Hey.....Panasonic SV-3700 Question

S

SonicJourneys

New member
Hei All, Have been working with sound and audio for a long while....began by building my own transducers and other gear...in the 60's there was nothing for sale anywhere except for parts.....
I have borrowed a DAT from a friend in FL, and it seems to be working OK...But the Cleaning Light indicator is on a lot. Sometimes it just stops..I have taken deck apart and cleaned it several tiems using good head cleaner and chamois sticks. That light keeps on blinking though though right now it is off. Anyone else have this problem?? I have about 25 more DATS to back up.

My site at sonicjourneys.com needs major work...but I have been updating lots of video from SD to HD anda there are links at SJ that take one to an ad-free streaming site at Telvue.com

RL
 
Old tape, lots of shedding, so all you are doing is taking out the debris, which just builds up with each play. Keep the alchol flowing, but be careful, those heads are very fragile. I can’t remember the sequence but you can change the display to read out the error corrections it’s doing. If yours is in tape counter mode you can’t see this. Mine used to remain perfect until the display suddenly showed more than 800 or so, then it would cut out. It also lets you check the cleaning is working.
 
rob aylestone said:
Old tape, lots of shedding, so all you are doing is taking out the debris, which just builds up with each play. Keep the alchol flowing, but be careful, those heads are very fragile. I can’t remember the sequence but you can change the display to read out the error corrections it’s doing. If yours is in tape counter mode you can’t see this. Mine used to remain perfect until the display suddenly showed more than 800 or so, then it would cut out. It also lets you check the cleaning is working.
Click to expand...
Thanks Rob....I have noticed that some tape is worse than others. I did a lot of baking of 3/4" video but have not tried that with DAT tapes. At least, I have figured out the easy way to pull off the head cover to reveal the rotating head. I also remember that the head cleaning tapes are just abrasive and have not been using that much. I did get the display to read error messages but that seems OK.... Best R
 
rob aylestone said:
Old tape, lots of shedding, so all you are doing is taking out the debris, which just builds up with each play. Keep the alchol flowing, but be careful, those heads are very fragile. I can’t remember the sequence but you can change the display to read out the error corrections it’s doing. If yours is in tape counter mode you can’t see this. Mine used to remain perfect until the display suddenly showed more than 800 or so, then it would cut out. It also lets you check the cleaning is working.
Click to expand...
Dat tape sheds? I haven't experienced that before.
 
My God, yes! My own experience with old DAT tapes is worse than I ever expected. Not worth putting the lid on the machine. I had two - A panasonic 3700 and a Technics (Think it was a DA-10) - this was exactly the same, but not having XLR outs and NAB digital, only SP/DIF and phone connectors - and the copy protection.
The 3700 failed and I broke it while cleaning the heads. I moved to the Technics, and got another batch done OK. I found another pile of older tapes and these needed the machine cleaning after each tape, and were suffering dropouts and real shedding - one needed the machine cleaning during replay - rcord a bit, then the errors crept up, so I stopped cleaned, backed up a minute and started again, and the tapes were edited back together - then with only a few left, but important ones, head cleaning didn't work anymor and I think the tape had abraded the heads enough to not protrude enough. I borrowed a third machine and completed the dubbing. It could have been the machines perhaps having too much back tension, but the mess was pretty much like we would get when cleaning cassettes - like the chrome tape fine powder.
 
It may be dependent on the brand of DAT tape. Most tapes have played fine for me. I've seen it suggested that Ampex DATs need baking - just like their reel to reel tape. I didn't believe it at first but I've had a couple of Ampex DATs give problems so I'm wondering if it would be worth trying a bake.
 
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