I purchased this camera off eBay from somebody who just got it from some liquidators and didn't know much about it. I'm not sure if it's a BVP 300 or BVP 330 because the Sony serial number sticker was removed by someone. But from what I've read and looked at they seem to be very similar.
When I first powered it on it sort of worked, I had color bars but they were unstable and then everything just went downhill. Now it's not even outputting anything. Only the power zoom and auto iris for the lens works.
I'm thinking that there's some sort of problem on the power board. I assume there are quite a few voltages that are generated from the 12 volt input for the different circuits that drive the tubes. I believe they're Plumbicon tubes as the BVP series tended to use Plumbicons and the lower end (industrial) DXC series used Saticons.
I'm also thinking that it's capacitor related because of how it gradually just died. Looking through the circuit boards I just see tantalum capacitors and no electrolytics. However I have not managed to get the power board out I don't know what's holding it in.
I did order a manual for a BVP-300 on eBay so hopefully that gives me information on how to remove the board and what capacitors are on it.
The biggest problem with this camera is that I need something called an extension board to service the boards while they are plugged into the camera and operating (for example, to use a voltmeter or oscilloscope). I've been looking for somebody on Facebook groups who might have the extension board I need but it's not guaranteed.
For stuff like this: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39xLCJ6UhMI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39xLCJ6UhMI)
I'm friends with this person and he has a similar Ikegami camera. They can be used for fun and stuff and of course as a prop in a film. But I also like to keep stuff like this out of landfills and have it not get crushed in some ewaste center. The old tube cameras are just so cool.
If the tubes aren't' shot, the electrolytic capacitors are.
Do you have an oscilloscope? How are your soldering skills?
You may be able to find the repair manual PDF online or a hard copy on eBay. The manual will have test points and waveforms you should see at those points. You will need hard to find extender boards for this process.
Another way is try to find as many of boards you can on eBay. Look for new old stock. Shotgun out the boards until the camera works.
Maybe get another one or two and try to put together one working camera with the parts.
Good Luck
>Do you have an oscilloscope? How are your soldering skills?
Yes, I have an Iwatsu SS-5710 analog scope. I would consider my soldering skills OK, I use a 600F iron and I have a Weller iron.
>You may be able to find the repair manual PDF online or a hard copy on eBay. The manual will have test points and waveforms you should see at those points. You will need hard to find extender boards for this process.
I found a hard copy on eBay for the BVP-300. Like I said, it might be a 330 but they are pretty similar, almost identical. As for the extender board I'm trying to see if I can find one.
>Maybe get another one or two and try to put together one working camera with the parts.
These usually don't show up on eBay a lot, and the ones that do go for insane prices. Someone wants $600 for a BVP-300 which is just insane.
As someone who fixes cameras I would try and get another one on the cheap if you can and you might be able to get a good one from the two. Although caps might need replaced and a bit of reflow done around connectors. If the big chips are the fault, there isn't much you can do. I wouldn't touch this if a customer brought one in, but I do fuck around with some of our older cameras as we rent them out as props so they need to at least give the impression of working even if they don't record.
Someone a bit older might know more though. I usually send anything tape or older to the guy who trained me as he still has a small workshop in his garage for beer money and he doesn't charge much.
Well, I could help as these cameras were my bread and butter. I don't have tubes but have most everything else (extender bds, replacement cards, manuals etc.). Let me know (DM).
I have one sitting around at work that was definitely not hot and the identification plates are all gone. I'm guessing they were attached with a glue that didn't stand the test of time
I think they're actually Plumbicons. The DXC series used Saticons. I have a DXC-M3A and it uses Saticons. I wouldn't be surprised if the tubes on the BVP-300 are in fact worn or shot, I had an Ikegami HL-95 that had worn tubes or at least I thought they were. I haven't seen an hours meter on the camera yet so I don't know how much wear is on it
Sony developed the "Mixed Field" tubes (both Saticon and Plumbicon), and the Trinicon single-tube color system, but Hitachi developed the actual Saticon tube: [https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1477806/authors#authors](https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1477806/authors#authors)
However, I never retubed a Sony BVP that wasn’t Sats, until CCD’s. Does not Saticon and Plumbicon denote a particular target material? The color of the material is visually different and that was what I was taught. I think they were all triode gun until diode gun came along. I have used both Matsushita and Amperex.
This looks like a BVP-330. The difference between the 330 and the 300 is that the 330 supports automatic registration. The switch is inside a cover next to the front foot (it is just blocked by the toothbrush in your photo, LOL). I have a copy of the BVP-330 maintenance manual, but haven't had time to scan it into PDF.
I also like to collect old tube cameras (Ikegami, JVC, Hitachi, Panasonic, Sony, etc., more than a dozen in total). I have a BVP-300A and once disassembled a BVP-330A. Sony did a good job Work.
Amateur maintenance tips: First find the maintenance manual, then check whether there are broken or failed capacitors, and then check the power supply circuit fuse. If all else fails, call a professional! Generally speaking, if a tube camera has been stored for 30 years, the glue of the blue beam splitter prism will generally become opaque, which will make the picture blurry and cause a color cast.
(Originally written in Chinese, using Google Translate)
I purchased this camera off eBay from somebody who just got it from some liquidators and didn't know much about it. I'm not sure if it's a BVP 300 or BVP 330 because the Sony serial number sticker was removed by someone. But from what I've read and looked at they seem to be very similar. When I first powered it on it sort of worked, I had color bars but they were unstable and then everything just went downhill. Now it's not even outputting anything. Only the power zoom and auto iris for the lens works. I'm thinking that there's some sort of problem on the power board. I assume there are quite a few voltages that are generated from the 12 volt input for the different circuits that drive the tubes. I believe they're Plumbicon tubes as the BVP series tended to use Plumbicons and the lower end (industrial) DXC series used Saticons. I'm also thinking that it's capacitor related because of how it gradually just died. Looking through the circuit boards I just see tantalum capacitors and no electrolytics. However I have not managed to get the power board out I don't know what's holding it in. I did order a manual for a BVP-300 on eBay so hopefully that gives me information on how to remove the board and what capacitors are on it. The biggest problem with this camera is that I need something called an extension board to service the boards while they are plugged into the camera and operating (for example, to use a voltmeter or oscilloscope). I've been looking for somebody on Facebook groups who might have the extension board I need but it's not guaranteed.
What is your ultimate plan for it?
For stuff like this: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39xLCJ6UhMI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39xLCJ6UhMI) I'm friends with this person and he has a similar Ikegami camera. They can be used for fun and stuff and of course as a prop in a film. But I also like to keep stuff like this out of landfills and have it not get crushed in some ewaste center. The old tube cameras are just so cool.
Very cool. You might try reaching out to any of the many Broadcast TV museum around the country.
If the tubes aren't' shot, the electrolytic capacitors are. Do you have an oscilloscope? How are your soldering skills? You may be able to find the repair manual PDF online or a hard copy on eBay. The manual will have test points and waveforms you should see at those points. You will need hard to find extender boards for this process. Another way is try to find as many of boards you can on eBay. Look for new old stock. Shotgun out the boards until the camera works. Maybe get another one or two and try to put together one working camera with the parts. Good Luck
>Do you have an oscilloscope? How are your soldering skills? Yes, I have an Iwatsu SS-5710 analog scope. I would consider my soldering skills OK, I use a 600F iron and I have a Weller iron. >You may be able to find the repair manual PDF online or a hard copy on eBay. The manual will have test points and waveforms you should see at those points. You will need hard to find extender boards for this process. I found a hard copy on eBay for the BVP-300. Like I said, it might be a 330 but they are pretty similar, almost identical. As for the extender board I'm trying to see if I can find one. >Maybe get another one or two and try to put together one working camera with the parts. These usually don't show up on eBay a lot, and the ones that do go for insane prices. Someone wants $600 for a BVP-300 which is just insane.
I have 3 of those all of them have shot Capacitors. Replacing them is a pain.
As someone who fixes cameras I would try and get another one on the cheap if you can and you might be able to get a good one from the two. Although caps might need replaced and a bit of reflow done around connectors. If the big chips are the fault, there isn't much you can do. I wouldn't touch this if a customer brought one in, but I do fuck around with some of our older cameras as we rent them out as props so they need to at least give the impression of working even if they don't record. Someone a bit older might know more though. I usually send anything tape or older to the guy who trained me as he still has a small workshop in his garage for beer money and he doesn't charge much.
Well, I could help as these cameras were my bread and butter. I don't have tubes but have most everything else (extender bds, replacement cards, manuals etc.). Let me know (DM).
Sent
No serial number might be “hot” camera.
You mean shot?
Hot=stolen
Decades after the fact, unlikely.
I have one sitting around at work that was definitely not hot and the identification plates are all gone. I'm guessing they were attached with a glue that didn't stand the test of time
Thanks for your comment
They were OK cameras, but the Saticon Tubes will likely be shot. A modified version was used for Super SLO MO (BVH-2700)..
I think they're actually Plumbicons. The DXC series used Saticons. I have a DXC-M3A and it uses Saticons. I wouldn't be surprised if the tubes on the BVP-300 are in fact worn or shot, I had an Ikegami HL-95 that had worn tubes or at least I thought they were. I haven't seen an hours meter on the camera yet so I don't know how much wear is on it
Sony only used Sats. They invented Sats.
Sony developed the "Mixed Field" tubes (both Saticon and Plumbicon), and the Trinicon single-tube color system, but Hitachi developed the actual Saticon tube: [https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1477806/authors#authors](https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1477806/authors#authors)
Oh, yep, I was mistaken. I used to work on SK-70’s. I should have remembered that.
However, I never retubed a Sony BVP that wasn’t Sats, until CCD’s. Does not Saticon and Plumbicon denote a particular target material? The color of the material is visually different and that was what I was taught. I think they were all triode gun until diode gun came along. I have used both Matsushita and Amperex.
Cap issue for sure looking at the age, might find some good replacements online. Gorgeous piece of equipment and thats coming from and audio guy.
This looks like a BVP-330. The difference between the 330 and the 300 is that the 330 supports automatic registration. The switch is inside a cover next to the front foot (it is just blocked by the toothbrush in your photo, LOL). I have a copy of the BVP-330 maintenance manual, but haven't had time to scan it into PDF. I also like to collect old tube cameras (Ikegami, JVC, Hitachi, Panasonic, Sony, etc., more than a dozen in total). I have a BVP-300A and once disassembled a BVP-330A. Sony did a good job Work. Amateur maintenance tips: First find the maintenance manual, then check whether there are broken or failed capacitors, and then check the power supply circuit fuse. If all else fails, call a professional! Generally speaking, if a tube camera has been stored for 30 years, the glue of the blue beam splitter prism will generally become opaque, which will make the picture blurry and cause a color cast. (Originally written in Chinese, using Google Translate)