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How Do You Maintain VTRs
and Camcorders?
Two types of
approaches are needed to maintain the
rotary-head recorder.
a) Cleaning cassette.
For HDCAM: Sony BCT-HD12CL. For DVCAM: Sony DV-12CL.
Contact Videoscope
Recording Media.
b) Wet cleaning (see instructions below). .
When to
Clean
a) Sony recommendation: use a cleaning cassette every 50
hours of
recording or playback.
b) Sony recommendation: wet cleaning every 20 or 25 hours
of
recording or playback.
More frequent cleaning may be required depending on
temperature,
humidity or dust in the operating environment.
Under most
circumstances, you should not use a cleaning
cassette more frequently than once every 25 hours.
Using the
Cleaning Cassette
a) When you are using both a cleaning cassette and wet cleaning cleaning kit, use the cleaning cassette first.
b) Load the cleaning cassette into the recorder.
c) Push the record or playback button.
d) Stop the cleaning cassette after ten seconds. This is
extremely
important.
Using the cleaning cassette generates
heat in the head
drum.
Longer than 10 seconds, runs the
risk of melting the debris
and "varnishing" it more
stubbornly onto the head drum.
e) If the problems persist, you can use the cleaning
for additional
10 second bursts, separated by ten second
cool-down periods.
Wet Cleaning Manually
a) Clean the rotary heads. Wet an oil-free chamois cleaning cloth
with the
solvent. (Use Isopropyl Alcohol, 99.9% pure anhydrous.) Gently touch the
rotary heads with the
cloth.
CAUTION: Rotate the head drum
only in the normal direction.
Never wipe the heads
vertically; this may cause damage.
b) Clean the fixed heads, which are not cleaned by the
cleaning
cassette.
Wet the cleaning cloth with solvent and
gently wipe the
fixed heads. Wipe dry.
c) Clean the tape path. Here's another area untouched by
the
cleaning cassette.
Wet the cleaning cloth with solvent
and gently
wipe the tape guides, upper and lower head
drum, capstan and pinch
roller. Wipe them dry.
Follow these
guidelines and you will get better signal to
noise ratios, fewer
dropouts, more robust RF output and
more reliable handling of tape.
In short you will be getting
the full performance of your
rotary-head recorder.
For further clarification or more information, contact our
Service
Department toll-free at 1.877.387.2673 or email
us at service@videoscope.com.
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