As with all video drum replacement, there are mechanical and electrical adjustments required. The guide post heights need to be adjusted to get a flat RF envelope. This requires an alignment tape, reel tension gauges, an oscilloscope, a special screwdriver, and the service cables to get at the test connector.
The electrical adjustments are adjustment of the head-switching points. In this model both the digital and analog head switching must be adjusted. This is done with the RM-95 Service Tool, or Sony's newer adjustment computer interface tool, the alignment tapes, an oscilloscope, and the appropriate service cables. The adjustment is done by changing data in the mechanism control eprom memory. There are other adjustments that might be needed when replacing the drum assembly but they are rarely needed. About one out of 10 analog camcorders turn out not to need the adjustments, but I have never found that to be the case with the digital camcorders.
The service jigs and cables can cost between $300 to $600 for a specific group of Sony camcorders. I stopped buying the new ones because people would rather buy new than pay for the repair, so I refer people to the Sony Factory service center now, because thats one of the few places that will have the equipment and experience to do the job correctly.
