Mini DV tape problem

[Techniquest]

Hi all,

Not 100% photography but there's not a Videography section so this will do. Please feel free to move it to another section if it is deemed more suitable.

One of my Mini DV tapes for my camcorder is a bit bust. No idea how it came to be like this (see the photos for what I mean), but the dust cover bit looks like it's gotten stuck and I can't see how to fix it.

I enclose three photos I took last night. Bit blurry but I couldn't get them much better without spending forever setting up the shots. The problem should be fairly clear though:

Does anyone here know how to fix this problem? I tried putting it back in the camcorder last night (which made the heads dirty on the tape, thankfully fixed that somehow), but that did nothing. Got a "Reinsert the cassette" message come up so I dunno if it's just the camcorder that stuffed it up or what.

Could do with some ideas ladies and gents, there's footage on this tape I'd like to retrieve if at all possible.

All help gratefully appreciated.

 

[royaloak]

Something is holding the lid up so have a look to see if you can work out what is is.

 

[Techniquest]

Hmm, I shall investigate that. Sounds reasoning that.

 

[ungreat]

I film sports for our local team and use these regularly..theres a small trigger type catch on the side of the tape,it looks like its stuck..give it a toggle!

DON'T put it in the cam again like that..you will get major problems!

 

[Retropractor]

I've only just joined, so I'm not too sure how old this thread is. I used MiniDV for weddings, for a number of years. The most common reason for this to happen, is when the tape is forcibly inserted. Or perhaps you attempted to remove it, prematurely.
The cassettes are not always salvageable, when this happens.

 

[Techniquest]

Whatever happened to said tape, I discovered it recently again when on a visit to my Mum's, where the tape was, and somehow the tape had returned to being in a useable state!

Thanks, however, for the advice. Welcome to the forum

 

[Retropractor]

Thank you for the welcome. I used a Sony VX1000 for years, for weddings. And built up such a collection of tapes. That it seemed logical, when I bought a 2nd, smaller camcorder, to get one that took the same format.

 

[Techniquest]

Indeed so, although I'd recommend backing the footage up onto another format to ensure you don't lose it all. I really need to do the same with mine, but it's such a big job it keeps getting put off for another day!

Did the same as yourself when I last replaced my camcorder, had so many Mini DV tapes that it would have been mad to not get a camcorder to use them. Seems impossible to get such a device now, it's all Flash, HDD or DVD nowadays (although even the DVD ones are getting harder to find)

 

[Retropractor]

I actually, still have (and use) the VX1000. I prefer to use it, when I go to the park, or somewhere local. It is much easier to hold steady, being physically larger.
I see that Currys Digital (Dixons) are doing a special deal, on an SD camcorder, with a huge optical zoom, for only £199.00. I didn't pay much attention to the rest of the details.