Hi everyone,
My girlfriend recently bought a hi8 camera to be able to play (and transfer to DVD) all her videos of when she was young. The model she bought Sony HandyCam CCD-TRV138.
She tried it out with three different tapes. 1 worked perfectly, great image and everything. Nonetheless, the two others didn't work at all.
These two were not showing any image but snow from times to times, with the sound that goes along with it. We don't understand what can cause some tapes to work and some other to not.
My girlfriend read on the internet that it might be because the tapes were recorded on another camera, but we both doubt it as we believe any 8mm tapes most be able to be played on any 8mm tape reader (or hi8 which are backward compatible). We wonder if it could be the "Sticky-shed syndrome"... but there is no tearing sound when playing the tapes... just snow.
The tapes are mostly Sony 8mm tapes, though there are some other brands in the lot. All of them are in good physical condition, though we can't be sure for the films themselves.
What do you believe could be the possibilities of that. I know that there are many possible answer, but I ask you to tell me what can cause the following symptoms :
1. Hi8 camera being able to read some 8mm tapes, but unable for some others.
2. The tapes unable to be played only show snow with the classical sound that comes with it. No strange noise coming for the tape itself.
Thank you all for your answers

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