Cleaning HI8 Video8 Digital8 video head the correct way

How to clean video head on your HI8, Video8, or Digital8 tape camcorder the correct way.

[voltvids]

8mm tape is metal. It will not dissolve with any cleaner. It needs to be cleaned off by mechanical means. Either a dry cleaning or the back side of your fingernail as I have shown many times.
Your fingernail is just the right hardness to dislodge the debris without damaging the head and can be done while the machine in in operation. I learned this trick during my 20 year employment working for a large Sony warranty center. Alcohol may remove other contaminants such as tar and nicotine that adheres to all the parts if the recorder is stored or used in smoky environments but will no nothing to clear a clogged head. The dry type cleaning tape made by the manufactures is the best and safest method. The same applies for DAT and DV tape decks as they all use metal tape and alcohol will not dissolve metal particles, only oxide type tape.

[nancyweyerph.d.]

Fantastic video, Nicholas! I can't believe how my camcorder came back to life! It took me about 5 minutes to disassemble the cover and a couple minutes to clean the head - and I am 0% mechanically inclined. Thank you!

[mmartin]

OMG after I watched this video all three of my sony 8s are fixed I was scared to do it, but it works . You do know what you are talking about. Thank you sososo much.

[JosepsGSX]

This procedure fixed the big horizontal bars that suddenly appeared in my Digital8 Handycam. I was really worried. Thank you very much, Nicholas

[jma]

Finally someone who got it right. Just be careful not to touch the heads when placing the swab against the drum at the beginning. I prefer using a piece of paper soaked in 99% isopropyl alcohol. It's a much more effective and safer method when cleaning the heads. Isopropyl alcohol evaporates almost instantly so you can start using the camcorder right after the cleaning.

[bigo]

I own a Sony trv740.one of the greatest cameras that came out in the 8mm era.I saw your video to clean the vcr head and it worked.You made it very simple and it stopped me from
Put it on a shelve.
Thanks for your instructional video..

[andreash]

Brilliant! I thought my camcorder was toast. No sound and the video was terrible. After doing this, it's as good as new. You're the man!!! thanks!

[billwhoever]

Helpful, I didnt follow the instructions from alpha to omega but I got my problem fixed

I had seen other videos even cleaning the head with their finger nail but in my case the head is far inside the cam (canon uc800).
I used 2 swabs, one to rotate the head and one to clean it. I didnt have the cleanest alcohol so after a first pash with the alcohol I used a new clean swab to take anything remaining.
The camcoder works now and I can record my parents' wedding in digital format :D

[hl]

Hi Nicolas, I'd like to say thank you for your video, as I had the same problem with a blue screen, now it fixed in your way, I appreciate it 👍👍😊😊

[QuinebaugOutdoors]

Thank you so much! I just cleaned my dads old camcorder and it came back to life. Now to transfer 15 or so tapes

[diopterdoctor]

I totally had seen this before I knew you through digitalFAQ and bought these chamios swabs because of this video. Nice one.

[fipplejack]

Thanks for the tutorial! It fixed the intermittent drop out of audio on one channel that I was getting.

[thepeternetwork]

Is there another way I can get those cleaning sticks? I don't trust Amazon.

[sharonbrady]

Thank you so very much. Your directions were very clear and helpful.

[ROBLIFTS]

Great explanation 👍🏼 I ordered a head cleaner but they’re lagging on shipping. So I might try this instead and return the cleaner 🤷🏽‍♂️

[judyjohnson]

If I get a really tiny hamster, and make him some really tiny shoes made from really tiny patches of chamois cloth, and put a few drops of 99% isopropyl on his tiny shoes, then let him run on the video head wheel for a while, would that be effective to clean the heads?

It would serve two purposes at once, getting the head clean, and getting the really tiny hamster some exercise.

Thoughts?

[filmcrate]

I just saved myself $150 buuucks. Thanks for this!

[cleantones]

I think you can just remove the two screws on the panel on the door. But this works too.

[katehall]

Thank you so much, I finally got mine to play after doing this!! ❤

[michistrike]

thank u dud, for the ones that are afraid on doing this, try it . i did it with normal alcohol and cut a piece of gamuza chamois that i have and done