The dreaded Black Screen issue...let's try and fix it

[James Harrison-Bodle]

Hi all,

My 6 month old Sanyo HD1 developed the black screen issue yesterday and since I mail ordered it from Japan I'm sure that Sanyo UK won't honour the warranty. I'm going to try and find somewhere that will repair it today but if that fails I want to try and repair this thing myself...

Looking at the other threads it seems that the problem is caused by the lens mechanism popping off its mountings. Can anyone confirm this? Has anyone tried fixing this themselves? And how hard is it to disassemble the HD1?

If Sanyo won't fix the problem I guess we'll have to...

[Mike Lewis]

I thought the zoom lens issue was a mechanical problem that affected a particular batch back in January or so. I haven't noticed anywhere where this is specifically associated with the failure of the OLED. Can you point us at the threads you are thinking of? Since mine has a 3 year warranty, I can't say I'm that keen on taking it apart. (Unusual for me!!)

[James Harrison-Bodle]

Originally Posted by Mike Lewis

I thought the zoom lens issue was a mechanical problem that affected a particular batch back in January or so. I haven't noticed anywhere where this is specifically associated with the failure of the OLED. Can you point us at the threads you are thinking of? Since mine has a 3 year warranty, I can't say I'm that keen on taking it apart. (Unusual for me!!)

The OLED doesn't fail - you can still see the info such as recording time remaining etc. However, you can't see anything in the display apart from this info. Recordings turn out black as well.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=67209

Looking at the lens of mine, it still zooms in and out (I can see the lens working), so it must be something else.

[Graham Jones]

James, did your cam have a guarantee card inside with a reference number?

I ordered mine from China on Ebay but, because there was a card inside, my local Sanyo agreed to a 12 month guarantee.

I just scanned in my guarantee card and e-mailed it to them, explaining I had bought the cam on holiday..

[Mike Lewis]

Originally Posted by James Harrison-Bodle

The OLED doesn't fail - you can still see the info such as recording time remaining etc. However, you can't see anything in the display apart from this info. Recordings turn out black as well.

It must unfortunately be something deep down in the electronics or sensor itself that's dead then..... I suppose it could be dodgy intercomponent connectors, but it would be nicer to get them to fix it. I would do as Graham Jones has suggested.

What we really need is a Sanyo contact in a country like Australia, where there seems to be some sort of rule that service manuals must be made public, so we can get hold of some information.

[Graham Jones]

For my money, it's the lens mechanism because that's all Sanyo have said when fellow posters (here and on steve's forums) have managed to get them to say anything. I don't have the exact threads, but I believe I've read it twice in separate places.

I don't think the zoom still moving when pressed contradicts that theory!

However, I would be reluctant to speculate in more detail or crack the thing open.

[Mike Lewis]

Originally Posted by Graham Jones Senior

For my money, it's the lens mechanism because that's all Sanyo have said when fellow posters (here and on steve's forums) have managed to get them to say anything. I don't have the exact threads, but I believe I've read it twice in separate places.

I don't think the zoom still moving when pressed contradicts that theory!

However, I would be reluctant to speculate in more detail or crack the thing open.

I would have thought that the only way I could see the zoom causing a black screen is if the ccd dropped out of the assembly!! But like you I'm not prepared to pull it apart while it still works.
Come to think of it I do remember some reports in the early days of the images being out of focus on one side compared to the other. Maybe the chip does have a somewhat dubious mount!

[Graham Jones]

At the end of the day, we don't know.

[Chris Wells]

My HD1 is presently in for the black screen issue. It was produced in February. The answer I got was that a new lens assembly has been ordered for it.

Given that the lens assembly was visibly moving, I would assume it has to do with a CCD connection or mount failure. Add to this the fact that some report tapping is a temporary fix and the arguement supporting a defective CCD connection appears stonger. I'm thinking it could be a failing ground wire that the CCD depends on. Cold solder joints in monitors fail in the same way and tapping them serves as a temporary solution.

[Chris Taylor]

On my first unit that experienced this black screen issue lightly "tapping" it on a hard surface temporarily remedied the problem.

This implies to me a MECHINCAL failing not a programming failure.

Also eventually the black screen problem seemed to go away but a new one ensued (causing me to have to return it) whereas even on ISO 1600 it was barely usable even in broad daylight. (it was as if its was too dark)

off course by then it was no use trying to take pictures. I will try to find some to post just so you can see how funky it got.

Chris Taylor
http://www.nerys.com/

[John Alibrandi]

For the record, mine came down with this dreaded disease after 4.5 months of light use. I purchased from Prestige so I was expecting an issue to repair. Called Sanyo and they didn't bat an eye when I told them where purchased.
Told me where to send for repair. Took 3 weeks to get it back but is working normally again. The only caveat is the paperwork says the repair is only warrentied for 60/30 days. Hope this lense assembly is a re-engineered part.

[Chris Wells]

What's this 30/60 day warrantee comment about? A 1 year warrantee should cover a system for a year. This is the first I've heard of this. Has anyone else had similar notification?

[Jacky Yew]

anyone getting black screen problem, please look into the lens to check if the shutter is stuck. If you can see a little black hole (around 1-2mm diameter), that means it's open.
HD1's shutter would be completely closed when power off, opening in shooting mode.

[Chris Taylor]

well once your 1 year is up they can not repair it and claim AS IS

so his warranty is covered for the remainder of the 1 year OF 30/60 if the 1 year expires or will expire soon.

so if 364 days into your warranty you repair it you don't have 1 day left you have 30 or 60 or something like that.

Chris Taylor
http://www.nerys.com/

[Daniel Nguyen]

I mentioned in the other thread that I bought the Service Manual pdf for around $17. It has a lot of useful info but I didn't have time to try to fix it yet. I can share more if you'd like. Thanks.