OT: How to rate hours meter on a camcorder

CClub wrote on 10/16/2010, 8:12 AM
I'm going to be listing a Sony V1U on ebay, and I see various definitions describing the hours used. I saw a posting of "low hours," and the description then clarified: 37 x 10 hrs of Operation, 14 x 10 of Drum Run, 10 x 10 of Tape Run, 16 x 10 of Threading. Then I saw another posting saying "only 20 tapes run through it" but listed as: 16 x 10 of Operation hrs, 4 x 10 of Drum Run, 2 x 10 of Tape Run, and 7 x 10 of Threading. That seems like a lot more than 20 tapes.

I don't view my camcorder as having Low Hours: 79 x 10 of Operation, 17 x 10 of Drum Run, 16 x 10 of Tape Run, and 51 x 10 of Threading (I shouldn't have used it so much for rewinding and previewing!). Would this be "moderate use"?

Comments

RalphM wrote on 10/16/2010, 12:35 PM
"Low" and "Moderate" are subjective terms. As long as you are listing the hours shown on the camcorder I don't think you have to be concerned about what you call it.

RalphM
teaktart wrote on 10/17/2010, 7:22 PM
Can you help me understand what those numbers mean:

37 x 10 hrs of Operation, 14 x 10 of Drum Run, 10 x 10 of Tape Run, 16 x 10 of Threading

Does that mean 37 hrs or 37x10 = 370 hrs of operation?
Is it 14 hrs on the drum ?
10 tapes ?
What is threading?

What does the 'x 10' mean?

Never did know how to understand those numbers!

TIA
Eileen
John_Cline wrote on 10/17/2010, 8:36 PM
"37 x 10 hrs of Operation, 14 x 10 of Drum Run, 10 x 10 of Tape Run, 16 x 10 of Threading"

The "x10" is just what it implies; a 10x multiplier.

Therefore, 370 hours that the camcorder has been turned on (operation), 140 hours that the head drum was spinning, 100 hours that the tape was actually moving (either record or play) and 160 tape insertion (threading) operations.
farss wrote on 10/18/2010, 1:53 AM
" Would this be "moderate use"? "

Light. Modern tape seems to never wear out heads. The rest is a bit of a crap shoot really. We've had drum bearings, zoom motors and other moving bits fail for no apparent reason but never had to replace a head.
My lightly used M15 VCR threw a drum motor for no apparent reason recently,

Bob.
teaktart wrote on 10/18/2010, 10:15 AM
Thanks so much John for explaining the numbers for me.

Which does lead to the next question asked....what are considered high numbers?

Ironically, I bought an older Ford van with low mileage thinking it was more like a newer car....WRONG... because it wasn't used much for long periods of time, there is a consequence I didn't expect and I've been stuck replacing all kinds of hoses, sensors, and the stupid head gasket. So much for the benefits of low mileage...!

Hope 'mileage' on cameras is another story ~