Panasonic NV-J22 video output to Archos 5

I'm confused by your post. Are you talking about a Panasonic multi standard tv, or a Panasonic vhs video recorder?

-B

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we need to narrow this down. First ascertain that the vhs is outputting video. For all we know, the heads might be dirty. Try connecting it to a normal tv set. It should sync down to 50hz pal frame rate, and I imagine you'd get a black and white picture....

-b

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OK I think you are right: I will have to find some sort of converter for the European output cable to a coax connector and try that output into a TV. The Archos may well not report ANY input unless the pic is perfect.

just take the audio and video from the AV output, it's the most direct route. Don't mess about with RF or coax.

-B

s

OK All I get it indecipherable noise: There IS a chance that this is a case of dirty heads as the heads have probably never been cleaned in five to seven years, though the unit has had hardly any use. I have seen this noise before and it was dirty heads. Back then, curiously on leaving a tape in for a few hours working when I forgot to turn it off, the noise turned to dots which turned to a picture of sorts; which told me that the heads hadnt actually failed and I cleaned them (with a static Q-Tip and rubbing alcohol placed against counterclockwise turning heads. Next step is to give this a try.

I cant imagine that these multi-system heads are still available or that they can be all that easy for a non-professional to install and as I remember it, there is a whole lot of calibration involved which is a bit beyond my capabilities (and there is nowhere near me to carry out a repair at anything less than the replacement cost of the unit)

I do seem to remember from the old VCR days that a lot of replacement heads were in reality dirty heads.

is

Some unusual results or I am in denial about the heads having gone

Firstly the heads seemed completely clean. (Or the q-tip isnt abrasive enough and I should up the ante and try cleaning with something like hydroflolurous acid instead of just rubbing alcohol?) Secondly there was a peculiar round foam-rubber piece near the heads to clean it constantly (which was of course filthy)

When I cleaned both, a dreadful version of the picture seemed to appear on the screen for a few seconds before dissolving into liens of completely indecipherable horizontal noise banding like before.

Does anyone think that a q-tip with rubbbing alcohol isnt strong enough to get encrusted crud off normal heads?

be very careful with using q tips as the threads can snag and break the head chips! Get rid of that filthy auto head cleaning roller, these are a stupid 'feature' which redeposit crap on the heads - or even wreck them. It is like using the same q tip to clean your ears with over and over! try using a piece of card like a business card and gently press it against the drum whilst slowly turning it by hand.

-b

be very careful with using q tips as the threads can snag and break the head chips! Get rid of that filthy auto head cleaning roller, these are a stupid 'feature' which redeposit crap on the heads - or even wreck them. It is like using the same q tip to clean your ears with over and over! try using a piece of card like a business card and gently press it against the drum whilst slowly turning it by hand.

-b

++++++ get rid of that head dirtier foam firstly. I use ordinary clean paper and dampening with meths and hand turning the drum against the paper a few times.

It really sounds like dirty heads to me. You mentioned "rubbing alcohol". This product typically has 70 percent alcohol and 30 percent water. This is not a good choice for cleaning video heads. I use a product called "printers alcohol" This is known as "99 percent anhydrous isopropyl". This is lab grade alcohol, which is one step below pharmaceutical however we also medicinally as well. You can get it from a chemical supply house. This would be a much better choice. I never heard of using any type of acid and I wouldn't do that anyway. Lenny

One way to clean VCR heads is to wet a foam swab with solvent (such as the

99% isopropyl suggested), then roll it over the head gap, rather than dragging it.

VCRs? What are those ? :)

e

Well I have taken everyone's advice and it doesn't seem to have actually done much: whatever head cleaner I use should have at least SOME effect and beyond that first time when I saw a phantom image fleetingly across the screen,I have seen not the slightest improvement??

Even with 70% alcohol, surely I should have seen at least some improvement, even if not really clean? But there is n o image whatsoever. So little that the TV's input cant even recognise those horizontal bands of noise as an image and it cuts to 'no input signal' within a few seconds. I dont think it is legal to buy CCL4 where I am nor 99% alcohol. Any idea what I can try next? Is the too-much-water in the cleaning solution really not making any dent in the crud on the heads, even with a hard business card side rubbing against the heads? The situation is that the card starts out white and ends white as well, - where do I go from here?

Well I have taken everyone's advice and it doesn't seem to have actually done much: whatever head cleaner I use should have at least SOME effect and beyond that first time when I saw a phantom image fleetingly across the screen,I have seen not the slightest improvement??

Even with 70% alcohol, surely I should have seen at least some improvement, even if not really clean? But there is n o image whatsoever. So little that the TV's input cant even recognise those horizontal bands of noise as an image and it cuts to 'no input signal' within a few seconds. I dont think it is legal to buy CCL4 where I am nor 99% alcohol. Any idea what I can try next? Is the too-much-water in the cleaning solution really not making any dent in the crud on the heads, even with a hard business card side rubbing against the heads? The situation is that the card starts out white and ends white as well, - where do I go from here?

+++++

The barrel of a plastic kid's microscope and lighting to look at the heads (may have to grind into the barrel , up to the objective) to get in close enough ,with deck stuff in the way

They are too complex for your small mind to comprehend, Maynard. Go troll somewhere else.

--
You can't have a sense of humor, if you have no sense.

try leaving a known good/new 3 or 4 hour tape in the machine, running in play. Often, dirt can work itself out of the heads over time. if still no good, maybe you can buy tape head cleaner fluid online - even if it comes with one of those cassettes, you can dump the cassette and just keep the fluid.

-B

You are obviously some kind of genius: It has done something! I had used this method before but only when a head gave a terrible picture to get it to give a slightly better one for a short while. This time running a 6 hour third-speed tape through it a few times has turned the screen of noise lines into a picture (of sorts)!

Do I now assume that the heads are REALLY dirty and need the strongest possible cleaner? I now BELIEVE that the heads are just covered in encrudded dirt: If so, what is needed please? CCL4? Or has the tape passing over it got rid of the crud and left only a normal film which can be got off with a normal cleaner? The 70% alcohol with a careful q- tip or definitely something stronger?

I would suggest obaining a new TDK tape and letting it play to the end. For whatever reason, TDK tapes would do a better job of clearing the heads than the other brands we tried. Chuck

well, thanks for the praise! glad things seem to be moving forward (pardon the pun). I'd order some chamois sticks or a piece of chamois leather you can cut down to size, and some decent isopropyl alcohol, and make a professional job of it. Wait until you have the right tools before going inside,and don't use Q tips as the fibres can snag the heads and break the edges off - *not* something you want to happen!

Incidentally, there was one Panasonic case I had where it looked like bad heads but turned out to be a bad capacitor in the power supply. found it:

NVJ30(G-DECK) POOR PB PIC, STREAKS,C1122 IN PSU also found that: NVJ40 PB PIC BAD/ E2E PATTERNING C27(330UF10V) IN PSU NVJ45 PB LIKE BAD HEADS 680UF/390UF IN PSU NVL20 POOR PB PIC,ALL PSU ELECTROLYTICS

might be worth considering. Try leaving the machine plugged in and powered up for a day or two, see if things improve. Often bad capacitors work worse when cold.

-B

well, thanks for the praise! glad things seem to be moving forward (pardon the pun). I'd order some chamois sticks or a piece of chamois leather you can cut down to size, and some decent isopropyl alcohol, and make a professional job of it. Wait until you have the right tools before going inside,and don't use Q tips as the fibres can snag the heads and break the edges off - *not* something you want to happen!

Incidentally, there was one Panasonic case I had where it looked like bad heads but turned out to be a bad capacitor in the power supply. found it:

NVJ30(G-DECK) POOR PB PIC, STREAKS,C1122 IN PSU also found that: NVJ40 PB PIC BAD/ E2E PATTERNING C27(330UF10V) IN PSU NVJ45 PB LIKE BAD HEADS 680UF/390UF IN PSU NVL20 POOR PB PIC,ALL PSU ELECTROLYTICS

might be worth considering. Try leaving the machine plugged in and powered up for a day or two, see if things improve. Often bad capacitors work worse when cold.

-B