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DVX100a didn’t record
I shot 18 min worth of tape when I got the clogged head warning light. I took out the record tape, put in a tape head cleaner for 20 sec, and then put the record tape back in. The error light went away and I continued to record until that tape was full. I was sending a signal to two monitors, saw the RECORD indicator in the viewfinder, and even yelled out timecode for the next hour as we taped. We shot two more tapes that day and went home.
I just got a call from the production company that is doing the edit—and there is NOTHING after 18 min on the first tape. All other tapes are fine…and the first 18 min is fine. After 18 min o Tape 1 there is no TC, no video track, no nothing.
This was an important shoot with about 8 crew, 5 clients, 1 talent…and I am screwed. Anybody ever heard of this happening before?
Only thing we haven’t tried is putting original tape back in the camera to see if it plays from there…but it will not play from playback deck. (and since the camera and the tape are now 2-hour drive apart…I thought we’d see if any forum members had any ideas).
Thanks.Bill Sammons
Watermark Productions -
5 Replies
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Perhaps this is stating the obvious, but did you do a check (confidence playback?) in the field after recording some material to see if your tapes were recording correctly?
This doesn’t really address your problem, and frankly, I don’t know what would. As far as timecode, was your DVX set to Regen or Free? That would explain seeing timecode, though not why you’d get no warning message if there was still a clog.
Definately need to marry up the affected tape and the source DVX to see if that will get you your content.
Tim Scarpino
Tim Scarpino
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After I cleaned the heads, I played back what I had shot just prior to the error message…and it was fine. I did not do another tape check until tape 2 was in…and it was fine. I had the camera TC set to REC RUN. I just went into the cam menu and see FIRST REC TC and it is set to REGEN. I dont know what that setting does and have never changed it. (Manual, here I come)
Bill Sammons
Watermark Productions -
This happened to us a few years ago except with a Sony DHR-1000 tape deck. Cleaned the heads and nothing recorded after that.
This has happened to others so when we record something important in DV, we record a back up in a second deck or straight to a computer.
I would drive the two hours with the camera in hand and see if, by chance, it does play in the unit that recorded it.
As for PRESET and REGEN time code, you use PRESET to set the TC to whatever you want. For REGEN, when you have something already recorded to tape and you stop the tape, remove and replace the tape, or power down the unit, you push the “rec chk” button on the right side/top of the camera and the tape will rewind a few seconds and then play to the last frame of video. The camera will lock onto the timecode and continue where it left off.
I’ve got my fingers crossed for you. Good luck!
There is a chance you’re ok.
Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD . -
I drove the camera up to the tape yesterday…and there was no video on the tape. We’re reshooting Saturday. I’ve generally been happy with the DVX100 but I now have no confidence in the camera. And that sucks. Thanks for the input.
Bill Sammons
Watermark Productions
http://www.watermark-productions.com -
Bill- this exact thing has happened to me as well with the DVX100a. I had talent and crew there and had to make the dreaded call that the camera didn’t record our second half of the day. My first tape recorded fine, and I had even gone back and reviewed the footage. The rest of the day was a tight schedule and there was no reason to think the camera wasn’t recording. I have never seen the time code run with the record display functioning perfectly but not actually record anything. I don’t know what happened exactly.. I blamed the battery and chucked it in the trash, but I have no idea what actually caused it. Horrible.
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