Been a long time, and a lot of miles since the last time I was here. I mentioned way back when that I was getting a camera for free. Well, I finally got it. And I am jazzed. I have seen the pictures it takes, and I like them. Yes, I know it is ancient technology. The manual is in heiroglyphics, after all. But I got it, and it's free, and I love it.

Question, though. It came without a power supply. The manual calls for a reed boat and a guy with a hawks head... er, that is, 12V and 3.5A. Now, I have a printer power supply that has those kind of numbers. (The printer died, unlamented.) So... being an electronic genius like I'm suave and sophisticated, what I wanted to know is... can I stick an XLR plug on my printer power supply, stick the XLR plug into the camera, and make pictures happen?

Thanks, and if anyone wants to swap a RED camera, with all the accessories, for my Brand New (to me) JVC GY500... well, I'll consider it. Maybe. But probably not.

Congratulations. Good price!
As concerns the power supply, anything that supplies the correct voltage and wattage would probably work, BUT, it comes down whether it can maintain under load especially in regards to heat. If it was mine I'd buy a battery charger for the brand I wanted and just use it as the power supply till I bought the batteries.

You will need to do some research before you stick that hawk head onto the reed boat.

Some (most) modern power supplies do not supply plain old boring DC voltage, but some combination of DV and pulses, depending on the battery type. More specifically the power supply may supply clean DC voltage to operate the camera without a battery (or discharged battery) and the DC + pulses to charge the battery.

So go find that Rosetta Stone!

Wayne... thanks, but the issue is, as always, bucks. And not having any. I've got the camera, a mike, forty or so MiniDV carts and great intentions. I've got access to an edit suite once I get footage (thank God for enlightened high schools!) but I've got to do everything absolutely no bucks.

Ervin... assuming (remember, electricity is a vast foreign land to me) that the printer powerpack would put out straight, un+ DC, and that I don't have batteries in the camera, does that 'pulse' thing mean that I could, or couldn't use the powerpack? From what I'm reading, it sounds like I could use it, but any batteries wouldn't be charged. Is this so?

can I stick an XLR plug on my printer power supply, stick the XLR plug into the camera, and make pictures happen?

We did something similar 12 years ago and adapted a Radio Shack 12v power supply to have a 4 pin XLR DC output for use with our Ikegami Z-One cameras (the first two years of Goldeyes at the CanWest stadium, I was the upstairs camera op and supplied the camera). All was good AS LONG AS we didn't add the studio viewfinder to the system which starved us for current and caused the video voltage output to drop and sluggish iris response and other WEIRD stuff...

Congratulations. Good price!
As concerns the power supply, anything that supplies the correct voltage and wattage would probably work, BUT, ...

I'm no electronics genius but getting the polarity right could be critical here. As I understand it some electronic devices have built in protection against reversing polarity and others do not. Reverse the polarity on something unprotected and you now have a great conversation piece. My assumption would be... but you know what they say about assumptions...

Ervin... assuming (remember, electricity is a vast foreign land to me) that the printer powerpack would put out straight, un+ DC, and that I don't have batteries in the camera, does that 'pulse' thing mean that I could, or couldn't use the powerpack? From what I'm reading, it sounds like I could use it, but any batteries wouldn't be charged. Is this so?
Yes, the camera should operate as long as you get the polarity right, the battery may or may not charge, or anywhere in between (may charge a little but not fully). Some cameras are not even designed to charge the battery while on camera, so you really need to find and read the manual.

I found a power supply that also charges NP1 batterys and while I know you won't be charging those the power supply/charger is only $30.00 and a 10 foot 4 pin cable is $40.00 so if you can put together about $70.00 plus a few bucks for shipping you can get a proper power supply and no tkae a chance of damage to your camera.

You can also check the big auction site that starts with an E. i've seen power supplies there around the 20 or 30 dollar range, but they're not on the site all the time.

At least this way you know you've got the right thing to power the camera and won't damage it.

BTW, the 500 still produces a great SD image. Have fun with it.

Thanks to all of you for the info. Specifically...

Shaun... Goldeyes! Yay! I kind of figured it might work. But I can't risk my (MY!!) new camera. So, thanks for the 'been-there, done'that'. I feel a lot better about the idea.

Jase... yeah, that was a worry. I've got the schematics for the camera plug, and I can find the + and - on th epower pack. So, hopefully, I will fry neither 1) the camera or 2) me.

Ervin... at this point in time, I don't have batterries. I'm confined to interior shots. Works with the project I have in mind to shoot, so no loss there.

Don... cash is waaaay tight. But I will keep the information in mind in the event that I win the Lottery. or get a contract. Or find change in the couch...

Roy: So here the ugly old rig is. Unfortunately you can't see the AC/DC but thought you'd get a kick. This is from the inaugural season down by the forks.

Thanks, Shaun... truly cool stuff. You've worked a few places I've been... Bomber games, Goldeyes, etc. Also, I have a son, Sean, who did ENG/EFP for the New VR, in Barrie. He did a lot of indie shooting, as well, and directed some things, wrote a few more. Just had a meeting with an electronics engineer who used to be a battery consultant, and he says, should be no problem. Also working on an idea I had... a plug that will let me power the cam off power tool batteries - 12V to 15V. Cheaper than Anton Bauer, but then, what isn't?

Ah, powered by 'DeWalt'-gotta love it. When you get it done, make sure you post some pics.

Be careful though, don't blowup the camera.

Thanks Don... the guy that I bounced the idea off is a battery expert... the guy that's putting the plug on my printer power pack. He said he would look at it, but that it should be possible, just as long as we stay in the voltage range... 11- 14.5, that is. I'm going to his office on Monday, and if it works... and if the voltage is stabilized (I think that's the right word - no peaks or valleys)... then it might be one way to get portable power without mortgaging the farm. And I'll definitely take and post photos. But DeWalt? Doesn't that mean I have to paint the camera yellow and black?

Well actually yellow and black might look....Naw never mind ;-)

On a serious note, I can't remember what the amp draw might be on the camera or even where a fuse might be, I had a 5000 and never paid any attention to it, but you might want to see if a JVC service center can give you that info or maybe find it on google.
I'm rying to remember what the power draw was on my 5000 but I think in record mode it pulled 17W. I was using 90W batteries and they ran about 4 to 4.5 hours to dry with my Anton Bauer on camera light using a 30W bulb.
Just thought you might want to check this stuff out before you go to far with the battery thing you know just to be on the safe side.

But where's the dignity in yellow and black? Besides, it would clash with my chrome, flamed Manfrotto, and my electric pink wind sock...
Specs say the camera draws 18W in record. I don't plan to use on-camera lights, so that might make a difference. I figure that the cost of the power tool batteries makes it at least attractive to try. I'll know more on Monday.

I'm jealous-chrome and flames!

OK-looking forward to pics!

Good luck.

Well... I went down to talk to the battery guru yesterday, and he says no problem rigging my printer power pack to drive my camera. I went back today to pick up the camera (the modified power pack will be ready in a few days), and I gave him a sketch of the proposed "power tool" tap. He said that it would work, which makes me feel great. We didn't talk about how much it would cost to generate a prototype, so I will wait until we've gone there to post anything. I mean, if it costs a ton, then it's no saving.

And, hey, come on... chrome and flames aren't all that exotic. Listen for the sound of a Harley Davidson, follow it until it stops, and ask the nice biker man where he gets his work done. Then, go there. (Don't contact me with the outcome, OK?)

All kidding aside, I really hope that this works. Latah...

Well, yeah, the whole power supply thing will work. The guy... Larry... said that it would be no problem, and he'll try to get around to it. May take six to eight weeks, he said. Lovely, I said, not meaning it. Seems he's up to his butt in stuff he's actually getting paid for, and will stay in that uncomfortable position for about that long. Oh, the pains of ultra-low budget production! So, with my heart firmly in my throat, I am heading out to find an XLR4 plug, and a soldering gun that I can borrow, to make the connection myself. After all, I used to make cords for guitars and extension speakers. (And if that offers no real relevant experience, please don't tell me.)
About the power tool battery adapter thing... turns out several people have already tried this, and it works. Just gotta make sure about voltage. And, with all the portable tools going to 18v, there's a mess of 14.4v batteries, tools, chargers and such out there, just waiting for me. All I have to do it figure out the form factor of the battery I want to use, and go hunting through Goodwill and such. I'll post as I go along, just to pretend that I have a life outside the Realm of the JVC GY-500U.

Pretty well any PSU that can give you 12-14V at just over an amp will work - the camera is very tolerant on the voltages, only cutting out when it drops to less than about 10.5V. XLR 4 plugs are probably easier to put on than audio plugs anyway and there is plenty of space in practice. Cable with conductor size up to 1.5mm2 fits - just make certain there are no whiskers as the gap is quite small. The big chunky transformer style power supplies are ok, as are more modern smaller switch mode ones, just make sure it can cope with 1.25 to 1.5A worth of current!

I've still got one of these in good order, and they are really tough and capable of giving excellent pictures.

Thanks, Paul. Electricity is a total stranger to me. But with the comments and help that I've gotten here, I'm about ready to take a run at wiring up the power supply my own self. Just waiting for a soldering setup from a neighbor. Good to know about the tolerance, especially from someone with the same gear. I'm hoping that the images I get will be good enough to market, if only at a documentary level.

Ron Sanders, an editor I worked with back when computer video editing was brand new, gave me a great education on the difference between video and film, and I have some ideas about the Grail - making video look like film - that I want to test out on the first few projects.

Truth be told, though, I just want to get images. I've been writing for thirty years, and, like almost everyone I know, I always wanted to direct. (cue raucous laughter) Yeah, I know, but I think visually, and I'm hoping that I can translate that into pictures that other people can see.

Roy

Well, an update. Mostly to clear from my mind the irritations and bad juju that is infecting me. Everything I set out to do, regarding the power supply, has wanderd into a minefield. Took me weeks to find a 4-pin DIN plug. Didn't know where to look, and they're not all that common. Apparently. Anyway, I tracked it down, phoned around about getting it soldered opnto the power cord, and got a really positive answer from Precision Camera, here in Winnipeg. My initial call even suggested that, since it was just a little solder on the DIN plug, it might be free. So, with heart singing and danding, I headed off. Precision Camera is about the best place in several hundred miles for getting camera work done, and I was jazzed. Alas, when I got there, I learned that the price would be around $80. For clipping a barrel plug, and soldering the DIN plug. MUCH more than I can afford. So I am back to square one, knowing nothing about electronics or soldering, upset and dismayed. Running out of options. Which is leading me into frustration and despond. Thanks for letting me vent,

Given the tens of thousands of video devices from the 1980's to the present day that used 4-pin 12-v power, I would think you'd have better luck finding a surplus genuine power supply on ebay or a local freecycle or for-sale list or junk store. They are heavy and I know shipping would be an expense, but since there were originally so many of them that went with now obsolete gear, I would think it could be found.
Another source to check would be local colleges and universities that may be getting rid of old equipment from campus video studios.

If you haven't already ordered or found the connector, it can be ordered online for cheap:

Neutrik USA Inc Neutrik XLR Connectors - 4-Pin Cable Ends XLR Connectors at Markertek.com (http://www.markertek.com/Cables-Connectors-Adapters/Audio-Connectors/XLR-Connectors/Neutrik-USA-Inc/NC4FX.xhtml?NC4FX)

In addition there were other combinations that can make this up, such as 10-pin or 14-pin industrial camera power supplies coupled with a 4-pin XLR adapter cable instead of the larger cable that carried all the camera signals in addition to power. All of those pin standards are now obsolete and should be available at a relatively low cost.

Good luck with it!

Finally (today) got the power supply. Tested, verified, working. Camera fires up, the LED's light up, everything seems ready. BUT... and this is a big butt... er, but... I get a message, "VTR WARNING <HARD>... Err 4100". And the cassettes don't eject. They just sit there, almost popped free, mocking me.
The manual is singularly unhelpful.... "Lights when abnormality occurs in the unit"... and JVC doesn't show anything on their site about "Err 4100", what it means, or how to fix it.
It's disheartening. I didn't hook things up for a couple hours after I got home. I was jazzed, ready to go. And now, I'm back where I was, except for being out $60 for the cable... $60 that I didn't have. I think I'll go back to organized crime. At least they got equipment.
Anyway, any help about Err 4100, it's causes and cures, would be greatly appreciated. I don't actually want to go back to organized crime. They got no sense of humor...

Jay, thanks belatedly for the advice. I had a power supply that would work (does work). What I lacked was someone who could/would put it together for nothing. As to the other suggestion, about the gear that is being gashed, it looks as if I'm gonna have to go there, avoid the feeding frenzy of the other filmmakers that are prowling around, and see if I can score a camera that will work.

You can also connect the firewire output from the JVC camera to any device that records firewire.
That's what I did after my JVC mini-DV deck stopped working and I switched over to other formats that also had firewire inputs. The JVC camera still worked fine, so I could have used it to shoot AND capture, but I had already added better cameras and formats by that time.
To get continued use of a perfectly good camera in multi-camera setups, I stopped recording internally on the JVC and used external recorders that I could capture from more reliably and had longer recording durations.
Obviously that's not as easy (but still possible) if you wanted the JVC to be a fully-portable camcorder, but it works fine for studio or large presentation recording to use an external firewire capable recorder.
A Digital8 camera or deck with built-in LCD screen, a mini-DV camera, a DVD recorder with firewire, or a laptop with firewire and software, will all work.
The recorder doesn't need external manual controls or inputs for audio either, the JVC camera's on-board manual controls and XLR inputs for audio do the hard work and the combined audio and video are simply recorded via firewire.

Nice to know there are options. I've been hammering my reluctant brain for a while, now, trying to figure the next step. I didn't know that I could record 'off site' as it were. I will have to try that.
It's been pretty discouraging. I had people lined up to help... actors, a great editor, a terrific director... they've all moved on, can't say I blame them. But I do regret wasting their time.
I contacted JVC in Toronto, well, Scarborough actually, and my questions and frustration were very well received, and, all together, I am delighted with the consideration that they've shown.
Up until tonight, when I read your email, I was saving up to ship the camera. Now, maybe, I'll go looking for an external recorder. Just hope it doesn't take me another 3 years.
I'm OLD, dammit!

Well, another update. The camera works, fires up, everything. Got picture, viewfinder is lovely... yeah, everything works fine except the tape transport. No joy whatsoever. Managed to get hold of a firewire cable and got picture in my antiquated Mac laptop, nice and clean and gee whiz. Except I don't have a program that can capture the data stream. And, no, I don't have money to buy one.
I tell you the truth, this is just about as far as I can go. If I could get a file into my antiquated desk top... an XP3 from a hundred years ago or so... I have an old copy of Premiere 3 that I could use for editing. So, unless someone can suggest a FREE video capture program, I think I'll just stick the camera in the closet and chalk it up.
Ups and downs, ups and downs. Life is a lot like Seven Flags. Except without the flags...

Roy,
Glad to hear the camera works (mostly) sorry about the transport but it might be something really simple or not. In any case to get a video capture program goto Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com (http://www.downloads.com) and then to 'video software' then 'videocapture software'. there are a number of free to use programs there, not sure any are any good but AVS Video Recorder seems to have good feedback and lots of downloads which generally means a decent program. You might take a couple of minutes and search thru the others there to see if there is anything else that might be better for you, as always, YMMV!
HTHs

OK! I got video!
After the incredible disappointment of finding that the tape transport didn't work, meaning that I couldn't record... although I did get image on my battered old donated Apple laptop... I contact JVC Canada, in Scarborough, Ontario, and talked with Greg Cameron, the 'head honcho' at JVC repair. I told him the story, from beginning to end, and he asked me to send the camera in.
Enter FedEx, the most astounding shippers that ever drew breath. I saved for, like, months to get bucks to ship the camera, and the wonderful man at the counter at the airport told me about the ground rate! Saved me $120! So the camera goes to JVC, and I get it back four business days later, fixed, and at no cost!
JVC! I will make absolutely certain that they get credit in everyting I do! Greg Cameron! He gets back from NAB tomorrow! I win the lottery, I'm gonna buy him a house!
And the camera works perfectly! I got footage in IMovie on my donated laptop, and I can work with it!
Oh, and I'm getting a computer... dual processor, 4GM RAM, 2x750Gb drives and an 80Gb system drive, top-end (meaning I didn't write down the specs and forgot what kind, but a couple years ago, computer people were drooling over it) video card, and stuff... all donated.
Now, for the question.
I can get SLA batteries here for, like $10.00. Yeah, I know, they're not LiIoNiMhNiCad whatever batteries. but they're also not $75 bucks a pop. The camera asks for 12-15 Volts and draws 20 Amps. If I were to wire 12V SLA batteries together, how could set it up in order to get enough watts, amps and volts to run the camera for, say four hours? I am considering a belt/vest - think fanny pack with pouches or fishing vest - to give me the storage, with XLR power plugs, etc. And it should be set up so that I can change to a second set up fairly quickly.
And, in case you haven't read the rest of this thread... I am a total yutz. Incompetent to change a light bulb, not to be trusted with a rotary light switch. (I do have access to some folks that do know all that electrical mumbo-jumbo, but they want money and stuff like that, so I would rather do it myself. Because I work really, really cheap. And worth every cent!)
Thanks again in anticipation of an outpouring of sage and revelatory advice, and I wish to announce that I am now, officially, starting to set up for the first flick, tentatively a rather claustrophobic thing entitled "Betsy and Bess".
Yay!