| For
Better Results when Shooting a Video:
* Never start recording at the very beginning
of the tape.
* Record 60 seconds of black (lens cap on) before your program.
* Always try to use good quality tape.
* Always record at the fastest speed (SP) for the best results.
* Try to light your subjects well and evenly.
* Dim lit scenes will create snow and noise in your picture.
* Put labels on correctly. Improperly placed labels can jam.
* If your using the Mini DV format, keeping your video heads
clean is very important. Click here for info on a Mini DV
head cleaner.
* For a novel touch, use a Test Pattern in the beginning of
your tape.
* Don't let video cassettes go through magnetic field.
* Never touch the tape itself.
* Don't use a cold cassette until it has warmed up to room
temperature.
* Don't leave a video tape in a car or anywhere where it will
be exposed to extreme heat or cold.
* Never drop or bang the cassette.
Tape Care and Storage:
* Keep tapes in a dust free environment,
away from direct sunlight.
*Avoid high humidity and moisture.
* Never store tapes near magnetic fields, (top of TV, speakers,
etc.).
* Try to give tapes 24 hours to adjust to extreme temperature
and climate changes.
* Fast-forward & rewind tapes every 2 years to prevent
sticking.
* Store tapes rewound and vertically in their case. The storage
environment should not be hot, humid, dusty or smoky.
* Plastic storage boxes are the best solution for long term
storage.
Problems with Picture Playback:
* Picture rolls or jumps, bad picture - Adjust
tracking control on VCR.
* Playback has snow or noise - Use wet style head cleaner
on your VCR for a few minutes.
* No picture or sound - Make sure your TV & VCR are connected
properly, and that TV is set to either channel 3 or 4, or
TV is in video mode.
VCR Quick Facts
HEAD CLEANING:
* When a video head is cleaned, it only removes
the dirt and grease that are currently on the video and audio
heads. If the same dirty or worn out tape is played again
in the machine it will cause the heads to become dirty again.
Over using a head cleaning tape will cause premature failure
of the VCR.
EXTENDING THE LIFE OF YOUR VCR:
* The majority of failures in VCR's is due
to the rubber belts and idler's becoming hard and no longer
having the traction required to pull the tape. One of the
easiest ways to extend their life is by exercising them. By
playing a Video Tape in your machine at least once a week
will help ensure that the rubber parts stay soft and you can
have many hours of enjoyment from your VCR.
PICTURE QUALITY
* Picture quality and tape speed go hand
in hand.
* The slower speed "SLP" will allow 6 hours of video
to be recorded but in exchange gives you a poorer quality
picture.
* In the faster speed "SP" you record 2 hours and
get a much better better picture.
WHEN TO REPLACE A VIDEO TAPE:
There are several signs that a video tape
is wearing out:
* When there are spots and speckles appearing
on the picture that were not there when you were recording
are signs that the material of the video tape is breaking
down.
* If the tape stops at the same place while playing every
time is a sign that there is a problem with that part of the
tape.
* If you play a tape and the heads get dirty, and after cleaning
the heads you reinsert that tape and the heads get dirty again
is a sign that the tape is either damaged or has a substance
on it.
* If the tape comes out of the housing, (although this can
usually be fixed), can hurt the tape heads if a wrinkle goes
over them.
* It is always cheaper to replace the tape than to keep using
it and damaging the machine.
What
is Videotape ? | Audio
& Video Tape Preservation |
Video
Tape Conversion to NTSC or PAL or SECAM | Save
a Videocassette |
How
to Get a Digital Video Recorder | How
to Buy a VCR | How
to Videotape Sports Action |
Transfer
Audio From a Videotape to a Computer | Transfer
Audio From a Videotape to a Cassette |
Transfer
Video Onto the Computer | How
to Program a VCR | Video
Tape Formats |
Video
Tape Time Comparisons | Tape
& VCR Tips | Camcorder
& Recording Techniques
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