U-Matic 5850P no signal

[DMT_77]

Hi, I have recently acquired a Sony U-Matic VO-5850P to capture some tapes (lo-band). Everything seems fine with loading the tape and playing but I am not getting any video signal output. I am getting audio from the tape when I monitor the sound. I am also getting a video level on the indicator.

I have tried the Video Out using SDI direct to my capture deck, I have tried RF Out into my Panasonic ES15 and I have also tried component from the Video Out, but not getting any video signal coming out.

My setup:
U-Matic Deck>Blackmagic Teranex>Mini Studio Recorder>Mac>Divinci resolve
or
U-Matic Deck>Panasonic ES15>Analog to SDI Converter>Teranex>Mini Studio Recorder>Mac>Divinci resolve

What could cause no video signal output of the U-Matic deck?

Thanks

[latreche34]

Your deck is composite only not SDI, Read the manual before you operate something at least to avoid damaging it.

[timtape]

The video heads tend to get dirty easily, leading to no video output.

U Matic tapes can require treatment before playing or there can be damage to tapes and machines.

Obviously the machine itself needs to be in top working condition, an increasing problem these days given great scarcity of spare parts and skilled service technicians.

From the premier facility in the USA:

http://www.specsbros.com/white-paper...cassettes.html

[DMT_77]

Thanks for your help. I now have it working perfectly via composite to ES15.

[latreche34]

At the u-Matic era SDI wasn't a thing, not even S-Video. Your deck has however the RF output for Y signal only straight from the heads, but no chroma. And it has DUB with separate Y and C, however the C is still in its chroma under format in KHz as it is recorded on tape, it would require further processing to be brought up to a final C signal in MHz, Some pitza box size TBC's have the capability to do that as long as it has a DUB input.

[RobustReviews]

Yes, as rightly pointed out U-Matic will put out the C signal at the videotape baseband.

U-Matic is an absolute 'mess', you'll need a very strong line and frame TBC and potentially a DOC to get the best out of it. This is why reading about how 'poor' VHS is normally gets an eyebrow raise from anybody who works with U-Matic or Betacam. The domestic formats are actually pretty good, they can operate without correction, U-Matic essentially isn't viewable without a TBC.

Part of the challenge of the domestic videotape systems was developing a system that was accurate enough to be reproduced without a TBC, U-Matic is essentially junk without supporting hardware.

As we're closing I have a stack of suitable TBCs for this with the 'Dub' connector and S-Video out if you were interested. I'm not listing our equipment on here (they'll go to a trade auction) but if you were interested in something like a For-A 310P with the dub connector do let me know. They work brilliantly for domestic sources too.