Coming from someone who treated his camera with the absolute utmost in care and gentleness, when I say seeing you handle the camera and all its connections gave me anxiety is an understatement lol. Fantastic video, exactly the issue with mine. it was my first camera, so not only does it have sentimental value, i have a lot of video of people no longer with us i can no longer watch. Time to break out the old screwdrivers. its a shame you're across the pond, you could have fixed it.
Good job, Dave. I admire your ability to get these tiny things apart, keeping track of what goes where in the process and then getting it back together with (hopefully) no "extra" screws at the end of the process.👍
WOAH I stumbled on this camera in my older brother's room and then I stumbled on this video! I hope I can repair it (or maybe have a professional look at it) cause this was super cool to watch.
Watching this again...just an update. Both my HDR-HC3 and DCR-HC26 now working perfectly. Both was mostly similar symptoms and both got fixed by spraying contact cleaner into the mode switch and manually operating for some time. Unfortunately I wasn't aware that I should discharge the cap for the flash on the HC3 before disassembling and now it's not working any more. Totally hooked on these miniature marvels of engineering and also thanks to your videos showing how to do and never give up. I had the HC3 for almost a year before it's finally fixed now. Just love to play around with it now. Thanks again and keep the videos coming.
It should be compatible with H and V series InfoLithium batteries. I know H, P, and V are all physically compatible. And you need to go into the menu to adjust the volume.
Another problem solved thanks to you. After watching you dismantle the mini nightmare then mentioned probable cause was a grain of sand. Out to the shop and several blasts of air.... problem solved. Whatever was interfering with the closing of the tape carriage is no longer an issue. Thank you once again....🎉
I'm going to give this a shot as well, some compressed air or the air compressor. He did mention at the end of the video that he used some cleaner on the mode switch? Any idea where that is, maybe you could reference it in the video (with a time stamp) if you know.
Nice, I just did one that had small bits of sand all inside. Along with all the screws on the bottom rusted out. Probably went for a swim somewhere tropical.
Ahh yes, the days of the 1000 watt projector bulb where you had to keep the fan running for a while after turning off the lamp, else the lamp would melt.
Believe me...took me a day to take my HC3 apart and a few days to assemble it again. That was the first time. Nowadays I take it apart...swop out the tape carriage with another and put it together again in less than an hour. But still have all the error codes in the book. Will check this video out...maybe I can fix mine after all.
haha! as i played this video i took my old mini camcorder apart. it's a penasonic but it has power supply issues. but as i kept working on it, it came back to life! lol.
Still have to manually drive in the tape with my little battery but when I press play it says "re-insert the tape" Think I'm done now. If you ever come past Pretoria in south africa...come pick up an HC3 for spare parts...
I got a family camera like this and I am pretty sure everything works, but it is missing the blue ribbon cable that connects the whole system to the on button.
Mode switch like my HDR-HC3. Apply voltage to the loading motor for 1 second to start the loading sequence and the door will close but the mode switch is stuffed and big job to take apart :(. I bet Sony did not care as they went solid state. I sprayed contact cleaner and d oxit into the mode switch but no luck :( Looks like a nightmare to take apart. Yours will work for a little while then fail again. Mine lasted for about 20 ejects then failed again RIP.
I just got a sony handycam dcr-trv10e which stops as soon as I press record. It showed me error code C31:30 which I googled and it says that there's a problem with the capstan motor. Do you think it could be that sand or something is jamming it or is it something else?
Hi! thank you for your many videos explaining about cameras. I wanted to ask you, could you tell me what the "reel supply" is? Apparently my sony camera needs to have that fix but i cant find any information about what does it look like . Thanks in advance !
i'm sure you enjoy self torture :-D What a compact little camcorder, not a parts camera now. As you said a tiny bit of sand or a particle of muck could stop it dead so easy. Yes the lighting did look better.
I have Sony Handycam DCR HC48 which works perfectly fine with the power adapter on. But if I take it out and put it on battery power, it cant turning ON, when i charged indicator lamp is flashing, what’s wrong?
It is because Sony used cheap grease under the mode wheel, which oxidises and hardens with age. Remove the mode wheel, clean off the old grease and apply high quality lithium grease to remedy.
They're not worth fixing. The one I have was given to me I got it running and then I donated it to the second hand store and they probably sold it for $20.
@@12voltvids they are worth fixing if you have a TON of vids taken on mini DV cassettes,because if you got a working camcorder you can very easily transfer the video to your pc via FireWire. Otherwise you need converters and other expensive crap that doesn't even come close to the quality that the camera can give you.
@@Wilma5532 no you send your tapes out and have them dumped to a portable hard drive for 10.00 a tape. Can transfer alot of tapes for the cost to repair an old camera. Plus most new computers don't even have FireWire ports anymore.
@@Wilma5532 I agree with you. 12Volt is a repair man, he does things with his brain and his hands. For him to give you that response is kind of odd. There are just as many people today that want to record and transfer their mini-dv or any format (themselves). What's the fun of doing half the work (recording then sending it to someone else to do it)? While I can agree that might be for some people, it is not for everyone...especially people that enjoy tech and want to learn. I sell a ton of camcorders, people love this old tech...and in my skateboard/action sports field we love this stuff. The dv/hi8/digital8 formats are making a huge comeback. It's just as fun/easy and inexpensive to get an old Sony/Mac/etc computer with firewire for the full experience...they're cheap at the swap meets and on ebay. Or, a firewire card is a simple install on nearly all desktop computers today. I've got my old Sony laptop with Windows 98 and my modern computer both for capturing. I grew up with this tech but my son loves it, he's in film school and now and his professors are in awe of his (antiquated tech knowledge). Everything comes full circle. Records are obsolete who would want to play a record (joke)!
No kidding. I don't use tape and have not for at least a dozen years. Some people however insist on using it. The only thing j use my tape machines for if getting content off the tapes.
Coming from someone who treated his camera with the absolute utmost in care and gentleness, when I say seeing you handle the camera and all its connections gave me anxiety is an understatement lol.
Fantastic video, exactly the issue with mine. it was my first camera, so not only does it have sentimental value, i have a lot of video of people no longer with us i can no longer watch. Time to break out the old screwdrivers. its a shame you're across the pond, you could have fixed it.
Good job, Dave. I admire your ability to get these tiny things apart, keeping track of what goes where in the process and then getting it back together with (hopefully) no "extra" screws at the end of the process.👍
No extra screws. A black screw went where a silver one went and I ended up with a silver screw where a black screw went.
WOAH I stumbled on this camera in my older brother's room and then I stumbled on this video! I hope I can repair it (or maybe have a professional look at it) cause this was super cool to watch.
I love your videos,watching for 5 years.i still collect dvds 📀 bluray and 4k.
Watching this again...just an update. Both my HDR-HC3 and DCR-HC26 now working perfectly. Both was mostly similar symptoms and both got fixed by spraying contact cleaner into the mode switch and manually operating for some time. Unfortunately I wasn't aware that I should discharge the cap for the flash on the HC3 before disassembling and now it's not working any more. Totally hooked on these miniature marvels of engineering and also thanks to your videos showing how to do and never give up. I had the HC3 for almost a year before it's finally fixed now. Just love to play around with it now. Thanks again and keep the videos coming.
Where is the mode switch located. Is there a time stamp in this video that shows it?
It should be compatible with H and V series InfoLithium batteries. I know H, P, and V are all physically compatible. And you need to go into the menu to adjust the volume.
Another problem solved thanks to you. After watching you dismantle the mini nightmare then mentioned probable cause was a grain of sand. Out to the shop and several blasts of air.... problem solved. Whatever was interfering with the closing of the tape carriage is no longer an issue. Thank you once again....🎉
I'm going to give this a shot as well, some compressed air or the air compressor. He did mention at the end of the video that he used some cleaner on the mode switch? Any idea where that is, maybe you could reference it in the video (with a time stamp) if you know.
Nice, I just did one that had small bits of sand all inside. Along with all the screws on the bottom rusted out. Probably went for a swim somewhere tropical.
Ahh yes, the days of the 1000 watt projector bulb where you had to keep the fan running for a while after turning off the lamp, else the lamp would melt.
Believe me...took me a day to take my HC3 apart and a few days to assemble it again. That was the first time. Nowadays I take it apart...swop out the tape carriage with another and put it together again in less than an hour. But still have all the error codes in the book. Will check this video out...maybe I can fix mine after all.
I have one but even when it has an output it didn't work when I tried it so switched the tape to another that was always set up on my computer.
haha! as i played this video i took my old mini camcorder apart. it's a penasonic but it has power supply issues. but as i kept working on it, it came back to life! lol.
what did you use to jump the loading motor
Still have to manually drive in the tape with my little battery but when I press play it says "re-insert the tape" Think I'm done now. If you ever come past Pretoria in south africa...come pick up an HC3 for spare parts...
Perfect job, with how many volts do you start the engine of the mechanism. Thank you
mentioned in the video i think it was 4v power supply,
I got a family camera like this and I am pretty sure everything works, but it is missing the blue ribbon cable that connects the whole system to the on button.
Mode switch like my HDR-HC3. Apply voltage to the loading motor for 1 second to start the loading sequence and the door will close but the mode switch is stuffed and big job to take apart :(. I bet Sony did not care as they went solid state. I sprayed contact cleaner and d oxit into the mode switch but no luck :( Looks like a nightmare to take apart. Yours will work for a little while then fail again. Mine lasted for about 20 ejects then failed again RIP.
I just got a sony handycam dcr-trv10e which stops as soon as I press record. It showed me error code C31:30 which I googled and it says that there's a problem with the capstan motor. Do you think it could be that sand or something is jamming it or is it something else?
Could be anything.
Oh my GOD !! Is this thing really that small ? WOW ! You DO HAVE PATIENCE !!
And there I think this was small and in the video you say there's one smaller !
Yes it is really that small, ridiculous.
Hi! thank you for your many videos explaining about cameras. I wanted to ask you, could you tell me what the "reel supply" is? Apparently my sony camera needs to have that fix but i cant find any information about what does it look like . Thanks in advance !
That refers to the hubs that turn the tape. Supply and take up side.
i'm sure you enjoy self torture :-D
What a compact little camcorder, not a parts camera now.
As you said a tiny bit of sand or a particle of muck could stop it dead so easy.
Yes the lighting did look better.
This one will get sold. I found that my batteries do indeed fit it. It does work with v series and h series batteries.
Congrats ! Great job!
Way to go Dave nice video
all the dcr-hc series sadly suffer bad flex cable to the display/touchscreen in the hinge
Well this one is ok and will probably never fail as it won't be used.
I have Sony Handycam DCR HC48 which works perfectly fine with the power adapter on. But if I take it out and put it on battery power, it cant turning ON, when i charged indicator lamp is flashing, what’s wrong?
Battery fubar.
I don't know why but this mechanism is so prone to failure, had to send both of my HC26 and HC36 away for repairs
It is because Sony used cheap grease under the mode wheel, which oxidises and hardens with age. Remove the mode wheel, clean off the old grease and apply high quality lithium grease to remedy.
That litle toy looks like one of those puzzels with 500 or 1000 pieces, so tiny and so hard.
I just admire the miniaturization of that little mechanism. Perhaps for a laugh I will shoot a video on it. Anyone want to see that?
I had this camera, but same problem...what can I do....for Cera repair.....
Nellore, Andhra Pradhesh, INDIA.
They're not worth fixing. The one I have was given to me I got it running and then I donated it to the second hand store and they probably sold it for $20.
@@12voltvids they are worth fixing if you have a TON of vids taken on mini DV cassettes,because if you got a working camcorder you can very easily transfer the video to your pc via FireWire. Otherwise you need converters and other expensive crap that doesn't even come close to the quality that the camera can give you.
@@Wilma5532 no you send your tapes out and have them dumped to a portable hard drive for 10.00 a tape. Can transfer alot of tapes for the cost to repair an old camera. Plus most new computers don't even have FireWire ports anymore.
@@Wilma5532 I agree with you. 12Volt is a repair man, he does things with his brain and his hands. For him to give you that response is kind of odd. There are just as many people today that want to record and transfer their mini-dv or any format (themselves). What's the fun of doing half the work (recording then sending it to someone else to do it)? While I can agree that might be for some people, it is not for everyone...especially people that enjoy tech and want to learn. I sell a ton of camcorders, people love this old tech...and in my skateboard/action sports field we love this stuff. The dv/hi8/digital8 formats are making a huge comeback. It's just as fun/easy and inexpensive to get an old Sony/Mac/etc computer with firewire for the full experience...they're cheap at the swap meets and on ebay. Or, a firewire card is a simple install on nearly all desktop computers today. I've got my old Sony laptop with Windows 98 and my modern computer both for capturing. I grew up with this tech but my son loves it, he's in film school and now and his professors are in awe of his (antiquated tech knowledge). Everything comes full circle. Records are obsolete who would want to play a record (joke)!
Do you still do repairs?
Yes
@@12voltvids where is it u r located
@@bournefree just outside Vancouver Canada.
This video camera is very old.now adays they Will using micro chips.it is easier to handle than tapes
No kidding. I don't use tape and have not for at least a dozen years.
Some people however insist on using it. The only thing j use my tape machines for if getting content off the tapes.
hii is there any way i can contact u i wanna ask u about my handycam? pls