Best way to clean a stubborn handycam head clog?

[saintchuck]

I've got a Sony Handycam model DCR-TRV120. Been using TDK Hi8 tapes for
about 3 years with no problems. Recently switched to Sony Digital Hi8 tapes
and on my first shoot got mosiac on the playback. Cleaned the heads with
the official Sony cleaner tape, which got rid of the mosiac, but now it's got the
five horizonital lines which the manual indicates is still caused by dirty heads.
(I know now not to switch tape brands whitout cleaning the heads in between.)
I've made the maximum four 10-second passes with the cleaning tape and
don't want to try it again.

At the TV station I work at the we clean deck heads with a special lint-free
cloth moistened with freon. Does anyone know if this would be OK to try
on the Handycam?

Thanks much,

saintchuck

[MJS]

Time to take the camera to a video shop that works on Sony's and have it cleaned, lubed and aligned. There is so much going on inside the transport system that even the carriage being slightly out of whack will affect your picture quality. If you are shooting anything even the slightest bit important to you, a good cleaning every one to two years isn't a bad idea.

[saintchuck]

Thanks--I'll do it!