On Mon, 14 May 2001 06:34:37 -0700, "Richard Crowley" wrote:

>* There WAS a problem with PD-150s and VX-2000s.
>* The problem was unusually low SNR (i.e. "lots of hiss") when used in
>non-AGC mode.
>* It probably affected from a few hundred to maybe a few thousand units.
>* Sony offered a fixed-price "modification" (Sony's face-saving term,
>customers called it a "fix") for the PD-150. These are called "get well
>plan"s in industrial circles. They are done by manufacturers when they have
>released a bunch of products which clearly have a design/manufacturing
>problem. They are the next step below a "recall" which we have seen
>frequently with automobiles.
>* Sony very quickly revised the get-well plan to free when they started
>getting major flack from pro-sumer customers.
>* Sony never offered anything for VX-2000 owners except their lame (my
>characterization) web page which attempts to explain why you should use AGC
>to avoid the hiss. http://www.sel.sony.com/SEL/service/dcrvx2000.shtml
>* Evidence would indicate that the problem has been fixed for both PD-150
>and VX-2000.
>* There are still hundreds (thousands?) of VX-2000 camcorders out there with
>the problem. I wouldn't dream of buying one without checking out the audio
>section first. For that matter there are probably PD-150s out there with the
>problem whose owners either don't use manual audio recording level or don't
>know about the get well plan. (Or else they shoot only seascapes and don't
>notice the hiss!)
>* I would have no qualms about buying a NEW VX-2000.
>* End of discussion as far as I am concerned.

Likewise, as far as I'm concerned.
There is no new ground covered here...
(We shall continue to see this differently, I guess.)