MX3000 needs repair, help? at DVinfo.net

Charles Burns · January 16th, 2005, 02:12 PM

I'm tired of going through Pana America's phone mazel trying to find someone that might know where to send my Japanese NV-MX3000 for head repair. Does anyone know anyone at Pana America that knows how to do handle this, or even better a repair shop in the USA that can do this?

Specifically my camera started giving me the dirty head, clean head error. The cleaner tape wouldn't fix it, the screen on playback is half ok, half scrambled. The camcorder has about 100 hours of recording on it, probably 200 of playback.

If you know someone at Pana to call to get it sent in, then forwarded to Pana Japan email me at cmbdoh(remove)@yahoo.com

And if worse comes to worse and repair costs a lot, what have others with the MX3000 upgraded to? I usually it mostly outdoor, love the colors right out of the camera.

Chris Hurd · January 17th, 2005, 01:55 PM

Go to this Panasonic tech support page:

http://www.pasc.panasonic.com/WhereT...&hdnLevel2=201

Enter "digital video camcorder" and it will prompt you for your zip code, and return the nearest factory service center. Although I must say I have to doubt whether a U.S. service center will repair a Japanese model, since the MX3000 was never sold in the U.S., but only they can tell you for sure. Good luck!

See also http://www.panasonic.com/support/.

Charles Burns · January 17th, 2005, 02:47 PM

Thanks, Pana USA will not repair a Japanese model. The funniest thing was one of the Pana USA guys I talked to asked me to read him the model number, i did, then he says "Who makes this?" and I tell him you guys did, lol.
I had read in a message a couple of years ago that it was possible to send it to Pana America, then they forward to Pana japan for the repair. I think i've got someone in Japan than can get it repaired. Like I told the guy at Pana America after it was clear he didn't want to take the time to find who to send it to, if you guys would stop trying to sell us the 2nd string quality stuff and bring in the best Pana Japan makes, we wouldn't have this problem.

Chris Hurd · January 17th, 2005, 02:59 PM

Trouble is, it's Japan who dictates what will or will not sell in America. America has no control over this. It's like that for all the major manufacturers, too.

For any of these giant electronics coroporations, the American divisions are simply the primary customer. They exist to buy and distribute products from Japan. Otherwise they have very little say in the matter.

Allan Rejoso · January 17th, 2005, 07:03 PM

Hi.
Just to give you an idea of the minimum cost you'd have to shell out in order to have your MX3000 repaired, back and forth shipping to Japan for up to 3kg package is about 55 x 2 = 110, then Panasonic would be charging you at least 10,000 Yen (depending on the cost of parts to be replaced) for the service and repair. So that is about $200 minimum.

I could possibly assist you as I live about 25 minutes from a Panasonic Service Center in Tokyo and I always frequent the area. You have to pay for everything of course, at cost.

Sending back the cam directly to Japan is certainly your fastest option. Tokyo's Service Centers normally return the item in a week because the repair center is located in nearby Saitama Prefecture thus items to be repaired do not need to be sent back all the way to Osaka. Return period could even be shorter if you request them to take the matter most urgently.

Leigh Wanstead · January 18th, 2005, 05:40 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Allan Rejoso : Hi.
Just to give you an idea of the minimum cost you'd have to shell out in order to have your MX3000 repaired, back and forth shipping to Japan for up to 3kg package is about 55 x 2 = 110, then Panasonic would be charging you at least 10,000 Yen (depending on the cost of parts to be replaced) for the service and repair. So that is about $200 minimum.
-->>>

If that is correct, if I were in that situation, I would forget about repair and buy a brand new one.

Here is a product. I don't know that camera's performance, but the price is US$319.95.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=283899&is=REG

Of course, that is just me.

Regards
Leigh

Charles Burns · January 18th, 2005, 07:41 PM

Well I can spend at worse $300 and have one of the better DV cameras ever made, in used/reconditioned condition, or I can spend $300 and have a piece of crap that will likely develope an error after a few minutes use.(search JVC error 4 or something like that and you'll find endless posts, petitions for class actions etc., I have a friend who got a cheap JVC for Christmas, it started giving a condensation error within minutes of use that would never go away, whether in warm dry air, or cold dry air, then there's people that tons of trouble with the tape transport.)

Thanks to the board I have come up with two people in Japan that offered to help get it repaired. Hopefully it will last another year or two until HD video gets a little more standardized and I can upgrade.

Allan Rejoso · January 19th, 2005, 03:04 AM

Personally and knowing how expensive and elusive that MX3000 was/is, I am willing to spend up to $500 to have that thing repaired. The cheapest used MX3000 I have ever seen was about JPY69,800 with body scratches everywhere. The real mint ones sold for more than JPY90,000 at Sofmap (one of the biggest used-electronics store in Tokyo). Just for reference, a used MX5000 (953) can be had for JPY59,800 and a used silver GS100 can be had from JPY69,800.

By the way to be honest with you I'm offering to assist because I am curious beyond words to find out how my 12-lux rated GS400 compares with the highly regarded MX3000 (rated at 10 lux)under low light. Just one tape :-)

January 16th, 2005, 02:12 PM	#1
Charles Burns Tourist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: springfield, USA Posts: 3	MX3000 needs repair, help? I'm tired of going through Pana America's phone mazel trying to find someone that might know where to send my Japanese NV-MX3000 for head repair. Does anyone know anyone at Pana America that knows how to do handle this, or even better a repair shop in the USA that can do this? Specifically my camera started giving me the dirty head, clean head error. The cleaner tape wouldn't fix it, the screen on playback is half ok, half scrambled. The camcorder has about 100 hours of recording on it, probably 200 of playback. If you know someone at Pana to call to get it sent in, then forwarded to Pana Japan email me at cmbdoh(remove)@yahoo.com And if worse comes to worse and repair costs a lot, what have others with the MX3000 upgraded to? I usually it mostly outdoor, love the colors right out of the camera.

January 17th, 2005, 01:55 PM	#2
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Go to this Panasonic tech support page: http://www.pasc.panasonic.com/WhereT...&hdnLevel2=201 Enter "digital video camcorder" and it will prompt you for your zip code, and return the nearest factory service center. Although I must say I have to doubt whether a U.S. service center will repair a Japanese model, since the MX3000 was never sold in the U.S., but only they can tell you for sure. Good luck! See also http://www.panasonic.com/support/. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

January 17th, 2005, 02:59 PM	#4
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Trouble is, it's Japan who dictates what will or will not sell in America. America has no control over this. It's like that for all the major manufacturers, too. For any of these giant electronics coroporations, the American divisions are simply the primary customer. They exist to buy and distribute products from Japan. Otherwise they have very little say in the matter. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

January 17th, 2005, 02:47 PM	#3
Charles Burns Tourist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: springfield, USA Posts: 3	Thanks, Pana USA will not repair a Japanese model. The funniest thing was one of the Pana USA guys I talked to asked me to read him the model number, i did, then he says "Who makes this?" and I tell him you guys did, lol. I had read in a message a couple of years ago that it was possible to send it to Pana America, then they forward to Pana japan for the repair. I think i've got someone in Japan than can get it repaired. Like I told the guy at Pana America after it was clear he didn't want to take the time to find who to send it to, if you guys would stop trying to sell us the 2nd string quality stuff and bring in the best Pana Japan makes, we wouldn't have this problem.

January 17th, 2005, 07:03 PM	#5
Allan Rejoso Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Tokyo, Japan Posts: 569	Hi. Just to give you an idea of the minimum cost you'd have to shell out in order to have your MX3000 repaired, back and forth shipping to Japan for up to 3kg package is about 55 x 2 = 110, then Panasonic would be charging you at least 10,000 Yen (depending on the cost of parts to be replaced) for the service and repair. So that is about $200 minimum. I could possibly assist you as I live about 25 minutes from a Panasonic Service Center in Tokyo and I always frequent the area. You have to pay for everything of course, at cost. Sending back the cam directly to Japan is certainly your fastest option. Tokyo's Service Centers normally return the item in a week because the repair center is located in nearby Saitama Prefecture thus items to be repaired do not need to be sent back all the way to Osaka. Return period could even be shorter if you request them to take the matter most urgently.

January 18th, 2005, 05:40 PM	#6
Leigh Wanstead Trustee Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NZ Posts: 1,276	<<<-- Originally posted by Allan Rejoso : Hi. Just to give you an idea of the minimum cost you'd have to shell out in order to have your MX3000 repaired, back and forth shipping to Japan for up to 3kg package is about 55 x 2 = 110, then Panasonic would be charging you at least 10,000 Yen (depending on the cost of parts to be replaced) for the service and repair. So that is about $200 minimum. -->>> If that is correct, if I were in that situation, I would forget about repair and buy a brand new one. Here is a product. I don't know that camera's performance, but the price is US$319.95. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=283899&is=REG Of course, that is just me. Regards Leigh

January 18th, 2005, 07:41 PM	#7
Charles Burns Tourist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: springfield, USA Posts: 3	Well I can spend at worse $300 and have one of the better DV cameras ever made, in used/reconditioned condition, or I can spend $300 and have a piece of crap that will likely develope an error after a few minutes use.(search JVC error 4 or something like that and you'll find endless posts, petitions for class actions etc., I have a friend who got a cheap JVC for Christmas, it started giving a condensation error within minutes of use that would never go away, whether in warm dry air, or cold dry air, then there's people that tons of trouble with the tape transport.) Thanks to the board I have come up with two people in Japan that offered to help get it repaired. Hopefully it will last another year or two until HD video gets a little more standardized and I can upgrade.

January 19th, 2005, 03:04 AM	#8
Allan Rejoso Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Tokyo, Japan Posts: 569	Personally and knowing how expensive and elusive that MX3000 was/is, I am willing to spend up to $500 to have that thing repaired. The cheapest used MX3000 I have ever seen was about JPY69,800 with body scratches everywhere. The real mint ones sold for more than JPY90,000 at Sofmap (one of the biggest used-electronics store in Tokyo). Just for reference, a used MX5000 (953) can be had for JPY59,800 and a used silver GS100 can be had from JPY69,800. By the way to be honest with you I'm offering to assist because I am curious beyond words to find out how my 12-lux rated GS400 compares with the highly regarded MX3000 (rated at 10 lux)under low light. Just one tape :-)