Hi Andrew. I have a similar problem. Found the following on another messsage board(now closed) and seems to work. Time will tell. "The simple first step is to STOP using Sony tapes of any kind in this unit. According to several sources on the internet, the Sony brand is one of two actual OEM brands of tape. The other is Panasonic, and they farm out theirs to Fuji, JVC, etc. I believe that all of these others (other than Sony) might be fine in the JVC, but if you're reading this forum, chances are that you've either used a Sony tape at one time at another, or someone else has. Or, you might just be in a humid environment. I live in Houston, so it's very important to use dessicant packets in and around your camcorder storage. These are the "Do not eat" packets found in camera bags and shoe boxes. I would double and triple up on these packets. I stored my JVC GR- D31U with a bunch of these packets after having problems with humidity errors. I also stopped using the Sony tapes, or any tapes that had been used with my Sony TRV900. I switched to the Panasonic tape, and it worked like a charm. No more problems with E03, firewire artifacts or malfunctions that occurred regularly with the Sony tapes. If you're problem is bad enough, you might have to have the heads cleaned, but I would be careful how you did it, and who you let do it, because, remember, many tape head cleaners are using fluids and liquids, either added or originally embedded in the cloth tape, if I'm not mistaken. If I had a JVC camcorder that didn't work after switching to non- sony tapes, and I didn't want to trust the camcorder to someone cleaning it who didn't understand all of this or if I didn't want to spend the money, I would probably try some virgin, untouched q-tips, and wipe any of the surfaces that look like they could come in touch with tape. Make sure that you don't leave any cotton strands in the compartment. Please correct me if this would be dangerous to the drum, but if it's a last ditch effort, and you're not using the camcorder anyway, then this might be worth it, I don't know. This is a very common sense approach to a very common problem. I spent several nights mulling over this, and the solution came to me with rest and breaks away from the problem. The camera works fine now. Just use the information here, and let me know if it works for you. Another problem that I had initially was not using the correct ac adaptor. ONLY use the original equipment JVC adapter. The wrong one can drive the logic in this machine temporarily NUTS! Good luck, and let me know if you have any other observations or revelations, Jimmy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Re: JVC GR - DVL300 EVERYONE!!!!!! A FIX FOR JVC I THINK! Do me a favor and try this fix. Everyone talks about preasure points, smacking the camera, etc.. Also people gettign the drum replaced. Try this fix. Its almot magical!. Open the door to the camera, eject the tape, and the metal bar on the BOTTOM of where you slide the tape in, just slightly bend it in. Just enough so that as you put the tape in and watch it go down. The bar will actually push against the bottom of the drum a bit and get pushed back out as the tape descends. Try to play a tape that used to have problems, it works, and I Can record again! Id didnt believe it at first, so I straightend out the bar again, and again, got E04, and nothing playing back. Once I bent it in slightly again, it started working again!!!! Try it and write me back! Dave Date: 16 Jan 2005 18:26 Author: Dave "