JVC DVM-90 error message
My battery died just as I ejected a tape. I had to leave the door open until I could charge the battery. When I charged battery and replaced tape, I started getting a message to clean heads. I have tried this several times and it keeps coming back????
-- JEFF VALENTINE (jeffvalentine@friedenagency.com), May 13, 2003
Answers
Hey! Jeff,,,, It is the same here. Once you get your camcorder head to be cleaned; you'll get more problem go on such as "E04: Unit in Safeguard Mode, Remove and Reattach Battery." or "Copying Failed" However look at several advices on the thread it might works for you; it doesn't work for me.... I am going to take an M-16a2 and shoot its ass. GOOD LUCK!
"Once a Marine, Always a Marine!" I guess I don't have to re-enlist.
-- HENRY GORMAN (GormanHT@1MarDiv.USMC.Mil), June 01, 2003.
I am getting the same message with my JVC DVM-90U and half the screen is blank during play back. I am really unhappy with JVC cam corder. To fix it, the repair guy says he needs to replace drum assembly, fix control circuit for US $350. I am just not happy with camcorder at all.
-- No Email (noeamil@noemail.com), August 20, 2003.
I had the problem with my JVC GRDVF camcorder, sometimes tapping on the camcorder works, sometimes removing the battery and reattach works and sometime eject the cassette and while pushing put a little more hard in push helps. One thing is sure that is not the problem with otherthan Cassette to Head connection. Looks like there is a problem in the design of the Cassette container part and the way it connects to the head of the camcorder. Even it works for this time, don't trust it while you are on vacation.
-- Vijay Bhaskar (vijaybhaskar@hotmail.com), August 26, 2003.
ihave a JVC GR-DVX9ea...i've used it for just a year and now its completely trash...its got this e04 message...i remember how ive used it sparingly and ONLY according to the specs (e.g. not too cold environment...and so on).....
i bought a sony dvd camera months ago...i think im not going back to jvc cameras....
-- SCOTT MAKINLEY (jong2028@yahoo.com), November 14, 2003.
i have had the gr-dvm90u for almost 3 years. i have used it very infrequently, but there are a lot of intermittent problems: the first thing that happened (after the 1 yr warranty was up of course) was that i noticed on playback that the video was choppy and pixelated. like it was sliced up into horizontal stripes. it also said 'head cleaning required' . i sent it in to MACK warranty in NJ and i think they fixed it - i thought i saw a trace of it at one point but it's much better. the second thing which seems to be happening to A LOT of people with this and similar models is that the camera suddenly locks up and displays E04 error. sometimes you can make it come back by powering down or taking the tape out, but it makes the camera totally unusable if you can't be sure that it won't shut down on you while filming an important event. i'm going to send it back to mack, but since this is an intermittent problem i KNOW it won't get fixed. i called JVC and complained, but even after they had a manager call me back, i got nothing out of them. i keep reading about people getting together as a group - maybe that would work. this is obviously a lemon and we should get a replacement.
-- barbara handy (jbhandy@adelphia.net), November 23, 2003.
I got the same message on my Dvx80 after very little use. I sent it for repair and got a quote for $450 for a new drum. While waiting to convince myself to having to fork out another fortune, I used it just as a dumb camera and recording onto a VHS. I alos noticed that it did actually work again but only with the previous SP tapes I had recorded on. Both recording and playback are still intermittant and you can tell that the drum doesnt always spin. TApping it on the side usually does the trick though. Maybe JVC should add this to the manual.
I wonder how many annoyed customers JVC are prepared to put up with. I wont buy anything they make ever again!!!.
-- Steve Bridden (sbridden@yahoo.co.uk), November 27, 2003.
I must add my misery to everyone elses. My JVC GR-DVL805u went through the "needs head cleaning" stage and then progressed quickly to the E05 then permanent E04 error. I have found many complaints on the web suck as this but no true fix. I guess its time to trash it. I guess Sony or Canon just found a new customer.
-- Alex Ortiz (alex122269@yahoo.com), December 09, 2003.
What can we do about this problem? My camera displays the same error. I am on my second one and still the same. I never even got a chance to use the stupid camera. I got one off ebay and then I traded it in at costco with the same error. I have the dvm 70 and it works fine.
-- Craig Wade (craigwade@yahoo.com), December 11, 2003.
Same bad experience with the JVC GR-DVL505--head cleaning worked for awhile, but now I get a constant stream of EO4 Unit In Safe Guard Mode messages and camcorder shut down. Please let me know if anyone finds a solution. Otherwise, add me to the JVC Lost Customer list.
-- Robert Peroutka (peroutka@comcast.net), December 24, 2003.
This is what i did to fix mine. It sounds totally odd but it worked for me.
Open up the tape door, eject the tape. lightly squeeze the two long sides that hold the in place. Place the tape back in. The tape should now be slightly snug in the casset holder.
This worked for me. Why it worked I haven't a clue.
I agree the camera suxs!
-- David Tebera (arebet@covad.net), January 15, 2004.
I have a JVC miniDV video camera as well, and like the others with posts here, I began receiving E04 errors. When I began to search the web, I was concerned by the number of errors I saw, and concluded that there must be some sort of inherent design flaw in JVC cameras. On another board I got the contact information for a Ms. Stacy Sample of JVC customer support and I sent her an email regarding my camera, which I've had about three years. After conferring with Ms. Sample, I implemented three suggestions she gave me:
1. Don't store the camera with the tape in. Tape is wrapped around a number of spindles and the spinning head of the recording unit inside the camera. If the camera is stored (turned off for more than a few hours) with the tape inside, if there is any condensation, the tape may stick to internal camera components and cause a transport error. I found this to make sense, inasmuch as all my E04 errors took place after leaving the camera in its bag for extended periods with the tape inside.
2. Don't leave the battery on the camera. It will slowly drain over time. This may not contribute to the error, but it also makes sense.
3. The final suggestion made to me by Ms. Sample is that I use either JVC or Panasonic brand tapes, but avoid Maxell and TDK tapes. Panasonic and JVC are not affiliated, by the way. Generally speaking Maxell and TDK are great tape brands, but in the miniaturized world of mini-dv tapes, even very tiny differences in the physical mechanisms of the tape cartridge may add up to incompatibilities or transport problems.
I have yet to go out and purchase new tapes, having bought Maxell tapes in bulk at a Sam's Club (where I also bought my camera.) However, after talking with Ms. Sample and listening to what she had to say, I left behind my initial anger at the unit and tried what she advised, and thus far I have had good results.
The error messages are designed into the unit to tell the user that something is wrong -- they're like your "check engine light" on your car.
If you get the error, give the camera a gentle whack to move things around in the tape transport mechanism and try to get the tape to eject. Leave the camera open and allow the temperature to equalize. This is especially important if you have had the camera outside in the cold and are coming into a warm heated interior space -- condensation makes tape stick.
Once you're sure everything is dry, insert a new tape and see if the error goes away. I can't speak for others, but I found when I followed this advice, it worked for me. Should you have further questions, I suggest contacting Ms. Stacy Sample at JVC customer support. Here is her contact info:
Stacy Sample Service Coordinator JVC Service & Engineering 10700 Hammerly, suite 110 Houston, Texas 77043 (713) 935-9331 Ext. 101 ssample@jvc.com
I'm writing this as someone who had the same problems you had, but took a chance and listened to what this lady said. Thus far it has worked for me -- I would suggest that perhaps this is a better course than seeking a class action suit with some trial lawyer -- the lawyer will get everything and you'll still be stuck with cameras that may well be useable.
I'm not with JVC -- I work for the corporate headquarters of a car parts chain in Memphis as a systems engineer. I'm just trying to encourage others to cool down and think a bit.
Kindest regards, Rob M.
-- Rob M. (paideia@midsouth.rr.com), January 19, 2004.
Great, what Robert M said. I bought a brand new JVC GR-DVL920 about 1.5 years ago and I used it a couple of times only. Last week while I was recording my daughter's piano recital, the famous E04 error popped up. I tried the recommended remedies but nothing worked.
Miss Stacy Sample's advice did not work. All along I have been using either TDK or Panasonic tapes WITH NO PROBLEM. I bought new JVC tapes and the first one has the honor of welcoming the E04. JVC tapes are not for JVC Camcorders!!.
With so many complaints around the E04, I am surprised the President or Chairman of JVC does not take action of firing their camcorders designer or head of engineering.
DON'T BUY JVC!!!
A JVC NIGHTMARE.
-- Chuan Kim (chuankim@netscape.net), January 31, 2004.
I had the same problem of constantly needing the head cleaned, and it started the time I began having battery troubles. I bought two cleaning tapes, and even boldly applied wet cleaner by hand on Qtip to the heads. I noticed the loading and unloading mechanism was getting sticky right after I replaced the battery. So I followed the gentleman above's intuition and jiggled the mechanism that holds the tape a few times, and squeezed it a little. It's working again. Fingers crossed as to how long....
-- Sharon (sbyrne@verizon.net), February 05, 2004.
I have the same problem with mine and if anyone is throwing their camera away they can give it to me so that i can try to experiment with them to try and find a sure way to fix them. call me at 440-461- 2488 and leave a message for me to get back to you. you could also email me at Alienationator@aol.com
-- Benjamin Beam (Alienationator@aol.com), February 12, 2004.
I have had the EO4 problem with my DVL 505. I had mistakenly assumed at first that the problem was caused by a defective battery and went out and spent $65 for a new one.
-- larry grossman (traderzig@msn.com), February 15, 2004.
Ahhhh the old E04 message.....
Here's my 2 cents. Turned on the camera and couldn't get a picture. It was black and said the lens cap was on (it wasn't). Switched it to 'Play' and hooked it up to my computer. I could control it and see the video. Then I tried to eject the tape. Nope. Turned it off and on and tried again. And again. And again. Holy cow it ejected finally. I looked into it to see if I could find any Gremlins inside. No Gremlins. So I grabbed another tape, put it in and it won't go in. It tries, but it doesn't. The whole tape tray will go in and close 80% if its empty. But with a tape, no luck. So if it's closed (no tape) and I turn it on, I get the E04 message. There seems to be 2 solutions to the E04, if you can get a tape in.
1. Take the battery out, tap around the case near the drum/head (basically over where the tape would be). Put the tape back in. That may work.
2. Take the case off. Adjust the two spindles next to the head that would hold the tape in place. There shoud be one on each side with an adjustment screw on top. Turn a tiny bit at a time, put in a tape and see if it gets better. If not eject the tape and go back to step one until you have a nice picture.
Also letting the camera sit without a battery overnight and new tapes sometimes seem to help. This is just info I have found on other bulletin boards. I can't try them since I can't even get a tape in.
-- Johnny Cash (mindless7761@nettaxi.com), February 26, 2004.
Hmm, have the "E04: Unit in Safeguard Mode, Remove and Reattach Battery" problem with my DVM 90. Sent email to Stacey Sample as suggested by Rob M (earlier poster). Hope it helps...
-- Balu Nadig
-- Balu Nadig (bnadig2003@yahoo.com), February 28, 2004.
Hi. I'm collecting the name, address, phone number, email address, camera model of JVC customers who have the E04 / Battery problem in order to complain to JVC as a group rather than individually. If you would like to be included, please email me with all the relevant information at juancarrera@yahoo.com
-- Juan Carrera (juancarrera@yahoo.com), April 02, 2004.
I have had a JVC GR-DVL500 for about 2 years now. I am getting the infamous E04 error message. Last summer I had this problem and was able to try different things and got it to work again, but still sometimes had trouble. Now my daughter's recital is coming up and no camera. I will never buy JVC again.
-- Regina Rickert (lexiladyrr@access-4-free.com), April 03, 2004.
found a very simple and way too cheap solution,... i noticed mine would do this only in certain possitions, you could hear the drive motor rev up, then you knew what was next, E04 anyway here you go, take a 3 inch by 2 inch piece of thin cardboard, (like from a cereal box) make a fold on the 2 inch side, about 1/2 inch over, do this 3 times, while the tape door is open, but tape is in place, take the folded side and place it all the way down to the metal rail seen deep inside, basicaly the folded end of the cardboard will be between the door and the metal rail, this pushes more pressure on the rail, stopping the problem. when you lookinside with the door open, you will see two metal rails, one moves with the tape, the other is stationary, we are talking about the stationary one. if you don't hear the whine anymore, problem fixxed.
-- JRS (jrs21468@yahoo.com), April 12, 2004.
No answer, just more grumbling. I used my GR-D30 3 times since I purchased it 4 months ago. Went to use it last Saturday, and got and E04 error telling me to eject and reinstall the tape. No avail, I have tried and tried to get it to eject. All I get is what has become a very annoying chiming sound. I finally contacted an authorized dealer, and of course the labor part of the warrenty is up. $75.00 if I want to have it looked at (I have to pay shipping both ways). Then I can choose if I want to pay for the actual repair. Needless to say, I'm very frustrated. My analog Cannon camcorder worked for years and years before the video went to crud.
If anyone has any additional ideas on how to get the tape to eject, or knows how to hard reset the error in the camera so I can get the tape to move, I would appreciate it.
John
-- john (john_vw@hotmail.com), April 15, 2004.
