Video is on the tape, but won't play back
 

I have a single tape that I shot yesterday that my FX1 will not play back. The tape doesn't jam, it runs fine, but no video plays back throughout the entire tape. The video is on the tape, I can see it when I fast-forward or rewind the tape during playback. However, during straight playback, no video/audio shows up on the LCD nor can be captured. The timecode counter is running, so TC data is OK.

Three other tapes I shot yesterday work just fine.

Don't know for sure but try going between the SD and HD settings. See if anything plays back then.

Did you ever solve this problem? Sprang up for me today and I'm puzzlified.

Kevin: when was the last time you cleaned your heads?

About a week before it started happening.


Working on it yesterday, periodically got a C:31:23 error (T reel fault)... unless smaking some sense into it works, looks like its servicing time.

Try playing the tape back on a deck. The bigger units have better error correction which may find the correct data stream for proper playback. Camera probably needs servicing.

Dan, I had the same exact problem last year on one of my FX1's. I recorded a wedding ceremony and my second camera wouldn't record the video properly. I could only view it when I was eitehr fast forwarding or rewinding the tape. And I even tried to capture while fast forwarding and adjust in post. Couldn't capture any way possible.

I tried manually cleaning the tape heads, and that didn't fix the problem either.

Turned out that I had to have the a new tape assembly installed.
I sent it off to Armatos in NY, they replaced the assembly and worked fine ever since.

Cost me I think $350 for the replacement. Don't take my word for it as I don;t exactly remember since it was over a year ago.