Blue screen on Video 8 to Digital 8

[sticky-knight]

I have recently bought an 'as new' Digital 8 camcorder (Sony DCR-TVR245E PAL) to play my old Video 8 tapes. My original Video 8 player is broken beyond repair. I read that this camcorder would play Video 8 and allow me to transfer onto DVD.
The camera seems to work ok. Records and plays back on a Digital 8 cassette that came with it, etc. However, when I attempt to play back my Vidoe 8 tapes I only get a blue screen. The spools turn as normal and all mechanics sound ok but the image and sound don't appear.
Can anyone please tell me what is wrong.

[Bix]

Not all Digital 8 camcorders play Video 8 tapes.

[sticky-knight]

This model is supposed to be backward compatable. However, could it be that whilst it can use video 8 tapes to record and play back, it still won't playback on a tape that has been recorded using an older video 8 recorder?

[zoobie]

if you do a search here, you'll see this has been mentioned in other threads
about all you can do is double check your connections and settings
any chance you can return it and just buy what you need?

[danno78]

Sony DCR-TRV245 don`t play tapes made in Video8/Hi8 format! From the same series TRV345, 355 and 356 will play 8mm analog tapes.

[jochenstacker]

I have a Sony DCR TRV 320E.
It will play 8mm and Hi8 tapes, while also accepting incoming video from composite and/or S video, while digitising and letting me record the data stream via my PC.
I got possession of a Sony DCR TRV 245E.
This camera does none of these things. It will record and play back Digital8 and that's it.
All other features have been quietly deleted by Sony.
However Sony does advertise the 245 as "fully compatible with 8mm and Hi8 tapes".
What they don't tell you is the fact this only refers to recording onto these tapes in Digital8, but that it won't play back tapes that are recorded in 8mm/Hi8.
Why Sony would want to delete a feature that to many people was the sole reason to buy the camera in the first place and then refuse a refund based exactly on this technicality is a complete mystery to me.
Other than Sony being run by either incompetent fools or sadists or people who want to lose the company as much business as possible, there is no sane or reasonable explanation for this lunacy.