HELP! SONY HDR-HC5 LCD touchscreen malfunction

HDR-HC9 (2008). HDR-HC5, HDR-HC7 (2007). HDR-HC3 (2006). HDR-HC1 / HVR-A1 (2005).
Shoulder-mount HVR-HD1000.
u2heads
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HELP! SONY HDR-HC5 LCD touchscreen malfunction

Post by u2heads »

Anyone know how or where to fix a Sony HDR-HC5 touchscreen?

The camera is now out of warranty. I've shot hundreds of hours of hi-def footage on Sony hi-def tapes, but my screen now shows only snow-like images (like whan an old analog TV reached an empty channel). The touch functions on the screen still work, but I have to go by memory as to where they are on the camera.

When this problem first started, I was able to solve it by quickly shutting and reopening the screen. Now even that doesn't work anymore, no matter how many times I try it.

Everything else on the camera still works (i.e., it can still record and play videos, including through cables to a computer or TV, and the remote control).

Since it's prohibitively expensive to buy a separate hi-def mini-dv player, I really need to access the screen to play, rewind, access menus, etc. (I know I could use workarounds on my PC and TV, but that's not practical.)

Any ideas? Is it too risky to open up the camera to see if there are any loose wires between the camera and the LCD screen?

Thanks in advance for any ideas.
acgold7
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Re: HELP! SONY HDR-HC5 LCD touchscreen malfunction

Post by acgold7 »

It's probably a bad ribbon cable -- that's usually what this is. If it's out of warranty I guess there's no harm in opening it up.
Adam
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Re: HELP! SONY HDR-HC5 LCD touchscreen malfunction

Post by u2heads »

Thanks, Adam. Is that something I can replace? Can I find that in Radio Shack? Or should I go to an electronics repair guy (or send the camera back to Sony to fix it?)?
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Re: HELP! SONY HDR-HC5 LCD touchscreen malfunction

Post by acgold7 »

You'd probably have to buy the part direct from Sony or Partstore.com if you can get the part number. It's doable, but from what I understand you need to know origami to get it folded just right. Me, I'd just send it in, in case that isn't the issue.
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Re: HELP! SONY HDR-HC5 LCD touchscreen malfunction

Post by u2heads »

Origami - yes, I found a partial service manual on the web for the camera and I see what you mean! I may open it just to see if there's anything obvious I can fix (like a pinched wire or something like that).

If I can't fix it, what type of local or long-distance repair service/shop do you recommend I send it to (one that's not prohibitively expensive)? I'm in lower Westchester County, just north of NYC, in case that means anything to you.

Thanks for all your help!
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Re: HELP! SONY HDR-HC5 LCD touchscreen malfunction

Post by acgold7 »

In your area I've been hearing good things about Armato's. Jersey, I think.
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Frank
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Re: HELP! SONY HDR-HC5 LCD touchscreen malfunction

Post by Frank »

u2heads wrote:I found a partial service manual on the web
I'm not sure what you mean by "partial service manual", but I have a fairly complete set of documentation for the HDR-HC5 camcorder, including Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 service manuals, in my Documentation Index (use link in sig and then click on the "Documentation Index" link). Feel free to download whatever you may need.
u2heads wrote:I'm in lower Westchester County, just north of NYC, in case that means anything to you.
It (almost) took an Act of Congress, but I find myself temporarily transplanted (for no more than three months) from the Battery Park City section of Manhattan to Yonkers, probably not far from you, although I don't see how that can help.
acgold7 wrote:In your area I've been hearing good things about Armato's. Jersey, I think.
Armato's is out in the Glendale section of Queens, New York. I've also heard good things about them, but have never dealt with them and therefore can't offer a personal opinion about them. Here's a link to their service information page.

http://www.armatosvideo.com/servicecenter.aspx

Good luck!

Frank, Independent Consultant, Somewhere in the State of New York
Read Frank's thoughts on HDV
[ also covers AVCHD (including AVCCAM & NXCAM) and XDCAM EX ].
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Frank
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Re: HELP! SONY HDR-HC5 LCD touchscreen malfunction

Post by Frank »

Frank wrote:probably not far from you
After looking at Google Maps, I take back what I said.

Yonkers is about 16 miles to the southwest of Rye, and about a 25- to 30-minute drive.

Frank, Independent Consultant, Somewhere in the State of New York
Read Frank's thoughts on HDV
[ also covers AVCHD (including AVCCAM & NXCAM) and XDCAM EX ].
u2heads
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Re: HELP! SONY HDR-HC5 LCD touchscreen malfunction

Post by u2heads »

Thanks, Frank and ACGold7, for your feedback. When I said partial manual, it was because the PDF I found of such a manual (which looks to be your Level 2 manual, Frank) was redacted - i.e., several pages were purposefully omitted. Your Level 2 is complete, so thank you for that.

If I venture to open the camera and LCD screen to see if I can find anything obviously wrong and relatively easy to fix (e.g., crimped wire), do you have any warnings before I get started? Grounding myself? Using only certain types of tools?

I've printed the Armato's order form and will consider sending it to them if my self-help does not succeed.

Thanks for all your help!
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Frank
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Re: HELP! SONY HDR-HC5 LCD touchscreen malfunction

Post by Frank »

If you do decide to open up the unit yourself, just be very careful and methodical in your approach. These Handycams are complex little devices and are easily damaged when parts are exposed. Personally, I would take or send it in for repair, but you might just get lucky and find something obvious such as the crimped wire that you mentioned - or perhaps a loose ribbon cable.

Grounding yourself can't hurt and do be aware that C901 can hold a charge of up to 330 volts. (If we don't hear from you again, we'll know what happened!)

If you need to solder something, I'll leave it up to you to decide whether to use environmentally friendly lead-free (unleaded) solder or normal leaded solder as god intended.

Also, don't remove any parts that you're not certain that you can get back together again. And no hammers, please. :)

Good luck, and please let us know how you make out with this.

Regards,

Frank, Independent Consultant, Somewhere in the State of New York
Read Frank's thoughts on HDV
[ also covers AVCHD (including AVCCAM & NXCAM) and XDCAM EX ].
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