Sony CCDTRV128 no playback and sticking cassette repair

This one shipped up from a viewer to see if it can be fixed. Yes it can.

[@alexanderberezin5424]

It’s 2021 and you saved my life!!!

[@cristiangutierrezlopez6508]

hello, could you tell me what you did exactly? I have the same problem

[@alexanderberezin5424]

@@cristiangutierrezlopez6508Well I just touched the spinning head with my fingernail and that fixed the camera (even my second one). There’s nothing complicated and this video is pretty self explanatory. Good luck!

[@ShawnStinson]

Dude! THANK YOU for making and posting this video. I'm working on a project converting approx 50 of my family's tapes from the 90's and early 2000's. 4 tapes from the end of the project and my Sony Handycam DCR-TRV460 started having this exact problem. The fingernail on the head trick worked perfectly! Thanks so much!

[@shreyanshkulshreshtha9172]

Thank you so much for this video!!! I have a sony handycam cassettes lying around and decided to digitize them, but when I open the camera, it was showing the black bars. I was already looking for Hi8 readers and online services, but decided to check if this can be repaired by myself. Had very less hope, but this nail cleaning technique worked like a charm, without any significant efforts! I'm so happy. Thank you again!

[@itsRjRuiz]

I never thought I’d be here looking for this video...i recently found 34 old home videos that I’m digitizing.....this video was a huge helo since my camera wasn’t a showing picture....thank you so much!

[@goodmojo2297]

I just wanted to thank you - this was the exact problem (heads/video not playing properly) I have been dealing with for weeks on my SONY CCD-TRV108 - you just saved me money and aggravation. I fixed it myself yay! I can now get back to digitally transferring my old tapes to digital! thank you!

[@kristinatucker3075]

Thank you for this video. I just fixed my camcorder today because of your video!! Thank you so much. So many priceless memories saved. Now I need to get them off onto some DVD’s!!

[@12voltvids]

Excellent to hear.

[@petedom4566]

Thank you for your excellent video. You have helped me "repair" my Sony TRV340E which had no playback and no error codes. The dissassembly was more tricky than I imagined and I used the thumbnail as suggested and took time to clean the heads. The playback was restored and I can now carry on with my digital archiving. Thank you very much!

[@rogeriorogerio1007]

I was baffled when the picture came back with just a "fingernail cleaning". I'd have tried some A4 type paper perhaps soaked in isopropyl, but the metal tape clogging makes a lot of sense. Thanks for sharing the knowledge.

[@12voltvids]

Yup, that's the trick. Quite often when a head clogs on DV, 8mm or DAT, because the format uses metal tape, it is a metal particle that flakes off and welds itself to the head. Unlike oxide tape there is nothing to dissolve.

[@coondogtheman]

I never got into these tape based cameras. I went with the little MPEG-4 aiptek DV-4500 "toy" camera and I still have it and it works great. I shot many of my oldest videos with it. Video quality is 352x288 which is dated by today's standards but the only things I had to do to fix it was the power button and the battery door which was fixed with an elastic. For the monaural sound on the left channel you can get a cable which is 1 RCA to 2 RCA which will play the left channel in both speakers. I will be honest, I to was worried about damaging the head with your fingernail until you said it was ok and then you did it the picture came back. Amazing.

[@12voltvids]

The heads are made out of iron. Last time I checked iron is harder than a fingernail.

[@12voltvids]

I could have panned the sound in post to both channels easily as well. I wasn't monitoring it when I captured the footage from the 8mm. I do have a bunch of "Y" cables kicking around here too somewhere, but I had already captured it, and I really didn't care if the sound was only on the left channel from the camera.

[@valentinaat94]

You saved my childhood videos. Thank you so so so so much!!! You helped me fix my camera and I’m so happy!!! Thank youuuu

[@marcosantoniolarosadiaz9047]

Hispanic

[@chickenz03]

I'm speechless. I've had a TRV280 that wouldn't play videos for at least 8 years now. I did your finger nail trick and sure enough now it works. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for sharing this!!

[@12voltvids]

I learned that trick when i was doing my stint in broadcast. When i was interning I saw the engineers do this to clear a clog while on air if a head clogged

[@chickenz03]

@@12voltvids oh that's funny. Amazing how something so simple can work so well.

[@12voltvids]

@@chickenz03 your fingernail is hard enough to dislodge the clog without damaging the head.

[@zozogugu]

Thank You very much. I just repaired my (very reliable!) DCR-TVR270E. Three screws and a fingernail. That is what I call a real (!!!) repairman, who shares such a marvelous tip. PS: Quite interestingly, the DCR-TRV270(E) is exactly (!) the same as the CCD-TRV128(E), only Digital 8, and not Hi8.

[@Seans-Garage]

Omg!!!!! My Sony DCR TRV 260 was dead for years, and now it's fixed with a simple finger nail trick. Lol you sir are an Angel. Thank you.!!!

[@Seans-Garage]

Dmanam it!! Played sketchy, then tried cleaning it, not its bad again. I think the heads are bad....

[@SpitfireFiend]

Thank you my friend passed away so went to watch some videos an camera dint work watch your channel followed ur steps an was able to get the Handycam working. Thank you I have memories but was able to get a tape of my friend to his mom.... thank you shhhhaaaoOooo saved my memories

[@12voltvids]

Glad you were able to play your tapes.

[@NicksWhipShop]

Thank you so very much, brother!!! I'm in the middle of transferring my 20+ childhood 8mm tapes to digital, and in the midst of it all the camera starting acting up and ultimately stopped playing the tapes. I followed your instructions in this video and it saved the day! I don't know if you have Patreon, or accept donations, but man I would be more than happy to give you some support for what you do.

[@12voltvids]

Donations to. PayPal.me/12voltvids or Patreon.com/12voltvids

[@cristiangutierrezlopez6508]

hello, could you tell me what you did exactly? I have the same problem :(

[@12voltvids]

@@cristiangutierrezlopez6508 I believe I showed the problem and the remedy in the video.

[@glenngoodale1709]

i do enjoy listening to you, watching your video's, and you sharing the things you have done

[@markthompson5339]

THANK YOU! The fingernail trick fixed my DCR-TRV460 playback issue too, and only 3 screws need be removed to access it.

[@jason1979007]

Piece of old tech it's amazing how far technologies have come

[@danikaquinteros1393]

This is the exact problem I had with my camcorder and following your video fixed it.Thank you so much!!!!!

[@marlenamoutinho7003]

Thank you so much for this posting this video, I thought I would never be able to see my videos again. It worked brilliantly and was the exact problem I had.

[@rodericfrost]

Thank you for this video!!! I was having a no play issue took camera apart and cleaned wheel just as you did and it's working great again.

[@G-yc5ql]

I was having the exact problem of no video on play, only on ff and reverse. I did exactly what you said with rubbing my fingernail on the head and now its working. Thank you so much!!!

[@demariuscarmichael330]

This was great!!!!! I fixed my camcorder and now it’s working !!! You are the best. Thanks

[@TitanUpYourGame]

This worked with about 20 seconds of fingernail, thank you!! I bought a second one of these things thinking the first was bad, but it just needed a fingernail 🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@12voltvids]

Yes some heads are just completely clogged up. Metal tape fuses to the head and needs to basically be scrapped off. I learned this trick from the engineer at the tv station I interned at. Started showing the guys at the Sony service center it and soon everyone was doing it. Fingernail is just the right hardness to clear the clog without damaging the head and because it is spinning the force is in the direction the head is designed to sustain as remember there is friction against the tape at all times.

[@caglarkavak]

Thank you sir. With finger nail trick my TRV 355E worked again. Thank you.

[@randombrandon1940]

Omg I can't thank you enough! TRV 138. Worked like a charm!!

[@matt.pielaszkiewicz]

Thank you for saving my videos - I've jeust fixed my Sony TRV238E :) By the way - i've used rubbing alcohol and microfibre to clean magnetic head - no more gray horizontal lines, no more audio/video distortions, no more 'use cleaning tape' error

[@isoguy.]

Usual awsome fix from the master. Ignor the thumbs down unless they come with positive criticism. Thanks for sharing and here are a few extra thumbs up for your vids. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@12voltvids]

Pretty much assure you they are coming from people in service business that don't like their trade secrets shared. If I was making a living repairing electronics I would probably be one of them.

[@isoguy.]

@@12voltvids Ive always believed that knowledge is to be shared, it is this sharing that differentiates us from apes, love the fix and tutorial videos, thank you for sharing your skills and for the time you take to make them. Final thought: Our legacy is what we pass to the next generation an not what we collect or accumalate.

[@adiasbr]

@@12voltvids thank you for share these tips for us. I liked the "nail" tip.

[@12voltvids]

@@adiasbr Yes just hard enough to clean the clog without damaging the head. Works for VHS heads too. As I mentioned before I first saw that done at the TV station I worked at in 1981, and then again when I was taking a course at Sony for 8mm, I was in the shop with one of the techs I worked with back when I worked for Sony in 83 and we got to talking about cleaning the 8mm cameras, because isopropanol won't do it. His reply was dry cleaning tape or the back side of your fingernail to clear the tough clogs. Basically the cleaning tape for 10 seconds and if that didn't do it the camera comes apart and it is done this way because you don't want to use a cleaning tape too much as it will wear the head. I laughed and said that was what the engineers did at the cable station I worked at did. His reply "where do you think I learned that one" so this must be pretty common with broadcast engineers and "tape heads". (Those would be the guys running tapes in the basement for all the on air operations)

[@12voltvids]

@@isoguy. Knowledge should be shared, but those providing the knowledge also should be compensated for said knowledge. Unless you line in a Cuba where the government pays for your university education.

[@emediamt]

I have the exact same camera with the exact same problem. I tried your fingernail method and it cleared the picture right up! Thank you very much!

[@VladiRedzko]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, IT WORKED! I THOUG THE CASSETTE WAS DAMAGED BUT I DID THE FINGER NAIL TECNIQUE AND DIDNT BELIEVE THAT WAS GONNA FIXED IT! THANK YOU!

[@peteb2]

So many folks load old tapes that will have grown mildew or mold having been stored in the shed or bottom of wardrobe and that goop soon blocks the headgaps. I till 'em to always load 'n shuttle the entire cassette to repack the tape. With a bit of air over the tape for the 1st time in years and the fact that patches of any goop scrub off on the mechanism cleaner knife etc they should reduce risk of headclogs down the line... We used to put a business card (sometimes soaked is isopropyl) lightly against the scanner to knockoff a metal oxide core that was blocking a headgap. Attended a conference on future of recording media last year. Belief is the last of the world's tape makers will cease production of tape by 2024 simply because the only market now is Data Cartridges used in Data Robots (run by banks etc).

[@171mike]

So I think I did this exact thing. Started watching tapes that have been sitting for 20 years. fixed it with the thumb nail. I'm kinda lost tho, Could you explain in layman's terms what I should do to prevent this from happening again? Idk what "load 'n shuttle to repack the tape" means.

[@peteb2]

@@171mike Any kind of tape, be it audio recordings on real to real to the stuff inside the good olde audio cassette, video as weel... as in VHS or BetaMax ... there's a high chance a kind mold will grow between the tape layers as it lies all rolled up on spool... unless of course its been stored in a room with constant climate controlled environment (low humidity etc).... When you load the tape into, onto or thread it to a machine, it's a good practice to forward shuttle the entire spool all the way through (SLOWLY) as this lets the air get to it and then rewind it back to the start... Probably best to now unthread & give the mech tapepath a clean including the heads, capstan-shaft & pinch-wheel.... be careful on video heads though they can snap off the scanner drum all too easy... So yeah, repacking a tape just means to shuttle it forward to the end & then rewind it.... Interestingly i have folks with old floppy discs desperate to recover the data on them (still) & the oxide coated plastic disc (which is similar technology as linear tape) in the 'packet' is covered it mold too!

[@epicchris1985]

I've fixed a camera the other week doing just this.. Super simple tip if you know how and fixed my almost mint Digital 8 unit (same body as this one) in seconds. Great video as always.. just came back on to say thanks for posting this and many other awesome helpful videos :)

[@jean-pierremarinalonzo3204]

Excellent, now i can re-see all vids from long time ago. Excuse my english syntax ! Hi, from France.

[@teacfan1080]

It may have cost him $120 in shipping fees but maybe he still likes to use that camcorder and is willing to pay that much to be able to use it. I used Hi-8 for a couple of years, couldn't believe the better quality over those honking big VHS cameras. I had my doubt when you said you were going to clean the head with a finger nail. I was proved wrong again! So you basically gave the head "the finger" and all is well again!

[@12voltvids]

Your fingernail is just the right hardness to clean video heads. Besides the guys at Sony doing it, when I worked in broadcast for a couple of years this was common for tape operators to do this if a head clogged during playback on air. They would put their finger in and press the tape slightly so the tape itself would act as the cleaning medium and clear the clog.

[@mrmagnetoscope]

12voltvids Doesn't this damage the tape?

[@12voltvids]

@@mrmagnetoscope If you sandwich the tape between your fingernail and the hear it will scratch it. I didn't do this. I made direct contact with the head, so most of the dirt would have come off on my fingernail.

[@thomasraden]

Left coast, either close to Point Roberts or south of Vancouver? Driving close or just beside the US border I guess? What strikes us here in scandinavia is how rigid the border control is between Canada and the US. In scandinavia you can drive along freely and only tell when your in Norway that the middle line in the road changes from white to yellow...

[@drteeth7054]

It is because many people drive though Canada to get to Alaska. The Americans often have stuff that is illegal in Canada, like guns, so they cannot make them through.

[@atm8094]

You’re an absolute G, fingernail trick worked perfectly

[@12voltvids]

Learned that from cheif engineer at the tv station i worked briefly at.

[@Charlestonmike34]

Thanks! Helped me fix my old Hi-8 system to watch old family movies!

[@12voltvids]

Now a piece of advice. Transfer those tapes while you can.

[@johnkift78]

Hi there. Thanks for the tutorial on cleaning the dirty head. I had a blue screen like in your video. Back of my nail worked and I now have video. But now my tapes are being eaten or I get a notice to reinsert the tape. I don't want to do any more damage. I'm sure something is bent on the tape mechanism.

[@kolo8902]

thanks for this video now i can play and see my videos, greetings from Argentina

[@kevinsvideodump]

This is the second to last model of Sony's Hi8 camcorders, from 2004. The last model, the CCD-TRV138, was in production from 2005 to 2007.

[@12voltvids]

I figured it was near the end. No stereo sound very basic unit. Almost like Sony was making a last couple of models for early adopters of 8mm to get one last model. As I said in the video I had never seen this model before as I had already left the service business when this one came out.

[@kevinsvideodump]

As soon as Sony introduced Digital8 camcorders they removed stereo sound from most of their Hi8 camcorders. But they continued selling both Hi8 and Digital8 Handycams (sharing most parts between them) all the way until the end of production in 2007.

[@12voltvids]

@@kevinsvideodump What I found interesting is when digital 8 was introduced it had the ability to play 8mm and hi8 analog tapes and would even allow export of analog tapes over FireWire as a dv signal. This was the strength to digital 8. To let people make the move to digital and still play their old tapes. Then Sony took away analog playback. The hi8 I have owned ccdtr81, ccdv5000, ccdvx3 and evw300. Digital 8 dcr trv110. Dv cameras. Dcrvx1000, canon gl2 and JVC gydv500

[@kevinsvideodump]

The higher-end Digital8 camcorders retained analog playback capability all the way to the end. But beginning around 2002 the lower-end DIgital8 camcorders became digital-only.

[@jimsullivan668]

Do you still do repairs. I've got a TRV138 that has no A/V output, so I can't make any copies of the dozens of tapes from the '90s when the kids were little. I hate to lose them.

[@patrickjmorgan]

15 minutes to clean the head with your thumbnail but a darn sight longer to learn those gems! I have a SonyDV camcorder and the mechanism looks very similar. Still works, but I’ll remember your tear down.

[@matthewbestdfghy]

If he is willing to pay the shipping costs he knows that you do good work.

[@12voltvids]

I guess I am one of the few out there that still take on these projects. There is a limit to what can be fixed, but mechanical problems usually can unless parts broken that are not available. Board problems, especially leaky caps forget it.

[@matthewbestdfghy]

@@12voltvids to be honest yes you are. As someone who took electronics technology in college there is not much demand for it now. Most electronics today is throwaway. Although there are some people who like retro electronics and they are growing

[@12voltvids]

@@matthewbestdfghy I certainly don't do this for a living these days. A repair like this fetches perhaps 70.00. As I said in the video I retired from the business in 2003 and don't do that much these days. Lately I have been taking on a few repairs but it isn't to make money. It is mainly to make these repair videos as I make far more from the ad revenue than from the actual repair.

[@drteeth7054]

@@12voltvids 70 dollars! My god you are cheap. It would be worth my while to send you my stuff from England to get it fixed. For a known-good repair it would be a steal.

[@12voltvids]

@@drteeth7054 Yup I make nothing from repairs. The only money I make is what I get from the advertising on the channel, and many people like to cheat me out of that by running ad blockers too.

[@Shyzah]

I'vc got the same camera. Sold it on ebay and someone returned it. I was like wtf it's never given us a problem since we bought it. Did the fingernail thing and its perfect!

[@naveenmathur2112]

The solution worked like a charm! Thank you soooo much!!!

[@Budro4764]

I have the 138 and just plugged it in to charge the battery , a good medium sized one at that.... I think this one we had a issue with 7 or 8 years ago, Now that my new bench is being set up , I can work on it.... Merci Mon Ami ....

[@paulvsthevolcano]

This helped me fix mine! Thank you so much. Able to enjoy and restore my family videos now.

[@technixbul]

Finger nail ... hah you killing me :D now this is real creativity. I tryed your method for boiling the flat ruber belt to restore it but it does not help at all to me and i decided to precise cut to size another one -> old good quality and glued it with super glue on liquid gel base, just dip two tips vely litle in a drop then when hardened i filed the excess to make the bond elastic and smooth, in fact i did it twice because first time i make the belt bigger in diameter. Actualy i tried to tear the bond but it snaps near glued place (from new place not the bond) so i know the bond is strong and indeed i've tested it for 4 days and near 30 tapes on tape deck and still working flawessly.

[@12voltvids]

The fingernail technique I first saw done at the TV station I worked at, and then at Sony when I was taking an 8mm camcorder course. It is an alternative to the abrasive dry cleaning tape.

[@technixbul]

@@12voltvids we used to use a bus tickets because our tickets contains hard paper and nylon strips (like banknotes) and the result is pretty much the same but you don't always have a ticket on hand ;)

[@rockleandro123]

Love You man! You saved My life!!! Totaly recomended

[@romantheman1227]

Great video I just bought 1 it's a 138 model your showing a 128 and it's identical, I paid 15dls at a garage sale and it came with extra tapes and a leather case I think it's worth it!!👍

[@subdiicee]

Thank you for this useful information but may I know where I can find the cable that connects from the camera to the tv?

[@epicchris1985]

It's a normal 3.5mm jack to phono lead.. have them on ebay for very little money. Look up Sony AV lead and you should find one easy that way.

[@markmarkofkane8167]

2 thumbs up! (Only one will show) that 🐈. I enjoyed the video! Sure is small and complex mechanically. Do you have thumbnails of that tape head? Fantastic. From 1996-2000, I took road videos. I mounted camera on a tripod secured by a seatbelt.

[@merzaj8758]

You're a legend, i have two of these camera having the reading issue I'll try and do the finger nail trick hopefully it'll work, thanks again for your valuable informations.

[@brunodanielgomezdelgado9146]

Might you help me? I have a handycam just like that and it doesn't detect the cassette, it tells me "insert the cassette" how can I fix it?

[@1Deejay7]

My player was working fine as I was watching 30 yr old videos. I then rewinded it and now the tape plays distorted and without sound! 😥 I'm hopimg tontry the finger nail method. Is the head also cause for the loss of sound also? This partic tape didnt have a that flip back head on it so maybe the tape had some small debris on it? Any tape I out through it has the same issue now.

[@DanielGutierrez-ce6oo]

2022 thank you for this had no clue why my cam would not playback tape cleaned the heads and worked fine

[@cac7549]

Thank you for sharing your video with us. I have three Sony high8 cameras. I love those cameras. I have the ones with the 4 inch screens. My only problem with them is they are not are not charging the batteries or even with a separate charger. Does that mean the batteries have reached the end of their lives? Your videos are superinteresting.

[@weirdocore]

Thanks man, the thumb method worked just fine, you saved my fav cam!!

[@marythornton7524]

Thank you thank you thank you! the finger nail trick fixed our camera!

[@12voltvids]

I learned that trick from the head engineer at the tv station I worked at briefly. If a head clogged while on air he would use the back of his fingernail to clear the clog while the tape continues to play.

[@olbakk1645]

thank you! And if anyone else struggles with the tape getting stuck and not being able to play, mine got fixed (for now) by just opening the top hatch such as in the video. My guess is that something got stuck the wrong way up there.

[@ngadam3126]

Many thanks for the great tear down vid and I'm gonna give this a go. Couple of questions I wanted to ask too. - any way to get rid of the the dreaded C31:22/23 or C31:42 error codes. - from your explanation it doesn't seem like a good idea to keep reusing those head cleaner tapes which I do very often. Also I do sometimes use the wd-40 contact cleaner on the head itself. Are those 2 very bad ideas or just subtle issues?

[@12voltvids]

The head cleaner tapes are the only way to chean 8mm and DV heads. Don't use contact cleaner on video heads.

[@ngadam3126]

@@12voltvids Thanks for the super quick reply, appreciate it. I was always guessing because head is too dirty maybe a wet version may give a deeper clean which I now know isn't very smart 😜 . Also for the cleaning tape, is it ok to use it for a few runs?

[@12voltvids]

@@ngadam3126 they say not to run more than 4 times in a row. If heads don't clean by then it could be something else. Head cleaning tapes gradually wear the heads so you don't want to use more than necessary.

[@andrewverran3498]

I am on my second Sony trv120e..I am about to try restore repair and digitise about a dozen hi8 tapes. It is really hard here on Australia to find a Sony hi8 playback type machine where access to the head assembly is easy..I dont want to risk a tape jamming in my 120e like my first 120e.can you please recommend another cheaper Hi8 camcorder that could perform this digitizing task..I will be destroying the tapes after the ripping. Many thanks

[@Malory-Malicious]

How much would a repair be? I have one that’s broken too

[@luveri_8798]

this cam keeps giving me ‘reinsert the cassette ‘ there’s nothing stuck kept changing the cassette still :(

[@markpaz3438]

have u figured it out?

[@meowanishka8616]

Same here bro ..if you get any solution please let us know 🙏🏻

[@farruxbobojono9279]

Hi mister! I have 1camcorder it works but after i turn on it has only blue screen it doesn't say anything no matter what button you touch and it doesn't record and doesn't show what is in tape like doesn't show the video in tape what can i do?

[@zx8401ztv]

I never liked working on camcorders, the ones i saw were always tape load damage. The metal was far too thin to stand up to rough use.

[@gmmeier321]

Worked like a charm

[@charliechaplaincapetown9861]

Hi there I watch the full video and I fixed the my camera thanks 😊❤🙏🤲

[@pomona5592]

My eject buttons not working how do I fix?

[@boldraz]

Hi, thank you very much to share your incredible expertise! Could the trick work also with a wood chopstick? (japanese stick) Or perhaps other materials? I'm asking as I have a Sony CCDTR505E with video heads not in reach by fingers.

[@boldraz]

I've been able to use the finger nail, while rotating without tape inside! However the viewfinder playback is still black, as well as the VCR out. I've also disconnected all the connectors and cleaned them. Probably it's another issue.. the display shows a blinking 00:00:00 counter, also while playing.

[@aarontrupiano9328]

the hi8 camera I've talked about before has these same symptoms no picture but the audio is all distorted as well. playing and searching through a tape makes it go away as long as it's kept in use.

[@TheDeemonArtist]

This is one I have ! Was working fine and now it’s just playing blue screen but I read it’s suppose to be charged fully but it’s plugged in so I don’t know. Tape roll through sounds alright but could a bit of external damage or dropping it cause this ? Old camera but like to still have it for it’s night mode …

[@csleeut]

Hi the tape coming of the head to the pinch roller initially rides correct but after playing a few seconds it moves down the pinch roller and even scrapes the deck. What is wrong ?

[@janchristianursuaaguilar7434]

I really hate companies abandoning tapes why

[@dove111]

Excellent! What about when you can't hear any sounds? The volume is all the way up, yet I can't hear the recorded sounds on the tape.

[@12voltvids]

Audio board. That is the one right at the front. The mic plugs into it. Probably bad caps.

[@Pandaboy-xx2gh]

Sir I have a question for Sony dcr-trv280, Because when I opened it all I can see is black, I double check if the cap is covering the lens but no. I think it's a error code because I can hear the error code sound or beeping and sir I also have 1 more problem the cassette tape isn't sliding when I eject it.

[@infinitecanadian]

I don't think that it would matter if you showed the people in the wedding, considering that 25 years have passed since then. When I was in Air Cadets, one of the NCO's was teaching a class and dropped the VCR. Everyone applauded him ironically.

[@12voltvids]

It's called cya. Cover your ass.

[@JollyJoshy77]

Can dirty heads trigger a C 31: 23 error code? Sony Handy cam 8 mm only. And are you in Downey California? If so I’m in Bellflower California and I’d be more than happy to hand-deliver it to you for repairs if needed.

[@ronytomano]

I have about ten minutes of recorded material. After that everything is blue. It’s hard to believe there’s nothing else on that tape :/. Is it possible got some of the tape to just delete?

[@Beardwhip]

Was there a special reason it cost so much to ship? That's an absolutely absurd price (I can say this with certainty, I ship things for a living)

[@12voltvids]

That is what the post office charges. Before you say should have shipped it fed ex, fed ex add 37.50 minimum charged to the receiver. The last person that shipped me a camera to repair ended up with an additional 48.15 in taxes and broker fees added to the cost of the repair. Canada post is a little cheaper. USPS is probably the most expensive way to ship but at least there are no extra fees added at the border.

[@AThreeDogNight]

@@12voltvids, USPS sounds like the way to go. Thanks Dave, some good advice.

[@Beardwhip]

@@12voltvids ahhhh, I hadn't considered that you were in Canada... That explains it!

[@danielhill3261]

I have a JVC MinDV camcorder with a sticking cassette eject tray (tray should slowly come out to accept a cassette tape), as well as a loose pinch roller. The pinch roller will not stay on. If I sent this to you, would you fix it, and possibly make it into a video? I'm sure lots of people with miniDv camcorders have these same issues- ESPECIALLY the loose or missing pinch roller. Thank you very much!!! -Daniel Hill

[@mattel2247]

I have the CCD-TRV228E camera. looks exactly the same. My problem is the playback is fuzzy with the jack lead to TV? So, it's hard to see what Hi8 tape is in there. The camera screen isn't always clear for some video tapes, get that VHS lines in picture or the screen is blue and auido plays but likeon rewind u get a picture. Audio is not clear on cam corder seems like a speaker issue. BUT WITH HEADPHONES ok. The audio is fine via TV using leads, but I only see a bit of a picture as it's still fuzzy. The tapes and camera have not be used or played for like 13yrs. They've just been left in a bag in a cupboard. Can this be the camera needs a cleaner or is it the tapes although the tapes have cases and not in bad condition at all.

[@lilandranera]

October 2021!! Thanks!!!! Para las personas que hablan español solo tienen que destapar y mientras avanza el vídeo tocan ligeramente el cabezal con su dedo limpio así como lo hace el, para que mientras el cabezal gira tu dedo va a ir tocando y limpiando si hay suciedad, se siente como gira, pero la presión es muy poca, y el resultado es inmediato igual que en el vídeo.

[@marinaamonaco]

Thanks for the video! I need help with another issue: When i put inside the cassete. I close the "door", then the head starts working - sounds like is forcing - but then it doesn't go down, inside the camera. so i can't even put inside the cassete. it's stuck there and then it opens again :( i don't know what to do! Any recommendations?

[@FelipeCea]

Hi my camera trv900 has fungus inside the lens, do you how can fix it?

[@dethclik2002]

I have a Sony vx1000 that shoes a bunch of white glitchy pixels in areas that have bright light or when the exposure is up it records them onto tape and with a live preview through FireWire but not through svideo or composite ( unless playing a tape). I’ve taken it apart a little bit everything seems to be in order and I gave it a good cleaning but no luck. Have you ever encountered something like this?

[@v0Xic]

Thanks very much for the advice. I have the same camera and the nail trick worked!

[@MelenheadGaming]

Thank you you crazy magic man. I tried this and it worked

[@ferromadeit8126]

There is no chance for me to reach the head with my finger nail is there something else to clog it with ?

[@alberteinstein5757]

Good morning sir, i have the same camcorder but my pobleme when i am trying to play "insert the cassette" biping not stop and error c31:23

[@erickapollo_a97]

I have the same prob, still trying to figure out how to fix

[@dylanxoy9287]

I have a very similar camera, I’m going to try this out because it keeps asking me to “ re-insert “ the cassette back into the camera, if you don’t think it’ll work do you personally have any tips or recommendations?

[@Mazda6B6]

My Sony Digital8 videocamera will not play back tapes anymore. Blue screen and it says " No playback" or something like that.

[@gerardocortez135]

I hope you can answer, but I got a hi8 camera today and played a tape and worked fine but when I wanted to play another one nothing worked, and when I wanted to play the first Tape I used again it still didn’t work, what can be the problem??

[@07Review]

The one I have doesn't play but if I press the play button on the screen without removing my finger it will play ok but as soon as I remove my finger will stop, any idea?, I just trying to convert 12 cassettes to digital and does it. Any help will be appreciated. Also, I did reset it, also rewind doesn't do anything, the rest is fine, even the recording.

[@kathyvcelestial123]

My camcorder was working but said "clean head" then when I tried again to open it to put in a cassette cleaner, it says "Locked" when I try and open the cassette disk. I can clearly see a thin orange "string" that is suppose to connect something came undone. Im sure its just as easy as finding where it goes. The camera still turns on and shows an image. I was trying to see on this video if I can see where the orange "string" goes but you cant see it...its the same model.

[@superbikebilly3868]

Hi @12voltvids, i have a Samsung MiniDV VP-D361 which was working fine until recently! It has started chewing up tapes and shows either 1 of 2 error messages; the first is "Eject - D" and the second is "Eject - R"... From this description do you have any idea of whats wrong and or a potential fix for this problem? Many thanks, Billy. 😉

[@DRIFTSATION]

Hey man I think my camera might need a repair in the tape deck, any chance you still do these repairs man?

[@cristobalgarcia3416]

Would you happen to still make these repairs? If so i would like to see if you could fix one of mine having the same issue i believe

[@user-nn7pu4qi7r]

Is there a way for me to ship my micro sony handycam.. I would like to download all my cassettes to my pc but the cassette compartment isnt coming up all the way...

[@mudassar34]

Hi there great video and good directions. Any advice what could cause tapes to be chewed in a Panasonic mini DV I have no experience working on these so I need somewhere to start. I have one new cassette to try in it but I'm too scared to try it in case it chews that aswell. How does one even work on this to test it....? It's tiny and you also can't see anything while it's running. Many thanks in advance

[@franklinsterlen6817]

I have a Sony Handycam CCD-TR94 with a playback issue it only plays for about 2 seconds and stops could you fix it?