I'll fire up the Hi8 again in about 3 weeks or so and post back whether the scroll wheel is still behaving or not.

I remember when I got my VX2100 & saw the scroll wheel -- which from external appearances and function is identical to the one on the TRV65. (Well, obviously the TRV has a much smaller menu selection, but the wheel is still turn-to-scroll and push-to-select.) Anyway, my first thought was "Oh nuts, same crappy mechanism."

Nice to know now that there's an easy fix should this happen to the VX.

Had similar problem with my vx2000. Added electric contact cleaner from radio shack and so far no more problems. Thanks to all on this thread!

Hello,

I am the one responsible for providing the contact cleaner fix.

John - the problems that we have had (that the contact cleaner seems to fix) is not that the wheel does not work at all - in fact it works very well - too well in fact - it becomes ultra sensitive!!!

This contact cleaner fix is about as adventurous as I'll ever get with my precious cameras - I'll live with the aggravation of sending them to Sony if any opening is required.

My very first camera (given to me by someone in lieu of monies owed to me for work done) was a Mitsubishi Hi-8. I still marvel at the quality of footage that this camera was capable of (when you compare it to DV today). At some point it stopped detecting the end of tape so I opened it up 'just to maybe clean the sensor or something'. Needless to say that camera is now in pieces in a cardboard box. Great talking point though - 'Hey - have you ever wondered what's inside a video camera?'

You have definitely got 'bigger ones' than me and I would not advise anyone to open their camera.

Regards,

Dale.

It's been more than a month since I used the contact cleaner on the Hi8 scroll wheel -- which as I mentioned earlier seems to be exactly the same as the scroll wheel on my VX2100, except there are fewer menu choices.

Anyway, I pulled the Hi8 out of the drawer, put in a battery, and gave the wheel a spin. Still working perfectly. So, at least for this camera, the fix has lasted more than a month.

I had this same problem with my vx2000 and I was looking at this topic last night and realized I don't have the solution that I need to fix it in my house. I decided to just simply blow into/around the scroll wheel and it actually worked perfectly. Only thing I'm worried about is that whatever I blew out of the scroll wheel (dust i presume) may have gone into the rest of the camera.

Hello again,

Tom:

Thanks for checking in again. My VX2100E has also been standing for about three weeks now (since the last clean) and I just checked the wheel and I can see that it is definitely starting to become its old sensitive self again - it's really weird - this camera has not been touched in the last three weeks. It seems to be (in my case anyway) that there is some sort of 'springy thing' inside the wheel that gets 'less springy' if left in the same position for an extended period of time. This does not, however, explain why cleaning it with the contact cleaner (and the blowing / sucking thing) immediately fixes the problem! Anyway - at least I know how to sort it out when it happens.

Strangely enough it is only the VX - my small TRV27E has the same (looking) scroll wheel and I have never had this problem with it. The FX1E also has a scroll wheel but it is different from the VX and the TRV27E and I have never had a problem with this either.

Amit:

I don't think that you need to worry - I have seen similar 'scroll wheel' switches in electronic shops and they are almost always a sealed unit i.e. the wheel is encased in a housing and this housing is what keeps the wheel and springs and other things in place.

Regards,

Dale.

Dale you are 100% right. I just remembered I had a Sony Digital8 lieing around with a broken scroll wheel (the wheels completely disconnected) and (I just checked it out)it stays within its housing because I can give the camera a light shake and the scroll wheel will go back into it's place meaning it has very little space to move around in.

Can anyone tell me what parts I need to order for this little surgical procedure?

James,

From this exploded view of that section of the pd-170 http://www2.sonysupport.com/PF/POV04...tterypanel.PDF

I believe the part is number 305, which is: A-7078-945-A KP-013 BOARD, COMPLETE but you will want to confirm that yourself.

the home page to this site is:
https://servicesplus.us.sony.biz/ click on parts and accessories and search your model number, it will list all the parts with a link to exploded views.

You can probably call and ask them to confirm, the part is listed at $37.43


Duane

Hi,

Just an (interesting) update to my scroll wheel problem (worked for a while and then started playing up again after a while - see my earlier posts in this thread):

A couple of months ago I took the camera out of its case and left the case open in direct sunlight for about a day and since doing this I have never had a problem with the scroll wheel again.

I am starting to think that there may have been some sort of solvent or glue residue in the case or in the foam padding that is inside the case and this was somehow causing my scroll wheel problem. By leaving it in the sun I am of the opinion that this 'dried' the case out properly.

Strange but true. Just something else to look out for.

Regards,

Dale.

Taking the badly needed tip from this thread, I sprayed CRC's QD Electronic Cleaner, Quick Drying Formula (picked it up @ Advanced Auo) into my 2 vx2000s' scroll wheels that I'd been suffering with for months, and it seemes to have immediately cleared up. I'll post again if conditions change. Thanks everyone, the original poster as well as the confirmers. Just removed battery, unplugged, squirt squirt squirt, and waited 5 + mins. to dry!

All my scroll wheels on 3 VX2000's eventually did the same thing. They need to be replaced by a professional.