I have a Sony CCD-V5 camcorder and it plays video and records, except it turns off after a few seconds. It does record new footage for a few seconds before it turns off. The newly recorded video can be played back, also for only a few seconds. I will describe what happens during playback and then what happens during recording.

When playing back video, it looks good, but a click comes from the camera about once a second and the display flickers (both viewfinder and display output) and audio crackles in sync with the click. Usually after a few clicks the screen freezes for about half a second and then turns off and is unresponsive to everything except the tape eject button and only becomes responsive again if I eject the tape and put it back in or disconnect power for more then about five seconds. If I press the stop button right after it freezes then the camera keeps responding.

During recording the viewfinder and video-out display correctly, it just makes a quieter click sound once a second and records for a bit then the screen goes black and it hums for a couple seconds then is unresponsive, the same as with playback.

Sometimes when I try to eject the tape after it is unresponsive the camera hums for a few seconds and does not eject the tape then only responds after I remove the power.

 

This class of Sony camcorders was famous for having problems with surface mounted electrolytic caps leaking and causing all kinds of odd problems. I would start by examining the main board. Look at the condition of the small silver electrolytic caps and the area around them. I would expect to see traces that have been eaten away and obvious signs of leaking.

Take a few photos of the board and look closely.

Dan

 

The old school vhs recorders had many motors, belts and rolling tape guides. Many of the bearings where oiled sintered brass bushings. The oil dries out and the motors don't turn easily. The spring tensioners on one of the wheels likely has a micro switch to detect when the tape is pulled to tightly. Once tripped, the micro switch on the tensioner is equivalent to pushing the stop button. You can try lubing it but the oil in those bushings is impregnated into the metal powder and new oil doesn't go into the old oil very easily so it may not help adding more good oil over bad. If it does help, you may need to add often (worth a try - simple low viscosity machine oil (3&1 or anything you want).

 

VCR and camcorder tapes shrink over time and become tightly wound. This overloads the mechanical drive system, causing the overload protection to cut in. If you still have problems after you have checked the belts and lubricated the pulleys, wind the tape all the way and then re-wind it, by hand if necessary. That may help to solve your problem.