R.I.P.

[Brian Ellis]

I think my trusted Panasonic NV-DX1 3 CCD mini-DV is about to render its mortal soul. It has not survived a 1 m drop onto a concrete floor. The plastic lens housing has been knocked skew-whiff, focussing (man or auto) doesn't work and playback doesn't (deck motors are OK), either. Optically it seems OK and I can still extract fixed-focus video from through the lens, with zooming OK.

I have contacted the ER to see whether it can be saved and await the doctors' prognosis, but I'm not too optimistic.

I feel sad



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Brian (the terrible)

[This_Idiot]

Well just think of the insurance money and what you can buy next.

I dropped a pair of binoculars on my MS50 which shattered the carriage cover, but the rest of the cam works. Since I'd have to pay the first £50 of an insurance claim, it ain't worth getting it fixed on insurance. Damn.

[Brian Ellis]

Chris

Our insurers will not insure it for accidental damage, just for theft with breaking and entering, fire, earthquakes, satellites falling out of the sky and suchlike things

Want a holiday in Cyprus? I'll tell you how and when to break and enter, where to find it etc. 50-50? Seriously though, I don't think there is any way to claim on this.



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Brian (the terrible)

[Laurie]

Hi Guys,
Sorry about your cameras, here's another story. Our 10 year old RCA ProEdit (full size VHS cassette) camcorder was knocked over off its tripod last November breaking the circuit board inside. Before the accident it still took decent video but unfortunately(?) it was irrepairable. In 1989 it cost approximately $1800(Can). Our house insurance covered the loss and with a $200 deductible we ended up with $626, not nearly enough to buy a bottom of the line D8. I have been spending so much time and effort saving for and putting together a new computer that replacing the camcorder was not a priority. Now that the computer is together I hope to join the digital video revolution soon. BTW, Hitachi made the RCA Proedit and still makes a comparable model today which, of course, we had no intention of getting as a replacement.

Laurie

[mrpc]

I've got video footage from the time my helmet mounted HI8 camcorder took a death plunge from 2000 feet under canopy. It didn't survive (duh) and the interesting thing to notice is the camera shuts off before impact due to the high spin rate causing mistracking of the tape. I've still got it in a box- doesn't look bad from 8 feet but you can see all the cracks in the case when you get closer.

Richard

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Abit BH6; 300A@450; 128MB
FastTrack66 dual KA 18GB; Marvel 200; MX300

[Brian Ellis]

Have just heard that the camera is repairable, but not here. Fortunately, I'm going to Switzerland later this week (yes, you won't hear from me for a couple of weeks -- don't cheer, everyone) and I e-mailed the Swiss Panasonic importer and he has undertaken to fix it. H-o-o-o-ray!

He still can't add a Firewire connection though.

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Brian (the terrible)

[noackjr]

Glad to hear not all is lost. Wish I was going to Switzerland (I'm stuck in Texas)...

Jon