PD150 dropouts at DVinfo.net

Dan Tolbertson · September 19th, 2004, 09:17 PM

Hi all, Recently I took my PD150 (knew I should have used my TRV50 instead) to our church building that is going over some pretty heavy remodeling. There was quite a bit of drywall dust and other fine dust in the air. I noticed later when reviewing the tape that I had alot of dropouts. I am talking about 10 -15 times I noticed major quirkyness and garbeling for a second or two. Is it okay to spray some canned air into the open tape deck or should I use a head cleaner or just run a couple more tapes through and the problem will go away? It is only about a year old and not used very heavy so I am a bit concerned but I read alot of posts about how rugged the PD150 was before I bought it.

Please let me know what you would do.....

Mike Rehmus · September 19th, 2004, 10:50 PM

Rugged doesn't mean bullet proof and you put it in a very bad environment for an electromechanical device.

I'd try a vacuum in association with a small soft brush. Hold the vacuum nozzle close and brush the surfaces EXCEPT the head with the bristles. If you use canned air, you may blow the dust into areas you really don't want it to go. Try cleaning the heads with a cleaning tape (5 seconds max per run) and then give it a test. Don't run the cleaning tape more than 5 secnds per application and allow the heads to cool for 1 minute before running the cleaning tape again.

This assumes you didn't coincidentally change tape brands.

Do you know how many head hours are on the camera?

If the dropouts don't cease, you may have to send it in.

Dan Tolbertson · September 20th, 2004, 12:14 AM

Thanks Mike, I will give that a try. I did see the "clean Cassette" message that day as a side note which is when Sony recommends using a cleaning tape. I have never changed brands of tape since day one so I am good in that area.

I don't know how to read the hour thing but here is what it says

Operation 18 x10h
Drum Run 13 x10h
tape run 6 x10h
threading 13 x10

Not sure what it means or if this is good or not.

Is there a brand of cleaning tape I should use? I use JVC tapes since day one. I can pick up a Panasonic cleaning tape at my local Circuit City or a Maxell at Best Buy. Would prefer to use a sony one but I haven't found one yet locally and I would need to red label it from B&H or something which could be more for shipping than the tape. I need my camera for Wed night so I am hoping to get this all cleared up by then

THanks Again for your advice

Mike Rehmus · September 20th, 2004, 08:31 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by Dan Tolbertson : Thanks Mike, I will give that a try. I did see the "clean Cassette" message that day as a side note which is when Sony recommends using a cleaning tape. I have never changed brands of tape since day one so I am good in that area.

I don't know how to read the hour thing but here is what it says

--------------------
Operation 18 x10h = 180 hours
Drum Run 13 x10h = 130 hours
tape run 6 x10h = 60 hours
threading 13 x10 = 130 threading operations.
--------------------

Not sure what it means or if this is good or not. Not many hours on the camera.

Is there a brand of cleaning tape I should use? I use JVC tapes since day one. I can pick up a Panasonic cleaning tape at my local Circuit City or a Maxell at Best Buy. Would prefer to use a sony one but I haven't found one yet locally and I would need to red label it from B&H or something which could be more for shipping than the tape. I need my camera for Wed night so I am hoping to get this all cleared up by then

-----------------
Use any brand you want.
--------------------
THanks Again for your advice -->>>

Dan Tolbertson · September 20th, 2004, 10:55 PM

Is there a difference by running the head cleaning tape in either record or play? I have read several places that said you can run it either way but nothing mentioned if it different to do so. Does it clean a different head or part of the head? I seem to have solved my problem by running it in record mode after doing it in play mode did not do anything.

Mike Rehmus · September 21st, 2004, 09:37 AM

No difference whatsoever.

Dan Tolbertson · September 23rd, 2004, 10:40 AM

Well, using the cleaning tape did not fix my problem. It got a little better but still get quite a bit of breakup. I am sending the unit in to sony to have them look at it. Any idea what service cost might be?

Am not sure if it just needs a good cleaning or if I damaged the heads. How easy it to damage them?

September 19th, 2004, 09:17 PM	#1
Dan Tolbertson Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Menifee, CA Posts: 126	PD150 dropouts Hi all, Recently I took my PD150 (knew I should have used my TRV50 instead) to our church building that is going over some pretty heavy remodeling. There was quite a bit of drywall dust and other fine dust in the air. I noticed later when reviewing the tape that I had alot of dropouts. I am talking about 10 -15 times I noticed major quirkyness and garbeling for a second or two. Is it okay to spray some canned air into the open tape deck or should I use a head cleaner or just run a couple more tapes through and the problem will go away? It is only about a year old and not used very heavy so I am a bit concerned but I read alot of posts about how rugged the PD150 was before I bought it. Please let me know what you would do..... __________________ Sony Fan Boy! Sony AX100, VG20, RX10, A6000, CX760 and a GoPro 4

September 19th, 2004, 10:50 PM	#2
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	Rugged doesn't mean bullet proof and you put it in a very bad environment for an electromechanical device. I'd try a vacuum in association with a small soft brush. Hold the vacuum nozzle close and brush the surfaces EXCEPT the head with the bristles. If you use canned air, you may blow the dust into areas you really don't want it to go. Try cleaning the heads with a cleaning tape (5 seconds max per run) and then give it a test. Don't run the cleaning tape more than 5 secnds per application and allow the heads to cool for 1 minute before running the cleaning tape again. This assumes you didn't coincidentally change tape brands. Do you know how many head hours are on the camera? If the dropouts don't cease, you may have to send it in. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

September 20th, 2004, 12:14 AM	#3
Dan Tolbertson Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Menifee, CA Posts: 126	Thanks Mike, I will give that a try. I did see the "clean Cassette" message that day as a side note which is when Sony recommends using a cleaning tape. I have never changed brands of tape since day one so I am good in that area. I don't know how to read the hour thing but here is what it says Operation 18 x10h Drum Run 13 x10h tape run 6 x10h threading 13 x10 Not sure what it means or if this is good or not. Is there a brand of cleaning tape I should use? I use JVC tapes since day one. I can pick up a Panasonic cleaning tape at my local Circuit City or a Maxell at Best Buy. Would prefer to use a sony one but I haven't found one yet locally and I would need to red label it from B&H or something which could be more for shipping than the tape. I need my camera for Wed night so I am hoping to get this all cleared up by then THanks Again for your advice __________________ Sony Fan Boy! Sony AX100, VG20, RX10, A6000, CX760 and a GoPro 4

September 20th, 2004, 08:31 AM	#4
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	<<<-- Originally posted by Dan Tolbertson : Thanks Mike, I will give that a try. I did see the "clean Cassette" message that day as a side note which is when Sony recommends using a cleaning tape. I have never changed brands of tape since day one so I am good in that area. I don't know how to read the hour thing but here is what it says -------------------- Operation 18 x10h = 180 hours Drum Run 13 x10h = 130 hours tape run 6 x10h = 60 hours threading 13 x10 = 130 threading operations. -------------------- Not sure what it means or if this is good or not. Not many hours on the camera. Is there a brand of cleaning tape I should use? I use JVC tapes since day one. I can pick up a Panasonic cleaning tape at my local Circuit City or a Maxell at Best Buy. Would prefer to use a sony one but I haven't found one yet locally and I would need to red label it from B&H or something which could be more for shipping than the tape. I need my camera for Wed night so I am hoping to get this all cleared up by then ----------------- Use any brand you want. -------------------- THanks Again for your advice -->>> __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

September 20th, 2004, 10:55 PM	#5
Dan Tolbertson Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Menifee, CA Posts: 126	Is there a difference by running the head cleaning tape in either record or play? I have read several places that said you can run it either way but nothing mentioned if it different to do so. Does it clean a different head or part of the head? I seem to have solved my problem by running it in record mode after doing it in play mode did not do anything. __________________ Sony Fan Boy! Sony AX100, VG20, RX10, A6000, CX760 and a GoPro 4

September 21st, 2004, 09:37 AM	#6
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	No difference whatsoever. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

September 23rd, 2004, 10:40 AM	#7
Dan Tolbertson Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Menifee, CA Posts: 126	Well, using the cleaning tape did not fix my problem. It got a little better but still get quite a bit of breakup. I am sending the unit in to sony to have them look at it. Any idea what service cost might be? Am not sure if it just needs a good cleaning or if I damaged the heads. How easy it to damage them? __________________ Sony Fan Boy! Sony AX100, VG20, RX10, A6000, CX760 and a GoPro 4