Betacam SP problem

This has more to do with Betacam SP; but none the less I am trying to
digitize this Betacam Footage into FCP.

On the video frame, in the viewer the top 3 or 4 percent will skew left and right
on certain parts of the tape (whether live to monitor, or before or after digitize)

the bars on the tape will also skew in this same area.

Question: Has any ever experienced this problem? Is there a name for it; and is
it a Betacam electronics problem; or a problem on the tape

I found reference to the problem; it is called flagging and could be caused by tape tension
or by incorrect timing of the vertical interval. ouch!

here is the reference it is V7 on the left

[brava.ina.fr]

I know what it is. It happens when you're not using an expensive enough Beta machine. The office and screening products and I believe the 1800 don't correct for any tape errors like that.

Starting with the 2800 and working up through the more expensive decks, they deliver a fully corrected video signal. By the time you get to the 2650 play machine, you get dropout and velocity compensation, still-framing and reverse play with clear picture.

Yes, you can certainly make the problem worse with worn or distorted videotape or old heads in the deck. Those machines are full of rubber parts and they need to be replaced every so often or they, too, will start doing that as the tape pathway becomes damaged.

Sony has started to seriously discontinue the parts.

And yes, you're perfectly correct. It's called flagging. Everything inside a video machine is moving and it's a ballet. The first time somebody drops their tu-tu, the opera is over.

Koz

Have you tried adjusting the skew knob though? I could be on the wrong track, but I know an old SP field deck that requires a bit of adjustment to play different tapes. The gear is getting old - and hard to maintain now.