                                  T H E

                               Z E P H Y R

                      __     M A G A Z I N E
                     {__]++++++++++++++++++++++++++[]
                     Issue #38                 3-1-87

                A weekly electronic magazine for users of
                            THE ZEPHYR II BBS
                        (Mesa, AZ - 602-894-6526)
                    owned and operated by T. H. Smith

                        Editor - Gene B. Williams

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                                (c) 1987

    THIS ISSUE:

       The video idea seems to have caught the attention of a number
    of people. If you're not one of them, . . . that's too bad, I
    guess, because here's yet another installment.
       This one concerns VCRs. Many of you, if not most, have one
    around the house. More than a few of us have more than one. These
    days it's pretty rare to find someone who hasn't at least been
    around one.
       They're delicate machines. Nearly as common as is ownership
    are the horror stories of a VCR eating a tape or deciding to
    not record a television program right at the time that some rare
    special is being shown.
       It was for this reason that I wrote "Chilton's Guide to VCR
    Repair and Maintenance." Wanna support the magazine? Go to the
    book store and buy a copy. If they don't have it right on hand
    (don't be afraid to ask) it can be special ordered. This doesn't
    cost you anything extra. You can also order directly from Chilton,
    if you wish. Their toll-free number is 1-800-345-1214.
       Anyway, the following is taken (loosely) from that book. I
    hope it does you some good.

                          Basic VTR Maintenance

         It's easy to feel intimidated by high-tech video, especially
    when it comes to thoughts of repair or maintenance. "Me? Open the
    case? You must be kidding! I'm no engineer."
         Fortunately, you don't have to be an engineer to take care
    of your equipment. You don't even need a technical background.
    The few needed steps are simple. They're also much less expensive
    and less time consuming than running the equipment to the repair
    shop - or buying replacement equipment.
         The electronics of the equipment does not require mainten-
    ance. Unless you know exactly what you're doing, and have the
    proper tools, don't even attempt to make adjusts or realignments.
    Most of the time such technical work won't be necessary. If your
    machine has started to "eat" tapes, the chances are very good
    that the only problem is that the VTR needs a good, thorough
    cleaning. The same is true for most of the ills and malfunctions.

                           Unbuttoning the VTR

         Almost all home VTR decks are put together in the same way.
    The case has two main parts - top and bottom. The top is held in
    place by either two or four screws and usually also by a lip in
    the front panel. The bottom is almost invariably held on by four
    screws in the corners.
         If the case doesn't come off easily, look carefully for
    something you've missed. There might be another screw, a lip or
    hidden catch. Look carefully. Never force anything.
         Beneath the top cover is the record/play head assembly, the
    main parts of the tape loading and transport mechanisms and
    usually most or all of the electronics. This is where most
    problems happen. Nicely enough, removing the upper case is fast
    and easy. If you've never done it before, it might take you all
    of 5 minutes. After that first time it will take a matter of
    seconds.
         Most of the belts and some of the mechanisms are under the
    bottom case. Removal of this part of the case requires that you
    tip the VTR on its side and often means that you have to turn it
    over completely. Use caution in doing so. Keep both hands on the
    machine and be sure that it's not going to fall when you take
    your hands away.
         With the VTR section of a camcorder the "unbuttoning" is
    even easier. Just push "Eject." That will open the door and
    expose the head assembly and mechanisms. That's about as far as
    you should ever go with a camcorder - and is fortunately as far
    as you ever need to go.

                            Internal Cleaning

         As the tape passes through the transport and over the heads,
    tiny particles of oxide are left behind. If enough of these are
    deposited, and are left there long enough, they'll become
    permanent. The idea of head cleaning is to take away those
    deposits before they become permanent.
         Meanwhile, other contaminants can be deposited on the heads.
    Cigarette smoke is famous for gumming things up inside the VTR,
    including the heads. These, too, can become permanent or will
    serve as a binder of sorts, helping to "glue" the various
    contaminants in just the wrong places.
         How often you have to clean the heads depends on the quality
    of the tape you use and on the environment in which you use the
    VTR. If you use nothing but quality tapes and keep your VTR as
    free from dust and other contaminants as you can, you can reduce
    the frequency of head cleaning. You can't eliminate it
    altogether.
         Some people take the easy-out by using a cleaning cartridge.
    All you have to do is to push in the cassette and press "Play."
    The strip passes through the transport and across the heads,
    theoretically cleaning everything.
          You'd be hard pressed to find a professional who would
    use one of these. There are a number of reasons.
         First, a few of the brands actually leave behind gummy
    deposits. Second, some are too abrasive and end up causing
    physical damage. Third, some do absolutely nothing other than to
    give the user a false "peace-of-mind."
         If you feel that you must use a cleaning cartridge, at very
    least get the very best you can find. this is NOT a place to save
    money. And be very careful to not overuse the cartridge.
         With even the best cleaning cartridge, think about what it
    is doing. The cleaning strip passes through and picks up
    contaminants. If it doesn't, it's not doing the job at all and is
    useless. If it is doing its job, the strip will become more and
    more contaminated - and then it's going to begin to deposit while
    it cleans, or at best just move the contaminants from place to
    place.
         Most professionals prefer to do the job manually. It takes
    only a few extra minutes and guarantees that the job will done
    correctly and thoroughly. It's also much less expensive.
         A good cleaning cartridge will cost at least $10 and will be
    good for a dozen cleanings, tops. To do the job manually you'll
    need technical grade (95% pure or better - I don't use anything
    less than 99%) isopropyl alcohol and either cotton swabs,
    cleaning pads or chamis.
         Do NOT use standard rubbing alcohol off the shelf. Go to the
    counter and ask the druggist for technical grade. It will cost
    about $3 per pint - and a pint will last you just about for the
    rest of your life. Keep it tightly capped. And use a separate
    container to hold the alcohol that will be used that that
    particular cleaning. NEVER dip a swab into the main bottle. Even
    then, tossing out the old and buying a new bottle is a good idea
    after a few years.
         If you use cotton swabs, once again get the best possible.
    If the swab tip isn't tight, don't use it. Some experts say that
    you shouldn't use cotton swabs at all, claiming that the threads
    can get caught in the head assembly. If you use swabs, the cost
    comes to about 1c each.
         Special cleaning pads are considerably more expensive. Even
    if you shop around, expect to pay a minimum of 50c each.
         A number of experts prefer to use chamis. The soft leather
    is unlikely to cause physical damage and doesn't have any threads
    to leave behind. A sheet of chamis will cost somewhere around $7.
    It can be cut into pieces (about 1" by 1"), giving you plenty of
    cleanings. If you go this route, as always get the best you can.
    NEVER buy treated chamis.
         All in all, the most you can spend for manual cleanings will
    be about 60c each. You can get by for just slightly over 1c each
    by using cotton swabs (and 5c in this case will provide a very
    good cleaning indeed!).
         The procedure is simple. Open the top of the VTR. You may
    also have to remove a second protective plate to get at the
    heads. Grounding wires sometimes go to this plate. Just pay
    attention to what you're doing and you won't get into trouble.
         With the heads exposed, taken an alcohol moistened swab or
    whatever and gently press it against the video head assembly.
    (The cleaning material should be just damp, not dripping wet.)
    With your other hand, gently rotate the assembly. The motion is
    with the assembly only, and never with the cleaning surface.
         Next clean the erase and audio heads, if they are separate.
    (Most are.) Finally, clean the rest of the interior. Do this very
    carefully. Many of the pins and guides can be too easily bent.
         Keep the alcohol away from anything rubber. Alcohol will
    cause the rubber parts to dry out prematurely. A cleaning fluid
    meant for rubber will be needed. Freon-based cleaners are fairly
    standard for this.
         Since you're inside anyway, take a few minutes to clean away
    any dust or other contaminants. Very gently wipe off everything.
    For large parts, such as the tape platform, you can use a
    lintfree cloth. For smaller parts, such as the spindles use
    whatever seems safe. A cotton swab is good for most, but some
    parts (springs, etc) might catch the threads.

                            Care of the Tapes

         There's no reason to not already know how to care for your
    tapes. With each blank tape you buy, you get printed instructions
    and tips. Even so, a surprising number of people do silly things
    and later wonder why that special recording has lost some quality
    - or has disappeared completely. Keep in mind at all times what
    the tape is, and what it does.
         The tape and cartridge are plastic, and not very good
    plastic at that. As with all inexpensive plastics, they are quite
    sensitive to heat. Set a tape in direct sunlight and you're
    asking for trouble.
         The tape does its job because it has a coating of magnetic
    particles. The function of the tape is to take on and store
    magnetic fields, with the idea being that the record/playback
    heads - which are actually nothing more than electromagnets - can
    impress or read the tiny magnetic fields and patterns. But, just
    as the record/playback heads can do this, so can any other source
    of magnetism.
         A friend of mine decided that the heads in his VTR needed to
    be demagnetized. As his arm came back and away from the heads
    with the demagnetizer, it came near his tape library. The end
    result was that several tapes were ruined.
         Because of costs, the tape cassette isn't as protective as
    it could be. It does a fair job of protecting the tape inside,
    but not a complete one. Dust can still get inside, for example,
    as can any other airborn contaminant.
         The solution is easy. When the tape isn't in actual use,
    remove it from the VTR and put it back into its jacket. Better
    yet, put it in the jacket and then into a tape storage box. As
    long as the tape is in the machine, the protective front flap is
    open and the tape is exposed. Removing the tape closes this flap.
    Putting the tape back into its jacket (flap first) helps to keep
    dust out. Placing the tape and jacket in a storage box takes the
    protection one more step.
         Even the position of storage makes a difference. Always
    store the tape vertically or horizontally - never flat. As long
    as the tape is on edge, the tape inside is pressing against more
    tape. When the cartridge is flat on a table, the edge of the tape
    is pressing down. In time this can crinkle the edge. On one edge
    is an audio track; on the other is the sync track which tells the
    VTR what to do during playback. If either becomes crinkled, the
    tape can be ruined.
         Most experts also suggest that you completely rewind the
    tape before storing it. Some even say that you should fast
    forward and then rewind a new tape before you use it. The purpose
    is to "repack" a tape that has been sitting on a shelf for
    months.

                         Cameras and Camcorders

         There is virtually no maintenance needed for the camera or
    camera section of a camcorder. (The VTR in a camcorder can be
    treated as any VTR.) Unless you know exactly what you're doing,
    never try to open the camera or to make any adjustments.
         About all you'll ever need to do with the camera concerns
    the lens.
         The first step, as always, is preventive maintenance. The
    best possible way to "fix" anything is to make sure it doesn't
    "break" in the first place.
         With any camera, and especially with tube cameras, avoid
    shooting into bright areas. With a tube camera, just a tiny
    fraction of a second with the camera aimed towards the sun is
    going to permanently damage the pickup. If you're shooting
    outside and carelessly wave the camera so that it passes over the
    sun . . . nix one tube!
         Even shooting at a bright surface for more than a few
    seconds can damage the tube. A CCD or MOS camera isn't as prone
    to "burning" as is a tube camera, but damage can happen.
         Preventive maintenance in the case of a camera lens begins
    with protecting the lens. The classic method is by using a
    skylight or UV-haze filter over the lens. Either filter does very
    little the image. They are just a notch above being pieces of
    optical-quality glass, but that's all you need. If a rock hits
    the filter, you've lost a $15 filter. If that same rock cracks
    the lens, you're looking at a replacement cost very likely in the
    hundreds of dollars. The filter also helps to protect the lens
    from contaminants. With the filter in place, the lens will always
    remain clean. Theoretically you'll never have to touch it.
         If you ever need to clean the lens (or the filter, for that
    matter) do NOT use standard window cleaner. Most lenses have a
    special coating on them, which can be damaged by regular glass
    cleaner or even by water.
         Go to a photographic supply store and get the best lens
    cleaning fluid you can find. Also get lens paper. This
    inexpensive material is the only thing that should ever touch the
    glass of your camera. It's specially made for that purpose. If
    you use a corner of your t-shirt, you stand a good chance of
    scratching the lens. A paper towel is even worse!
         Finally, invest in a case for your equipment. Preferably a
    hard case for the camera. (A dust cover will normally be
    sufficient for the home deck.) Don't do what so many do - get the
    cover or case and then leave it in the closet. Any equipment not
    in use should be covered and protected.

    Until Next Time

       Need some videography (video photography) work done? Or do
    you know someone who does? I and my partner have just added even
    more equipment to our "stock," including another $5000 in video
    editing machines. I was playing with them last night, and they
    are REALLY SOMETHING! And more stuff is coming in.
       We're semi-open for business, and available for weddings,
    parties, gatherings - whatever.
       I also got to wondering - we have some really classy bits on
    tape. Would any of you be willing to buy a tape of nonsense and
    entertainment? I'm wondering if it would be worth our while to
    put something together. (I went through the stuff last night, and
    some of it is really fantastic!)

       End of commercial.
       End of issue.
       GOTO Zip-Read
       Seeya next time! I've been playing with a couple more short
    pieces of fiction, although I don't know if I'll have the time
    to polish one off in time. (I'm still open to guest authors,
    by the way! Contact me in Email.)

Zephyr Magazine is © Gene Williams. All rights reserved.