FYI - A customer read in a recent article in EQ magazine that Sony has a fix for DTCA7s that fixes intermittant problems with some machines eating tapes and such. There are 2 fixes. One is a 175.00 repair to the existing transport, and the other costs 400.00, and replaces the existing transport.

Sorry for the delay in getting you this information, but the price has
actually gone down on the transport replacement for the DTC-A7.
The customer will pay $230 for units that are out of parts warranty, and
$140 for units that are still under parts warranty. The warranty for the
DTC-A7 is 90 days labor, and 1 year parts. Sony requests that customers send
their units to Service Department 1200 N. Arlington Heights Road Itasca, IL
60143. Customers are responsible for freight to and from Sony Service.