HV20 LCD Brightness 'locked'?

[frame]

Hi folks,
I am quite perplexed by an issue I have with my HV20. I was filming the other day and the LCD got wet via the rain. The image was seriously diminished and foggy on the LCD (viewfinder was fine) and so I ramped up the LCD display brightness to 100% so I could see what I was filming. Later on in the day, the LCD fogginess had gone but the LCD was now solid white, a result of the 100% brightness, I would suppose. Now I am trying to set the LCD brightness display back to 50% but for some odd reason I am now 'locked' out of the option. I no longer have the option of restoring it in the display setup. The 'Brightness' option is there but it is not highlighted. It looks like I am locked out of setting that now but I cannot fathom for the life of me how I 'unlock' it? Any ideas?
Cheers.

[Janke]

Reset button?

[frame]

Reset button?

Tried that but no dice, unfortunately. I think I must've permanently fried the LCD. Ugh.

[Dr. Benway]

Hve you changed modes? From Tv to cinemode? Try such variables. Flick it from P to Auto and try again. Good luck.

[zzw1983]

This camera is not resistant to any water at all! I got a small amount of rain in mine and the LCD cut out now and again.

There may still be moisture in your camera screwing things up. Have you tried leaving the cassette door open for a while and letting it all dry out? Sometimes the problems are fixed when it dries out as was the case with mine.

[frame]

Hve you changed modes? From Tv to cinemode? Try such variables. Flick it from P to Auto and try again. Good luck.

I have tried all of these but no luck.

[Bif]

When a camera or camcorder gets "wet" it should be shut off immediately and no attempt to power on and try it out until it has been given a chance to thoroughly dry out.

Leave it "opened up" (and remove the battery) in a dry air conditioned environment for several hours then seal it in a ziplock bag with activated dessicant or uncooked rice (this can draw a lot of moisture out!) and leave it that way for a few days.

Do NOT try to power it up until the above has been done.

Finally put the battery in and give it a try (chances are the circuits are damaged but sometimes if it was shut off fast enough after getting wet everything will work).

But in frame's case I think continuing to use the HV20 after moisture affected the LCD display probably did damage. Canon will likely refuse to attempt repair on it. Moisture does damage to a lot of stuff and they feel that even if they get it working they cannot guaranty something else won't fail from moisture damage. This was the case with one guy's 5D MkII, he did have insurance and his insurer cut a check for a new one.

In frame's situation, I think it is time for a new camcorder and some kind of rain cover. I got one for small camcorders from B&H for about $35 a few years ago (we've got severe drought in West Texas so it hasn't seen a lot of use. I also recommend a couple or few 1 gallon size Zipllock bags be stuffed in the camera bag at all times. They'll save your camera and lenses.

Bruce Foreman