Troubleshooting guide for Samsung SD/HD Camcorder

Camcorder does not power on

Before testing the battery, ensure that the AC Adapter or Power Cord is not defective by following these steps:

Camcorder does not power on with AC adapter connected

If the camcorder does not power on with the AC adapter connected, use another similiar adapter or cord from other devices (such as DVD Player) to test. If problem persists, replace the adapter or cord with a new one.

Camcorder has power with AC adapter connected

To check the battery, follow these steps:

Problems when taking pictures with your camcorder

a) LCD screen is blank during playback only

If the screen is blank during playback only, it's possible that the memory card has been damaged or was already damaged prior to recording.

Try playing back a video recorded in the internal memory of the camcorder. If you can play back a video in the internal memory, the memory card is faulty. If the video in the internal memory is showing the same result, the camcorder need to be sent for servicing.

b) LCD display is blank during recording only

The following will result in the LCD display being blank while recording:

• Multi-AV cable is connected
When connected to your TV or VCR inputs, the LCD display on some models will turn off. Remove the A/V cable to resolve the problem

• USB cable is connected
When connected to your PC using the USB cord, the LCD display on some models will turn off. Remove the USB cable to resolve the problem

• Display option is turned off
Press the display button to turn the OSD on

If the screen is still blank after checking all of the above, the camcorder will require servicing.

c) LCD display is blank during playback and recording

If the LCD display is blank during both playback and recording, chances are the camcorder is going to require service. However, there's a slight chance that the memory card has been damaged or one of the following has occurred. 

Please try using a new memory card or the internal memory of your camcorder and check the suggestions below. If this does not resolve the problem, you will need to send the camcorder for servicing.

• Multi-AV cable is connected
When connected to your TV or VCR inputs, the LCD display on some models will turn off. Remove the A/V cable to resolve the problem

• Display option is turned off
Press the display button to turn the OSD on

No audio during playback / No effect on volume control

Card errors

For low speed cards, please record at a lower quality.

When you are using a lower write speed memory card, in an attempt to preserve every bit of the movie, the camcorder will forcibly stores the movie on the memory card and displays a warning: Low speed card, please record at a lower quality.

If you are unavoidably using a low speed memory card, lower the recording quality by one level from TV Fine to TV Normal or Web & Mobile to reduce the data size. Remember, the higher the quality setting, the bigger the data size and the faster the write speed you need.

For optimal performance of your camcorder, ensure to purchase a fast speed memory card that supports a write speed of at least 2MB/sec. This will allow you to record video smoothly and take multiple photos in rapid succession.

If you use a lower write speed memory card when recording a movie, the card may have difficulties storing the movie. You may even lose your movie file during recording.