I purchased a Sony Handycam a few years back, along with a two-year extended warranty. The camcorder worked great the first year, but it developed an issue with the cassette holder. When I tried to record or play a cassette, I began to get Sony's version of the "blue screen of death," accompanied by text instructions to "reinsert cassette."
It initially occurred fairly randomly, and I was able to reinsert the cassette and continue, but after a month, even that was no longer possible. I called Sony to report the problem and to see how best to proceed, since it was still under warranty. After explaining the issue to the technical support representative, I asked him if this was a common problem. His response was that it was very strange, and he had not heard of this happening before.
Yet if you enter into any search engine the words "Sony Handycam rei," you will see "Sony Handycam reinsert cassette error" come up as an option. Selecting it will result in multiple Internet entries on this particular error. The favorite solution is as follows:
Trust me on this one... with tape still in unit and battery removed, smack both sides of unit firmly three to four times with the heel of your hand. It works nine out of 10 times on all Sony cameras.
Further research revealed various possible reasons for the error -- one site says a pinch roller worked its way off its post because of a cheap locking nut. Another site says a cable needs to be reseated. Yet another says the cassette holder is out of alignment. There are even YouTube videos of people explaining the correct procedure for smacking your camera. The problem seems to be endemic across model numbers, although the tech rep at Sony was unaware that there was an issue.
I tried the usual troubleshooting techniques, although I must admit I am out of my element with camcorders. I tried cleaning the unit, examining parts that were exposed enough for a visual inspection, powering down the unit and resetting it, trying a different cassette, and yes, I admit it, smacking it (according to the experts on YouTube, who at least knew there was a problem). Since it was inoperable anyway, smacking it made me feel better. Smacking actually worked a couple of times before it finally refused to work at all. Ultimately, I could not get rid of the error, and the camcorder was now completely useless. It was a shame, too. Besides the issue of basic functionality, every other feature on it worked well.
This entry was submitted by Nancy Golden and edited by Rob Spiegel.
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As a former owner and Chief Engineer of a Sony Master Service Center I can assure you that the best procedure for dealing with a broken warrantied item is not taking it apart and trying to fix it yourself. When something fails under warranty, don't smack the product -- go back to where you bought it and smack the salesperson's desk.
TomT, that sounds like that game where everyone gets in a circle and the first person whispers something in the ear of the person next to them and so on. Once the message gets all the way around - it is completely different from the original. I guess that shows the importance of documentation, although you did mention an "official" procedure had already been documented. Any engineer worth his/her salt should be able to transfer the idea of a documented solution into another method if it makes sense, but it looks like junior wasn't grasping the concept - he was merely doing what he thought he had been told...
BobDJr, those were the days...I recall my TI99/4A with its "state of the art casette recorder"...at least the chips on yours were socketed and not surface mount like today :)
I'll just remember to be ready to "duck" if I see you getting frustrated - the trajectory of a "spiked" screwdriver can be unpredictably if not aimed well - I can say that from experience ;)
I can relate to the "hit it with a hammer" solution. I worked for a large telecommunications company. We used to have carrier systems that used quartz filters. Sometimes the filters would grow "whiskers" that would short and fail a carrier channel. The Labs guys recommended a procedure that removed the filter, place it on a 45 degree plane made of plywood, allow it to slide down the plane. The controlled impact would break the whiskers and make ithe filter operational. This was documented with drawings and detailed instructions.
The procedure followed the law of entropy as it was passed down by word of mouth. One technician found he could tap the installed filter with a rubber mallet and get the same result. It went further to the point of my finding a new junior tech standing on a ladder with a 22 oz ball peen hammer poundin on a bent steel frame "fixing a filter". He would up nearly destroying a complete bank of a dozen filters.
Nancy, the starter thing comes up occasionally on Car Talk, and Tom & Ray give the same advice as your husband. Then they usually tell the caller to go get it replaced.
(Years ago I was getting *so* frustrated trying to load a program from cassette onto my 48K 6502 computer (wink) that I picked it up about 2 feet & slammed it on the desk. IIRC I had to replace 7 (socketed TTL) chips, so now when I get *that* mad I spike whatever screwdriver is handy.)
Hubby just told me about another smacking trick. If your car won't start, smack the starter with a hammer or a piece of wood - there is a good chance that it will reseat the brushes (its a DC motor) if the starter is bad and your car will start (maybe) (once)...worth a try...
Yes, Nancy, you probabloy did. I was surprised by how consistently effective the smack was. It was also interesting to see how well the kids adapted to the reality of the smack -- and how to do it just right. I guess it's a matter of motivation.
JimT, I agree completely in that frequently we have sacrificed quality for cost reduction. I used to buy a printer with the expectation that it would last five years or more because they actually used to. When I purchased one that crashed after two years and commented to the salesperson how surprised I was, they responded that 2-3 years was the normal life expectancy. We now live in a throw-away society and that is a shame.
And it still is today, Ann - I had lunch with a friend today and when he got in his car to leave and turned it on, the AC blower was not working. He nonchalantly got out of the car, popped the hood - and gave it a good wack. When he got back in, it was working!
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