Anyone had this problem..............

Hi Martin

 

Which Sony camcorder do you have?

 

Not a problem I've had myself, I have had problems changing tapes and the tape door not shutting which may have a similar cause to your problem?

https://us.en.kb.sony.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/38866/c/65%2C66/kw/38866

 

Do you have a reset button on your model

Hi John,

 

Thanks for taking the time to answer, it is the HVR-V1E which doesn't seem to come up on the Sony website you kindly pointed me to.

 

I will look for the manual to find the reset button.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

Might not be a Reset Button with that function being done via a menu option.

 

Harry

Reset button is recessed and located to the left of the pause button under the screen - It needs a paper clip to activate it.

Yep Gavin was right had just found it before he posted but thanks anyway.

 

Unfortunately it hasn't had any effect. I assume there must be something that would drop into the space that the tab leaves when kept open like on the old VHS tapes so I could  understand if it had stuck up but not down.

 

Looks like a trip to the repair centre  

"Looks like a trip to the repair centre"

 

If you need a repair then this guy, Clyde Cunningham, gives an excellent service.

 

http://www.dvcamservice.co.uk/

 

Harry

 

 

Sorry the reset didn't work for you, you have tried other tapes without a doubt

 

Some similar tales that may or may not point you in the way of a fix?

 

http://www.fixya.com/support/t4913142-warning_message_tape_locked_check

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-hvr-v1-hdr-fx7/465780-need-help-my-v1u-tape-problem-strange.html

 

Give it a slap. Seriously - my view with a lot of these things is that either a slap will fix it and restore normal service OR it's going for repair regardless OR (more likely) the repair cost isn't viable.

 

I have repaired several sticky mech's with a short sharp smack and restored normal service. 

Hi Gavin

 

I think a sharp shock (Not too heavy) fixed my tape door shutting  problem LOL

 

It definitely worked fixing a jammed Fuji lens on my sons camera 

 

All at your own risk Martin 

Thanks again for all the replies.

 

After reading the comments of fixya I did have a peek inside the mechanism and spotted the small plastic pole that pops inside the hole left at the back of the DV tape when the tab is opened. The actual space left at the top of the tape is not where the sensor goes as I originally thought but in the hole at the back. I did have a careful prod around with a very small screwdriver and the plastic sensor seemed to move freely, I could understand if it was stuck down which would mean every tape would be recordable. I did put a small piece insulating tape over the hole on the DV tape just to make sure that the sensor should show as recordable but still no joy. 

 

 

John, thanks for the links, especially for the dvinfo link, for whatever reason although the message "tape is locked" comes up as soon as the tape is inserted and then the small yellow tape with a line through the middle sits in the middle of the camcorder screen I didn't bother checking if it actually recorded so after reading the comments on dvinfo I decided to give it a go and blow me the damn thing started to record even with the yellow tape flashing in the middle of the screen.

 

So Harry I may give Clyde a call to see if it is a well known fault in the repair world and the likely repair cost and if it proves excessive for the age of the camcorder I may have to just put up with the error message coming up and see how it goes.

 

In the end the camera belongs to the football club so it will be up to them to decide whether to invest in a new one, after 29 years filming the games for the club, this coming season is likely to be my last and I will be hanging up my tripod, I'm getting too old to be climbing up gantries.

 

Thanks again to all.

 

PS I'm off on my hols to sunny Cleethorpes for a few days so will be unable to post any more updates for the time being. 

 

 

Thanks for the updates Martin

 

Before your post I wasn't aware the  hole on the side of the cassette was were the sensor worked it's magic.......or not

 

You've tried most options now, not sure if you tried Gavin's tap, a positive one in that area with your hand may wake something up?

 

Have Fun in the Sun

http://www.digiservice.co.uk/price.php

 

 Clyde is good but also charges appropriate rates for Pro camcorders.

 

 You could try Digiservice as they are cheaper

An update....

 

I went to film a match on Tuesday and the same message popped up. I pressed record and it recorded live to tape. As I was using batteries I switched off till the game was about to start.

 

When I switched on again the message wasn't there and all worked as it should.

 

John I did give it a small tap here and there

 

So for future reference all that was needed was a slap, a good prod around, and turning on and off using batteries, but enough about the wife........

 

A further update, at last night's match the message popped up again at first switch on, then disappeared again when switched back on. So I will just persevere with it for the time being and see how it goes. At least for home games the live match is filmed to hard drive (also DVDs) as well as tape so if it fails to record we have a backup.

 

Thanks again for all the comments and suggestions.

"Blondes" come in various  forms

An update.................

 

The camera continued to show the tape locked message and eventually stopped recording to tape.

 

The club had the camera looked at and I understand it was felt that it required at the minimum a  new tape mechanism at a cost of just over £500  and that I understand was at "mates rate"

 

Just a good job the camera belonged to the club and I didn't have to pay for it.

 

Anyway another problem.......

 

A mate has a recorded MiniDV tape that has snapped at the start and I was wondering does anyone on here offer a repair service for tapes or know anyone that does.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

 

I've repaired a number of DV  tapes in the past and still have the little 'kit' needed. Email me at rayliffenATcompuserve.com if interested. As you are in Yorkshire it would mean sending it by post.

 

Ray

 

Hi Ray,

 

Thanks for that, I will have a word with the guy concerned and see if he still wants it doing.

 

Best regards,

 

Martin