VX & PD series battery / batteries

Andre De Clercq · April 20th, 2003, 01:18 PM

VX2k and pd150 are the same on battery issues. See http://www.henrys.com/webapp/wcs/sto...s.com/manuals/ on page 11

Wayne Orr · April 20th, 2003, 04:31 PM

All that information is located on page twelve of the owner's manual. If you do not have a PD150 manual, you can find a download at many sites.

Todd Moen · April 28th, 2003, 08:31 PM

Is it a total mistake to buy the Battery powered Me66 Shotgun mic over the phantom powered for the pd 150?

Mike Rehmus · April 29th, 2003, 12:58 AM

I do believe the battery powered version will also accept Phantom power. The phantom-only version is sometimes more expensive but why limit your options? Get the version that will accommodate both.

Check with someone who has a manual. I have the microphone but no manual and I don't actually remember the last time I phantom powered it instead of using the battery.

BTW, many microphones perform slightly better with phantom than with battery because of the higher voltage available with phantom power. Usually it is a broadening of the bandwidth.

Mark Thomas · May 6th, 2003, 01:17 PM

I have the battery and phantom powered mic but still don't understand about them. Is the phantom power coming from the main Lithium battery - and so if I used the AA battery I would save power for the video camera?

Garret Ambrosio · May 6th, 2003, 01:21 PM

My SGM2X uses LR44 (AAA) batteries, my PD150 has phantom power, can I take the battery off and turn on the phantom power? I haven't tried that yet...

Mike Rehmus · May 6th, 2003, 02:07 PM

The microphone uses so little power that you will not be able to detect the difference in run times.

Garret, I don't know about your unit. If it has XLR connectors, then phantom power should not bother it in any way. I'd look at the manual first.

Garret Ambrosio · May 6th, 2003, 05:01 PM

It does have XLR connectors, but I was wondering if I can "free" the Lr44 and just use the power off the PD150.

Neil McLean · May 27th, 2003, 02:48 AM

I am having big problems with my two additional batteries, in as much as neither of them appear to be charging up.

The battery that came with the 150 charges up okay via the charger and also the mains volatge power supply, but I can't get any of the other two batteries to charge up/respond.

The batteries and the DVCAM are less than a month old and both appeared to charge up a few weeks ago.

I recall the problem seemed to begin when I went to change out my first tape after it was full. I had to re-insert it a few times and in amongst all that, I accidently ejected the tape whilst the camera was on, though not recording. I am beginning to wonder if there is a reset I can perform to synchronise everything again.

Any help would really be appreciated as I only get about an hour with the battery that came with the 150.

Many, many thanks,
Neil

Don Bloom · May 27th, 2003, 04:53 AM

The stock battery will only give about an hour.
Ejecting the tape with the camera should have no bearing on the batteries, I do it all the time.
What kind of batteries did you buy, (the manufacturer) did you get a seperate charger for them, if not, are the batteries seated fully on the camera when you are charging them?
A little more info will help to clear up you power mystery.
Don

Neil McLean · May 27th, 2003, 06:23 AM

Hi Don,

Thanks for your reply.

I bought an additional two Digital Hi-Power 3500mAh Lithium-Ion battery packs and a SAKAR Rapid charger.

I'm convinced that the batteries are installed correctly, when I try and charge either of them up now with the charger, the red LED no longer comes on suggesting the batteries are charged. This is further replicated when I use the camera power supply to charge them.

After a minute or so, the small LCD screen indicates the battries are fully-charged, though it no longer displays the time. After switching the camera on with the mains still attached it powers up okay, then as soon as I switch off the mains supply, the camera dies on me.

Neil

Don Bloom · May 27th, 2003, 07:08 AM

HMMMM, not familiar with that particular brand of battery but, it sounds like it could be either you were really unlucky and got a couple of bad batteries (it's been known to happen) OR the charger is giving a false reading.

I think I would power the camera up with battery only just to see if it will and how long it will run. I'm guessing that the extra batteries you got should give at least 4 hours of run time. Open the LCD and do some zooming to see how much time you'll really get. In other words use the camera as if you were shooting a job and see what the battery is "saying". You might have to return the batteries and get new ones. I'm assuming there is some kind of warranty on the batteries?

The fact that the time isn't showing isn't a big deal, it doesn't on my 150's either until I do something with the camera, either zoom or start recording, then the amount of time left on the battery shows in the LCD.

Don B.

Neil McLean · May 27th, 2003, 07:25 AM

Hi Don,

I left the battery to charge for about three or four hours and it cuts out as soon as I switch off the mains supply.

Initially I switched on the camera with the mains power supply still on, then switch off the mains. As soon as I switch of the power supply the camera ceases to function and switches off immediately.

With the mains still connected, I tried to get the battery time on the LCD after panning and zooming for a minute but all to no avail.

Neil

Neil McLean · May 27th, 2003, 07:27 AM

Further to the above, I forgot to mention that the battery time is displayed as _ _ _ even when indicating a full charge on the display window and not the LCD.

Neil

Bryan Beasleigh · May 27th, 2003, 08:20 AM

The Sony battery that was supplied with the camera works. The two off brand batteries don't. That should tell you something right there.

Return them and buy Sony replacement batteries. If you can't chalk it up to experience. JMHO

April 20th, 2003, 04:31 PM	#47
Wayne Orr Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Northridge Ca Posts: 734	All that information is located on page twelve of the owner's manual. If you do not have a PD150 manual, you can find a download at many sites. __________________ Wayne If it was easy, they'd get a relative to do it.

April 28th, 2003, 08:31 PM	#48
Todd Moen Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Bozeman MT Posts: 51	Battery Powered Me66 Mic or Phantom Power? Is it a total mistake to buy the Battery powered Me66 Shotgun mic over the phantom powered for the pd 150?

April 29th, 2003, 12:58 AM	#49
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	I do believe the battery powered version will also accept Phantom power. The phantom-only version is sometimes more expensive but why limit your options? Get the version that will accommodate both. Check with someone who has a manual. I have the microphone but no manual and I don't actually remember the last time I phantom powered it instead of using the battery. BTW, many microphones perform slightly better with phantom than with battery because of the higher voltage available with phantom power. Usually it is a broadening of the bandwidth. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

May 6th, 2003, 01:21 PM	#51
Garret Ambrosio Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Vallejo, CA Posts: 263	My SGM2X uses LR44 (AAA) batteries, my PD150 has phantom power, can I take the battery off and turn on the phantom power? I haven't tried that yet... __________________ "USA Today has come out with a new survey - apparently, three out of every four people make up 75% of the population." -David Letterman

May 6th, 2003, 02:07 PM	#52
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	The microphone uses so little power that you will not be able to detect the difference in run times. Garret, I don't know about your unit. If it has XLR connectors, then phantom power should not bother it in any way. I'd look at the manual first. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

April 20th, 2003, 01:18 PM	#46
Andre De Clercq Major Player Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Belgium Posts: 804	VX2k and pd150 are the same on battery issues. See http://www.henrys.com/webapp/wcs/sto...s.com/manuals/ on page 11

May 6th, 2003, 01:17 PM	#50
Mark Thomas Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Abergavenny, Monmouthshire Posts: 34	I have the battery and phantom powered mic but still don't understand about them. Is the phantom power coming from the main Lithium battery - and so if I used the AA battery I would save power for the video camera?

May 6th, 2003, 05:01 PM	#53
Garret Ambrosio Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Vallejo, CA Posts: 263	It does have XLR connectors, but I was wondering if I can "free" the Lr44 and just use the power off the PD150. __________________ "USA Today has come out with a new survey - apparently, three out of every four people make up 75% of the population." -David Letterman

May 27th, 2003, 02:48 AM	#54
Neil McLean Regular Crew Join Date: May 2003 Location: U.K. Posts: 125	PD150 Rechargeable Batteries I am having big problems with my two additional batteries, in as much as neither of them appear to be charging up. The battery that came with the 150 charges up okay via the charger and also the mains volatge power supply, but I can't get any of the other two batteries to charge up/respond. The batteries and the DVCAM are less than a month old and both appeared to charge up a few weeks ago. I recall the problem seemed to begin when I went to change out my first tape after it was full. I had to re-insert it a few times and in amongst all that, I accidently ejected the tape whilst the camera was on, though not recording. I am beginning to wonder if there is a reset I can perform to synchronise everything again. Any help would really be appreciated as I only get about an hour with the battery that came with the 150. Many, many thanks, Neil

May 27th, 2003, 04:53 AM	#55
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	The stock battery will only give about an hour. Ejecting the tape with the camera should have no bearing on the batteries, I do it all the time. What kind of batteries did you buy, (the manufacturer) did you get a seperate charger for them, if not, are the batteries seated fully on the camera when you are charging them? A little more info will help to clear up you power mystery. Don

May 27th, 2003, 06:23 AM	#56
Neil McLean Regular Crew Join Date: May 2003 Location: U.K. Posts: 125	Hi Don, Thanks for your reply. I bought an additional two Digital Hi-Power 3500mAh Lithium-Ion battery packs and a SAKAR Rapid charger. I'm convinced that the batteries are installed correctly, when I try and charge either of them up now with the charger, the red LED no longer comes on suggesting the batteries are charged. This is further replicated when I use the camera power supply to charge them. After a minute or so, the small LCD screen indicates the battries are fully-charged, though it no longer displays the time. After switching the camera on with the mains still attached it powers up okay, then as soon as I switch off the mains supply, the camera dies on me. Neil

May 27th, 2003, 07:08 AM	#57
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	HMMMM, not familiar with that particular brand of battery but, it sounds like it could be either you were really unlucky and got a couple of bad batteries (it's been known to happen) OR the charger is giving a false reading. I think I would power the camera up with battery only just to see if it will and how long it will run. I'm guessing that the extra batteries you got should give at least 4 hours of run time. Open the LCD and do some zooming to see how much time you'll really get. In other words use the camera as if you were shooting a job and see what the battery is "saying". You might have to return the batteries and get new ones. I'm assuming there is some kind of warranty on the batteries? The fact that the time isn't showing isn't a big deal, it doesn't on my 150's either until I do something with the camera, either zoom or start recording, then the amount of time left on the battery shows in the LCD. Don B.

May 27th, 2003, 07:25 AM	#58
Neil McLean Regular Crew Join Date: May 2003 Location: U.K. Posts: 125	Hi Don, I left the battery to charge for about three or four hours and it cuts out as soon as I switch off the mains supply. Initially I switched on the camera with the mains power supply still on, then switch off the mains. As soon as I switch of the power supply the camera ceases to function and switches off immediately. With the mains still connected, I tried to get the battery time on the LCD after panning and zooming for a minute but all to no avail. Neil

May 27th, 2003, 07:27 AM	#59
Neil McLean Regular Crew Join Date: May 2003 Location: U.K. Posts: 125	Further to the above, I forgot to mention that the battery time is displayed as _ _ _ even when indicating a full charge on the display window and not the LCD. Neil

May 27th, 2003, 08:20 AM	#60
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	The Sony battery that was supplied with the camera works. The two off brand batteries don't. That should tell you something right there. Return them and buy Sony replacement batteries. If you can't chalk it up to experience. JMHO