new camcorder

joejon wrote on 6/7/2007, 1:10 PM
I have a Sony D8 camera and just today my controls don't work. I had a service plan through Best Buy and they said they would not renew the contract even though they renewed it before and it was also before the expiration date. Wouldn't you know, less than two weeks after it expired my camera doen't work. I have a ton of 8mm tapes that I've been waiting to tranfer when larger capacity disks become available (they are, but too expensive yet). Problem #2, do I try to get the camera fixed, or buy a different one. The D8 cameras still available are very low end and do not have a mic input. The 8mm VCRs are very expensive. The two cameras I've had my eye on if I were to buy a new one are the Sony HDR-HC7 and the CanonHV20. Any suggestions about either problem would really help. Also, if you have any comments on the Sony and Canon cameras, let me know. I guess I'm not a fan of the DVD based cameras and I don't know if I'd like the hard drive ones either. Life without a working camcorder, how frustrating.

Comments

richard-courtney wrote on 6/7/2007, 1:50 PM
My Sony 330 had a loose ribbon cable going to the top VCR controls come unplugged.
If you are handy you can use a #0 phillips screwdriver and try to fix it yourself.

DO NOT remove any other screws than the ones you see with double arrows on the
outside case.

I have a firewire drive that records the video without problems and it sure
speeds up work flow as you don't need to capture. (the drive when plugged
into the computer looks like a removable hard drive). We are looking
at HD cameras with the Opto prodisc or the memory cards being sold
to XDCAM users.

EDIT: does your camera have a remote? Can you control it through your
computer?
RalphM wrote on 6/7/2007, 2:11 PM
There are D8 camcorders available on eBay. It's not clear whether you are also trying to tranfer analog 8mm. If so, you could also buy a new or used Hi 8 model and use your new wish-list camcorder to perform A/D conversion. You would not get the Time Base Corrector function of the D8, however.

Regarding cheaper HDDs - how low are you waiting for them to go? I'm seeing 500GByte units for way under $200.
joejon wrote on 6/7/2007, 5:55 PM
I hooked up my camera to my computer via firewire and I can control the camera through Vegas. Does that mean the electronic controls are screwed up or what? Is there some way to fix the problem?
richard-courtney wrote on 6/7/2007, 6:16 PM
I'd suggest you capture your tapes using the Vegas Vidcap since you say it still
works. Hard drives are getting so cheap. You can edit them or keep then as raw
stock. When you have finished capturing then you can try to fix it.

I think your internal ribbon slipped out of the socket like mine did. The VCR buttons
are a membrane contact assembly with a white flat cable built together. The logic
board has a socket that the end of the membrane assembly ribbon slips into.
It may be pulled out slightly or all they way out and you kind of can see one that it
will fit into.

With the new HD consumer cameras getting cheaper hate to see anyone put
money in these older units. Just my thoughts.
joejon wrote on 6/7/2007, 6:29 PM
After I tried it with the computer I then tried the controls on the camera again. Some of them worked. The play in vcr mode works, but the stop button does not. The side buttons in camera mode work sometimes. I don't know if the electronic controls are starting to go out. This sporatic functioning is weird. I appreciate your help.
farss wrote on 6/7/2007, 7:55 PM
Most likely the membrane switches or the PCB or the ribbon to the PCB is the problem. We've had this happen on several Sony clamshell VCRs and don't even bother to fix this anymore as the remote still works and you've still got deck control via firewire which is all you need for transferring tapes.

One day, I promise, I'll transfer all my old D8 tapes to DVCAM. Got the DVCAM deck, bought the DVCAM tapes.....

Bob.
joejon wrote on 6/7/2007, 8:49 PM
Well, I may get a little more use out of it. I was able to record. I still think it's strange how sometimes some of the buttons work and another time they don't. Anyway, if I can transfer my tapes that's a huge thing. I guess I should consider buying another one. Mini tape cameras have been around a long time. Am I going to run into the same problem as with the Digital8 being discontinued if I go that route with the HDR-HC7 or the HV20? Is it crazy to consider mini-dv cameras (not HD), how long will they be around? Hard drive ones seem like the future, but I'm not that keen on those. The Sony and Canon models I mentioned are a little more than I'd like to spend, but I don't see much else that appeals to me. I definitely need a mic input and I use my exposure control a lot. Other than that, I don't use a bunch of other features and special effects within the camera. Things are changing so much, I would like some longevity to the format that I chose.
TGS wrote on 6/7/2007, 11:31 PM
I don't see where you've mentioned what model Sony Digital 8 you have. If it has a mic input and it plays Regular and Hi 8 tapes, it probably has the 'Pass-through' ability too. Also, you didn't mention anything about using a remote control. If you have a remote for it, try that. If not, I think you can find used ones for about $5. on Ebay. The remote will probably work if some buttons are working now
Even if your controls completely fail and you can't record or playback tapes, you may still be able to use the 'Pass-through' feature, which will allow you to plug in any VCR and through that camera and out the firewire transfer any tapes to your PC, as long as the camera will power up in VCR mode and you can access the menu. (you might have to spend another $300. or more to get the Time Base Corrector and Digital Noise Reduction in a regular analog to digital converter box.) So don't consider the thing as useless, it's an excellent A/D converter too.
You can still find used D8s on Ebay, but you have to research to find the models that have a mic input and playback Reg and Hi8 tapes. I know the TRV-730 does. I wouldn't trust an Ebay seller with less than a 99.5% rating, when it comes to these used Digital 8s.
joejon wrote on 6/8/2007, 1:52 PM
Does anyone have a Sony hdr-hc7 camera? Again, is this format (mini dv tapes) going to be around a long time or will it be out the door like the Digital8? I would like to stay under $1000, but I do need one with a mic input and I don't see one for less money than this. What do people think about the hard drive cameras? I don't know much about them at all. Any info you can give to steer me in the right direction as far as formats and cameras is appreciated. Thanks