Thanks to all the owners who have the problem and try to solve on the CNET website, I collect all the information available and solve this problem once and for all.
CNET forum for JVC
**** This procedure is to BY PASS the DEW sensor totally, which means that the DEW sensor is NO LONGER working, which means that the recording HEAD may be damaged when the humidity or condensation is really high or actually there. SO DO THIS WITH YOUR OWN RISK **** Your other choice is to turn it on and stare at the screen and save your JVC PRESCIOUS HEAD... or spend $200-300 to get it fixed by JVC authorized dealers and I remembered I got this one for less than $300.00...
****This fix is possible thanks to JBS138 & SAMJWILSONJR on the CNET forum.
****** MAKE SURE YOU GROUND YOURSELF WELL BECAUSE STATIC CHARGE CAN KILL SOME SENSITIVE DEVICES *****
11 screws of SAMJWILSONJR:
REMOVE all 11 screws to SPLIT THE CASE OPEN. Make sure you separates the screws so you can put them back correctly. Screws 1 & 2 are short, 3 & 4 are long (same size), 5 is long but shorter than 3 & 4. The bottom screws 6-10 have 3 types, fine threads (3) and coarse thread (2) 8 & 9 (if I remember correctly). Don't forget #11 next to firewire port.
Remove the top cover and split the camera from the back (battery) with care, slowly and firmly, NO yanking please, if you can't split it with little force, there's still a screw that you missed.
TOP & BOTTOM VIEW of SPLITTING THE CASE.... Be careful of pulling the case apart, don't break the 2 white cables. FIRMLY & SLOWLY!!!!!!
***** For people who just want to RESET the CPU and clean the SENSOR, remove the reset connector and clean the sensor ***** (use qtip and some rubbing alcohol to remove the residue) and close the case and you're done. This way only help once in a while because many factors can cause the sensor to give false signal.
Some other type of sensor on different models.FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO TAKE A STEP FURTHER TO KILL THE PROBLEM FOREVER KNOWING THAT THEIR JVC HEAD WILL BE DAMAGED ONE OF THESE DAYS ... READ ON.
The goal is to fake a good sensor so the CPU doesn't shutdown the system by giving the JVC SOD, per JBS138, DEW sensor signal connected to CPU with 2 PINS: 1 & 2 of the sensor & motor connector CN403:
SHORT PIN 1 & 2
THE CN403 is behind the RESET_CONNECTOR
MAINBOARD
Remove 2 white cables attached the screen to the body, then remove the screen.
Remove the cables one by one, slowly and carefully.
Remove 2 philip screws securing the board to the case.
Move the lens forward to clear the case pin to move the board outward, slowly using a little screw driver to extract the side cable (#7 red) from the side out at the same time.
CN403 is in the top right corner with a blob of solder on pin 1&2.
Remove Reset_connector, cable 1 (lift the bar up arrows), cable 2 (lift lock up), cable 3 (lift lock up), cable 4 (slide sideway) and use the tweezers to lift it out to clear the board, cable 5 just lift up. Pull every cable clear from the board.
Remove mainboard screw 1 & 2 and wiggle the board SLOWLY and FIRMLY from the TOP (video lens) open out. The bottom board where the 2 white cables are is still attached.
The MAINBOARD will separate from the top and still attached to the bottom with cables. Now you have enough room to see the CN403 (white 6 pins connector) in the schematic right behind the reset_connector. At this point, you can put a blob of solder right at the connector pin 1 & 2 or use conductive grease to short them. I used solder blob since I have a small soldering iron.
One of the readers (Adam H.) thought of an easier way to short these 2 pins: Right at the connector, but make sure it's connector PIN1 & 2. I think it's a greatest idea. "I actually found it easier to solder pins 1 and 2 on the back of the connector jack, not on the circuit board itself. Does the same thing, but a little easier to see and solder."
Conductive grease
NOTE: You have to lift the lens unit up a little to get the board to clear out totally.
*** MAKE SURE ALL CABLES ARE INSERTED AND LOCKED FULLY BEFORE REASSEMBLE THE CASE, THESE LOOSE CABLES WILL CAUSE THE VIDEO STOP FUNCTIONING *******************************************************************
After working reliably for a year, last week, the Condensation problem came back. I read the cause of the problem, it was the surge in voltage applied to the camera. The best is to turn it on for a while before ejecting the tape, this makes sure the power is in the camera fully and everything is running normally.
(11/10/08)
PS: On the OE4 problem, it's actually the tape that we're using. According to JB138, if you get the correct tape, it will play.
Different tape's physical causes the alignment to be off, therefore the error. I got my other JVC to work.
If the tapes are sitting for a long time, we need to insert 2 pencils erasers in both of the reels and rotate them. The tape tends to stick together after a long time, this also will cause OE4 problem.
Now, I only use these JVC video camera to tranfer all my tapes to PC and make DVD out of them since I got the Digital Camera Panasonics FZ18k which has HD video recording capability. It's great, 2-1 for all events (pictures & videos). The video comes out great. No need heavy JVC Video camera any more.
8/10/09
GOOD LUCK and hope you have your camera for the Holidays,
Louis Le
10/29/2007