So I recently received a tape to transfer and it's a normal Hi8 Fuji tape but when I play it on my Sony CCD-TRV65 NTSC I get these crazy playback glitches. I'm assuming something is wrong with the tape? Could it be recorded in PAL? Never seen this before.
What do you think? (Video attached plus a few photos)
So you got yourself a faulty camcorder, There is nothing else I can think of. If it was video out and the LCD is fine then I would think it's the capture hardware, but this is within the camcorder itself it is most likely an electronic fault, Did you try to turn off the camcorder's line TBC? Because the artifact looks like digital pixelization. Does it do it with all tapes?
The way the picture is cycling on and off, the tape may be physically damaged. Perhaps it's stretched on one edge. I would flip the small release tag on the underside of the cassette, gently swing up the cover to the tape aperture and without touching it, inspect the tape for any irregularities.
So you got yourself a faulty camcorder, There is nothing else I can think of. If it was video out and the LCD is fine then I would think it's the capture hardware, but this is within the camcorder itself it is most likely an electronic fault, Did you try to turn off the camcorder's line TBC? Because the artifact looks like digital pixelization. Does it do it with all tapes?
It seems to be doing the video glitch on 1 other Hi8 tape that I have. On a third Hi8 tape, the video plays fine but the audio just has a buzzzzz when playing back.
Well, At least now you know the camcorder electronics are working, The mechanism needs to be inspected to make sure it is not damaging the tapes, If you are not comfortable doing it yourself just sell it as is or return it and get a different camcorder.
Have you followed timtape advice? If you want better help make sure to put out as much information as you can without off course writing a book.
I agree, some sort of camera malfunction. The easy test is to use another camera, to rule out the tape as being the cause of the issue. Yes, that means buying another camera, but you should do so anyway, as that's not a suggested with-TBC model (can you confirm?)
I agree, some sort of camera malfunction. The easy test is to use another camera, to rule out the tape as being the cause of the issue. Yes, that means buying another camera, but you should do so anyway, as that's not a suggested with-TBC model (can you confirm?)
Hmm... it is a TBC model. I turned the DNR and TBC off to see if that would help the playback issue. And of course it didn't. The Hi8 tapes themselves look to be in pretty good condition actually.
Yeah, I agree. It must be a Hi8 mechanism issue on the camcorder. I don't have another one I can test the tapes on. I have this and a Digital 8 camcorder.
Is there a Sony Video 8 / Hi8 camcorder that you can recommend that has a built-in TBC?
Well, At least now you know the camcorder electronics are working, The mechanism needs to be inspected to make sure it is not damaging the tapes, If you are not comfortable doing it yourself just sell it as is or return it and get a different camcorder.
Have you followed timtape advice? If you want better help make sure to put out as much information as you can without off course writing a book.
Thanks for your insight latreche! Not sure what other info I can provide on this besides the attached video I sent.
I have seen something a bit similar on the PAL CCD-TRV66. In my case the image was messed up for a bit unltil the next cut rather than flashing on or off though, and stopping and restarting playback made it normal again. I never found the cause, but it was reproducible when moving over the same spot on the tape on the few tapes where it happened, ended up using a hi8 vcr or hitachi camcorder + dvd-recorder for those sections instead. This could be something else though, also looks a little like it's struggling to follow the tracks on the tape or something, is the sound on that section normal?
So I just tried to fast forward to different parts of the tape and the video keeps glitching out. Interestingly enough the audio plays normally, meaning it has no distortion or anything.
I tried a different camcorder I borrowed from a friends, a TRV-615, and the playback issue persists. I suspect there is something wrong with the Hi8 tape itself.
Hm, maybe a non-Sony camcorder, or one of the older sony camcorders (black ones without lcd) or vcr, or maybe a much newer one like the digital8 ones or the low-end hi8 models from the same series. I the TRV615 looks like it's from around the same time as the TRV65, so the playback circuitry is probably similar.
I tried a different camcorder I borrowed from a friends, a TRV-615, and the playback issue persists. I suspect there is something wrong with the Hi8 tape itself.
Any other recommendations?
I did suggest earlier, and latreche34 also referred to it this, that you release the small catch underneath the cassette and carefully swing open the protective flap to see if the tape is physically damaged at the point where it has been played. You made no comment whether you had tried this or not.
The mp4 you listed has no audio to it when I play it. Is that because the tape plays no audio on that section? It seems possible the audio is not playing because of the same problem causing the picture issue.
This is a 120 minute 8mm cassette, longer than the standard 90 minute type. The tape may be even thinner and more vulnerable, liable to creasing and chewing. I wouldnt even think of playing a cassette in a deck or camcorder unless 100% certain no damage would be sustained to the (probably one off recorded) tape, the property of someone else...