This seems to be a random thing but is a real pin the ass. I keep getting a message displayed in red "Eject the Tape". This can happen immediately after switch-on or during recording. I can't recall if it happens during playback but I think it may. Any ideas?

John, May 2007

Hi John,

The Sharp engineers designed a fail-safe into the VL series to ensure that if there are any of a few dozen or so faults in the tape carrier, power to the carrier drive is disabled and the error type "EJECT THE CASSETTE" is displayed in red. This protects the carrier and tape from any further damage. The causes run the gamut from easy (excess dust on the heads) to complex ( stepper motor speed control). Usually all the consumer can do is clean the tape path and try again with a new tape. The permanent fix is simple though - buy a new digital camcorder.

Larenzo, September 2022

hi, i have the same problem, cannot solve it. If anyone have the solution please tell us

jamal, August 2007