HDR-HC9, A/V Remote Terminal, and LANC

[Dave Blackhurst]

I suspect there's an error in the diagram posted... the LANC connections are correct, BUT the resistor is not in the right spot... I'll say this much, pin 8 is usually not connected according to my reverse engineering...

I've been trying to finish up detailed (AND TESTED) plans for this hack for some time (a computer crash and rebuild didn't help!). I got some flak on another forum for wanting to charge a few $ for the CORRECT information with good, "can't screw it up if you tried" step by step instructions... interesting to see that the diagram posted isn't quite correct, but hey, it's CLOSE <wink>!

You should have no trouble using the cheap Chinese cable end, works fine once you get things on the right pins!

[Tom O'Brien]

If you look at the "normal" 3 segment lanc connector, the tip is the "serial lanc", the center is somewhere around 5 vdc and the base is ground. For me, the 5vdc was missing (on pin 4) until pin 7 was connected thru a resistor to ground. When pin 7 voltage was pulled down to about 1.4 vdc, then the 5 vdc "appeared" on the center segment (pin 4).


I think pin 3 and pin 8 are each some type of ground.


It worked for me.

[Dave Blackhurst]

Originally Posted by Tom O'Brien

I think pin 3 and pin 8 are each some type of ground.

<wink> Normally 8 is N/C (not connected), it depends on the model or the specific accessory... I've had the chance to review about a couple dozen different configurations, and there can be minor changes that result in some quirky-ness...

[Rob Taylor]

Tom,

That pinout you posted with your picture worked perfectly for me too.

Rob

[Dan Caputi]

My treck through cyberspace on a mission to solve a similar problem has lead me to this discussion... (thank you ALL for the information thus far!)

I was wondering if I could buy a Y adapter like this:

............................../-- Composite Video male (RCA)
AV/Remote female --<
..............................\-- AV/Remote male (10-pin mini 'D') - OR - LANC male


At paltalk.com we have a collection of HandyCams we use for video webcasting.
So I bought this great VCT-80AV tripod with the remote handle, but it plugs into the AV jack (How stupid is that? These handycams all have a seperate LANC jack too!) - I need the AV outputs to feed into the capture device on the PC.

Sadly, I think my best solution is to return the tripod.

- Dan C.

[Tom O'Brien]

what makes this hard is every cable you buy for the sony 10-pin connector seems to use different pins. For example, the lanc controller rm-av2 from sony only has 4 wires in its cable. (uses pins 2,4,7,8) There is no spare wires for video.

If everyone used a cable with 10 wires (1 for each pin), then all this would be easy.

I bought a cable online for video/audio out and found the separate lanc did not work on my HDR-SR1 with the 10-pin cable plugged in. I didn't have that problem with the cable from sony (10-pin connector).

If you really like the vct-80av (av meaning 10-pin connector) tripod, you could modify it. I added the "old" (2.5mm with 3 segments:tip, center, base) male lanc connector to my rm-av2. I can now plug it into the 10-pin or the "old" lanc socket.

[Dave Blackhurst]

Dan -
You can't buy it, but it's possible to hack the one you've got (or buy one of the older Sony tripods that uses the miniplug LANC).

As Tom points out, there's a number of slightly different cable configurations - I've documented MOST of the variables... and am close to making it available in an easy to follow format. It's several pages.

Tom - if it was an aftermarket (not Sony OEM) cable it probably shorted the LANC connection inadvertently - the Chinese cables ARE NOT WIRED CORRECTLY!!!! While they "sort of" work, they cause some odd camera (mal)functions. Fortunately they are cheap and yield a wonderfully usable 10pin plug for you to hack into the system with!

The challenge of the 10 pin A/V jack is that it has a plethora of possibilities... LANC, SVid, Video out, Audio out, Audio IN... Sony stuffed a bunch of possibilities into those 10 little pins (one of which apparently isn't even used), and most of it is parralleled in the AiShoe... (and on cameras that HAVE a LANC jack, that too), meaning that things plugged in one place interact with things plugged in other places!!!!

I'm about 99% certain on the LANC hack, and about 99% certain on being able to hack the 10pin for SVid and regular video with the LANC active... the audio has been a bit more interesting... since I've had requests for a mic in on cameras that don't have it!

[Riku Naskali]

Well,

I have at least four 10-pin connectors without any cables, I hacked them apart from the Chinese cables. Not easy, but doable. So no problems there :-) And I can always get more of them.

I got some suggestions from elsewhere, I'll try them out asap and then post my results. I'm thinking of installing a BNC connector instead of regular rca since most "pro" stuff uses BNC anyway.

[Tom O'Brien]

Dan Caputi : "So I bought this great VCT-80AV tripod with the remote handle, but it plugs into the AV jack"

I have been thinking about buying one of those?

Could you post a picture of the lanc controller?
I have one of the older sony tripods and can't find a closeup of the vct-80av lanc controller.

[Dan Caputi]

(Thanks everyone here for all this great info. I'd really be high and dry without you guys!)

The plot thickens! ...
Our resident news reporter and his producer took the tripod "on the road". So I guess that means we're going to keep it - and now I suppose the simplest solution will be to either add a video in jack to the handle or replace the AV/R connector with a 2.5 mm LANC plug. I can't believe they don't already make an adapter for this!

And because I no longer have possession of the tripod, I can't post a pic for you Tom.
But alas! - a google image search turned up this nice Taiwanese web page:
Sony Style - Sony ?????? - ??????A / V R??? - VCT-80AV

I don't think you need to understand the captions to get the idea.

- Dan C.

[Bill Koehler]

For those who prefer English, Here's the SonyStyle USA link:

VCT-80AV | Tripod VCT-80AV | Sony | SonyStyle USA

[Tom O'Brien]

Attached is a picture of a cable made by Extreme Recall.

10-pin av connector
to
LANC (2.5mm female connector), video out, audio (left and right).

[Christian de Godzinsky]

Originally Posted by Tom O'Brien

Attached is a picture of a cable made by Extreme Recall.

10-pin av connector
to
LANC (2.5mm female connector), video out, audio (left and right).

Extreme Recall ??? Is that you (DIY) or a company that really sells these adaptors?

Christian

[Tom O'Brien]

Extreme Recall is in Reno Nevada and have been making helmet cams for several years.

I ordered the (special cable made for me) cable from them.

[Riku Naskali]

Wel, I've tried two configurations and still no dice...

First I tried the schematic posted here, a resistor between pins 7 and 8, and all the other signals from 2,3 and 4.

Today I tried using pin 8 as a ground (connected to my lanc jack's sleeve) with the resistor still in place. Nothing...

Maybe I should remove the resistor next.. And start measuring my contacts with the adapter connected to camera.. Or try putting the resistor between pins 3 and 7 and using 8 as a ground on my lanc...

I'd be happy to pay something for Dave's instructions, but I'm in a hurry getting it up and running...