Sony TVR 620E Hi8 Camera

[Ollie Elmes]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post but I thought I'd try.

I have a Sony TVR 620E, Hi8 camera. I digitise videos as a side business and I've been doing it for many years so I'm very used to cleaning the heads on cameras and video players to get good results... only issue with this camera is, I've cleaned the heads within in inch of their life and I'm still getting white lines across the video.

Is the camera a gonna? Has the head completely had it?

Thanks,

Ollie

 

[BradtheRad]

* Incorrect tracking causes snowy white horizontal lines (1 or 2 or 3 onscreen). Old vcr's had the manual tracking adjustment. Does your cam have it? I got the idea that newer models align tracking automatically.

* Maybe your drum has 4 heads. Suppose one head is bad. Then wouldn't the screen paint 3 good lines, followed by an absent line, either white or black?

* This is merely a trick I play with once in a while but if you try it it may reveal something about your transport. Hold the machine in your hands and move it quickly back and forth around the drum's axis of rotation (at a rate about once per second). This causes the image to shift onscreen, in one direction and then the other. I swear it also makes the action speed up and slow down. It's due to the drum changing speed relative to the tape, faster then slower.

 

[Ollie Elmes]

Ah ok, so question is, can I adjust the tracking manually? There certainly isn't a button for it that I've seen.

I will try the shaking thing... I take it this doesn't fix anything, just a way of understanding how the mechanics of the camera works.

Thanks for you help btw!

--- Updated Jan 27, 2021 ---

I see that people also suggest tapping the camera as it plays back, hopefully that's not continuous tapping!

 

[betwixt]

There is no tracking control, any recording played back with the same head that recorded it should not need one. It sounds like the head may just be worn out, they do have a finite life. It should be possible to fit a new one if you can find one (and don't have shaky hands!)

It is possible for the head alignment or tape guides to slip if their securing screws work loose but that would be quite rare and you would need special tools to set it up again.

Brian.

 

[Ollie Elmes]

Shame, I tried the shake trick, didn't do much for me I'm afraid. I will keep an eye out for a cheap spares or repairs model on line.

--- Updated Jan 27, 2021 ---

Don't think my hand is steady enough... or my technical skills for that matter!