> Al asked:
>
> Hi all,
> Do playback and record heads of DV decks use the same head? I would
> like to know if playing back tapes will wear out the record head.
> I use Sony's DVM12CL to clean my VX1000 head. Will just playing back
> the tape clean the record head too?
> Can someone please clean up this confusion for me? Thanx. -Al
>
> I answer:
>
> All the video heads are on the same scanner (a rotating drum with the
> heads mounted on it). Most helical scanning VCRs (that's just about all
> of them nowadays) have only one set of heads that are used for both
> playback and record. Some Pro VCRs have separate heads for playback and
> recording, but I don't think DV VCRs do.
> Wear has nothing to do with whether there are separate heads though,
> because they are all on the same scanner. Mechanical wear occurs on all
> heads. If the VCR has both playback and record heads on the scanner, the
> cleaning cassette would clean them all. But the VX1000 uses one set of
> heads for both playback and record.
> Also, don't overuse the cleaning cassette. It works by wearing dirt off
> the heads, which will wear the heads a bit. Use cleaning cassettes only
> when absolutely necessary. The best method to clean a deck is the "wet"
> method, which usually means having a repair station open it up and using
> special lintless swabs directly on the dirty parts. This will cause no
> wear, but it does cost more.
>
> Dennis Degan, Video Editor (DennyD1@hotmail.com)
>
Also, most modern mechanisms have a small foam plastic wheel mounted on an arm
which briefly contacts the spinning drum during threading or dethreading cycles.
Because of this, loading and unloading a tape several times can often clear a head
clog. It's not a substitute for real cleaning, but it helps. The fewer times I have
to run the cleaning cassette, the better I like it....
--
Norm Kern, President Kern Video Productions Inc.
kvp@erinet.com Production/Editing/Distribution
Check our website: Entertainment/Broadcast/Corporate
http://www.erinet.com/kvp Special Interest/Personal/Duplication
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