Evaporated tape whereas DVCPRO are MP, Metal Partical tapes. All DVC / DVCam record 25 megabits. The only difference between DVC and DVCAM is the linear tape speed and track width. A 60 minite miniDV tape is 40 minutes when used on DVCAM equipment.DVCAM equipment can playback DV recordings in the SP speed but not the LP speed. DV equipment can playbcak DVCAM recordings. DVC also had an HD version that used the same tape called HDV and could record a 1280 x720P recording as well as 1440x1080i HD recording. DVCPRO used 3 different bit rates. the standard was 25mbits same as DVC/DVCAM and so yes if a mini DV tape was fit in an adapter a DVCPRO machine could play it. The reverse AFAIK in not possible because the tape won't fit. Also DVCPRO came in a 50meg flavour and a 100 meg flavour for HD recording. The DVC camp made the HD signal fit on the tape at 25 megs bu using MPG2 compression whereas DVCPRO stuck with the standard codec and just sped the tape and drum speed up to achieve higher bandwidth. I may not be 100% accurate on that though as never used DVCPRO gear. I had DV and HDV and then over to SD recording I went.

[@monopolygamer3rd]

Great video but how exactly did you remove the mold?

[@12voltvids]

I didn't. It plays just fine. It only needs to be played once.

[@DimasFajar-ns4vb]

peace be upon you sir

[@m80116]

I've never seen actual splice tape adhesive cut to size other from than specific sellers but... if once digitized you'd also want to keep your cassette and feel the need to play by the vintage, I have on tip for you: get specific splice tape or get yourself a roll of generic matte low bite tape. It should have the stickiness of yellow note or slightly more, it doesn't have to be super sticky as it will be exclusively pulled sideways. With that tape on it will probably last the magnetic tape's lifetime and never ooze onto the surrounding magnetic tape. If you find a tape with that kind of splice... NEVER PLAY it. It will jam your machine a break your tape media, multiple times.

[@12voltvids]

Once digitized the tape should go in the trash. It never needs to be played again. This tape clogged the heads so bad at least 3 times during play requiring the use if cleaning tape and fingernail to clean. Probably removed 100 hours or more of head life playing this one tape.

[@m80116]

@@12voltvids also don't forget to throw the machine in the trash and set it ablaze... you never know it might come back! We freaking damn enthusiasts... feeding on vintage complications.

[@jasonhandy8442]

Don't use a Dremel to open it melts a plastic seals behind it behind it done the same thing on cassette tapes

[@JasonTheJJGamer5442]

Wow, tape case - why not a different way to open case - my guess customer broke tape lack of care balmed the company

[@mahda9372]

what is best way to clean the head?

[@12voltvids]

Cleaning tape

[@jasonhandy8442]

You think that's bad I'd repeat Sony DVD player had to take 67 screws out before I can get to the laser

[@tacofortgens3471]

And some people still swear by tapes 🤷‍♂️

[@12voltvids]

How does that saying go? You can't fix stupid.

[@ConsumerDV]

I hope they pay you good money to fiddle with the tiny cassette, narrow tape and mouldy tape. I would not touch it, I would throw it away.

[@12voltvids]

I got paid to capture and upload.

[@robertoney5665]

I got sound 📢 can you hear me now!?!

[@tacofortgens3471]

Fine here

[@markmarkofkane8167]

Sometimes, a video has no sound. I use an android (don't laugh) phone to watch videos. I'll try another video, if it has sound, I'll go back to the one that didn't. It usually works. But not always. I blame my phone or app if others can hear it and I cannot.