Hello,

I just got an used miniDV /DVCam recorder I want to use for work with my Canon XL1. But I have problems to turn it on. When I plug in the power cable, the stand-bye button lights on red after 2 sec, but that is all. No sound of the drive either. I cannot power it on more than stand-bye.

There is a minidv inside but pushing the eject button even during power on. I also tried with remote connection from my Mac Pro with Final Cut Pro over Firewire and over an old Avid Media Composer connection via a RS-232 cable (Keyspan USB-Serial DIN).
I managed to get out manually the tape but this changed nothing.
I found on some forum a post with a similar problem but no answer...
Might it be a fuse?
Any help would be much appreciated,

Best regards,
Hubertus from Geneve / Switzerland

Sounds like an internal component failed. Electronics like this don't have replaceable fuses.

My heartfelt thought is that it just isn't worthwhile resuscitating something like this. Tape drive mechanisms are complex and the whole workflow was slightly "fun" even in previous years when we were using such technology. If you were to spend some money, put it into a more modern external recorder unit.

Andrew

I understand what you mean. But my workflow is retro and tape. There is not any suggestion how to start a repair process? In the repair manual and exploded view there is mention of a fuse…
Anybody had a similar problem?

Thanks again

Trying to repair old equipment is a popular topic here now a days. The first issue beyond being able to take it apart and put it together is being able to diagnose what component failed. Normally you would replace the circuit board that has the issue. Since this unit is out of production, you won’t be able to order it from the manufacturer. You would have to buy a used unit being sold for parts that has the part you need. If that isn’t possible you need to buy the failed component, de-soldier and re-soldier it without damaging the board. If this is beyond your ability then you’d pay a repair technician to do this.