Have people had issues with the mrc-1 cradle burning out? The part number is actually HVRA-CR1.

Mine stopped working about 3 months ago, I read that plugging/unplugging the unit without shutting down the computer is the reason, is that true?

I read in the HVRMRC1K_OM.PDF manual:

To use this unit, restart the computer or use Disk Utility...

Since the unit doesn't recognize on my system (i7-950 chipset running Win7x64) should I try to reboot, plug the unit in and see if it recognizes it? Or did I fry the cradle (HVRA-CR1) unit plugging/unplugging the firewire hot (system on).

Do they even sell the cradle unit alone? Seems a waste to pay $135 to Sony to bench test a unit that will need replacing or the repair cost may exceed the replacement value. I can always dump data via a cheap $15 USB card reader as I am now.

Thoughts?

Scott Caplan

It's certainly possible to burn out a FW port by connecting it while the PC is powered up. Many reports and threads about this all over this forum. Which is why the manual says not to do this.

Sure, just use an external reader.

You could buy a new cradle but I suspect you will be shocked by how much they will charge you. (The little mounting shoe alone? The little metal piece with two screws? $100.) You can probably buy a whole MRC1k used for the price.

I suspected as much that replacing it wasn't worth it. I see an entire replacement unit from Sony is just under $1000.

The interesting part is when I pull the data off the card with my cheapie reader, the file type is AVCHD (m2T) when I check the file information. When I'd pull it from the old cradle I believe they were always mpeg. No?

It is mpeg. m2t is HDV. AVCHD would be m2ts or mts. They're all variants of mpeg.

The MRC1k only records what your cam sends to it, which in your case is HDV. In DV mode you can choose raw dv or avi.

A whole new MRC1k from B&H is about $750. You could probably find a used one for about $500 or so. There are a few on eBay in that price range at the moment.

Sony's Direct Parts website has been down all month for retooling and won't be up for at least another week, but lists all the phone numbers and email addresses you could go to for help in getting just a new cradle if you wanted to go that way:

https://www.servicesplus.sel.sony.com/UnderMaintenance.aspx

Though if you're just using it for file transfer, I'd highly suggest getting a FireWire card reader.

Though discontinued, I don't think this is too hard to find if you look around for it.
Lexar Professional UDMA FireWire 800 CompactFlash RW034-001 B&H

I have the FW800 & the FW400 version. Love them to pieces & they work great with my MacBook Pro. If you have a PC with USB 3.0, then get one of the new Lexar card readers.

chuck the MRC-1 cardle. Use a USB-3 card reader. Very fast, very simple.