DV camcorder problem and question

Lotus-eater

My camcorder has horizontal lines on it on playback, I assume that it needs a cleaning tape running through it?
I was planning on using it today to record something, can I still record on it and when I've ran the cleaning tape it will play it back OK? Or does the cleaning tape need to be run first, before it will record OK?

And does anyone know which it the best deal/or quality cleaning tape out there?
The camcorder is a JVC.
Thanks.

kwikbreaks

The cleaning cleans the heads. If the record heads are contaminated then what gets recorded won't be perfect and later cleaning won't change that.

penrhyn

If it was an analogue camcorder I'd agree that dirty heads were causing the problem.
However since its a DV machine I doubt that's the cause.
Does this happen if you download video to your PC?

OK_Sauce

DV camcorders get dirty heads as they are still a tape based format. The most likely problem is dirty heads. The record/play head is the same so if it's dirty it will compromise both recordings and playback. You can get really cheap headcleaners off Ebay.

Lotus-eater

OK_Sauce wrote: »

DV camcorders get dirty heads as they are still a tape based format. The most likely problem is dirty heads. The record/play head is the same so if it's dirty it will compromise both recordings and playback. You can get really cheap headcleaners off Ebay.

Thanks, that's exactly what I wanted to know.
Are the cheaper head cleaners from ebay, either the same quality as one bought from a shop, or doesn't it really matter, a head cleaner is a head cleaner?

OK_Sauce

I bought one off ebay because it's actually quite difficult to buy one in the shops. You can still get Sony, TDK, Panasonic, etc., head cleaners off there.