2
Introduction
Cleaning the Video Heads
Digital video camcorders record video signals onto the tape in very thin lines (as thin
as 1/8 the width of a hair). The following anomalies may appear if the video heads
become dirty even a little.
• Mosaic or other blocky video artifacts (Fig. 1) or banding
(Fig. 2) appear on the picture during playback.
• Sound becomes distorted, or there is no sound during
playback.
• The message “HEADS DIRTY, USE CLEANING CASSETTE”
appears.
If such symptoms appear, clean the video heads with the
Canon DVM-CL Digital Video Head Cleaning Cassette* or a
commercially available dry cleaning cassette.
If the symptoms reappear shortly after the cleaning, the
videocassette may be defective. Stop using it.
* Availability differs from area to area.
Video heads may become dirty under the following conditions:
• When using the camcorder in humid or hot places.
• When using cassettes with damaged or dirty tapes.
• When using the camcorder in dusty places.
• When using the video heads for a long time without cleaning them.
NOTES
• Before you make important recordings, clean the video heads and make a test recording
first. We also recommend cleaning the video heads after use, before storing the
camcorder.
• Do not use wet type cleaning cassettes as this may damage the camcorder.
• Even after cleaning the video heads you may not be able to play back correctly tapes
that were recorded with dirty video heads.
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
