FX1 - regular head cleaning message.
 

I've owned an FX1 for three years and it's had a reasonably high level of use. Recently it has displayed the C:22: message 'Tape head dirty, use cleaning cassette' etc three or four times in the past few weeks.

It has happened at the least opportune moments - a couple of weeks ago I was filming a military parade and the error message was displayed at the exact time the parade set off, meaning a dash to the car to get my spare camera.

Yesterday it did it again whilst shooting outside again. It seems to happen in coll (not cold) weather, but I'm surprised it doesn't display the C:21 moisture warning? I ran a cleaning cassette a couple of times yesterday and when the day got warmer it behaved itself.

Maybe I should get it serviced? Any recommendations of good Sony repairers in the UK?

Matt

it happened to me once too! I cleaned the tape head n it has been fine so far. But I do not use it regularly.

Matt - any chance you've been mixing tapes or using it to replay tapes given to you by others? If you open the cassette door and look in there with a powerful Maglight, does it all look shiny bright and glinty-clean? Have a look at the capstan - there's no ring of gunk about a mm up from the main bearing?

Might just be time for a tape path clean. The head cleaner does just that and only that - the many guides, pins and rollers and of course the capstan and pinch roller aren't cleaned at all by the head cleaning tape.

tom.

Thanks for the replies folks.

Tom, I've only ever used Sony Premium Mini DV tapes from day one EXCEPT about two years ago when I captured some footage for a colleague on Maxell (or similar tapes). I've really tried to stick to the same brand as I had a dirty head problem on my old TRV900 when I used all sorts of tape brands.

To my untrained eye it all looks clean, but I don't really know what I'm looking for.

Have you got any experience of a good repairer/service centre in the UK?

Matt

Ah - a TRV900 man, like me.
No direct experience but this in from an emailer:

Ended up sending it to Sony repair at their National Ops centre with a
fixed charge of £176.25. I'm sure you could find it cheaper at a
local Sony authorised repair shop but would it get the same
'treatment' as the original manufacturer would give it ? Also, there
will be a fixed charge just to look at it and your costs to get it to
the shop (if not local). Sony give you a freepost address and a
constant communication on the repair. (= customer service!) Worth
thinking about the other costs involved in a 'cheaper' alternative to
fixing your expensive camera.

The contact details for Sony are:
Sony Central Service,
National Operations Centre,
Pipers Way,
Thatcham,
Berkshire RG19 4LZ

Tel: 08702 408060

Contact the above number and they will give you the freepost address.

Thanks Tom

Much appreciated, although I did have to take a sharp intake of breath when I saw £176....

Yes, the TRV900 is a great camera - I've had a number of clips from it shown on local television (HTV West, BBC Points West) over the years. Sadly it is no more, unless it can be economically repaired - I dropped it off a shelf a month or two ago. The insurance provided me with a Sony HC9, but it's not quite the same...

Matt

Yes, £176 does look steep when my local Sony Shop is selling the DCR-HC45 for £129.99. Comes with a 16:9 chip, 40x optical zoom, Mini DV, Steadyshot, touch screen. It's no TRV900 replacement, but mine cost me £1400 11 years ago. Such is progress.