Repair Archives • Page 6 of 7 • McLarenblog.com

Student Asks, Was The Lens Out Of Calibration? (#1)

November 26, 2010 Score Card Comments 0 Comment

This is the first in a series of e-mail posts. The next post can be found here: 16 MM Camera Lens Out Of Calibration? (#2) http://mclarenblog.com/?p=1035 On 11/16/10 7:43 PM, “A. B.” wrote: Hi I am a new filmmaker still in school and I recently read your blog from 3 years ago here http://mclarenblog.com/?p=196 My question is what if you have done all these steps and the feet marked with measuring tape are not matching up. For instance my subject…

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Southern California Edison might not be all that concerned in saving energy.

July 4, 2010 Score Card Comments 0 Comment

(Or allegedly stupid about some energy factors). Our pool pump went out the end of 2009. I did quite a lot of research and found out the following: Two speed or variable speed pumps are required in California to save energy. These motors are way more expensive than single speed motors. Every pool supply vendor failed to inform me of that California requirement and would be most willing to sell me a single speed motor. I was extremely surprised that…

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Apple Repairs Computer That Is Out Of Warantee

October 19, 2008 Score Card Comments 0 Comment

We have a iMac 20 inch computer that was purchased September 2004. Beginning the summer of 2008 it began to exhibit some disturbing symptoms. It would not wake up from sleep mode. The fans would race at high speed for hours. Some times the computer would begin to shut itself off. We took the computer in to the Genius Bar, at an Apple store, September 2008. The technician looked the computer over and told us they would repair the unit…

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Schneider – Kreuznach, Arriflex-Cine-Xenon 1:2/50 Lens Repair

December 28, 2007 Score Card Comments 0 Comment

Lens Repair: Schneider – Kreuznach, Arriflex-Cine-Xenon 1:2/50 Problem #1: The lens came to me with a major problem. It was in two pieces. I soon discovered that the lens had two problems. The second problem was that the lens was loose. If you held the very front of the lens firmly in one hand the rear of the lens could move or pivot a bit up or down or side to side. Solution: I removed the rear element by unscrewing…

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Sony DSR 20, DSR30 DV Deck Repair

December 28, 2007 Score Card Comments 0 Comment

Sony DSR 20, DSR30 DV deck Complaint: One or any combination of the following. The video tape recorder would not accept a tape. The VTR would not eject a tape. The VTR would show an error code and fail to operate. Evaluation: Remove the top cover. Most of these video tape recorder decks will do a reset if you interrupt the power to the unit. Do not think by turning the machine off and then on again this will do…

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Panasonic AG DV1000 mini DV Cassette Recorder Repair.

December 28, 2007 Score Card Comments 0 Comment

Panasonic AG DV1000 mini DV cassette recorder. Complaint: Smoke came from the back of the recorder and then it failed to work. Troubleshooting: I performed a very close examination of the top circuit board. I expected to find some burned component. The top inside of the unit looked pristine. After obtaining the service manual, I started checking the power supply as the unit showed no life, no front panel display was lit. The AC power comes into a line filtering…

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JVC combo deck, DV and VHS, model SR-VS20U

December 28, 2007 Score Card Comments 0 Comment

JVC combo deck, DV and VHS, model SR-VS20U Complaint: Deck would not load tape. Repair: We had a deck that would malfunction if anyone pressed in on the VHS tape on the right hand side. This would skew the load mechanism to jam. Just instruct the user to press inward with the tape at the center of the tape. The tape would also load properly if it was pushed in from the left. The tape carriage when pushed in from…

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Grass Valley 200-1 Video Switcher, Intermittent.

December 28, 2007 Score Card Comments 0 Comment

Grass Valley 200-1 Video Switcher Problem: intermittent function. Problem: After about 15 minutes of being turned on, the switcher lights would flash. The buttons would not operate but seemed to freeze the switcher. When I pressed a camera input such as camera 2 and this freeze happened, proper switcher operation would fail. I could press other buttons but they would only switch over to the new source when the button I pressed was down. When I lifted my finder the…

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Repair – Arriflex Camera, Model S, Motor Speed Problem.

December 28, 2007 Score Card Comments 0 Comment

Arriflex motor for the S camera which uses a large power transistor on the side of the motor. Complaint: motor would race in speed. Repair: The motor must float electronically and therefore can not touch the case. There are four screws holding the transistor in its holder assembly. Make sure that each of the screws are not touching the transistor body. I had to place a very short piece of spaghetti along the screw shaft where it might come into…

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Troubleshooting Arri S 16mm Camera Problems

December 23, 2007 Score Card Comments 0 Comment

Troubleshooting the obvious and less obvious: Camera will not run. Check to make sure the motor clamp is snug. The camera motor body is the return electrical path and must be touching the motor housing clamp tight enough for a good electrical contact. The film buckle switch might not have been set properly. Open the sprocket wheel mechanism and then close. You don’t see it but a little plunger resets the film buckle switch to the “ON” position by open…

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