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Sony 8mm DV Cam/ who repairs now?

Hi... I have an 8 YO Sony DV Camcorder that has been having fits lately. Error codes C:31:42 mostly. I have a service manual, but this being a computer based system, there's specialized service equipment and jigs needed to test and align, as I see in the manual. I'm ready to throw in the towel and ship out for service. I called Sony here, and they don't repair camcorders. They refered to a local service dealer. It turns out he doesn't do it either. I looked at the Sony website, my model doesn't even raise a blip, except they made this cam at one time. An online search also was fruitless............ Does anyone have sources for Sony repairs, outside of my attempts? Thanks for any suggestions! (model DCR-TRV103) (this raises the next dilemna of how anyone can store family videos in a constantly evolving format. How do networks archive their footage? How do they know if their media will be retrievable in 20 years?)

Les

Reply to
les
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The Sony Service Centre in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada has serviced my D8's several times.

Sincerely, Carey Robson

Reply to
Carey Robson

1) Whenever you describe your camcorder, make sure you specify it is Digital8 format. Just saying DV confuses with miniDV tapes, which are smaller. 2) Digital8 is still very much viable. Most don't know this, but the code on the tape is exactly the same (given same resolution and color quality) as miniDV, only the size of the tapes is different. Each format has many cameras of different resolutions, but codec is same. 3) I'm sure you can find someplace to service it, but you might also consider purchasing a used Digital8 from eBay or such. I've had 4 D8 cameras, starting with the TRV103. That is about the lowest level, storing only about 290K pixels per frame. Better quality record 570K per frame, and some even 790K, like the TRV740, which I consider the best D8 available. (I may be off by 20K on the numbers, but they're in the ballpark.) All Sony Digital8 camcorders will play your archive tapes. I have over 200 tapes and keep 2 camcorders around for archive purposes. It's not worth the effort to copy to another format. 4) for example, my 740 was giving me some problems, so I bought a TRV280 on eBay for under $100. It didn't have a battery, or AC charger, or remote, but my 740 batteries are the same, etc. The 280 works great, and now my 740 has started working again. Since I've moved on to HD, these are only to read my archives and whittle down the long list of editing projects.

Jim McGauhey Washington State

Reply to
Scubajam

My Sony Mini DV takes much better video than my very disappointing Sony digital 8mm.

Reply to
Meat Plow

It depends on the models...

--
David Ruether
 d_ruether@hotmail.com
 http://www.donferrario.com/ruether
Reply to
David Ruether

I have old Sony 8mm handycam from 1997. Around the millenium, it quit working and I sent it back to SONY. After a couple weeks, it came back in perfect working order with a bill for $200.00 and a LONG list of parts they replaced. The repair bill was a flat rate they quoted up front and it looks like they replaced pretty much everything.

It's been working like a top ever since and others comment on how sharp the picture is.

db

Reply to
D-unit

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