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Home: Video University Forums: Sony DV and DVCAM Forum:
Is the camera broke (Sony DSR-200P)?

Ivan200
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Jul 29, 2005, 10:36 AM

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Is the camera broke (Sony DSR-200P)?	Can't Post

Hey guys!
I have borrowed a Sony DSR-200P came with which I have filmed alot this month, and now I suspect it is broke in some way. I am not very experienced with cameras so I would really appreciate if some nice soul could try to help me out, and give (if there is one) a solution to the problem. I ask you to be indulgent with my insufficient knowledge in English. Anyways, I'll try to explain the problem:

When I insert a cassette (DVCAM) into the camera a beep sound starts and two symbols (one crossed cassette, and an arrow pointing upwards with a stroke underneath it [the "official" "eject"-symbol]) appear, which (accoarding to the manual) indicate that the cassette is protected against accidental erasure (=that the tab on the cassette is slided to the right). I have not exposed the red mark on the cassette in order to prevent writing (I have checked this several times), so this is not the problem.

I am in other words unable to record. We have had the same problem from time to time under this whole month we have recorded, but it has been put right by switching the power to "off" and then again to "on". Yesterday however the problem seemed to become permanent.

This feels awful since we have borrowed the camera. We have been very careful, even though we have filmed alot, so I don't know why this problem has occured so suddenly. Could it be a weak link or something that is making the camera unable to detect whether the cassette is protected or not? Since we are amateurs on this camera I hope that we accidently pushed some button or something.

I would really appreciate if someone could at least try to give an answer on why this is happening, even though I realize that my English skills and knowledge about how the camera works may be insufficent.
Thanks anyways.
Ivan

(This post was edited by Ivan200 on Jul 29, 2005, 10:39 AM)

Bob A
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Jul 29, 2005, 4:39 PM

Post #2 of 3 (1490 views)
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Re: [Ivan200] Is the camera broke (Sony DSR-200P)? [In reply to]	Can't Post

First try a different cassette, if the tape in the cassette is jammed or not free the cam will put the eject symbol on the viewfinder as it can't load the tape. Just having the protect slider in the 'no record' position will not put the eject symbol in the VF - just the cassette symbol with the line through it. Some of the early DVCam cassettes had little white levers on the bottom that occasionally broke off and that would make the DSR200 give the eject symbol. No 'button push' will cause this problem.

Ivan200
New User

Jul 29, 2005, 5:54 PM

Post #3 of 3 (1487 views)
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Re: [Bob A] Is the camera broke (Sony DSR-200P)? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks for the answer.
I have tried with another cassette, and still there is the same problem. I don't think the camera has any problem with reading the tape since I can watch it with the "Player"-function without any problems, so I don't think there is a tapejam or something like that. However, the camera is making noises when I insert the tape, as if it is trying to read it, but with a negative result. Can't remember if those noises would last this long before it "broke".

But like I said, when I watch the tape through, no problems occour, and I have compared the cassette with two other cassettes and they look the same - I tried one of the other cassettes but the same problem occours. Those white levers don't seem broke, and they look just like the ones on the other cassettes.

Thanks again for the help, I really appreciated it, and I will call a Sony store tomorrow and ask if they know the problem (pray to God that they still support those cameras). Hopefully, if the camera is broke, it won't be to expensive a reparation.

(This post was edited by Ivan200 on Jul 29, 2005, 5:59 PM)