Rescuing video from a dodgy DV tape

**HendonFC** · 02-12-2005, 08:10 PM

On playing back a DV tape recording from today, I've found that it plays about five seconds, starts jumping, then cuts off. It seems to work OK in rewind and fast forward, but pressing play just results in the dodgy playback again. I would just chuck the tape out but I really need the footage that's on there, preferably all of it, but certainly little highlights. Any ideas on rescuing this tape from it's apparent oblivion??

All help appreciated

**HendonFC** · 02-12-2005, 08:30 PM

I must also add that the tape was change out in the windy weather today so could that have something to do with it? 2 other tapes work fine though.

**HendonFC** · 02-12-2005, 08:52 PM

Oops

Camcorder just needs a head cleaning

My bad, sorry for wasting anyone's time, you can delete this thread.

**Alan Mills** · 02-14-2005, 06:50 AM

Hee hee

I was just abot to suggest cleanign the head when I scrolled down and saw your last post - only two days late. never mind.

**HendonFC** · 02-14-2005, 08:39 PM

Turns out head cleaning didn't work, and all tapes are playing in the way described in the first post, ie not really working. The camcorder is a JVC GRD31EK and it keeps coming up "Error EO3 Unit in Safeguard Mode. Please eject and reinsert the tape"

Recording still works and plays back on a different camcorder fine, so the tapes aren't the problem, it's definitely something wrong with the camcorder.

Any ideas on what to do, or whether this is water or wind damage from being out in the blustery weather at the weekend??

All help appreciated.

**bgarthp** · 02-14-2005, 08:59 PM

I had a similar problem with my Sony trv-250, which got a big splash of salt water on it and then kept telling me to eject any tape I put into it.

I googled on the error code it gave me and I found a post somewhere that told me someone else had fixed the problem by hitting the side of his camera

, after head-cleaning and leaving it out with all bits open for a week didn't help, I tried whacking it.

It worked and now my camera accepts tapes like it used to, wierd.

Might be worth trying as a last resort.

**purejammy** · 02-14-2005, 09:10 PM

Turns out head cleaning didn't work, and all tapes are playing in the way described in the first post, ie not really working. The camcorder is a JVC GRD31EK and it keeps coming up "Error EO3 Unit in Safeguard Mode. Please eject and reinsert the tape

I had a similar problem with a Sony Camera (Different Error code obviously). I fixed it by removing all power when the camera was in Play/VCR mode. The manual suggested that removing all power for 60 seconds (camera in Off position) will do the trick, but it didn't. Apparently removing all power for 60 seconds whilst in Play/VCR mode discharges the internal circuits. Don't know if JVCs are the same or not, but certainly worth trying before giving your Cam a hefty bunch of fives.

Good luck

**Scooter** · 02-14-2005, 09:18 PM

Had a similar error with my Sony like Purjammy mentioned above. Removed all power source to camera and waited for several minutes. Then reinstalled battery and voila it worked. Found the answer on a google search a while back. You just never know what is out there.

Hope it works for you.

**HendonFC** · 02-15-2005, 02:19 PM

After head cleaning again, the error stops coming up, but the tapes still play very badly as described in the first post. The camcorder still records fine, but playing anything back still doesn't work.

Thanks for your help so far, I've already been looking around on eBay for another one, even if we just use it for playing mini-DV tapes. If anyone's got an unused camcorder or even a faulty one that still plays tapes perfectly then drop me a PM.