Cleaning 8mm camcrdr to Convert & Dump in VMS

Altair 4 wrote on 4/29/2013, 12:41 PM

I have a new assignment that will work out well, if I can get old 8 mm tapes to play. I can convert the 8mm output to digital, that's no problem. The problem is cleaning the tape drum on my old 8mm camcoder or video deck to get a clean image.

The internet is replete with ways to do this. Can anyone aim me towards a tutorial with good, SAFE, instructions on cleaning these units? Thanks

Comments

Steve Grisetti wrote on 4/29/2013, 12:44 PM

Have you tried an 8mm camcorder cleaning cassette?

UKharrie wrote on 4/29/2013, 3:10 PM

Not sure about this, OP says he' s OK with digitising the 8mm - so I'm not clear where the drum is involved, perhaps OP can make this clearer?

Cleaning tapes are sometimes regarded as a "last-ditch fix" since it's very difficult to be sure the conditions are right - it being a thin line between touching the dirt and wrecking the heads.

videoITguy wrote on 4/29/2013, 5:28 PM

So-called cleaning tapes should be left in store bought packaging.

ALSO Keep your hands and any other foreign objects out of the tape load area. The only object there should be a new really high-quality videotape in cassette - yes that should be enough to constitute a cleaning pass of 2 or 3 minutes continuous run time.

As others indicate you are not all clear about your situation. You want to clean the tape area? Why? No, I mean what makes you think it is dirty? WHAT ARE your symptoms of what is not allowing you to go ahead and start digitizing? Tracking?

Barry W. Hull wrote on 5/5/2013, 9:11 AM

Altair 4,

Not sure where you are located, but in the United States, Southern Advantage Company is just about the best when it comes to old equipment and repairs.

I've used them with great success.

http://www.southernadvantage.com/