Actually that ribbon cable breaking is a major problem among us skateboard videographers I know that much. Pretty much its happened to ever owner I know, just part of the territory I guess.

I'm assuming because most of the time when we shoot we are always low with the viewfinder up 90 degrees and what happens you eventually lose the image slowly at the higher angles and you have to keep lowering it then eventually it turns off. But I know 14 year old kids that do this because paying $150 is out of question for most of them so they just pay $46 for the ribbon and they are on their way.

Steve, apparently putting the viewfinder all the way up, puts some linear stress on the wires in the ribbon and eventually begins to separate them. By lowering the viewfinder, the separated wires are pushed back together and make contact again. But eventually, they separate permanently, beyond being able to make contact across the gap, with repeated stretching.

This could be a warning to all those who shoot with the viewfinder angled all the way up. I wonder if this problem might exist in any other camcorder models?

Steve McDonald

VX1000 filter thread thread size ?
 

Hi,

I had to switch around with someone else's VX1000 and my VX2000. What's the filter thread size ? 52mm? I needed to put my Canon WD58 wide angle adapter with 58mm threads on the VX1000, and it wouldn't fit. So, I'll need a step up ring.

Thanks,

It says 52 on the VX-1000 I've got siitting under my desk.

Piping a VX1000 VIA RCAs to a VHS deck
 

I have a client who needs a video shot of a focus group.

He needs VHS copies right after the shoot.

Theory tells me I can run RCAs from my VX1000 to my TV/VCR combo deck and record directly to VHS.

The problem is ... the focus group meeting willl last just about two hours.

To my understanding there needs to be a tape recording in the VX1000 or it will go into standby mode.

Using a standard 60-minute mini DV tape in LP mode won't affect the picture quality of the VHS, which will be recording in SP?

As I'm typing this and really thinking about it, there's no way it could. SP/LP is only a tape speed thing.

Any tips for this kind of a job?

Thank you.

Leave the tape out and it should not go into standby. Might have to leave the tape door open on the 1000. Best to check.

Should work with no problems. Just be careful to not let anything drop into the tape slot while it is open.

Thanks.

I'lll give it a try.

i might also want to try this with my PD170. for the sake of quality; i would also like to record on miniDV.

I would experiment, but any advise here would be helpful - there should be no problem recording to VHS off the RCA connections throughout the time when the minDV is rolling, stopped, ejecting, reloading, and then rolling again, right? I am worried about tape changes.

The VHS-as-backup with its long tape load sounds like a good idea to me, except for the poor recording quality.

regards,
michael

The 150/170 will deliver video right on through tape changes. Remember that many people feed a production monitor directly from their cameras so as to confirm color and exposure settings.

VHS directly from a camera is quite good. Not DV but quite good.

Hot damn, I was just trying this very thing last night. I'm wanting to get into video deposition at some point, have a PD170, would rather not interrupt every hour with minidv tape changes (or have to buy a vhs cam), and thought maybe it would be permissable to NOT record in-camera, but rather send the signal to a couple of VHS VCRs, with time/date and all, and thus get at least two hour recording times. Deposition is another matter; perhaps I'll have to ask about this in my own thread? In any case, I can say YES, rca connections out to a vcr will give you a bypass that allows for direct vhs masters (with time/date too, should you desire this).

Even better, get an s-vhs vcr - they've gotten relatively cheap and the quality is considerably better when fed by s-video. And of course you should be able to use a t-160 tape for 2:40 of continuous video.

YOu can feed the camera input into a VHS deck for deposition recording. Good luck finding much business. After talking with several people about it, San Francisco seems to be the major center for this work in Northern California, followed closely by Sacramento.

AFAIK, you still have to get your Notary to do this in California.

VX1000 reseating board/card etc
 

hey i need to reseat my board and cards in my VX1000 can someone explain to me how to do this please help.thanks

VX1000, anyone still use it?
 

Anyone here have a VX1000 and if so, how do you compare it to the VX2000/2100 in the daylight? Which do you prefer?

I use one as a 4th camera for graduation events. Set at wide angle and left alone. It works OK. Color is a bit subdued but it mixes OK for those types of videos

The local community college has 4 of them that are still running after 8 years. They do good work.

I do not have the VX1000 although I do work with a DSR-200 which is its big pro brother (image quality weighs they are the same) and it works great in day-light. It has inter-cut with a PD-170 a few times with no problems. In low light is were you see the difference.

Happy Shooting,
Alex

only just got rid of my vx1000 after - well, it was one of the first to come out. no other reason than it was superflous to my shooting requirements. hppily intercut with sp and other dv footage. don't know about low light, but for daylight and setup lighting it was great....

leslie

Going strong
 

I can't compare with the 2000/2100 , as I do not access to one. I would however add my comment that it is still a great workhorse. I have one and it has been great. I did have to replace the ribbon cable a year ago but that was a small concern. Obviously there have been improvements in the later model introductions. The addition of a flip out screen was a good one. A slow speed was added on the later models, a convenience but also a loss in the quality area.

Mine is still going strong but I did this past year move up a bit and bought a PD150. I like the addition of DVCAM. Unfortunately I have the 1000 for sale as I can't really justify two great machines.

Martin

I myself had the 2100 first but sold it in favor of a 1000. Under daylight, i like the 1000 image a lot better than the 2000/2100. The white balancing is a lot better than to me on the 1000 too. Don't get me wrong, i love the 2100 but since i do most of my work during the day, the 1000 is the camera for me.

i use a vx1000 and 2100, the 2100 is new... unfortunately i havent been able to use the 2100 yet since my leg is broken, and using a 2500$+ camcorder on crutches doesnt seem intelligent to me

VX1000 in low light
 

Hey guys,

Does anyone know the lux-rating of the VX-1000? I have it but don't know how to test it. It should be very high, since even at dusk I can't see a thing I recorded (or turn it into a noise-fest). I googled but couldn't really find it, probably also due to the fact that there isn't really a 100% objective test, yet (right?). If you don't know any lux-rating, does anyone know how many stops slower it would be to more modern cams like the pd-170 and dvx100a?

Thanks a lot,

Steven

44.1 htz on the VX1000
 

I know it's an old camera, but I'm trying to figure out does it record at 16 bit - CD quality 44.1 htz. I saw the specs listed somewhere and it said it did. But how? There is no in camera sound switch. One time when I was taping from my PC into the camera it read 16 bit on the display screen. Was that only for outgoing?

DV is 16 bit 2 channel at 48 KHz, 4 channel at 12 bits 48 KHz.

IIRC, the 1000 will not do 4-channel sound so you have 16 bit sound.

What is my alternative?
 

What can I do to get that 44.1 sound. An adapter of some sort?

James, DV records at 48 KHz, there are no choices for 2-channel recording. You get 32 KHz with 4-channel but that is not recommended.

You can resample down with a post processing program or your CD burning software may convert it for you.

Actually, the VX1000 is an oddball and will ONLY record at 12 bit 32K. It is possible that it will playback the others -- likely, even -- though it is also one of the only Sony DV devices that won't playback a DVCam recording ...

So although in general it is better to choose 16 bit 48k -- you can't make that choice with the VX1000.

GB

Oh, I forgot about that. I remember in the far distant past a friend being upset that he couldn't record choir music because of the bad sound.

Thanks for setting me straight, Geoff.

vx1000 image is clearer than vx2*00 image
 

I hear alot about how the vx1000 has a clearer/sharper image than the vx2*00 but I dont see how this is possible since the vx2*00 has better placed pixels and they are not densily packed like the vx1000's pixels and the vx2*00 has a higher resolution than the vx1000. Can someone that owns both cams tell me which cam they think produces a clearer/sharper image. Thanks alot

The VX2100 is so much sharper.

I have PD150s and a 9 year old VX1000 which still works very very well but a better image that the 150s? Not so much!

Don

I have both a 150 and a 1000. The 1000 can only match the picture quality of the 150 when conditions are perfect. Otherwise it is not nearly as good.

I have a VX1000 and if you get the settings just right, you can get a great image, but I don't think it's as good as the newer generation Sony's. I like my VX1000's look for some things, especially in the daylight, but not as sharp as I'd like it.

the vx1000 image is better in well lighted areas but during low light thats where it lacks hard the vx2*00 are better, its easier to get really good image out of vx1000 but if u work hard at the vx2*00 u could get a just as good image.

I shot a dance recital (low light conditions) back in May with a 170 & a 2100. The 2100's image was so clean and very sharp. It looked great. The 170 was a little grainy and rough. Comparing the two side by side there was no comparison.

I'd like to think I didn't have something set correctly. I know the 170 is a better camera than that to have the video look the way it did.

Something's up with your PD170 Colby, or you've got something set really stangely in the custom presets maybe. The VX and PD range share the same lens, chip-block assembly and processing electronics, so there's no difference (none whatsoever) in the image quality between the two. Build and production tolerances still play a part of course, but this is far less of a problem these days.

The VX1000 was a different cat though. Coming as it did to replace the three-chip Hi-8 Sony were producing in 1995, it was an eyeopener. But not any more, and in low light it's painful to watch alongside the VXPD series.

tom.

I've experienced something similiar with my PD170 & VX2000. For whatever reason, under the same situations and set at the same lens aperture, my VX2000 just has more of a "punch" to it than my PD170.
There is nothing wrong with the picture of my PD170 and by itself it looks great, just in a side by side comparison, it looks a little neutral and less "punchy" if that makes sense to you guys.

Mics and the VX1000
 

I was wondering before I decide to buy a VX1000 (I'm looking if anyone is selling) if the Audio Technica AT897 will work with this camera. I had heard that it wouldn't but I don't see why not. Any help on the subject is much appreciated, thanks.

vx1000 is hands-down better in any well-lit outdoor situation. It's also a lot easier to get proper looking colors on the 1000, whereas it requires more fiddling around with on the 2000/2100.

I cannot agree with you there, Allen. At best it is equal to my PD150.

Found a quick repair vid for your vx1000
 

Not my video but found it, thought you might get a kick out of it
a tear down ribbon replacement video.

http://media.putfile.com/vx1000_tear...on_replacement