MRC1: malfunction or operator error?

Greg Laves · March 18th, 2009, 10:26 AM

Stelios, I doubt that is an issue. I have multiple PC's. But the problems seem to be "in camera" and not related to a computer. Virtually all of the testing I did yesterday was entirely in the camera, I didn't even put it in a PC.

I have even hooked the MRC1 up to another camcorder via firewire. When I did that, sometimes it worked fine, sometimes it would have problems. The only pattern is that there is no pattern, at least that I have found.

When I first got the camera I would occasionally format the CF cards in one of the PC's and I didn't have any problems. Then the problems started. Adam pointed out to me that you were supposed to only format in the MRC1. I started formatting in the MRC1 and it worked fine a couple of times. I was happy to have found the problem. Unfortunately, it probably wasn't the problem since I soon started having issues again. I have never formatted in the PC since then, but it doesn't seem to have made any difference.

My CF cards get pretty hot while recording and I am beginning to wonder if there is a bad solder joint in the MRC1 that starts to cause problems when the MRC1 gets warm. Ironically, I have been able to record 60+ minute programs with no problems, so there is still no real pattern.

Stelios Christofides · March 18th, 2009, 03:49 PM

Greg, then the only route left then is to call Sony support. It is under guarantee isn't it?

Stelios

Greg Laves · March 18th, 2009, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stelios Christofides

Greg, then the only route left then is to call Sony support. It is under guarantee isn't it?

Stelios

No warranty. Second owner..... Sony only warrants it to the original owner.

Stelios Christofides · March 22nd, 2009, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg Laves

No warranty. Second owner..... Sony only warrants it to the original owner.

OK but you can still take it and give you a quote to fix it. That's what I would do. Then you will know if the unit is faulty.

Stelios

Greg Laves · March 22nd, 2009, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stelios Christofides

OK but you can still take it and give you a quote to fix it. That's what I would do. Then you will know if the unit is faulty.

Stelios

Yup. I keep debating over this and hope that I will find out what that one little thing I might be doing that could be causing the problem, but so far, I haven't had success. The problem with sending it to Sony service is that they will charge for looking at it, even if they don't find a problem. And it is something like $250US just to look at it. I think the MRC1 is trying to drive me crazy. It seems like it is more likely to experience a problem if it is a customer pay job. It usually works fine for freebies.

Rob Morse · March 23rd, 2009, 08:20 PM

Greg, by any chance are you using the firewire from the MRC-1 to your computer? I remember a post where someone did something to their unit by using it that way. You may need a CF Reader. Also, you may have purchased a faulty unit.

Rob Morse · March 23rd, 2009, 08:24 PM

Never mind. I think it was something you posted.

Steve Renouf · March 27th, 2009, 12:15 PM

I don't know what CF cards you are using but there is always the possibility it's the cards...

Greg Laves · March 27th, 2009, 06:55 PM

I have a Sony 300x 8gig, 2 - Transcend 300x 16gig and a Sandisk Ultra III 8gig. Unfortunately, at one time or another, I have been able to have problems on all of the cards. It is a very frustrating situation because there is absolutely no pattern of malfunction that I can find. They have all worked just great numerous times when I am testing. And my testing has been done to simulate real world contintions. I will record some long duration programs and I will record lot of short duration test footage and I have even mixed both long and short duration recordings at the same time without turning the camera off. I hate to just keep piling up more hours on the equipment, in order to test. I know I have joked about it before but it seems to be more likely to have a problem when it is a customer pay shoot. Now I fully aware that there is no way that the camera can tell what it is being used for, but it does seem like it sometimes. I am beginning to come to the conclusion that there might be a bad solder joint or something in the MRC1 that looses contact intermitantly and in an unpredictable manner, so there is no pattern.

Rob Morse · April 4th, 2009, 07:12 AM

Greg, have you resolved this issue? I am having the exact same problem. I didn't notice it before because nobody was speaking at that point. It's as if the audio is missing prior to ending the clip. I tried the Sony utility & that did squat. I don't think the joining of the clips is the problem. I am not even missing a frame from the video so rejoining the clips would make no difference.

Greg Laves · April 4th, 2009, 09:56 PM

Not yet, unfortunately. Too many other distractions going on right now to do any testing.

Terry Esslinger · September 25th, 2009, 12:40 PM

What has happened to this problem? Any resolution?

Greg Laves · October 5th, 2009, 07:47 AM

As a matter of fact, $600 later the problem has been resolved. I sent it to Sony service and a board had to be replaced. I just got it back and got to test it last Friday night and it worked great. Sony did not comment on the cause of the failure but they did send back an "Important Sony i.LINK Installation Information" letter which pointed out that firewire components can be damaged by incorrect installation of firewire cableing. The Reader's Digest version is to turn off both components when connecting units via firewire cable.

Stelios Christofides · October 5th, 2009, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg Laves

...The Reader's Digest version is to turn off both components when connecting units via firewire cable.

What I do Greg is to connect the firewire cable first onto the MRC1 and then switch it ON. When I finish downloading I switch it OFF first and then unplug the firewire cable. I always have the other side of this cable connected to my PC permanently. Touch wood, so far I never had any problem with this unit.

Stelios

Greg Laves · October 5th, 2009, 04:06 PM

Stelios, Sony says to turn the computer off as well as the firewire device. If either is hot, you can do damage. Although they didn't specifically say it, I think it primarily occurs if you try to plug in a 6 pin firewire upside down in relation to the socket.

March 18th, 2009, 03:49 PM	#17
Stelios Christofides Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Nicosia, CYPRUS Posts: 1,080	Greg, then the only route left then is to call Sony support. It is under guarantee isn't it? Stelios __________________ My Blog: http://steliosc.blogspot.com "I hope for nothing, I fear nothing, I am free" Nikos Kazantzakis

September 25th, 2009, 12:40 PM	#27
Terry Esslinger Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Sacramento, Elk Grove. Calif Posts: 306	What has happened to this problem? Any resolution? __________________ Puttin the wet stuff on the red stuff!

March 18th, 2009, 10:26 AM	#16
Greg Laves Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Posts: 640	Stelios, I doubt that is an issue. I have multiple PC's. But the problems seem to be "in camera" and not related to a computer. Virtually all of the testing I did yesterday was entirely in the camera, I didn't even put it in a PC. I have even hooked the MRC1 up to another camcorder via firewire. When I did that, sometimes it worked fine, sometimes it would have problems. The only pattern is that there is no pattern, at least that I have found. When I first got the camera I would occasionally format the CF cards in one of the PC's and I didn't have any problems. Then the problems started. Adam pointed out to me that you were supposed to only format in the MRC1. I started formatting in the MRC1 and it worked fine a couple of times. I was happy to have found the problem. Unfortunately, it probably wasn't the problem since I soon started having issues again. I have never formatted in the PC since then, but it doesn't seem to have made any difference. My CF cards get pretty hot while recording and I am beginning to wonder if there is a bad solder joint in the MRC1 that starts to cause problems when the MRC1 gets warm. Ironically, I have been able to record 60+ minute programs with no problems, so there is still no real pattern.

March 23rd, 2009, 08:20 PM	#21
Rob Morse Major Player Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 427	Greg, by any chance are you using the firewire from the MRC-1 to your computer? I remember a post where someone did something to their unit by using it that way. You may need a CF Reader. Also, you may have purchased a faulty unit.

March 23rd, 2009, 08:24 PM	#22
Rob Morse Major Player Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 427	Never mind. I think it was something you posted.

March 27th, 2009, 12:15 PM	#23
Steve Renouf Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Jersey, GB Posts: 182	I don't know what CF cards you are using but there is always the possibility it's the cards...

March 27th, 2009, 06:55 PM	#24
Greg Laves Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Posts: 640	I have a Sony 300x 8gig, 2 - Transcend 300x 16gig and a Sandisk Ultra III 8gig. Unfortunately, at one time or another, I have been able to have problems on all of the cards. It is a very frustrating situation because there is absolutely no pattern of malfunction that I can find. They have all worked just great numerous times when I am testing. And my testing has been done to simulate real world contintions. I will record some long duration programs and I will record lot of short duration test footage and I have even mixed both long and short duration recordings at the same time without turning the camera off. I hate to just keep piling up more hours on the equipment, in order to test. I know I have joked about it before but it seems to be more likely to have a problem when it is a customer pay shoot. Now I fully aware that there is no way that the camera can tell what it is being used for, but it does seem like it sometimes. I am beginning to come to the conclusion that there might be a bad solder joint or something in the MRC1 that looses contact intermitantly and in an unpredictable manner, so there is no pattern.

April 4th, 2009, 07:12 AM	#25
Rob Morse Major Player Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 427	Greg, have you resolved this issue? I am having the exact same problem. I didn't notice it before because nobody was speaking at that point. It's as if the audio is missing prior to ending the clip. I tried the Sony utility & that did squat. I don't think the joining of the clips is the problem. I am not even missing a frame from the video so rejoining the clips would make no difference.

April 4th, 2009, 09:56 PM	#26
Greg Laves Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Posts: 640	Not yet, unfortunately. Too many other distractions going on right now to do any testing.

October 5th, 2009, 07:47 AM	#28
Greg Laves Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Posts: 640	As a matter of fact, $600 later the problem has been resolved. I sent it to Sony service and a board had to be replaced. I just got it back and got to test it last Friday night and it worked great. Sony did not comment on the cause of the failure but they did send back an "Important Sony i.LINK Installation Information" letter which pointed out that firewire components can be damaged by incorrect installation of firewire cableing. The Reader's Digest version is to turn off both components when connecting units via firewire cable.

October 5th, 2009, 04:06 PM	#30
Greg Laves Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Posts: 640	Stelios, Sony says to turn the computer off as well as the firewire device. If either is hot, you can do damage. Although they didn't specifically say it, I think it primarily occurs if you try to plug in a 6 pin firewire upside down in relation to the socket.