My canon vixia hv30 camcorder is not reading tapes anymore. It rewinds and forwards and reports the tape position but the tape counter does not roll showing only dashes as if the tape is empty. All this started when i put in a cassette in which the tape has somehow become crunched. There was some pushing involved and the camera auto-ejected teh tape a couple of time before i realized that the tape inside was crunched. I then straightened the tape by pulling it partly out and rewinding it manually with a pencil - the way we used to fix audio tapes. This problem started after this. Now even when i do a fresh recording and try to play back i still get no picture.

I have tried all different tapes. All the tapes that i had recorded on the previous night and had played back fine on the camera just prior to the "incident" are all behaving the same way. They have content but the camera think they are blank and playback does not show anything.



I know the tape head cannot be dirty because i have used it very lightly - total recording time since i bought probably is not more than 10 hours. I have tried all different tapes. All the tapes that i had recorded on the previous night and had played back fine on the camera just prior to the "incident" are all behaving the same way. They have content but the camera think they are blank and playback does not show anything.

I know the tape head cannot be dirty because i have used it very lightly - total recording time since i bought probably is not more than 10 hours.

When the tape got chewed there is a possibility that a wire has become disconnected from the main head unit causing the camcorder not to read the tapes.

Eject any tape and take a close look at the head unit, see if any wires have become dislodged. When the tape got chewed there is a possibility that a wire has become disconnected from the main head unit causing the camcorder not to read the tapes.

Eject any tape and take a close look at the head unit, see if any wires have become dislodged.

Okay - I will check it once i get back home in the evening. But just to let you know how the crunching happened -



1. The tape was playing.

2. I ejected the tape without pushing stop. I think that left the drive capstans still rolling.

3. I took out the old tape and put in a new one (while the drive mechanism is still rolling - shouldn't they have a built in mechanism to stop the drive mechanism when the tape is ejected ? )



4. I closed the door and that is when the crunshing happened.



But please note that afterwards the camcorder was working just fine until i tried to wrestle in the now crunched tape the second time.



I also been googling about it and found something about head alignment. Any idea if that is what happened ? and how to fix ? Okay - I will check it once i get back home in the evening. But just to let you know how the crunching happened -

1. The tape was playing.
2. I ejected the tape without pushing stop. I think that left the drive capstans still rolling.
3. I took out the old tape and put in a new one (while the drive mechanism is still rolling - shouldn't they have a built in mechanism to stop the drive mechanism when the tape is ejected ? )

4. I closed the door and that is when the crunshing happened.

But please note that afterwards the camcorder was working just fine until i tried to wrestle in the now crunched tape the second time.

I also been googling about it and found something about head alignment. Any idea if that is what happened ? and how to fix ?

Hi,

When the tape is ejected the drive mechanism should drop down and the door released. If one of the pins that grabs the tape and runs it over the head unit has gotten caught this could be the problem.

Head alignment can also be factor like you have mentioned but then the camcorder has to be taken apart (especially the door) so you can see just whats happening when the tape is loaded.

They can be fixed but they have to be taken to a specialist to either realign the head unit, rewire any loose or broken connections and to check the tape grab arms.


Hi,

When the tape is ejected the drive mechanism should drop down and the door released. If one of the pins that grabs the tape and runs it over the head unit has gotten caught this could be the problem.

Head alignment can also be factor like you have mentioned but then the camcorder has to be taken apart (especially the door) so you can see just whats happening when the tape is loaded.

They can be fixed but they have to be taken to a specialist to either realign the head unit, rewire any loose or broken connections and to check the tape grab arms.

Another possibility is that the mechanism has jammed but this won't be determined until the door is taken off the camcorder.

Another possibility is that the mechanism has jammed but this won't be determined until the door is taken off the camcorder.

Hi
I checked and there are no dislodged wires or anything. Everything looks okay. When i close the door, the mechanism engages and pulls the tape down to the head and then it starts rolling - but no picture. Now what ? Hi I checked and there are no dislodged wires or anything. Everything looks okay. When i close the door, the mechanism engages and pulls the tape down to the head and then it starts rolling - but no picture. Now what ?