View Full Version : PD150 - fake usage picture?


Ron Quizon
September 25th, 2004, 07:35 AM
Hey guys,

I've got a couple of quick questions for you. Is it possible to reset your usage meter on the PD150? The reason being is that I'm looking at picking one up and the meter is showing the following:

Operation 1 x 10H
Drum Run 0 x 10H
Tape Run 0 x 10H
Threading 8 x 10H

Also the background picture of the usage screen is blue. Is this supposed to be the case? All other usage pictures that I have seen have the screen having a black background. Could it be that this is the usage of another camera?

Thanks for your help.

John Cline
September 25th, 2004, 09:06 AM
No, resetting the hour meter on a PD150 would be much like rolling back the odometer on a car. While not illegal, as is the case with odometer tampering, resetting the hour meter on the PD150 is probably somewhat unethical if you should ever want to sell the camera later.

John

Jeff Donald
September 25th, 2004, 09:42 AM
Pictures can be doctored in Photoshop as well. The numbers don't make much sense. How do you get 80 hours of threading and little or no tape or run time. Are you sure you copied the nomenclature correctly?

Ron Quizon
September 25th, 2004, 11:57 AM
I know that ebay advertisements are not allowed on here. But I was not looking to sell something, I just want to know if this could be valid. Thanks.

Here's where I got the information:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=20333&item=3842264609&rd=1

Mike Rehmus
September 27th, 2004, 09:27 PM
The threading isn't hours, it's threading operations. So it's had 80 tape insertions. At least on my 150, there is no 'H,' after the threading number.

The other numbers don't add up very well.

What they say is that tape had been inserted 80 times, the camera has been powered up for 10 hours but the head has never turned enought to get up to 10 hours nor has the tape run enough to get up to 10 hours. I guess that is a reasonable ratio and if true, the camera is essentially brand new from a useage standpoint.

From the pictures, I don't see any wear marks on surfaces that normally telegraph useage like the lens hood. Could be that everything is right on.

Have you checked out their buyer's reports?

Ron Quizon
September 27th, 2004, 09:45 PM
Thanks for the help guys - but that particular camera has already been sold. I'm still looking for a PD150, but I'm sure something will turn up.

Thanks again

Eoghan McNally
September 28th, 2004, 07:13 AM
Hi, I suppose on this topic, I've bought a used pd150 where the heads have been replaced with new ones.

the hrs meter is as follows.

Operation
140 x 10

Drum Run
0 x 10

Tape Run
43x10

Threading
252x10

does the drum run at 0 make sense if the heads are new?

Vince Debart
September 28th, 2004, 08:48 AM
In the book that came with my pd150 the meter will reset if the camera has no power hooked up to it for about 4 months, i.e. battery, AC power supply. When I get home I will find it in the book and get back to you. The camera has a small battery that is constantly being recharged. If the camera is not getting power for a period of time I think 3 or 4 months the charge is lost and the meter will Z-out