VX1000 Repair Help

[Guest FilmOnTape]

I have a Sony VX1000. It has now developed the viewfinder death where I assume the ribbon cable has failed. Never raised or lowered the viewfinder to any extreme either?!?!

 

In addition I noticed just before the viewfinder failed, the keypad for VTR playback started to act up too. First the REW button died, and now the whole keypad is dead. I looked in and the ribbon cable fort that is clearly broken. Both within a day. This is frustrating! :(

 

The unit is about 8 years old. It has been well taken care of. Non the less, it is for all intents and purposes useless at this point. It still shoots great video.

 

I don't know if this is off topic or not, but is there anyplace, anywhere :unsure: that can be depended to be a reputable repair station for this camera with a faily reasonable price and turnaround?. Anyone dealt with AVRepair.com? I am on the Wet...I mean West Coast in Northern CA. Has anyone had these troubles with the VX1000 that had good luck with a fix?

 

Thank You!

[Landis Tanaka]

go to www.skateperception.com and there you will find what you're looking for.

[grantsmith]

Interesting. How did you get on with the repairs?

 

I've just had the exact same thing happen to me in the same day. Got caught in the rain, transport controls freaked out. When I got home I used the remote which seemed to fix the problem then the viewfinder died. (it works in the 'down' position. When I move it up It either completely fails or the backlight dies (I can see a very faint picture in the viewfinder).

 

Unfortunately I'm UK based (with the vx1000e -PAL model) so cant realistically send it off to America to get repaired. Does anyone know of somewhere in the UK who will fix this cheaply? Or, If it is just the viewfinder and nothing else causing this (some control chip or whatever) could I easily repair this myself? I've found a pal version of the ribbon on the sony us site though I dont want to take the camera apart incase I cant get it together again. Is this an easy job? Or should I pay the (possibly excesive) labour charge?

 

The part I've found is '165640013' PC BOARD, FP-217 for $55. Is this what I need. Will it work for the PAL model?

 

There is also a switchblock for $75 though I can live without this as the remote seems to work fine.

 

The interesting (and irritating) thing though is why would both of these parts fail at the same time?

 

It wasnt raining too heavily either or I would have covered it up.

 

 

Many thanks, Grant

[Greg Gross]

Guys,

I'm not trying to be a smart ass! But take it from me an old pro.

You've got to keep these cameras dry and if you don't it gets

expensive. Sorry about your problems and hope they are re-

solved soon.

 

Greg Gross