Is there anyway to get audio levels when the camera is in HDV recording mode without having a tape in the camera?

The tape mechanism on my camera doesn't work and I can't get it fixed. Records DV signal (with audio) fine through the firewire. And records video in HDV mode through the firewire but no audio.

I have a new HVR-MRC1 arriving this week and want to use it to replace the tape drive on the camera.

Any thought??

Please :)

My next step is going to be to open the camera up and try and insert a tape manually as the tape doesn't eject.

It'll be as dangerous as a heart transplant.

Does anyone know the best way to manually open up the camera so you can release the tape mechanism? It was working after it got water damage but one day just stopped.

IIRC (and I'm more the "brain surgeon" type than the heart specialist <wink>), there's a specific procedure with Sony tape mechs to pop a stuck deck open. Before you go in, you might see if there's a Service manual available for the FX7 - I don't have that one, but I've got many of the consumer camera ones... thus my recollection...

Main rule after having probed many Sony cams with a sharp stick and some sucess, is don't FORCE anything - there's usually some tab or bit of metal sticking out that once released lets everything open gently... the tape mech is particularly touchy with lots of thin metal parts, but with care you can usually get things apart and find the trouble and fix it.

Good luck!

Logan

Why don't you just take it to a Sony repair centre and ask them to open it for you? -even if you have to pay for just that.

Stelios

Salt or freshwater damage? If it's salt you're done. Either way you need a real camera repair person.