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Electronics Repair (sci.electronics.repair) Discussion of repairing electronic equipment. Topics include requests for assistance, where to obtain servicing information and parts, techniques for diagnosis and repair, and annecdotes about success, failures and problems. |
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#1
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Digital camera repair
Hi -- could use a suggestion on digital camera repair. I have a
Toshiba PDR-M1, and have been successfully using an aftermarket 6V A/C adapter for the past 18 months or so. All of a sudden the camera won't operate with the adapter, but still operates on the four-AA battery power supply. Thought it was an adapter problem, but a new adapter gave the same result (no juice). I take a lot of pictures and it tends to eat batteries, and the batteries fail at the worst possible time, so I would prefer to have the adapter operating successfully. I can't replace the camera right now, but plan to in the near future (3-6 months)so I don't want to spend a lot of money taking it to an "authorized" repair shop. I have done other repairs, so I am not afraid of taking it apart and checking things out and making most repairs. My main question, before I start taking this apart, is if anyone knows if the adapter port has possibly just become disconnected, or is the problem sounding somewhat more serious (the port is fried somehow?). Is it possible the port has an accumulation of debris/dust perhaps? Any suggestions are very welcome -- Thanks.... |
#2
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Digital camera repair
"Virginia" wrote in message
m... Hi -- could use a suggestion on digital camera repair. I have a Toshiba PDR-M1, and have been successfully using an aftermarket 6V A/C adapter for the past 18 months or so. All of a sudden the camera won't operate with the adapter, but still operates on the four-AA battery power supply. Thought it was an adapter problem, but a new adapter gave the same result (no juice). I take a lot of pictures and it tends to eat batteries, and the batteries fail at the worst possible time, so I would prefer to have the adapter operating successfully. I can't replace the camera right now, but plan to in the near future (3-6 months)so I don't want to spend a lot of money taking it to an "authorized" repair shop. I have done other repairs, so I am not afraid of taking it apart and checking things out and making most repairs. My main question, before I start taking this apart, is if anyone knows if the adapter port has possibly just become disconnected, or is the problem sounding somewhat more serious (the port is fried somehow?). Is it possible the port has an accumulation of debris/dust perhaps? Any suggestions are very welcome -- Thanks.... Virginis, it's possible that dirt or some kind of contamination is causing the problem, however, it's more likely to be an electrical or mechanical problem. Assuming that the power port is of the coaxial variety, take a peek inside and inspect the contacts. Is the tang that contacts the outside shell of the plug still intact? Has it broken off or become smashed back insde so that it can't make contact? If you can't see anything wrong there, you may have to open the unit and look at the point to which it's soldered to the PCB, or the wiring attached to it. Chances are good that the problem may be in that area, because of the stress brought about by inserting and removing the plug. Barring any problem there, the most likely suspect is the polarity protection rectifier, or the regulator. You'll have to do a bit of circuit tracing to find it if you can't identify it right away. -- Tweetldee Tweetldee at att dot net (Just subsitute the appropriate characters in the address) Never take a laxative and a sleeping pill at the same time!! |
#3
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Digital camera repair
"Virginia" wrote in message
m... Hi -- could use a suggestion on digital camera repair. I have a Toshiba PDR-M1, and have been successfully using an aftermarket 6V A/C adapter for the past 18 months or so. All of a sudden the camera won't operate with the adapter, but still operates on the four-AA battery power supply. Thought it was an adapter problem, but a new adapter gave the same result (no juice). I take a lot of pictures and it tends to eat batteries, and the batteries fail at the worst possible time, so I would prefer to have the adapter operating successfully. I can't replace the camera right now, but plan to in the near future (3-6 months)so I don't want to spend a lot of money taking it to an "authorized" repair shop. I have done other repairs, so I am not afraid of taking it apart and checking things out and making most repairs. My main question, before I start taking this apart, is if anyone knows if the adapter port has possibly just become disconnected, or is the problem sounding somewhat more serious (the port is fried somehow?). Is it possible the port has an accumulation of debris/dust perhaps? Any suggestions are very welcome -- Thanks.... Virginis, it's possible that dirt or some kind of contamination is causing the problem, however, it's more likely to be an electrical or mechanical problem. Assuming that the power port is of the coaxial variety, take a peek inside and inspect the contacts. Is the tang that contacts the outside shell of the plug still intact? Has it broken off or become smashed back insde so that it can't make contact? If you can't see anything wrong there, you may have to open the unit and look at the point to which it's soldered to the PCB, or the wiring attached to it. Chances are good that the problem may be in that area, because of the stress brought about by inserting and removing the plug. Barring any problem there, the most likely suspect is the polarity protection rectifier, or the regulator. You'll have to do a bit of circuit tracing to find it if you can't identify it right away. -- Tweetldee Tweetldee at att dot net (Just subsitute the appropriate characters in the address) Never take a laxative and a sleeping pill at the same time!! |
#4
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Digital camera repair
Thanks Tweet,
I did check the pin and cleaned it off somewhat, but that didn't help. When I opened it up I didn't see anything obviously amiss. Haven't tried the advanced troubleshooting you mentioned. Since I have a lot of work that needs to be done, I should possible go ahead and buy the stupid batteries for now rather than risk killing the camera altogether!! Electronics is not my strong suit. But I might pass your suggestions along to my ex, who is an EE... he probably has the knowledge/skills to check that out for me. So I am still open to suggestions, since I can tell the ex that if my camera is broken I will have to start bumming money off him!! Thanks again, Virginia |
#5
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Digital camera repair
Thanks Tweet,
I did check the pin and cleaned it off somewhat, but that didn't help. When I opened it up I didn't see anything obviously amiss. Haven't tried the advanced troubleshooting you mentioned. Since I have a lot of work that needs to be done, I should possible go ahead and buy the stupid batteries for now rather than risk killing the camera altogether!! Electronics is not my strong suit. But I might pass your suggestions along to my ex, who is an EE... he probably has the knowledge/skills to check that out for me. So I am still open to suggestions, since I can tell the ex that if my camera is broken I will have to start bumming money off him!! Thanks again, Virginia |
#6
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"DaveC" wrote in message al.net... Many of the smaller digital cameras don't have a lens cap. Instead, there are 2 halves of an "iris" (for lack of a better term), located over the outermost glass lens, that separate when the camera is powered on, and slide back together when it's turned off. What is the mechanism for these shutters? Are they gear-driven? Does it typically require complete lens disassembly to get to them? Are they easily removable (replacing them seems not economical)? Thanks, -- Please, no "Go Google this" replies. I wouldn't ask a question here if I hadn't done that already. DaveC This is an invalid return address Please reply in the news group On some Canon cameras, these are operated by spring and levers that use the motion from the lens opening up and closing. On the A- series Canon's this mech is located behind the outermost ring on the lens, where it says "Canon Zoom Lens...". This circular piece is a metal sticker that covers the mech for these "flaps". It is almost impossible to peel back this sticker without wrinkling it, since it is very thin metal. Most work on the opening mech itself still requires you to disassemble the lens and this is delicate and tricky work. Jan |
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