Sony Digital Camcorder DSR PD150 Operating Instructions

							Additional Information
151
C:21:00
Self-diagnosis display
Your camcorder has a self-diagnosis display
function.
This function displays the current condition of
your camcorder as a 5-digit code (a
combination of a letter and figures) on the
LCD screen, display window, or in the
viewfinder. If a 5-digit code is displayed, check
the following code chart. The last two digits
(indicated by ss) will differ depending on
the state of your camcorder.On the LCD screen or in the
viewfinder, on the display
window
Self-diagnosis display
•C:ss:ss
You can service your camcorder
yourself.
•E:ss:ss
Contact your Sony dealer or
nearest local authorized Sony
service facility.
Five-digit display
C:04:ss
C:21:ss
C:22:ss
C:31:ss
C:32:ss
E:61:ss
E:62:ss
If you are unable to rectify the problem even if you try corrective actions a few times,
contact your Sony dealer or nearest local authorized Sony service facility.Cause and/or Corrective Actions
•You are using a battery pack that is not an “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack.
cUse an “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack. (p. 11)
•Moisture condensation has occurred.
cRemove the cassette and leave your camcorder for at least one hour to
acclimatize. (p. 155)
•The video heads are dirty.
cClean the heads using the Sony DVM12CL cleaning cassette (not
supplied). (p. 156)
•A malfunction other than the above.
cRemove the cassette and insert it again, then operate your camcorder.
cDisconnect the power cord of the AC power adaptor or remove the
battery pack. After reconnecting the power source, operate your
camcorder.
•A malfunction that you cannot service has occurred.
cContact your Sony dealer and inform them of the 5-digit code.
(example: E:61:10) 
						

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Warning indicators and messages
If indicators and messages appear on the LCD screen or in the viewfinder, check the
following:
See the page in parentheses “(  )” for more information.
Warning indicators
E The battery is dead or nearly dead
Slow flashing:
•The battery is nearly dead.
Depending on conditions, the E indicator may flash, even if there are five to 10
minutes remaining.
Fast flashing:
•The battery is dead (p. 11).
•The battery is completely dead.
 Warning indicator as to tape
Slow flashing:
•The tape is near the end.
•No tape is inserted (p. 15).*
•The write-protect tab on the cassette is out (red) (p. 15).*
Fast flashing:
•The tape has run out (p. 29).*
Z You need to eject the cassette
Slow flashing:
•The write-protect tab on the cassette is out (red) (p. 15).*
Fast flashing:
•Moisture condensation has occurred (p. 155).*
•The tape has run out (p. 29).*
•The self-diagnosis display function is activated (p. 151).*
% Moisture condensation has occurred*
Fast flashing:
•Eject the cassette, turn off your camcorder, and leave it for about one hour with the
cassette compartment open (p. 155).
 Warning indicator as to cassette memory
Slow flashing:
•No tape with cassette memory is inserted (p. 142).*
Self-diagnosis display (p. 151)
- The still image is protected
Slow flashing:
•The still image is protected (p. 135).*
 Warning indicator as to “Memory Stick”*
Slow flashing:
•No “Memory Stick” is inserted (p. 115).
Fast flashing:
•Unreadable “Memory Stick” is inserted (p. 115). 
						

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153
Warning indicators and messages
100-0001 “(Warning indicators) Memory Stick” file error*
Slow flashing:
•File is broken.
•File has no compatibility.
 “Memory Stick” format error*
Fast flashing:
•There are two directories or more.
•Data is broken.
•“Memory Stick” is not formatted correctly (p. 108).
Warning messages
•CLOCK SET Reset the date and time (p. 112).
•FOR “InfoLITHIUM”Use an “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack (p. 11).
BATTERY ONLY
•MEMORY FULL The “Memory Stick” is full in photo save function (p. 128).
•
  CLEANING CASSETTE
The video heads are dirty (p. 156).**
•
 FULL The tape cassette memory is full (p. 96).*
•
 48KAUDIO MODE is set to 48K.* You cannot dub new sound (p. 109).
• REC MODEREC MODE is set to DV SP.* You cannot dub new sound (p. 109).
• TAPE There is no recorded portion on the tape.* You cannot dub
new sound (p. 87).
•
 “i.LINK” CABLEi.LINK cable is connected (p. 88).* You cannot dub new sound.
• FULL The “Memory Stick” is full (p. 120).*
•
 -The write-protect tab on the “Memory Stick” is set to LOCK
(p. 113).*
•
 NO FILE No still image is recorded on the “Memory Stick” (p. 129).*
•
 NO MEMORY STICK
No “Memory Stick” is inserted (p. 115).*
• 
 MEMORY STICK ERROR
The “Memory Stick“ data is corrupted (p. 115).*
• 
 FORMAT ERROR (p. 108)*
• 
 - DIRECTORY ERROR
(p. 130)*
•COPY INHIBIT The tape contains copyright control signals for copyright
protection of software (p. 142).*
•Q Z TAPE END The tape has reached the end of the tape (p. 29).*
•Q NO TAPE Insert a cassette tape (p. 15).*
•Q LOGO NOT INSERTED
The logo is not inserted properly, or the “Memory Stick” is
not inserted that has the logo data.
Check if the “Memory Stick” is inserted properly, or insert the
“Memory Stick” with logo data.
•Q LOGO SYSTEM ERROR
The data setting of the logo insert system is corrupted.
Consult your Sony dealer or local authorized Sony service facility.
* You hear the melody or beep sound.
**x and the message appear alternately. 
						

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Using your camcorder abroad
Using your camcorder abroad
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.
When charging the battery pack, use a commercially available AC plug adaptor [a], if
necessary, depending on the design of the wall outlet [b].
Your camcorder is an NTSC system-based camcorder. If you want to view the playback
picture on a TV, it must be an NTSC system-based TV equipped with audio/video
input jacks.
Check the following list.
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.
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
SECAM system
Bulgaria, France, Guyana, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Monaco, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, etc.
Simple setting of clock by time difference
You can easily set the clock to the local time by setting a time difference. Select WORLD
TIME in the menu settings. See page 104 for more information.
[a][b]
AC-L10A/L10B/L10C 
						

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155
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 occurredNone 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 compartment open. Your
camcorder can be used again if the % indicator does not appear when the power is
turned on again.
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). 
						

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Maintenance information and precautions
Removing Dust from Inside the Viewfinder
Before cleaning, remove the sticker below the viewfinder lens adjustment lever.
(1)While holding down the hook 1, slide the eyecup in the direction of the arrow
and remove it out 2.
(2)Clean the surface with a commercially available blower.
To reattach the eyecupDo step 1 above sliding the eyecup in the reverse direction of the arrow.
Maintenance information
Cleaning the video headTo 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
on the LCD screen or in the viewfinder.
If the above problem, [a] or [b] occurs, clean the video heads for 10 seconds with the
Sony DVM12CL cleaning cassette (not supplied). Check the picture and if the above
problem persists, repeat cleaning.
Cleaning the LCD screenIf fingerprints or dust make the LCD screen dirty, we recommend using a LCD
Cleaning Cloth (not supplied) to clean the LCD screen.
[a] [b]
or
12 
						

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157
Maintenance information and precautions
Charging the vanadium-lithium battery in your camcorder
Your camcorder is supplied with a vanadium-lithium battery installed so as to retain
the date and time, etc., regardless of the setting of the POWER switch. The vanadium-
lithium 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 four months if you do not use your camcorder at all.
Even if the vanadium-lithium 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.
Charging the vanadium-lithium battery:
•Connect your camcorder to house current using the AC power adaptor supplied with
your camcorder, and leave your camcorder with the POWER switch turned off for
more than 24 hours.
•Or install the fully charged battery pack in your camcorder, and leave your camcorder
with the POWER switch turned off for more than 24 hours.
Precautions
Camcorder operation•Operate your camcorder on 7.2 V (battery pack) or 8.4 V (AC power adaptor).
•For DC or AC operation, use the accessories recommended in this operating
instructions.
•If any solid object or liquid get inside the casing, unplug your camcorder and have it
checked by a Sony dealer before operating it any further.
•Avoid rough handling or mechanical shock. Be particularly careful of the lens.
•Keep the POWER switch set to OFF (CHG) when you are not using your camcorder.
•Do not wrap your camcorder with a towel, for example, and operate it. Doing so
might cause heat to build up inside.
•Keep your camcorder away from strong magnetic fields or mechanical vibration.
Noise may appear on the image.
•Do not touch the LCD screen with a sharp-pointed object.
•If your camcorder is used in a cold place, a residual image may appear on the LCD
screen. This is not a malfunction.
•While using your camcorder, the back of the LCD screen may heat up. This is not a
malfunction.
On handling tapes•Do not insert anything into the small holes on the rear of the cassette. These holes are
used to sense the type and thickness of the tape and if the recording tab is in or out.
•Do not open the tape protect cover or touch the tape.
•Avoid touching or damaging the terminals. To remove dust, clean the terminals with
a soft cloth.
Camcorder care•Remove the tape, and periodically turn on the power, operate the CAMERA and VCR
sections and play back a tape for about three minutes when your camcorder is not to
be used for a long time.
•Clean the lens with a soft brush to remove dust. If there are fingerprints on the lens,
remove them with a soft cloth.
•Clean the camcorder body with a dry soft cloth, or a soft cloth lightly moistened with
a mild detergent solution. Do not use any type of solvent which may damage the
finish. 
						

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Maintenance information and precautions
•Do not let sand get into your camcorder. When you use your camcorder on a sandy
beach or in a dusty place, protect it from the sand or dust.  Sand or dust may cause
your camcorder to malfunction, and sometimes this malfunction cannot be repaired.
AC power adaptor•Unplug the unit from the wall outlet when you are not using the unit for a long time.
To disconnect the power cord, pull it out by the plug. Never pull the power cord itself.
•Do not operate the unit with a damaged cord or if the unit has been dropped or
damaged.
•Do not bend the power cord forcibly, or place a heavy object on it. This will damage
the cord and may cause fire or electrical shock.
•Prevent metallic objects from coming into contact with the metal parts of the
connecting section. If this happens, a short may occur and the unit may be damaged.
•Always keep metal contacts clean.
•Do not disassemble the unit.
•Do not apply mechanical shock or drop the unit.
•While the unit is in use, particularly during charging, keep it away from AM receivers
and video equipment. AM receivers and video equipment disturb AM reception and
video operation.
•The unit becomes warm during use. This is not a malfunction.
•Do not place the unit in locations that are:
– Extremely hot or cold
– Dusty or dirty
– Very humid
– Vibrating
Battery pack•Use only the specified charger or video equipment with the charging function.
•To prevent accident from a short circuit, do not allow metal objects to come into
contact with the battery terminals.
•Keep the battery pack away from fire.
•Never expose the battery pack to temperatures above 60 °C (140 °F), such as in a car
parked in the sun or under direct sunlight.
•Keep the battery pack dry.
•Do not expose the battery pack to any mechanical shock.
•Do not disassemble nor modify the battery pack.
•Attach the battery pack to video equipment securely.
•Charging while some capacity remains does not affect the original battery capacity.
•The battery pack is not resistant to water. Do not wet the battery pack.
•Unless you use the battery pack for a long period, store the battery pack after you
charge it fully and use it completely once a year.
•Store the battery pack in a cool, dry place.
Notes on dry batteriesTo avoid possible damage from battery leakage or corrosion, observe the following:
•Be sure to insert the batteries with the + – polarities matched to the + – marks.
•Dry batteries are not rechargeable.
•Do not use a combination of new and old batteries.
•Do not use different types of batteries.
•Current flows from batteries when you are not using them for a long time.
•Do not use leaking batteries. 
						

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If batteries are leaking
•Wipe off the liquid in the battery compartment carefully before replacing the batteries.
•If you touch the liquid, wash it off with water.
•If the liquid get into your eyes, wash your eyes with a lot of water and then consult a
doctor.
If any problem occurs, unplug your camcorder and contact your nearest Sony dealer.
Maintenance information and precautions 
						

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Specifications
AC power adaptor
Power requirements
100 - 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz
Power consumption
23 W
Output voltage
DC OUT: 8.4 V, 1.5 A in the
operating mode
Operating temperature
0 °C to 40 °C (32 °F to 104 °F)
Storage temperature
–20 °C to +60 °C (–4 °F to +140 °F)
Dimensions (approx.)
125 × 39 × 62 mm
(5 × 1 9/16 × 2 1/2 in) (w/h/d)
excluding projecting parts
Mass (approx.)
280 g (9.8 oz)
excluding power cord
Cord length (approx.)
Power cord: 2 m (6.6 feet)
Connecting cord: 1.6 m (5.2 feet)
Battery pack
Output voltage
DC 7.2 V
Capacity
5.0 Wh
Dimensions (approx.)
38.4 × 20.6 × 70.8 mm (1 9/16 ×
13/16 × 2 7/8 in) (w/h/d)
Mass (approx.)
70 g (2.5 oz)
Type
Lithium ion
“Memory Stick”
Memory
Flash memory
4MB: MSA-4A
Operating voltage
2.7 V -3.6 V
Power consumption
Approx. 45 mA in the operating
mode
Approx. 130 µA in the standby
mode
Dimensions (approx.)
50 × 2.8 × 21.5 mm
(2 × 1/8 × 7/8  in) (w/h/d)
Mass (approx.)
4 g (0.14 oz)
Design and specifications are
subject to change without notice. VIDEO input/output
Input/output auto switch
RCA pin-jack, 1 Vp-p, 75 ohms,
unbalanced, sync negative
AUDIO CH1/CH2 input/output
Input/output auto switch
RCA pin-jack, 327 mV, (at output
impedance more than 47 kilohms)
Output impedance with less than
2.2 kilohms
Input impedance more than
47 kilohms
Headphones jack
Stereo minijack (ø 3.5 mm)
 LANC control jack
Stereo mini-minijack (ø 2.5 mm)
INPUT1/INPUT2 connectors
XLR 3-pin, female, –60 dBu:
3 kilohms, +4 dBu: 10 kilohms
(0 dBu = 0.775 Vrms)
 DV input/output
4-pin connector
Speaker
Dynamic speaker (ø 20 mm)
LCD screen
Picture
2.5 type measured diagonally
49.9 × 37.3 mm (2 × 1 1/2 in)
Total dot number
200 640 (880 × 228)
General
Power requirements
7.2 V (battery pack)
8.4 V (AC power adaptor)
Average power consumption
(when using the battery pack)
During camera recording using
LCD
5.4 W
Viewfinder
4.7 W
Operating temperature
0 °C to 40 °C (32 °F to 104 °F)
Storage temperature
–20 °C to +60 °C (–4 °F to +140 °F)
Dimensions (approx.)
128 × 180 × 405 mm (5 1/8 × 7 1/8
× 16 in) (w/h/d)
Mass (approx.)
1.6 kg (3 lb 8 oz)
main unit only
1.8 kg (3 lb 15 oz)
including the battery pack,
NP-F330, cassette PDVM-40ME,
microphone and hood cap
Supplied accessories
See page 8.
Video camera
recorder
System
Video recording system
2 rotary heads
Helical scanning system
Audio recording system
Rotary heads, PCM system
Quantization: Fs32 kHz (12 bits,
channels 1/2, channels 3/4),
Fs48 kHz (16 bits, channels 1/2)
Video signal
NTSC color, EIA standards
Usable cassette
Mini DVCAM cassette with the
 mark printed
Mini DV cassette with the 
mark printed
Tape speed
DVCAM format:
Approx. 28.218 mm/s
DV format SP mode: Approx.
18.812 mm/s
Recording/playback time (using
cassette PDVM-40ME)
DVCAM format: 40 min
DV format SP mode: 1 h
Fast-forward/rewind time
(using cassette PDVM-40ME)
Approx. 2 min and 30 s
Viewfinder
Electric viewfinder (B&W)
Image device
1/3 type CCD (3 Charge Coupled
Device) Approx. 380 000 pixels
(Effective: Approx. 340 000 pixels)
Lens
Combined power zoom lens
Filter diameter 58 mm (2 3/8 in)
12× (Optical), 48× (Digital)
F1.6 - 2.4
Focal length
6 - 72 mm (1/4 - 2 7/8 in)
When converted to a 35 mm still
camera
43.2 - 518.4 mm (1 3/4 - 20 1/2 in)
Color temperature
Auto, nIndoor (3 200 K),
 Outdoor (5 800 K), Minimum illumination
2 lux (F1.6)
Input/Output connectors
S VIDEO input/output
Input/output auto switch
4-pin mini DIN
Luminance signal: 1 Vp-p,
75 ohms, unbalanced
Chrominance signal: 0.286 Vp-p,
75 ohms, unbalanced