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Panasonic MiniDv Video Camera – Stuck on Black Screen?
Hi, I’m using a Panasonic MiniDv video camera, and on playback (in playback mode) the screen is completely black and the time code reads 00:00:00:00. When you fast forward or rewind it to get to the footage it does not seem to be moving. There is also a “R” followed by a number, at the moment (R0:56) this changes when playing or fast forwarding or rewinding but I don’t know what it means.
This tape is absolutely full of footage. There shouldn’t be any parts of just black. All clips where recorded straight after the other. So I don’t see why there should be any blank screen and I don’t see why you can’t fast forward or rewind out of it if there is.
Has anybody got experience with Panasonic miniDv cameras? I would be grateful for any help.
Thanks. Gareth -
6 Replies
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Two things may be possible.
Are you sure that the camera you are playing the tape on is good? Does it play back other tapes? Bad/clogged heads could cause this. Or just a broken camera…
Was the tape possibly recorded at the slow speed DV setting on a different camera and you are trying to play it back on a camera that cannot play the slower format?
and (OK, I guess THREE things) Is the tape possibly recorded in the HDV format? It’s not compatible with DV but it uses the same tapes?
What camera was the original tape recorded on? What camera (deck) are you using for playback?Not my monkeys. Not my circus.
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Thanks Tom, the footage on the tape was reordered on the same camera, it’s Panasonic MiniDv camera NV-GS280.
I think it’s a malfunction with the camera, every so often it goes to black stripes (thick and evenly spaced) across the picture too. This can be fixed by taking the tape out and putting a different tape in and then it plays Ok. Then when I put the other tape back in that works again.
When the screen stays black it starts working properly by itself eventually if you leave it playing for long enough. It usually happens if I run it to the end go the tape or a part of the tape where one clip ends and another starts.
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It sounds like your heads in the camera may be clogging up. It’s been a while, but you used to be able to buy a head cleaning “tape” that you put into the camera and play for a few seconds that would clean the heads.
Here’s a link to a YouTube video that explains it in more detail.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW3yT7zVN10
Not my monkeys. Not my circus.
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Thanks Tom, I’ve got one of those, it came with the camera. I’ll give it go before I use it again.
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Don’t run the head cleaning tape for very long-it’s very abrasive and can actually ruin your heads! be sure to follow the directions that should have come with the tape.
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Ok thanks, will do. I watched that video as well which said pretty much the same. I will be very careful. Thanks again.
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