This worked for me... From SONY support: Follow this procedure to troubleshoot if the cassette compartment will not open or the tape is stuck and will not eject. Power off the camcorder. Remove the battery from the camera. Remove the AC power supply from the camera. Slide the power switch on the camera to the VTR mode for 15 seconds. Slide the power switch back to the OFF position. Connect the AC power supply to the camera. Attempt to open the cassette compartment. NOTE: If the issue is still unresolved after completing all of the troubleshooting steps, service will be required.