Sony Hi8 MP 120 won't play back?
 

I've been transferring a bunch of family and friends videos for the past year and have been having issues with Hi8 tapes over the last couple of months. Equipment I use - Sony EVO-250 NTSC and I also am using the Sony TRV615 Handycam which I have two of. On all three decks I'm constantly having no video playback, just snow with a few horizontal lines. This has happened on numerous tapes over the past few months, but I thought initially it was the tapes, but now I'm wondering if something else is going on since it happens so frequently. Also, all these tapes have labels on them, so I know they were recorded on. Also, all three decks do work with some tapes, but unfortunately I have not been keeping notes on what play and what don't play. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Sounds similar to the problem this guy had with the Video8 version of the Sony MP120 & HG120 tapes. But he got blackness + audio, not snow with some horizontal lines (and silence?). He seemed to semi-resolve his issue by playing with the playback controls, but that sounds a bit scary to me if the tapes might be shedding oxide, destroying themselves and the player.

That thread was surprisingly hard to find using the search tool, and sadly doesn't come up under "Similar Threads" below. I guess because he said Video8 and you said Hi8.

More food for thought regarding video or audio tape that may be damaged http://www.tangible-technology.com/tape/baking1.html

one of the External links from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sticky-shed_syndrome

Yes I know Wikipedia is not the supreme authority on everything :hmm:but taken with a grain of salt I like it

8mm tapes are almost always metal particle, not oxide. Some of the later tapes released in the late 90s were evaporated metal, but those are rare. I can't remember who made the last 20 year old 8mm tape I transferred, but it worked without a problem. If the tape has sticky-shed problems, you would have a mess inside of the player and the tape would likely jam in the transport. I would check to see if "known good" tapes still work in the player, it could also be a clogged head.

I do have a handful of Sony tapes here with Digital 8 recordings on them and they appear to play fine still. I was never a fan of Sony brand tapes though. Their MiniDV tapes like to bind up, likely because of the lubricant. Maybe its a problem with their 8mm tapes too?

I have faced the same problem with my Sony Handycam TRV615. I read somewhere that if you disconnect the battery for a day and then reconnect it, then it might solve your problem. I tried it but no help. I tried cleaning it, that also didn't work. Played other tapes in it, that also didn't work out. I tired many ways out but no success. I was completely frustrated, during my frustration I hit the camera and shook it hard. I am thrilled that it worked out, video tapes are running smoothly. Try out this, in might help you.
Good Luck

Further info.

From "tape life demo 2016" on 12voltvids' website:
Attachment 7642


https://answers.yahoo.com/question/i...1195503AAN21iw
https://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pu...hat_wrong.html
Durability doesn't matter as much for transferring as lifespan, I suppose.

Later "Digital 8" MP tapes from Sony are really just Hi-8 tapes with their D8 runtime printed on them, the format didn't require any special tape (I have a few of these I got with a D8 camcorder). If anything, they indicate the tape was made in 1999 or later. All of my Video-8/Hi-8 recordings were on Maxell or TDK tapes, which seem much more durable.

No surprise that a Yahoo Answer has some misinfo mixed in with the useful knowledge.