Cleaning HI8 Video8 Digital8 video head the correct way

thank you so much

Bad video. Not supposed to use alcohol for these types of heads.

is it possible if i use swab for mirrorless camera sensor for this?

I got the same exact camera and I’m clueless with the interface can you make a video of how to start the camera? With a detailed explanation???
Will be a great help manh
THANK YOUU🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽

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 👍👍😊😊

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

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

Hi. Have exactly same camera. And started to chowing a tape. Do you know a common reason for doing that?

Thank you for this!!!!!!

Also with 99% Isopropyl you don't need to wait more than a couple of minutes.

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

Thanks for posting this video. I have a 27 year old Canon UC4500E which uses the older 8mm tapes (often called video 8 tapes I think). They are larger than the MiniDV 8 mm tapes. I'm currently digitising old VHS taps and old MiniDV tapes successfully but the Canon UC4500E plays the video images fine but I'm getting no audio at all. It's not crackly or distorted audio but actually no audio at all. Is it possible that cleaning the heads the way shown in this post could help with non-existent audio? The camera manual says to clean the heads using a Canon CC-8 Video Head Cleaning Cassette and to not use a wet-type cleaning cassette as this can cause damage. Is this because my 8mm tapes are analogue and not digital so they are not metal tapes and using the isopropyl alcohol would do damage to the heads in my camera? There is no audio on playback on the video camera but also no audio when playing the videos on the computer using Elgato video capture software either. These are precious videos of my sons as toddlers and I'm desperate to get them digitised. Any thoughts/advise would be really appreciated. Thanks

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

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

I wouldn't rest the stick on the table. If it catches some dirt the head gets damaged. I would blow some air in and close it right away. Iso evaporates quickly

I cleaned this with qtips before I saw this video. Smh is it possible I messed up my camcorder for good? It buffers a lot while playing video

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

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!

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.

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

Are the lintless foam cleaning swabs okay to use? I have several leftover from another project and didn't want to use them if there was a known issue.

Hey my camcorder, out of nowhere has started showing bluescreen on playback. Has anyone used this cleaning method for the same problem?

My Sony handycam keeps telling me to re-insert the tape. Will this help that problem?

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

Good video. 🙂

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

Thank you 🙏

Are you pressing pretty firmly or quite lightly? The other day I used 91% Alc and pressed moderately firm. Maybe I used too much. Afterwords, there were serious lines and no audio. I cleaned it again with just a chamois (no alc) and it was still bad. I put in a tape and after 5 minutes returned to normal. So I wondered what I did that I should avoid next time. Also, if you're doing old tapes how often should you expect to have to clean the head. Thanks.

I’m pretty late on this video, seems like it works. Would it be possible if this can work on a Sony HI8 CCD-trv 815 ?

Thank you, excellent video. I'm wondering if you or anyone else has tips for cleaning the rollers?

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

can i use a chamois towel ?

I'm the only person who came from that tiktok

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

Do you know anyone who can repair a Canon Camcorder hi8 I need someone to fix mine. My dad passed away and he use to play in several Bluegrass Gospel groups he played the old upright bass. I need mine to be able to play so I can put them on dvds for family and friends. Thank you for any help you can give me!!!!!!!!!

Does anyone know if this will fix a C:31:23 error? I keep getting the error but don’t know what to do about it.

A friend gifted me his old sony dcr-trv820e in spring. About a week ago it suddenly stopped capturing and I couldn't figure out what was wrong with it.

Thanks for sharing. I'll give it a try, after I ordered thos cleaning sticks and utensils 🙏🏾

Great informative video, short and to the point on cleaning the heads correctly. Thanks!

Thanks buddy. Your video was really really useful. Actually, my camera works well

my digital 8 camcorder video head is broken .Any ideas to video heads from?

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.

great video, but did you remove the lithium battery before you did this or was it still in there?

Tenog ina videocamara identica, todo funciona pero el reproducir los cassette no se ve nada, solo azul. Que hago?

Please help! I have a sony dcr-trv17 very similar to yours! I can record a video BUT when i go to play back it only plays 1 second of the video i recorded and it’s always the middle part of what i recorded i don’t know what to do!!

Thank you!!

Hey! I have a Sony camcorder that’s not playing video back, think this’ll work to solve it? Any other tips?? Thanks!

Hey man, do you know how to attach a mic/light on the HI8? thanks again for this video!

says reinsert the cassette issue..... does cleaning the header fix this issue ?

Mine dies fast anyone pls help.