Interesting 'dropout' discovery on HV20! at DVinfo.net

Ken Ross · April 24th, 2007, 06:48 PM

I was comparing some footage today to see how much of a difference there was between component and HDMI. In doing so I placed the HV20 right up against my plasma, toward the center, to accomodate both the component & HDMI connections that come from different areas behind the plasma.

I hit play and began to see dropouts gallore. Whoa!! I had never seen a dropout on the HV20 prior to this. After reading a couple of people having this issue, I thought 'uh oh'. So I took the tape out and blew into the tape compartment thinking it was a piece of dirt on the heads. I put the tape back in and the dropouts were still there. Uh oh.

Well I picked up the cam as it was playing the tape and all of a sudden the dropouts stopped. I was relieved and put the cam back against the plasma and the dropouts began immediately! OK, I'm getting it now, it's the placement adjacent to the plasma! Sure enough every time I moved the cam even 3" from the plasma glass, the dropouts stopped completely. As soon as I moved the cam up against the bottom of the plasma glass, the dropouts began again.

So guys, I'm not sure how many (if any) this affects, but there is unquestionably a message here: Do NOT place the camera immediately adjacent to the plasma while playing tapes. By adjacent I'm talking about virtually touching the plasma glass. As soon as you move it only a couple of inches, you're good to go. Interesting eh?

Eric Sipe · April 24th, 2007, 07:14 PM

Not to be condescending or anything, but i wouldn't place anything ON or right against the glass of a plasma, it isnt worth "accidents" or "opps's" or anything of that matter to have a scratched plasma. I have heard of this as well with the A1 and the wacom tablets as well, so I am sure its just some type of magnetic interference, thought in a plasma, i wouldnt suspect there to be any magnetic fields.

Ken Ross · April 24th, 2007, 07:20 PM

I agree Eric, but the plasma is on a stand and I placed the camcorder on the base of the stand just about butting up against the glass. There really wasn't any danger of scratching the glass.

I agree, there shouldn't be any magnetic interference, but obviously there's some kind of electronic interference that's generated.

Jay Stebbins · April 24th, 2007, 07:50 PM

get out the tin foil hats...

Ken Ross · April 24th, 2007, 08:06 PM

Yeah, maybe put the cam in a used Jiffy Pop foil container. :)

Neil Groundwater · April 24th, 2007, 08:08 PM

From page 85 (Troubleshooting) of the free HV20 manual:

Video noise appears on screen.

When using the camcorder in a room where a plasma TV is
located, keep a distance between the camcorder and the
plasma TV.
–
–
Video noise appears on the TV screen.

When using the camcorder in a room where a TV is located,
keep a distance between the compact power adapter and the
power or antenna cables of the TV.
–

Ken Ross · April 24th, 2007, 08:20 PM

So it DOES pay to read the manual! ;)

April 24th, 2007, 06:48 PM	#1
Ken Ross Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New York Posts: 1,945	Interesting 'dropout' discovery on HV20! I was comparing some footage today to see how much of a difference there was between component and HDMI. In doing so I placed the HV20 right up against my plasma, toward the center, to accomodate both the component & HDMI connections that come from different areas behind the plasma. I hit play and began to see dropouts gallore. Whoa!! I had never seen a dropout on the HV20 prior to this. After reading a couple of people having this issue, I thought 'uh oh'. So I took the tape out and blew into the tape compartment thinking it was a piece of dirt on the heads. I put the tape back in and the dropouts were still there. Uh oh. Well I picked up the cam as it was playing the tape and all of a sudden the dropouts stopped. I was relieved and put the cam back against the plasma and the dropouts began immediately! OK, I'm getting it now, it's the placement adjacent to the plasma! Sure enough every time I moved the cam even 3" from the plasma glass, the dropouts stopped completely. As soon as I moved the cam up against the bottom of the plasma glass, the dropouts began again. So guys, I'm not sure how many (if any) this affects, but there is unquestionably a message here: Do NOT place the camera immediately adjacent to the plasma while playing tapes. By adjacent I'm talking about virtually touching the plasma glass. As soon as you move it only a couple of inches, you're good to go. Interesting eh?

April 24th, 2007, 07:50 PM	#4
Jay Stebbins Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Nantucket MA Posts: 82	get out the tin foil hats... __________________ Dual 2.7 G5 HV-20, and vacillating between another A1 or the HVX-200

April 24th, 2007, 08:08 PM	#6
Neil Groundwater New Boot Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 11	Rtfm From page 85 (Troubleshooting) of the free HV20 manual: Video noise appears on screen. When using the camcorder in a room where a plasma TV is located, keep a distance between the camcorder and the plasma TV. – – Video noise appears on the TV screen. When using the camcorder in a room where a TV is located, keep a distance between the compact power adapter and the power or antenna cables of the TV. –

April 24th, 2007, 07:14 PM	#2
Eric Sipe Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Lakewood, CA Posts: 42	Not to be condescending or anything, but i wouldn't place anything ON or right against the glass of a plasma, it isnt worth "accidents" or "opps's" or anything of that matter to have a scratched plasma. I have heard of this as well with the A1 and the wacom tablets as well, so I am sure its just some type of magnetic interference, thought in a plasma, i wouldnt suspect there to be any magnetic fields.

April 24th, 2007, 07:20 PM	#3
Ken Ross Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New York Posts: 1,945	I agree Eric, but the plasma is on a stand and I placed the camcorder on the base of the stand just about butting up against the glass. There really wasn't any danger of scratching the glass. I agree, there shouldn't be any magnetic interference, but obviously there's some kind of electronic interference that's generated.

April 24th, 2007, 08:06 PM	#5
Ken Ross Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New York Posts: 1,945	Yeah, maybe put the cam in a used Jiffy Pop foil container. :)

April 24th, 2007, 08:20 PM	#7
Ken Ross Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New York Posts: 1,945	So it DOES pay to read the manual! ;)