Digital cameras won't import

[gilhouse]

Hello folks,
first time posting newbie, here.

I have a chronic problem with my digital camcorders.
I teach digital film in a public middle school. We use Sony digital 8 and mini-dv camcorders. I've gone through about 15, so far. One by one, they inevitably break down in one area - the DV in/out port. Or the iLink port, or whatever you want to call it. The little port where you insert the firewire cable.
At least, that is my theory.
Eventually, the computers will no longer detect the cameras when you plug in the cable. I've tried combinations of cables, cameras, and computers, and I'm pretty confident the problem lies with the cameras.
Some of my cameras are less than a year old, and all but two out of 15 will no longer import/export.
The models are:
Sony DCR-TRV350.
Sony DCR-TRV480
Sony DCR-TRV340 (these three are digital-8)
Sony DCR-TRV HC42 (mini-DV)

And one or two other models which all broke down.

I use iMacs and iMovie for editing.

Any advice? Are these ports easy to repair?
I was thinking maybe getting a digital-8 deck for the purposes of importing, only. Seems like the decks are pretty expensive, but haven't looked a lot, yet. Are there small inexpensive decks solely for the purpose of importing/exporting?

Thanks

[RFBurns]

Hi!

Your in luck. Im a Sony engineer/tech, and have full access to the Sony Service Database. I do recall a service bulliten on some models of mini-DV cameras and the I/O port problem. I will take down the model numbers you posted and search the DB for the notices and post the appropriate info for you. Check this thread in about 20 minutes or so.

I shall return.

[RFBurns]

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12/14/2005<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ffffff; PADDING-RIGHT: 3.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #ffffff; PADDING-LEFT: 3.75pt; BACKGROUND: white; PADDING-BOTTOM: 3.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ffffff; PADDING-TOP: 3.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ffffff">Event ID
E19653782<o></o>
</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ffffff; PADDING-RIGHT: 3.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #ffffff; PADDING-LEFT: 3.75pt; BACKGROUND: white; PADDING-BOTTOM: 3.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ffffff; PADDING-TOP: 3.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ffffff"></TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ffffff; PADDING-RIGHT: 3.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #ffffff; PADDING-LEFT: 3.75pt; BACKGROUND: white; PADDING-BOTTOM: 3.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ffffff; PADDING-TOP: 3.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ffffff" colSpan=3>Subject
No iLink communication, iLink IC damaged by excessive external voltage.<o></o>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><o></o>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>SYMPTOMS
There is no communication between the camera and the PC via the iLink connection. The iLink IC is damaged internally, and sometimes there is damage to the IC that can be seen on the top surface of the IC.
CAUSE
This symptom and damage are caused by excessive voltage being applied to the iLink IC from an outside source (the outside source would typically be the computer that the camera is connected to). The damage would occur when the iLink cable is connected to a 6-pin iLink connector on the computer. These 6-pin connectors on the computer have voltages of approx. 18 Vdc that do not normally appear at the 4-pin end of the cable that plugs into the camera. Following are several examples of how the excessive voltage might appear at the 4-pin end of the cable, resulting in damage to the iLink IC:
1- The 6-pin end of the cable is plugged in backwards into the computer. Once a cable is forced into the connector backwards just one time, the keying characteristic of the connector may become compromised which allows the cable to be plugged in backwards easily the next time.

2- 6-pin connector on computer may be loose internally, allowing improper contact to be made with voltage sources when the cable is plugged-in, moved, or wiggled (may be intermittent).

3- Cable has short circuit at 6-pin connector end (may be intermittent).

4- The cable may have had extra length spliced into it and the workmanship may be poor.



More to come...

[RFBurns]

The service bulliten above applies to the following model numbers:


ModelDCR300, DCRIP220, DCRIP45, DCRIP5, DCRIP55, DCRIP7, DCRPC1, DCRPC10, DCRPC100, DCRPC101, DCRPC110, DCRPC115, DCRPC120, DCRPC120, DCRPC3, DCRPC5, DCRPC7, DCRPC9, DCRSC100, DCRTR7000, DCRTR720, DCRTRV10, DCRTRV103, DCRTRV11, DCRTRV110, DCRTRV120, DCRTRV130, DCRTRV140, DCRTRV15, DCRTRV16, DCRTRV17, DCRTRV18, DCRTRV20, DCRTRV203, DCRTRV210, DCRTRV220, DCRTRV230, DCRTRV240, DCRTRV25, DCRTRV27, DCRTRV27, DCRTRV30, DCRTRV310, DCRTRV315, DCRTRV320, DCRTRV330, DCRTRV340, DCRTRV350, DCRTRV40, DCRTRV410, DCRTRV5, DCRTRV50, DCRTRV510, DCRTRV520, DCRTRV525, DCRTRV530, DCRTRV6, DCRTRV7, DCRTRV720, DCRTRV730, DCRTRV740, DCRTRV8, DCRTRV820, DCRTRV830, DCRTRV840, DCRTRV9, DCRTRV900, DCRTRV950, DCRVX1000, DCRVX2000, DCRVX700, DCRVX9000, DHR1000, DVMCDA1, DVMCDA2, DVMCMS1, GVD1000, GVD200, GVD300, GVD800, GVD900, GVD900E

The SB also applies to the DCR-HC42 mini-DV unit.

In short, fixing the unit is not a simple task, as that IC is very small, less than half the size of a postage stamp, with about 40 pins on it spaced about a hairwidth apart! Would need a special desoldering jig to remove the chip and replace with the new chip.

You can go to http://esupport.sony.com and get info on service for your units.

Hope all that helps.

[gilhouse]

Repairing Sony digital camcorder iLink ports

Hey, Thanks RF!

So, let me see if I understand this...

The ports may be very expensive to fix. I think some of my cameras are under warranty, so I'll try that.

As far as the cause of this breakdown, you suggested :

1- The 6-pin end of the cable is plugged in backwards into the computer. Once a cable is forced into the connector backwards just one time, the keying characteristic of the connector may become compromised which allows the cable to be plugged in backwards easily the next time.

The tips of the cables and the shape of the ports on the computer and on the cameras only allow the cables to plug in in one direction. The shape prevents them from being plugged in upside down. Are you saying that someone has to REALLY shove the thing in so hard that it forces the tip of the cable into a wrong-shaped hole?

[RFBurns]

Hi!

Actually it is the Sony Sustaining Engineering Department that does the field research and places any findings onto the database. Im only a messenger!

I realize that the shapes of the connector and cable ends prevent inserting the cables the wrong way. I have even asked the engineering guys why would they put this into the report when the shapes of the cable connectors prevent incorrect connecting of the cables. According to them, they have seen some get forced and causing the problem. I would say that it would take a very impaitent person to really force that connector together in the opposite way it should be, and would ruin not only the connector but the plug inside the pc as well, thus really messing up the works.

More than likely, it was probably a ground connection inside the cable itself, which if the ground connection becomes loose inside the cable, it leaves no return path for any of the remaining pins along that cable, and one of them is B+ voltage, that could find its way back through one of the other pins which is not a ground return path, but close enough to cause conduction and place 18 volts on circuit paths where it should not be, in turn blowing out that iLink IC inside the camera.

I admit, it is an odd analysis when your dealing with shaped connectors that can only fit one way. But even I tend to agree at times, Sony engineers are an odd ball bunch themselves! Me....Im one of the extreme few that thinks outside of their 8x10 piece of paper.

Glad to help, hope you get them fixed up without any hassles. I would double check the connector on the pc end as well just to be safe, as well as verify the cables you have are in good order.

[gilhouse]

Sony Cameras repaired....


Well,
my five Sony cameras came back from their Texas repair shop, and they all work again. It cost me about $200 per camera to have them repaired.
The reports say:

"MOUNTED C.BOARD, VC-CONSTANT WEAK/EXCESS PICTR REPLACED PARTS"

Sounds like they replaced a circuit board inside the camera, so the problem was definitely inside the units and not in the cable.
But I will caution my students AGAIN not to force the cables, nor insert them upside down, and see how much that helps.

-gilhouse

[RFBurns]

Well,
my five Sony cameras came back from their Texas repair shop, and they all work again. It cost me about $200 per camera to have them repaired.
The reports say:

"MOUNTED C.BOARD, VC-CONSTANT WEAK/EXCESS PICTR REPLACED PARTS"

Sounds like they replaced a circuit board inside the camera, so the problem was definitely inside the units and not in the cable.
But I will caution my students AGAIN not to force the cables, nor insert them upside down, and see how much that helps.

-gilhouse

Indeed, the C board is the tiny board behind the connector pannel, which contains the communication IC.

I hope the cameras dont give you any more problems. In the environment in which they are being used, its hard to keep a standard method of handling and operating when many users are involved. Some will remember, some will forget. But thats something that is often unavoidable.

Tell the students to not feel bad. Even the professional news camera operators that carry around $18,000.00 news cameras often break a connector or drop the entire camera or bump into something during the rush to get that story first!