Gordon, Thank you for the advice. I played the first tape again as you suggested, it now has the squiggly. I have ordered a head cleaner and will try that when it arrives. I will let you know how it works out. Thanks again Trueman If you play the first tape in your Handycam again, does it have the white squiggly, too? If so, your Handycam heads may be dirty. Try a head-cleaning cassette in it and see if that fixes it.