Flying erase heads are special erase heads used during video inserts. They perform similar to the stationary full erase head that always comes on during normal recording. Erase heads are used to clear the tape of the old video and to prepare it to receive a new recording. If the old signal were not removed it would show up in the new recording as a color noise called the moiré or the rainbow disturbance. Remnants of the old recording would still be there trying to play with the new one. The full erase head is located just before the video drum where the video is recorded. When a recording is terminated there is a blank area left on the tape after the video. This usually isn't an issue but when a video insert is being performed you want the trailing video signal it to remain intact. So for this function the full erase head is turned off and a special set of rotating flying-erase head(s) are used. Found only on higher end Betas these are mounted just in front of the video heads on the video disk. They spin with the heads and erase the video a single scan at a time. They turn off when the insert is terminated. The result is the insert starts at the edit point and then ends without disturbing the video that comes after it. Most recorders with flying erase heads also turn them on during normal recording to further ensure a clean recording area. ©Misterßetamax go to homepage