Viewfinder pin connections ??? at DVinfo.net

John Jay · December 1st, 2002, 04:13 PM

Does anyone here happen to know the pin connections on a 80s Sony Video 8 cam B/W viewfinder?

The plug/socket is a small (about 10mm dia) with a large center pin and eight smaller pins arranged in a circle about the center pin giving 9 pins total.

The viewfinder itself is a 1 inch tube type drawing a 5v supply and is high quality.

Don Berube · December 2nd, 2002, 02:01 AM

Jay,,, you dawg you,,, I bet I know what you are thinking of doing with that viewfinder!

Keep us posted if you find anything useful, ok?

Looking forward,

- don

John Jay · December 2nd, 2002, 10:19 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by Don Berube : Jay,,, you dawg you,,, I bet I know what you are thinking of doing with that viewfinder!

Keep us posted if you find anything useful, ok?

Looking forward,

- don -->>>

Hey Don - you've blown my cover :)

seriously though I was clearing out my garage when I came across old toby - SONY V7AF c1986 - a 'big box' machine which paid for itself 50 times over during 1986 -1988.

I thought I would bang it on ebay but when I checked to see what they fetched (buttons) I reconsidered and decided to break it up - use the cam section as a surveillance on the back porch - use the nice ecm mic for something and yes I wonder what a B/W 1 inch CRT tube viewfinder would be like with the VX2K or even a DVX100?

The old T-bar style viewfinder has got a superb picture has dioptre adjustment and is ideal for critical focussing and comes with its own sliding hot shoe plate like it is made for the job!.

WOW i thought I bet this alone is worth a few hundred bucks.

So I need to know where the power pins and the video pins are located so i can make up new cables and then I am set. Even if used on a 1-2 metre lead this would be ideal for monitoring a second cam

an old service manual would do the trick so if anyone out there can help me find the info I will write a report here on whether it works. BTW the model number on the viewfinder is VF-236

(FYI when opened up there are preset pots on the PCB for brightness and contrast - cute heh?)

watch out for a second generation market in these old viewfinders !!!

Don Berube · December 3rd, 2002, 04:43 PM

Jay,

Contacting a Sony repair facility is you rbest bet. Ask them how to get that info.

Keep us posted,

- don

Jeff Donald · December 3rd, 2002, 09:36 PM

If Sony won't (or can't, it’s pretty old) give you the specs, find a repair shop with the schematics or micro fiche. The schematics will give you all the voltages for the pins.

Jeff

December 1st, 2002, 04:13 PM	#1
John Jay Major Player Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: US & THEM Posts: 827	Viewfinder pin connections ??? Does anyone here happen to know the pin connections on a 80s Sony Video 8 cam B/W viewfinder? The plug/socket is a small (about 10mm dia) with a large center pin and eight smaller pins arranged in a circle about the center pin giving 9 pins total. The viewfinder itself is a 1 inch tube type drawing a 5v supply and is high quality.

December 2nd, 2002, 02:01 AM	#2
Don Berube Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Boston, MA (travel frequently) Posts: 837	Jay,,, you dawg you,,, I bet I know what you are thinking of doing with that viewfinder! Keep us posted if you find anything useful, ok? Looking forward, - don __________________ DONALD BERUBE - noisybrain. Productions, LLC Director Of Photography/ Producer/ Consultant http://noisybrain.com/donbio.html CREATE and NETWORK with http://www.bosfcpug.org and also http://fcpugnetwork.org

December 3rd, 2002, 04:43 PM	#4
Don Berube Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Boston, MA (travel frequently) Posts: 837	Jay, Contacting a Sony repair facility is you rbest bet. Ask them how to get that info. Keep us posted, - don __________________ DONALD BERUBE - noisybrain. Productions, LLC Director Of Photography/ Producer/ Consultant http://noisybrain.com/donbio.html CREATE and NETWORK with http://www.bosfcpug.org and also http://fcpugnetwork.org

December 2nd, 2002, 10:19 AM	#3
John Jay Major Player Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: US & THEM Posts: 827	<<<-- Originally posted by Don Berube : Jay,,, you dawg you,,, I bet I know what you are thinking of doing with that viewfinder! Keep us posted if you find anything useful, ok? Looking forward, - don -->>> Hey Don - you've blown my cover :) seriously though I was clearing out my garage when I came across old toby - SONY V7AF c1986 - a 'big box' machine which paid for itself 50 times over during 1986 -1988. I thought I would bang it on ebay but when I checked to see what they fetched (buttons) I reconsidered and decided to break it up - use the cam section as a surveillance on the back porch - use the nice ecm mic for something and yes I wonder what a B/W 1 inch CRT tube viewfinder would be like with the VX2K or even a DVX100? The old T-bar style viewfinder has got a superb picture has dioptre adjustment and is ideal for critical focussing and comes with its own sliding hot shoe plate like it is made for the job!. WOW i thought I bet this alone is worth a few hundred bucks. So I need to know where the power pins and the video pins are located so i can make up new cables and then I am set. Even if used on a 1-2 metre lead this would be ideal for monitoring a second cam an old service manual would do the trick so if anyone out there can help me find the info I will write a report here on whether it works. BTW the model number on the viewfinder is VF-236 (FYI when opened up there are preset pots on the PCB for brightness and contrast - cute heh?) watch out for a second generation market in these old viewfinders !!!

December 3rd, 2002, 09:36 PM	#5
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	If Sony won't (or can't, it’s pretty old) give you the specs, find a repair shop with the schematics or micro fiche. The schematics will give you all the voltages for the pins. Jeff