I have to bump my camcorder

[philm02]

I'm hoping to avoid another big repair bill from the authorized dealer on a problem thats been around for a year now. Every time I brought my camcorder in to Sony I would get a repair bill equal to 1/3 or 1/2 of the cost of the camera. I did it twice and twice I said no and kept using it with some problems. My current camera a Canon Optura 600 has a problem where sometimes I'll turn it on and the picture is either blank or has big horizontal stripes on it. If I give it a mild thump with the heel palm of my hand it will go away. Sometimes it takes a few. It sounds crazy and seems like eventually it will really stop it from functioning but it goes on like that. Could anyone give me any idea of what is actually wrong with it? Thanks

[paglamon]

I'll turn it on and the picture is either blank or has big horizontal stripes on it.

In which mode ? Playback or Camera ?

[philm02]

Playback

[paglamon]

Most probably the head needs cleaning. Just run a head cleaner tape and you should be fine.

[philm02]

Thanks. I've done that a number of times although not on a regular basis. I'll try it the next time the lines appear. Then it doesn't seem like the heads themselves are out of line?

[degsvalencia]

try this

that happen to me before from my sony handycam, there is stripes and noise during playback and try to clean over and over again, in sony service center told me try to record from a new tape and play it again and it works, meaning its my old tapes which before are working but i have learn that that is due to long years of storage, the tapes worn out (heat problem)

[trinibob]

i had the same problem and found out that dust was collecting on the tape even when in the box i just used some canned air opened the tape cover on the tape and lightly blew them off now after cleaning the head all works fine.