Using Your Camcorder Abroad; Maintenance Information And Precautions - Sony Handycam DCR-PC115 Service Manual

Using your camcorder
abroad

Using your camcorder abroad

Countries and areas where you can use network
functions are restricted. For details, refer to the
separate Network Operating Instructions (DCR-
PC120E only).
You can use your camcorder in any country or
area with the AC power adaptor supplied with
your camcorder within 100 V to 240 V AC, 50/60
Hz.
Your camcorder is a PAL system based
camcorder. If you want to view the playback
picture on a TV, it must be a PAL system based
TV with the AUDIO/VIDEO input jack.
The following shows TV colour systems used
overseas.
PAL system
Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Great
Britain, Holland, Hong Kong, Italy, Kuwait,
Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal,
Singapore, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Thailand, etc.
PAL-M system
Brazil
PAL-N system
Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay
NTSC system
Bahama Islands, Bolivia, Canada, Central
America, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Jamaica,
Japan, Korea, Mexico, Peru, Surinam, Taiwan, the
Philippines, the U.S.A., Venezuela, etc.
SECAM system
Bulgaria, France, Guyana, Hungary, Iran, Iraq,
Monaco, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, etc.
Maintenance information and
precautions
Maintenance information
Cleaning the video head
To ensure normal recording and clear pictures,
clean the video heads. The video head may be
dirty when:
•mosaic-pattern noise appears on the playback
picture.
•playback pictures do not move.
•playback pictures do not appear.
•the x indicator and "
CLEANING
CASSETTE" message appear one after another
or the x indicator flashes on the screen during
recording.
If the above problem, [a], [b] or [c] occurs, clean
the video heads for 10 seconds with the Sony
DVM-12CLD cleaning cassette (optional). Check
the picture and if the above problem persists,
repeat cleaning.
[a] [b]
If the video heads get dirtier, the entire screen
becomes blue [c].
Cleaning the LCD screen
If fingerprints or dust make the LCD screen dirty,
we recommend using a LCD Cleaning Kit
(optional) to clean the LCD screen.
243
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•
•
•
x
x
[a] [b] [c]
[c]
[c]
245
DCR-PC115/PC115E/PC120BT/PC120E
Maintenance
information and
precautions
Moisture condensation
If your camcorder is brought directly from a cold
place to a warm place, moisture may condense
inside your camcorder, on the surface of the tape,
or on the lens. In this condition, the tape may
stick to the head drum and be damaged or your
camcorder may not operate correctly. If there is
moisture inside your camcorder, the beep sounds
and the % indicator flashes. When the Z
indicator flashes at the same time, the cassette is
inserted in your camcorder. If moisture
condenses on the lens, the indicator will not
appear.
If moisture condensation occurred
None of the functions except cassette ejection will
work. Eject the cassette, turn off your camcorder,
and leave it for about one hour with the cassette
lid open. Your camcorder can be used again if the
% indicator does not appear when the power is
turned on again.
If moisture starts to condense, your camcorder
sometimes cannot detect condensation. If this
happens, the cassette sometimes is not ejected for
10 seconds after the cassette lid is opened. This is
not a malfunction. Do not close the cassette lid
until the cassette is ejected.
Note on moisture condensation
Moisture may condense when you bring your
camcorder from a cold place into a warm place
(or vice versa) or when you use your camcorder
in a hot place as follows:
•You bring your camcorder from a ski slope into
a place warmed up by a heating device.
•You bring your camcorder from an air-
conditioned car or room into a hot place
outside.
•You use your camcorder after a squall or a
shower.
•You use your camcorder in a high temperature
and humidity place.
How to prevent moisture condensation
When you bring your camcorder from a cold
place into a warm place, put your camcorder in a
plastic bag and tightly seal it. Remove the bag
when the air temperature inside the plastic bag
has reached the surrounding temperature (after
about one hour).
244
Maintenance information and
precautions
Removing dust from inside the
viewfinder
(1) Pull out the viewfinder in the direction of the
arrow 1.
Remove the two screws in the direction of the
arrow 2 with a screwdriver (optional).
Remove the eyecup in the direction of the
arrow 3.
(2) Remove dust from inside the eyecup and
viewfinder with a commercially available
blower.
(3) In the reverse way of (1), attach the eyecup.
Then replace the screws in the direction of the
arrow 2.
Caution
Do not remove any other screws. You may
remove only the screw to remove the eyecup.
Notes
•Do not drop or bend the eyecup shaft.
•Be careful when handling the eyecup.
Charging the built-in
rechargeable battery
Your camcorder is supplied with a built-in
rechargeable battery installed so as to retain the
date and time, etc., regardless of the setting of the
POWER switch. The built-in rechargeable
battery is always charged as long as you are
using your camcorder. The battery, however, will
get discharged gradually if you do not use your
camcorder. It will be completely discharged in
about three months if you do not use your
camcorder at all. Even if the built-in rechargeable
battery is not charged, it will not affect the
camcorder operation. To retain the date and time,
etc., charge the battery if the battery is
discharged.
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%
Z
%
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(1)
1
2
3
2
1
3
2
(2)
(3)
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(1)
2