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JVC camcorder with a jerky image

Zoulougigo Posted messages 4 Status Member -  
Zoulougigo Posted messages 4 Status Member -
Good evening,

First of all I don’t know if I’m on the right forum (I’m new) please feel free to tell me so

I own a JVC GR-D239 camcorder and during the holidays I wanted to watch old videos from my childhood. Unfortunately I discover that the audio is choppy, that is to say it cuts for 1 second then returns before cutting again 3 seconds later and so on. The video isn’t altered by this problem although sometimes the image freezes when the sound cuts and returns, exactly like the audio.
In doing a bit of searching on forums I think it may come from the read heads because I’ve never put a cleaning cassette nor even disassembled and cleaned the camera. Not wanting to spend 20€ for a cleaning cassette since I wasn’t sure the problem came from there I decided to take the camera apart. I then noticed that on the read head there are sorts of plates or white crusts I don’t know at all if this is normal or if it’s the reason for my audio problem.

Thanking you in advance

3 answers

  1. Anonymous user
     
    Regarding "the solidified grease," do you recommend trying to remove it with perhaps a toothpick or leaving it on the read head?
    yes, that’s fine, it shouldn’t cause any harm with wood.

    For the winch (cabestan) should I also clean it with paint thinner/denatured alcohol? yes, alcohol and cotton swab. 1 alcohol-soaked and 1 dry to wipe away the residue.

    How can I check the motor? by just looking through the cassette window if possible to see if there are small stops.

    --
    be cool
    5
    1. Zoulougigo Posted messages 4 Status Member 1
       
      Hello,

      So I cleaned the read head as best as I could. I think if I manage to remove it from the camcorder I will be able to clean it better, but I can't take the camcorder apart. Do you have any advice for dismantling my camcorder, I remove the screws but it won’t come apart.

      I also cleaned the capstan

      Despite all that the sound problem persists

      I then tried to scrape the hardened grease but it’s impossible to remove from the read head

      I checked and there is indeed a cash that gives access to the inside of the camcorder but it does not allow to see if the cassette stops

      Thanks
      0
  2. Anonymous user
     
    Hello,

    Yes you can try cleaning the heads with alcohol or rubbing alcohol rather than a cassette.

    this deposit is not normal, it looks like hardened grease.

    also check cleaning the capstan (small black cylinder) which drives the tape.

    also check if the video tape stops from time to time (motor).

    --
    be cool
    1
    1. Zoulougigo Posted messages 4 Status Member 1
       
      Hello,

      Thank you for your reply eXDJ

      Okay I’ll try to clean the read head with burnt alcohol and a soft cloth

      Regarding "the frozen grease" would you recommend trying to remove it with perhaps a cotton swab or leave it on the read head?

      Should I clean the capstan also with burnt alcohol?

      How can I check the motor?

      Thank you in advance
      0
  3. Zoulougigo Posted messages 4 Status Member 1
     
    So I started taking apart the camcorder in depth, thinking I wouldn’t reach the read head, I stopped and put everything back together. At first everything works, then suddenly when I’m in playback mode, the buttons like "play," "pause," and "fast forward" and "rewind" don't work anymore; only the "menu" button works, but I can't even navigate it because the buttons that would allow that (fast forward, rewind) no longer work. I think this is irreversible, but if you have a solution I’m ready to take it.

    Later I tried again to dismantle the camcorder and I managed to reach the read head, so I removed the stiff grease and cleaned the read head and the capstan. Unfortunately, with the problem mentioned above, I can’t verify whether that fixed the sound issue.

    Thank you for your patience.
    1