Tape Jam Problems..
 

Typical, I make posts saying how wonderful and durable the PD is, and a bit of slack treatment won't hurt it.. and it starts to play up on me!

I've had a few problems recently where the tapes have been getting a bit stuck.. to me, i'd say it was the tape design, its usually a problem with that little inside plastic bit that slides to open the top, it seems to come off its rails easily. Anyway, tonight i shot about 30mins of footage, i showed the guys who i was filming it, they seemed happy.... open the deck to give them the tape... the plastic part doesn't flip back and the tape gets stuck.

I put it on a table for 15mins to try and gently ease it out, no luck... i eventually just pull on it thinking it might knock the plastic bit out.. but it snaps the magnetic tape itself. wonderful, all my footage lost (i'm hoping someone can fix it, but hey.. it was nothing major, but a waste of me dragging my equipment out) just wondering if its common? is it the tapes or the camera? anything i can spray it with or whatever to stop it happening? i have about 40 tapes to process in the next few weeks, and i can't really afford this happening again...