Thanks God for this info. Amazing!

This advice just saved the life of a short deadline job for a national broadcaster. Smack that camera!

Thanks, I had to wack the sides several times real hard but it seems to working now. The problem is the camera, no the tape. It did the same with a different tape. Thanks again for the advice. Terry in Texas

I was all set to turn my camera in for repairs. I was skeptical about giving it a whack but figured - it doesn't work now so how could I possibly make it worse. Two firm open-handed whacks in each side and no more stinking error. Thanks for some great info! To anyone who's leary about doing this - try it, you'll like it.

amazing! it worked for me too! i have let this camera sit for months meaning many times to get online, it would have saved me so much heartache missing moments i wanted to capture with new baby and the children! and i agree i wanted to smack it out of frustration i guess i should have!! thanks! cheapest easiest technical fix i have ever had!

Don't whack the camera! At least not first. With mine is was the tape, not the camera, that needed a whack. There's a little lever inside a depression in the back of the cassette. When the lever is pressed the tape can turn. When it's not the spools are locked in place. If that lever doesn't move the camera can't use the tape and it says to reinsert it. I moved the level with a pencil and heard a noise inside the cassette, which seemed to be the spool lock popping loose. It had been stuck. Then moving the lever again was silent, and the camera is happy with the tape again.

hey i saw that you solved your problem and i would like to see if anyone could help me i need the drivers for sony handycam dcr-tvr250 and i cannot find them on internet and i lost the cds like several years ago thanks

My camcorder had error C31:23. After a few hard whacks on each side it now works fine. I am an electronics technician and was looking on the net to find some information on this error and run across this information. I thought this would not work but didn't figure it would hurt to try. And what do you know it worked and I didn;t have to take anything apart. Great advice.

Genius! Pure unadulterated GENIUS! The best part is that I have wanted to smack that stupid camera like that for a long time.

dcrtrv250 -unit needs hall sensors in mech or capstan motor,we can repair this $69.95 plus parts Dhcr32 unit might have bad capstan motor or servo motor ribbon bad We can repair thi $69.95 plus parts send us an e-mail sonyrepairs@yahoo.com www.6995camerarepair.com