help with camcorder

[wmacklin]

just wondering if anyone can tell what (DEW) means on an older style camcorder,it flash's then the camera turns of thankyou for your help.wayne

[munruben]

This might help http://hci.ucsd.edu/dew/html/about.htm

[nt900]

just wondering if anyone can tell what (DEW) means on an older style camcorder,it flash's then the camera turns of thankyou for your help.wayne

I once had a VCR with a DEW indicator. Never lit up, but I recall (hopefully accurately) the manual said it indicated moisture on or around the tape heads.

[China]

Dew means moisture has formed on the head drum, leave it swtched on until the light turns off, if you use it with the light on it will most likely chew up your tape as it will stick to the head drum

[malb]

As per China's post. The moisture is probably caused by moving from a hot dry location to a cooler more moist one or vice versa. Moisture in the atmosphere starts to condense onto the head drum and capiliary action will cause the tape to bind to the head drum. The principal solution is to minimise abrupt atmospheric changes, and where unavoidable, allow the machine time to "normalise" before allowing it to thread the tape. Not helpfull if recording a one off event however.