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I want to use my Sony Handycam as a WEBCAM but the problem is it shuts off when it does not record for some time. There is a time delay that if the camera is not used for a while (when you do not record but monitor), it shuts down monitoring. It is common for most of the Sony Handycams. Does anybody know how to cancel it?
Bulent <bulentya@hotmail.com>
USA - Friday, January 04, 2002 at 09:23:00 (GMT)Yes, this is covered in my TRV900 FAQ. See for example
www.bealecorner.com/trv900/dvfaq.html#shutoff john USA -
Friday, January 04, 2002 at 19:48:33 (GMT)Hi John, Great site. I was unable to find a TRV900 I could afford at the time but wish I had done so instead of the PC 5 I bought. Has anyone ever heard of Analog in being enabled on the PC 5 ? I keep hoping it might be possible.
Saleem <medc@post.com>
UK - Saturday, January 05, 2002 at 23:34:07 (GMT)I have recently bought a Sony Memory Stick and the Sony PCMCIA adaptor card for my TRV-900. On loading this gear into the camera I am afronted by incessant beeping and a "memory unreadable" flashing icon. I've also had trouble with the supplied floppy-disk adaptor, receiving the same repsonse as I've just described. The Memory stick is definitely set to writeable mode. If anyone has any logical suggestions I would be most appreciative.
Jono Fitzgerald <jonofitzgerald78@hotmail.com>
Melbourne, Vic USA - Wednesday, January 09, 2002 at 03:00:30 (GMT)
If you have a blank disk or blank memory card, you must "format" the memory
device using the TRV900's menu selection for that purpose, before it can be
used. Failing that there may be something wrong with your PCMCIA slot,
possibly dirty, or a bent/broken pin? John USA - Wednesday,
January 09, 2002 at 19:01:37 (GMT)thanks, for your good page
Carlos Torres <catodu@cantv.net>
Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela - Thursday, January 10, 2002 at 03:12:04 (GMT)I am cutting a video on final cut pro, through a TRV900 as a playback. As I am trying to record the output, I am experiencing sound problem. I wonder if anyone has this problem before. There is either a incompatibilty between 48khz (FCP) to 22khz(camera.) Iam not sure if TRV is 22khz. Or there is a problem with my recording head. More urgently, I wonder if anyone owns a PAL TRV900 in New York City area. I desperately needed to make an output by Monday. Please reply if you have any information on this. Thanks.
Susan Greene <muslove@hotmail.com>
NYC, NY USA - Saturday, January 19, 2002 at 08:12:15 (GMT)The TRV900 records sound either as 48 kHz or 32 kHz. 22 kHz is not an option. I assume you have your FCP program set to whichever video mode (NTSC or PAL) you want the output to be. For more advice about FCP try visiting www.2-pop.com
John
USA - Tuesday, January 22, 2002 at 18:21:21 (GMT)John, you do wonderful work, but I can't open your new (moved) TRV-900 page. Wassup!
Jeff Shear <jlshear@starpower.net>
Silver Spring, MD USA - Saturday, January 26, 2002 at 15:45:19 (GMT)I had some stale links; should be fixed now. Refresh the main page and try again.
john
USA - Sunday, January 27, 2002 at 06:38:06 (GMT)After much deliberation, I just purchased a TRV900. Your
website was invaluable in helping me make that decision,
and no doubt it will continue to be asset once I start using
my camcorder (I know very little beyond the BARE basics when
it comes to camera principles and operation). Thanks for
all the time and effort you put into your research and
documentation! --Paul.
Paul Rahoi <prahoi@nabbnet.com>
Hennepin, IL USA - Sunday, January 27, 2002 at 23:45:47 (GMT)Great site. Its been very useful. I have my first dance recital to film this weekend. Would like any advice I can get about if I should use auto or manual exposure for the best results-any hints would be greatful. I am a freshman at this video filming but not age (49).
Thanks Lee
Lee Rogers <lrogers@isd.net>
Minneapolis, MN USA - Tuesday, January 29, 2002 at 15:24:43 (GMT)Depends on whether they are varying the light, and your skill level. If they are changing the light often, it can be very difficult to track it manually. See also
http://www.bealecorner.com/trv900/tips.html#stage
John
USA - Tuesday, January 29, 2002 at 20:29:44 (GMT)Thanks John, It had some really good advice. By the way how to you have the time to maintain this site and do all the other things you do. Sounds like you never have time for much else. I did buy the 900 because of the infor here.
Lee
Lee <lrogers@isd.net>
Minneapolis, MN USA - Wednesday, January 30, 2002 at 14:05:04 (GMT)Saw several sites referencing Analog In/DV Out on the TRV900. Bought one only to discover you cannot do Analog In directly to DV Out without recording on DV tape. Have seen lots of hacks to change NVRAM, but am worried about screwing up my new toy. Any better approach? Is it safe to change memory registers? Any PC software that can do the task safely via the firewire link? Thanks
Dave Doster <ddoster@peoplepc.com>
Novi, MI USA - Friday, February 01, 2002 at 04:54:55 (GMT)I believe my site has the correct info on this topic. Maybe you can notify those sites with the wrong information so they can correct it. The only way to get DV transcoding on a TRV900 is the (quite simple) "hack" described on my RM-95 page. If you are not comfortable with that, my only advice is to find a Sony MiniDV or Digital8 camera model released after May 2000, past that date they all offer this feature standard, I believe.
John
USA - Friday, February 01, 2002 at 05:56:14 (GMT)Great Site. I wish there was a clearer resolution / identificatin of the tape crinkle issue. Since this product is mature (came out in 98), is there any indication it has been modfied to correct this problem? The cleaning solution sounds good, but I have not seen any comments on why this product seems to have a high occurance of this problem, and other don't. The low light characteristics attract me to this over the TRV30; the 3ccd and better lense are just side benefits to help overcome the extra size / weight diference.
Great site, you've ansred most of my questions, just those remaining.
Thanks,
Barry
Barry <trv@marks1.com>
austin, tx USA - Saturday, February 02, 2002 at 23:59:11 (GMT)thanks. i refer to your informative web page often.
juan g. gan
baltimore, md USA - Sunday, February 03, 2002 at 22:46:30 (GMT)Hi John
Question please as this is really baffling me. I used my 900 this weekend with a remote tri-pod with remote handle to control the power and zoom. When I tried to record with it yesterday without the controller I push the record button and it would not record. I hook the remote up to it and it recorded just fine. Is there a reset button or am I missing something here.
Thanks very much if you can help.
Lee
Lee Rogers <lrogers@isd.net>
Minneapolis, MN USA - Tuesday, February 05, 2002 at 20:26:13 (GMT)One more thing, is it not possible to go from vcr to 900 to mac g4 through firewire? I can go the opposite way just fine but am having a hard time figuring this out. Thanks again
Lee
Lee Rogers <lrogers@isd.net>
Minneapolis, MN USA - Tuesday, February 05, 2002 at 20:28:40 (GMT)The TRV900 does in fact have a reset button, in the button area on the
side of the camera by the LCD fold-out screen. I wonder if, coincidentally,
you just had a mechanical failure of the button, which does sometimes
happen.
The TRV900 cannot do "real-time transcoding" or analog ->
firewire passthrough. More recent Sony cameras do offer this feature. You
can record onto MiniDV tape first, then play back via firewire. Or, if
you're really intent on doing it "live", you can "hack" the camera as
described here:
http://www.bealecorner.com/trv900/rm95.html#transcoding John
USA - Wednesday, February 06, 2002 at 02:08:58 (GMT)Thanks John,
Keep up the great site.
Lee Rogers <lrogers@isd.net>
Minneapolis, MN USA - Wednesday, February 06, 2002 at 14:35:23 (GMT)I am seriously considering buying a TRV900. It looks like exactly what I want. One question ..... what kind of quality can I expect to get printing "stills" from the DV tape? I have a new Epson Stylus Photo 785EPX and can download directly to the PC and, I believe, also directly to the printer via the memory stick. The 785EPX allows printing, using the printer as a "stand alone".
Bill McClung <txwanabe@wizard.net>
Alexandria, VA USA - Thursday, February 07, 2002 at 21:16:52 (GMT)The TRV900 generates good images considering they are only 640x480
pixels, and they are good for web page use. Do not expect them to compare
these to digital still cameras, as even the $150 models now have a
megapixel or more of resolution. The largest you can comfortably print a
TRV900 still at good quality is about a 3x5" size, I feel. Other opinions
vary. John USA - Thursday, February 07, 2002 at 22:23:45
(GMT)Hi,beale! I've been coming to our website for years now. I love it. I 've always got answers.
Now I have a new problem. I'm editing with a Mac a firewire extrenalr drivel and the trv 900...But when I want to record the output into the camera, the record bottom (on the vcr mode) doesn't work. I'm using a regular firewire cable, do you think I need to buy the one special for sony, the iDVlink??? Also, in the camera, in the menu settings say not ready for editing... It's driving me nuts. In other words, I can see the playback of the computer in my camera, but it won't let me record.... Do you know why, wise man? Thank you very very much
marisa esteban <emarisaesteban@aol.com>
Los Angeles, CA USA - Friday, February 08, 2002 at 18:00:35 (GMT)If your firewire cable fits in the camera's socket, it is the right
cable. There are two buttons you must press simultaneously to put the
TRV900 into record mode from analog-in or firewire-in. The record button on
the top AND the button next to it which has no symbol on it. I believe this
is mentioned in the user's manual also. John USA - Friday,
February 08, 2002 at 18:57:39 (GMT)Hi! I have ald laptop, which has not usb port. how can I upgrade it?
sergei <S.koltsov@lse.ac.uk>
london, UK - Friday, February 08, 2002 at 22:05:56 (GMT)After reading all about the TRV900 I went to my local retailer to see about buying one. I believe in supporting the local economy, whenever possible. It amazed me that neither Best Buy nor Circuit City, offer that model. For a high end, Circuit City sells the Canon GL1 and Best Buy sells the Sony VX2000. Neither could even get me the TRV900. The GL1 is about $500 less than the VX2000, but I have heard nightmarish stories about Canon's ability to turn-around stuff in for repair (they only have 2 fixit sites in the US). Also, a 4-year warranty on a VX2000 is $150 and a 3-year warranty on a GL1 is $290. That's gotta tell me something.
Jim Basler <jbasler@email.com>
dallas, tx USA - Monday, February 11, 2002 at 19:44:20 (GMT)It has been rumoured that production of the TRV900 has been halted and sales are from existing stock. My local store stocked it for three years but no longer carries it. Logical alternatives from Sony would be TRV30 (only 1 CCD) or VX2000 (much bigger, more expensive).
John
USA - Monday, February 11, 2002 at 20:09:13 (GMT)Well, I ordered a TRV900. Should get it tomorrow. I have a question about wide-angle lens attachments. When I was doing my research of various camcorders and accessories, I read somewhere that the Kenko 0.5x Pro Wide Angle Lens was considered to be surperior to the Sony wide angle lens. Does anyone have any experience with either of these units? The Kenko is currently available from B & H Photo for $149. Also, I would appreciate any guidance concerning video lights (Sony vs. ???). THANKS!
Bill McClung <txwanabe@wizard.net>
Alexandria, VA USA - Monday, February 11, 2002 at 21:57:03 (GMT)There is more than one Sony wide adaptor, but I think Kenko is about as good and perhaps a better value. See "wide angle" under my "accessories" page. I don't use lights so can't recommend much there.
John
USA - Monday, February 11, 2002 at 22:37:31 (GMT)FOR JIM BASLER: If you want to order a TRV900 via internet, B& H Photo (NYC) has them in stock. I ordered one from them last Friday. Check their website for the latest price. They will e-mail the price to you.
Bill McClung <txwanabe@wizard.net>
Alexandria, VA USA - Tuesday, February 12, 2002 at 01:34:09 (GMT)I've read the TRV 900 manual several times on DV editing/copying and I'm firmly stuck!
I want to copy a Digital 8 tape (in another camcorder) to my TRV 900 using firewire. I set both camcorders on VTR and the TRV 900 is set to DV Editing [IN]. When I "play" the Digital 8 camcorder, both camcorders show the images and sound but I cannot record it on the TRV 900. What am I doing wrong?
Joseph Lee <joe@llisearch.com>
Chevy Chase, MD USA - Tuesday, February 12, 2002 at 02:26:27 (GMT)
DV Editing mode (p.84 in the manual) is ONLY if you want to automatically
control another camera via firewire FROM the TRV900, but what you are
describing goes the other way, and anyway you're using manual control. Are
you pressing both buttons to record on the TRV900, the "REC" button area on
top and the blank button next to it, at the same time? If you don't press
them simultaneously (or the blank one first) it doesn't record.
John USA - Tuesday, February 12, 2002 at 18:40:48 (GMT)Hi all, I own the TRV7000, but I was hoping someone might help me anyway. I have a project coming up in the next week, and my camera is suddenly flashing "C:21:00" and contiually ejects any tape I try to insert. Aside from that, everything appears to be fine. The mechanisms certainly work to open and close the door, and all menus and modes work. Everything except inserting a tape, and therefore, no recording or playback. Do you know any possible solution to the problem, even an explaination of what is happening might help. Anything. At this point I'm pretty desperate.
thanks in advance,
Roger
Roger <roger@buffaloreadings.com>
New York, NY USA - Sunday, February 17, 2002 at 01:20:13 (GMT)C:21:00 means "condensation", your camera is damp. Error codes are listed here: http://www.bealecorner.com/trv900/docs/faults.jpg
Either you brought the camera into a warm place when it was cold, causing condensation, or it got wet, or there is a sensor error. Let the camera sit in a warm dry place for a few hours, and if that doesn't fix it you may need factory service to replace the humidity sensor.
John
USA - Tuesday, February 19, 2002 at 18:37:57 (GMT)trv900 available this weekend only (feb 22-25) in new york city - $1000 - email me on fred325i@hotmail.com.
fred <fred325i@hotmail.com>
ny, - Wednesday, February 20, 2002 at 21:05:06 (GMT)I was trying to purchase Canon Caemra at CAMERA CITY.
Their web address is ccicameracity.com.
Somehow my credit card was maxed up so I had to canel my order before I recieve the camera.
They refused to cancel it because it was already shipped.
I requested an overnight shipping and the camera did not show up until next week. They just refused to cancel it 'cause they did not want to. After all, they sent me the camera with COD order without any notice. I could not receive it because I was not around at that time.
And they are still charging my credit card without my authotrization. What's up with that? I am trying to file a law suit against them.
F**k CAMERA CITY <why?>
Chicago, IL USA - Thursday, February 21, 2002 at 16:29:50 (GMT)CCI Camera is notorious as I mention in my TRV900 FAQ.
John
USA - Thursday, February 21, 2002 at 18:38:15 (GMT)John, I am looking at the TRV900 and the Canon Optura100MC with the mega pixel CCD chip. I have heard that the Canon has the best non 3CCD image out there. Do you know how it would compare to the TRV900 quality? Thanks in advance
Lance <lancemartin@earthlink.com>
Crystal Lake, IL USA - Friday, February 22, 2002 at 03:18:19 (GMT)Great site!
Using the rich information from your site and some other resources also, I finally decided what camcorder to buy.
Unfortunately, my budget does not allow a TRV900 :-( , so I
took a TR8100 (I would have liked a TRV120 with LCD, but I couldn't find any, as it was replaced by the TRV130, with less features...).
After two weeks I am very satisfied with it.
I put on the web a resolution test taken with my camera, maybe you'll be interested: http://camcorder.tudbis.com.
The picture should be almost the same with a TRV120E. Camparing that with the tests made by you with the TRV120, it is clear that PAL versions have a higher quality (and price too!).
Bogdan Tudorancea <btud1@yahoo.com>
Buzau, Romania - Friday, February 22, 2002 at 21:41:34 (GMT)I've seen lots of conflicting statements about the analog inputs on the TRV900. On this page it states there is no passthrough but now when I go to Sony's site they say it does have passthrough. What's the deal?
Jeremy Richardson <jer20@rogers.com>
Ldon, ON Canada - Friday, March 01, 2002 at 20:35:45 (GMT)The TRV900 does not have passthrough, at least mine doesn't and no owner
has confirmed the feature, except through the "hack" I list on my RM-95
page. Sony support confirmed that the TRV900 does not feature passthrough
to me over the phone and told me (last
year) they would correct their webpage error. They never did. Maybe you can
call them and see if you have better luck. John USA - Friday,
March 01, 2002 at 22:55:40 (GMT)I was reading your section about making video look more like film. Great suggestions. The shutter speed and aperture settings are probably most important and help to get rid of that nasty "crisp video" look. I have some more that you may be interested in:
- I film with a VX1000 and VX2000 and edit on Final Cut Pro and find that tweaking the gamma video effect settings for clips (to as much as 1.66) boosts the contrast nicely to give more "depth". Your exposures need to be spot on though...
- You'd be amazed at how "letterboxing" your video with a widescreen matte can alter the look of video. Just the shape change from nasty 4:3 aspect ratio to something like 1.67:1 can make a BIG difference. Some may consider this slightly gimmicky, but I really like using it. I have been playing around with ordinary footage in "PANAVISION" 2.35:1 format and have been amazed at the way the perception of the image changes. Of course, widescreen is the way the world should be....
- For those with loads of render time on their hands. Create 2 video layers of the same clip. Desaturate bottom layer to B&W. Adjust opacity of top layer to around 50% (according to taste). Boost color saturation slightly (to taste). Apply Gaussian Blurring of around 2-3 pixels. Boost contrast according to taste. The resulting effect I find has had a lot of interested people asking a lot of questions. With more blur, you can also create a great "halo" effect, especiallt around the edges of contrasting aspects of the image. Very nice. Be warned though, on a standard G4 setup you'll need about an hour per minute of rendering time!
Hope this helps
Julian Gerretsen <julian.gerretsen@mv-anastasis.com>
Cape Town, South Africa - Friday, March 01, 2002 at 22:11:53 (GMT)give me SONY FA-P1 FLOPPY DISK ADAPTER drivers.think you!
lijian <xbabby@21cn.com>
guangzhou, china - Saturday, March 02, 2002 at 18:20:59 (GMT)Y-E data has the floppy drivers, see http://www.bealecorner.com/trv900/tips.html#laptop
John
USA - Monday, March 04, 2002 at 22:54:52 (GMT)I would like to comment on the issue I found in the editing section:
Subject: Tape Transport Problem using FirewireDate: July 31, 2000
I experienced the same problem in early august 2000 using my first TRV900 with a (rather cheap) firewire card. After transferring a few clips the camera went crazy and kept winding and rewinding. Shutting down the camera was only possible by disconnecting the battery and the tape could only be removed by simultaneously pressing the tape remove switch and releasing the battery. After insertion of every new tape the same problem reoccurred. Strangely, already recorded tapes did not lead to the problem. The camera was send to Sony service center in Amsterdam where they tested it for 4 days but they could not reproduce the error.
When the camera was returned to me and I tested it at the resellers shop introduction of a new tape immediately led to recurrence of the same problem. They handed me a new TRV900 which never showed this problem, but since I no longer trusted the firewirecard I had bought a new one from a different brand(Pinnacle). I suppose wrong signals from a malfunctioning firewire card have caused this problem probably by storing the wrong commands internally in the camera. Or perhaps these wrong commands could have corrupted internal camera circuitry.
Alfred J. Apperloo <alfred.apperloo@hetnet.nl>
Berkel-Enschot, Netherlands - Wednesday, March 06, 2002 at 14:04:13 (GMT)My first visit. Great site. I am trying to get as much information as I can before buying another camcorder. Very interested in the 900, but it has been out a while plus they are getting hard to find. I have heard about a replacement called the TVR950 that may be introduced in Europe this June. Do you know if this is correct, and if/when it will be for sale in the US? Do you know how the 950 will differ from the 900?
George <3arch@cox.net>
Laguna Beach, CA USA - Saturday, March 09, 2002 at 22:06:12 (GMT)If I knew anything, you'd see it here first :-). Sony does not let me in on their secrets.
John
USA - Sunday, March 10, 2002 at 23:07:24 (GMT)Thank you, we need more helpful people like you in this world.
Krancle <kenvieh@hotmail.com>
Turlock, California USA - Wednesday, March 13, 2002 at 09:18:06 (GMT)Hi room!
I made a small manual about TRV-900 for beginners.
And I will shoot manuals for middle users(? I don't know the word)when magnolia blooms.
I'm sorry that this movie is recorded in Korean Language. Later, I'll try the english version~!!!
C U Next Life ~!!!
Ungs
Link :
mms://211.169.246.156/manual/camcorder/trv_900.wmv
Rate : High Speed Needed
230Kbps ~ 505Kbps
Ungs <stdump@shinbiro.com>
Seoul, South Korea - Thursday, March 14, 2002 at 04:00:41 (GMT)I have a PAL Trv900e, I recently attempted to transfer an NTSC tape based on the assumption that it plays NTSC tapes on its LCD screen. Final Cut had problem with the DV transfer, tried numerous settings. I assume it has something to do with not understanding the time code. Has anyone has any success with this?
Kim <twn3-lx8l@spamex.com>
Montreal, Canada - Friday, March 15, 2002 at 19:56:04 (GMT)There should be no problem from the camera side sending NTSC DV over firewire, but I don't know what's happening with Final Cut Pro, you might ask on www.2-pop.com about NTSC editing presets.
John
USA - Friday, March 15, 2002 at 20:01:56 (GMT)in theory, yes, I understand that a firewire capture is just a data transfer, but FCP is stuck looking for a timecode, which of course is different on both systems, I have since tried BTV, it captures a 8k mov and doesn't open. Also tried iMovie, again it says "import" but does nothing, not even snipets of temporary files.. I am installing previously Radius software just to give it a try. I think the problem is every software recognizes the camera to be pal and uses the pal 25fps timecode system... Has any one had any success with this, and if so, which software are you using.? Thank you in advance...
kim <twn3-lx8l@spamex.com>
canada - Saturday, March 16, 2002 at 03:57:52 (GMT)Anyone now where I can download an instruction book for the TRV900
dave phelan <dphelan@iol.ie>
Carrickmacross, Ireland - Friday, March 22, 2002 at 10:13:07 (GMT)Does the Sony TRV30 perform as well as the TRV900? I compared the specifications and noticed the total number of pixels in the 3 chips of the TRV900 combined is less than the single 1.5 megapixel chip in the TRV30. Also the TRV900 does not use the Karl Zeiss lens and the newer HAD CCD's found on the TRV30. The resolution of the TRV30 is listed as 530 compared to 500 for the TRV900. Does the TRV900 with its 3 chips still provide a better image?
Kent McVety <kmcvety@rocketmail.com>
Clinton, IL USA - Friday, March 22, 2002 at 17:31:33 (GMT)Note that the TRV30 does not use all its pixels for video; that is for still images only. The TRV900 according to my tests closely approaches the maximum theoretical limit for the DV format (540 lines), see my resolution test charts. I believe it has "smoother" color (visible, but hard to quantify) and perhaps less obvious image noise in dim light. The Sony lens does have a green "lens flare" problem in backlit situations but is otherwise OK. The only convincing test probably is to try them both out for yourself.
John
USA - Friday, March 22, 2002 at 18:28:38 (GMT)Hello John,
I started my journey searching for details on a TRV30 6 months back. My intention
is to buy a camcorder before my child is born. I was close to making the decision to buy a TRV30 when me and wife ended up visiting your site.
Ever since then i have been mesmerised by this 3CCD beauty! your site drew me into a vortex of information about the TRV900 making the TRV30 look like a toy.The desire was anyway there in me to become a video hobyyist and i thought TRV30 will suffice.
am i wrong ? Or will this 3CCD thing be a better choice?
Apaprt from the standard accessories that come with the TRV900, to begin with, what are the other accessories i need to buy to help me capture video and stills on my DV Tape and Memory Stick and transfer them to my PC.
In the next stage if i plan to edit the video what is it that i will need to execute NLE on my laptop which has 10GB to spare.
Lastly, how do i run my video which i capture on my memory stick/DV tape on my TV?
Sorry! my questions are amateurish... but i have started...need your backing big time!
HElp!
Manu <manubalraj@HOTMAIL.COM>
ATLANTA, GA USA - Saturday, March 23, 2002 at 21:38:53 (GMT)See my "editing" page for some notes on computer/NLE systems. Connecting
the camera to a TV is covered in the owner's manual. The TRV30 is a good
camera by all accounts, I wouldn't really call it a "toy". I believe the
TRV900 image is better in some ways but I have not tried the TRV30 myself.
John
USA - Tuesday, March 26, 2002 at 19:13:11 (GMT)Fantastic site. Helped me very much, thank you!
Steve Gough <stevegough@emriver.com>
St. Louis, MO USA - Sunday, March 24, 2002 at 20:16:50 (GMT)Hi there:
I'm writing you this letter just want to thank you for giving us all these
information which you have put on Web.
I'm a foreigner student in LA. I'm taking film class. I hesitated to make a
decision between Canon GL1 and Sony TRV900. All the information you
provided is very helpful.
Thanks, and have a nice Easter
Tae
Tae <taishanzhong@yahoo.com>
LA , ca USA - Monday, April 01, 2002 at 06:06:15 (GMT)I'm just about to lose my mind over deciding whether I should purchase a TVR 900 for full price from a Authorized Sony Dealer (Which Sony lists on their site) or from a Discounted E-tailer that they say are authorized but really aren't. WHen I check their sites out for comparing prices, I notice the discounted sites are offering the camera for considerably and even ridiculously lower than these Authorized dealers. What gives? Am i able to trust these competitive prices, or are these products mass produced elsewhere with cheaper parts thus the cheap price?
I spoke to a gentleman on the phone yesterday from one of these cheaper stores and he went on to say that there's a difference in price because it all depends where the product is manufactured from. He said you can tell the difference by the price. If it's relatively cheaper, then it's a givaway as to where it was made. The cheaper priced models are most likely made in Taiwan or another country other than JAPAN. (this is for SONY mind you) The JApanese models are truly made in JAPAN. He also said to look for this on the box that the product comes in. It should say in print what factory in Japan that the product was made.
To tell you the truth, it's hard to look away from the cheaper prices, but I'm guessing if there's a question of authenticity in the air, i think i'm into investing into the name, the company, and the store by which offers amazing extended warranty programs.
I think this is an important issue. I'm wondering how many GRAYS were bought out there covered up as being Authentic Sony Products.
Randy <randuz@injinji.com>
SD, CA USA - Wednesday, April 03, 2002 at 00:18:23 (GMT)There are gray-market TRV900 cameras intended for sale in Europe or
elsewhere, which do not come with a Sony USA warranty. However all TRV900s
are made in one of two factories, both run by Sony Japan. There are no
"cheap knock-off" TRV900 cameras, at least I have never heard of any
confirmed to exist (and I would have heard, if there were). But there
certainly are dishonest vendors and they will say anything they can to get
your credit card number. Buyer beware. Check the references on the company
before buying, I explain how under "Cautionary Tales Department" near the
top of my TRV900
FAQ. John USA - Wednesday, April 03, 2002 at 01:11:15
(GMT)Love to know and learn vidio camera
Charles Finny Joseph <finnyjoseph@vsnl.com>
Chennai, TN South India - Wednesday, April 03, 2002 at 11:45:13 (GMT)Great Site.. I used it to make my choice on cameras, and I still come back for all the great info and tips.. This is what it is all about! (I LOVE my 900!)
Eythan Holladay <eythan@mindspring.com>
Marietta, GA USA - Thursday, April 04, 2002 at 14:55:19 (GMT)a new trv950 is now on the japan sony web site, it will be start selling on June, 10
if you look at the spec, only 3 1/4 ccd
and min lux is only 15, kinda ;(
www.ecat.sony.co.jp/camera/handycam/products/index.cfm?PD=7099
MikeC <mcc853s@hotmail.com>
Springfield, MO USA - Thursday, April 04, 2002 at 16:06:56 (GMT)add. filter size is only 37 mm.
MikeC (trv900 since Dec. 2000)
MikeC
USA - Thursday, April 04, 2002 at 21:36:52 (GMT)I placed an order for a Sony TRV 900 on 4/4/02 after being told Sony was not updating the TRV 900. I read about the release of the TRV 950 on 4/5/02. My question, is new TRV 950 worth the wait? Any changes on the battery recharge connection, and is the mega pixel much to consider?
Should I cancel the order since I have not accepted?
Ed Richert <edrichert@hotmail.com>
Visalia, Ca USA - Saturday, April 06, 2002 at 07:41:22 (GMT)I was trying to find the detailed specs on the TRV-950. Only one I could find was in Japanese on the SONY site. Does anyone know about any other link? - Thanks
Binu <binu777@yahoo.com>
Jersey City, NH USA - Saturday, April 06, 2002 at 18:28:52 (GMT)I have read the info on the bord cam test you performed. I see a noticable difference. Was wondering if you have found a good place for me to purchase a bord cam that has the best lines of res, and low lux. Thanks.
Jim <realhomes@earthlink.net>
FL USA - Tuesday, April 09, 2002 at 01:05:55 (GMT)As far as I know there are no "board-level" cameras that have quality similar to the TRV900, at least not any cheaper ones.
John
USA - Tuesday, April 09, 2002 at 01:39:58 (GMT)Updated: New Panny 3ccd AG-DVX100 3CCD DV
Obvious this is head to head compete with Sony VX2000 and JVC GY-DV300
new 3ccd from Panny AG-DVX100
japanese web site http://www.panasonic.co.jp/bsd/sales_o/dvworld/html/ag-dvx100.html
US web site
http://www.panasonic.com/PBDS/subcat/newsinfo/press_01/01_117.html
other site
http://www.supervideo.com/NAB.htm
JVC GY-DV300
http://www.victor.co.jp/products/pro/GY-DV300.html
MikeC <mccheng71@yahoo.com>
Springfield, MO USA - Wednesday, April 10, 2002 at 02:36:00 (GMT)Hello John.Thanks for your site. Itīs very useful and professional. I have a new TRV900 and a new problem too. When I put it in Stand by mode, the camera not stops correctly and one of its reels (mechanism inside) moves constantly. It happens if you have a tape inside or not. Is possible to be a condensity problem or something else ? Please tell me if you have had a problem like this. Iīm concerned about it because I have this camera since a week and I donīt want to give it to the service so soon. Thank you very much if you can help me.
mariano parracia <maralpa@ciudad.com.ar>
buenos aires, argentina - Thursday, April 11, 2002 at 01:54:28 (GMT)If one of the reels is still moving when the camera is in standby, something is wrong and the camera needs service.
I have not heard of this problem before, if that helps any.
John
USA - Thursday, April 11, 2002 at 17:57:17 (GMT)Hi John
Was wondering if there is a digital 8 that can kind of come close to the quality of the 900. I would like the option of offering digital 8 also but had a bad experience with the trv120. It just did not compare quality wise when I use the both of them to tape and event. Any help would be appreciated. Lee
Lee <lrogers@isd.net>
Minneapolis, MN USA - Friday, April 12, 2002 at 14:05:59 (GMT)Until recently the answer was no, none of them come close. But now, I
have heard there is a "megapixel" D8 model, the DCR-TRV730
which is supposed to have
a very good image. I haven't tried it
myself. Due to the small pixels I think its low-light performance is not
as good as the TRV900 or earlier Digital8 models.
John USA - Friday, April 12, 2002 at 17:21:11 (GMT)I'm having problems capturing an NTSC DV stream via Firewire from my TRV900e
I can catpure from PAL tapes fine, but when I play an NTSC tape, it appears fine on the LCD and on the analog outputs,
but via the DV it appears all scrambled, all the pixels seem to be there, but blocks are displaced in a gemometric, 'blocky' pattern.
Trying to capture it results in an error.
I've tried various capture sw under W2k, with no luck, it appears that the drivers are not recognising that it is NTSC and interpreting it as a PAL feed, where the data format is obviously different, hence the scrambling.
Any ideas...?
Thanks
Nigel
nigel_brooks@compuserve.com
Nigel <nigel_brooks@compuserve.com>
Colchester, UK - Thursday, April 18, 2002 at 13:59:11 (GMT)Your firewire capture card drivers and/or capture software need to be set to NTSC format, it is specific to whatever software you have and some may not be capable of NTSC format recording.
John
USA - Thursday, April 18, 2002 at 19:29:40 (GMT)it's been a while since i got my trv900 and since i first came across your website. i would just like to thank you again for this excellent resource. as i get more and more accessories for my camera i often find myself coming back to this site for leads. it's also one of the first places i send friends to find out more about digital video and the TRV-900. please make sure this site doesn't go anywhere.
redrick / 990000.com <red@_REMOVESPAMBLOCK_990000.com>
Brooklyn, NY USA - Sunday, April 21, 2002 at 22:15:35 (GMT)Hi, I sent my 900 in for an audio dropout problem. It's been gone more than 6 weeks now so the "new for old" clause in my insurance kicks in. I believe that it is very difficult to get 900's over here now so I was wondering what were the closest cameras to the 900. Of course it has to be at least as good as the 900. Right now I'm thinking that the 950 would be good but it hasn't been released yet so that leaves the VX2000. Any comments would be welcome.
Steve
Steve Garratt <steve.garratt@ntlworld.com>
Colchester, UK - Monday, April 22, 2002 at 22:25:09 (GMT)John,
I was very interested in the info on your site regarding an audio dropout problem with the TRV900. I have this problem with a TRV9E which I believe uses the same tape transport.I see that you have a sevice manual for the 900 and I downloaded the pages which you posted from the manual.Do you have a part number for the TRV9E manual? or is there any chance of you posting some more pages from the 900 manual which specifically refer to the processes of dismantling the camera and replacing TG4 , realigning the tape path etc? I am a TV broadcast engineer by profession and capable of doing the work but Sonys policy of making it difficult to obtain service manuals (outside the US at any rate) is making it difficult for me!
Keep up the good work!
Michael Howarth <m.howarth@thaimail.org>
- Tuesday, April 23, 2002 at 11:57:47 (GMT)I don't know the number or a way to get it, but you don't need it. If
you're in the USA, you can call Sony Parts & Accessories and they will ship
you any service manual you ask for, if it's still in print, they are
usually about $25 each plus shipping. That's how I got my TRV900 service
manual (which includes the TRV900e and TRV890e models). If you don't live
in the USA, they won't help you- part number or not; sorry about that. No
doubt there is some way to smuggle a service manual and replacement parts
out of the US but I think it's probably faster to just send the camera to a
qualified Sony servicer. If I get some time I can try to find the
procedures you asked about in the manual. You'll need a MiniDV alignment
tape, as well as waveform monitor and vectorscope. John USA -
Tuesday, April 23, 2002 at 18:43:59 (GMT)Hey your site rocks, I want to know what you think about the new TRV950 comming out in June, do you think it will be as good as the TRV900 from the little we know about it. Are there any differences you can tell just by reading about it?
Todd <pshupking@aol.com>
Mesa, AZ USA - Wednesday, April 24, 2002 at 19:46:17 (GMT)I don't know any more than you. I do notice the low-light sensitivity (min. "lux") is worse, 7 vs. 4 for TRV900, despite the "HAD" type CCDs. We won't know until it arrives how the camera stacks up.
John
USA - Wednesday, April 24, 2002 at 21:13:11 (GMT)Great web page keep up the good work!
jacks <jacks33@yahoo.com>
Somerville, MA USA - Thursday, May 02, 2002 at 02:58:28 (GMT)Thanks, jour site was a big help
Peter la.quimera <la_quimera_nl@hotmail.com>
Rotterdam, Nederland - Sunday, May 05, 2002 at 14:42:32 (GMT)Rumor from a Circuit City saleskid: Sony plans to phase out of the Mini DV market. They'll target Digital 8 for the mass consumer market, MicroMV for the high-end consumer / highly portable market, and recordable DVD (mini and full size) for the future.
It seems rather hard to believe, Sony abandoning a format that it helped invent. But we all know that Sony has made some really stupid format and marketing choices in the past. Is it possible they'd abandon the large installed base of Mini DV users, ceding the market to Canon/Panasonic/JVC etc.?
Rich Wiggins <richard.wiggins@usa.net>
okemos, mi USA - Sunday, May 05, 2002 at 15:31:31 (GMT)Found this site looking for info about super8 xfer to DV as well as info on the Sony TRV900. Amazing amount of info here. Probably the best site I've found!!!
Noel Kim <noelpk@aol.com>
Madison, WI USA - Tuesday, May 07, 2002 at 15:11:37 (GMT)I HAD A FEW QUESTIONS - IM ABOUT TO BUY A CAMCORDER....
1) WHAT ARE THE UPGRADES FROM TRV30 TO TRV50? IS IT WORTH $300 MORE?
2) HOW WOULD YOU COMPARE THE PANASONIC DV951 TO THE TRV30? I KNOW THAT 3CCD IS BETTER, SO SHOULD THE PANNY BE A NO BRAINER? I WAS ALSO WONDERING WHAT THE UPGRAGES WERE FROM THE PANNY 951 TO THE 952 (I CANT FIND THAT INFO ANYWHERE - DETAILED INFO, EVEN WHEN I CALLED)
3) THE TRV950 IS COMING OUT IN JUNE, HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO THE PANNY DV952?
4) WHAT EDITING SOFTWARE IS THE BEST? IM LOOKING AT VIDEOFACTORY 2.0, BUT AM NOT SURE.
THANKS!!!
chris <chrisk@netzero.net>
fl, nj USA - Wednesday, May 08, 2002 at 14:30:24 (GMT)I wasn't even aware of the TRV50. You may be more up-to-date than me; what I know about the cameras you mention is on my webpage. By and large with the main brands (Sony, Canon) I've found you mostly get what you pay for.
John
USA - Wednesday, May 08, 2002 at 18:18:46 (GMT)Hi,
Today I just purchased a used TRV900. I have read your pages so much for 1 to 2 years and it helped me in my choice. So thank you and I hope it will give me a lot of pleasure to use.
Nicolas
Nicolas Cadilhac <cadilhac@sympatico.ca>
Montreal, QC Canada - Thursday, May 09, 2002 at 12:15:55 (GMT)Question: For editing my dv-footage I am currently using a La Cie fire Wire external HD, connected to a powerbook G4.
When plugging my trv-900 into this harddisk, it doesnt't respond to the computer. Or crashes completely. Anyone familiar with this problem?
maaike <maaike@urbietorbi.nl>
rotterdam, Holland - Wednesday, May 15, 2002 at 14:42:13 (GMT)The TRV900 only sends DV protocol over firewire, it cannot control a
hard drive. In theory it ought not to actually interfere with the hard
drive, but remember the TRV900 was designed and released before any
firewire hard drives existed. You need a separate dedicated IEEE-1394
(firewire) connection between TRV900 and computer. Any other firewire
peripherals (hard disk, etc) should be on a separate firewire port.
John USA - Wednesday, May 15, 2002 at 17:36:27 (GMT)I need to find a .42x wide angle lense. I've been looking everywhere. I've heard of the Kenko one but I can't find it anywhere. Thanks
Ernie Quintero <mrbrown151@yahoo.com>
Imperial, Ca USA - Thursday, May 16, 2002 at 20:19:02 (GMT)For what camera? There is no 0.42x lens made for 52 or 58mm mount cameras AFAIK. Kenko does make one for 37mm mounts, try for example http://shop.store.yahoo.com/sweetronicsstore/cameras-lenses-and-filters-kenko.html
Century Optics does make a 0.3x fisheye, but it is very expensive.
John
USA - Thursday, May 16, 2002 at 21:58:21 (GMT)hi john, i am a television journalist in india (presently i'm in usa). i
want to buy a good handycam for my professional use. i want to buy a pal
model. i'm little confused whether i should go for trv900e or vx2000e. can
you give some detail about trv950. thanx.
sanjay sanjaysinha
<sanjay_zee@yahoo.com>
denver, co USA - Friday, May 17, 2002 at 19:36:23 (GMT)The TRV950 has not been released yet, the only available information is
what Sony's press release says. I have a link to that info on my main
page.
The VX2000(e) is clearly better than the TRV900(e) in low light,
and has more subtle advantages in any situation. It was worth the extra
price, for me. John USA - Friday, May 17, 2002 at 23:12:41
(GMT)Hi, John. Your site is exactly what i need. I love my new TVR900 but i
want to know more. I will shoot my first wedding and i would like to have a
good sound where. I want to buy a lavalier microphone system. I would like
some good but inexpancive system, if it is possible. What do you think
about samson UM 1 UHF wirless m. system? I know nothing about it, so I open
for any kind of advices for any kind of microphones.And 1 more question: I
took a pictures with my TRV900 with memory stick and downloaded its in iMac
computer. The sizes of pictures where are very big(600Kb-2.3Mb) and I can't
send it by e-mail. What to do to reduce the sizes of the pictures? Sorry
for my English. With best wishes to you and everybody who read your
site. Vera Vera Dobson <tcdobson@qwest.net> Boulder, CO
USA - Friday, May 17, 2002 at 22:36:32 (GMT)All I know about mics is on my mics page, check
under "wireless". Most of that is contributed from others; I've never used
a wireless system myself. I'm not a mac user but most any photo editing
program (the expensive, industry standard is Adobe Photoshop) can let you
save JPEG images at lower quality levels (smaller files).
John USA - Saturday, May 18, 2002 at
00:46:42 (GMT)hi john, thanx for your suggestion. but can you just compare vx2000e with trv950e. trv950e is in the market (europe). but u can read some article regarding this. the camera was launched in april 2002 (what i read). trv950 will be in the us market by june. becoz i'm in a hurry so should i wait for trv950e or just buy vx2000e for $2400. please advice me. if i am going for vx2000e then i'm planning to buy from net (free trade photo.com it there for $2395), but i've no idea about their credibilty and no information is available about them on net. please sugggest me something.
sanjay
sanjay <sanjay_zee@yahoo.com>
denver, co USA - Wednesday, May 22, 2002 at 16:29:11 (GMT)As far as I know the TRV950e has been announced but is not yet actually available for sale. If you have seen any user reports from it online, please let me know where? From what I have read the VX2000 is a better camera as far as low-light performance, and perhaps in other ways.
John
USA - Wednesday, May 22, 2002 at 17:47:39 (GMT)What a great site! tons of help. Recently I have been experiencing video drop out, and audio spikes, but it only seems to occur in the first five or six minutes of recording. The dropout seems to favor one side of the picture (right side) I have tried different tapes and get the same results (ruling out a tight tape wind)I have used a tape head cleaner but the problem persists. I havent cleaned any other parts yet, and it does have a quite a few hours logged on it. Could this be a tape transport problem? ever heard of this? any suggestions?
JONATHAN <wardenjonathan@hotmail.com>
toronto, canada - Thursday, May 23, 2002 at 15:59:53 (GMT)I had similar problems with my VX2000 camera. It was repaired twice by Sony. The first time they replaced the reel hubs that the cassette sits on. The second time (a year later) they replaced the reel hubs plus the video head drum (!). After that it works fine. Obviously this isn't something you can do yourself. Cleaning the capstan roller as a start, probably wouldn't hurt. See my "cleaning & maintenance" page.
John
USA - Thursday, May 23, 2002 at 20:49:10 (GMT)Dear John,
Thanks for your thoughtful consideration in setting up this site and including so much valuable information for TRV900(E) users. I can well understand some of your motivation. Such a superb camcorder stimulates a desire to share knowledge and experiences. It has been such an expensive unit here in Australia that there is not a very large local ownership. Consequently, local knowledge about the experience and maintence are likewise diminished. I am grateful for your generosity and, of course wantr you to know that I share your admiration for this clever little wizard of modern technology.
Warm regards,
John Ferris.
John Charles Ferris <johnferris@members.nyas.org>
Orange, NSW AUSTRALIA - Friday, May 24, 2002 at 01:34:24 (GMT)Hi
Back a couple of months ago asked why my red record button would not work except if I kept holding the record button down or using my remote tripod. I just happen to be reading my manual from front to back when I came accross a section dealing with this. There is a switch on the inside panel under the menu button. I can't remember what it is called as I am at work right now but there are 3 positons and somehow I must have move this to record only when button is pushed in. Sorry my details are so bad but I am sure you know what I am talking about. Anyway what I thought would have to get repaired by Sony was just my own dumb mistake and all is working well again.
Thanks
Lee <lrogers@isd.net>
Minneapolis, MN USA - Wednesday, May 29, 2002 at 17:59:45 (GMT)I have had my 900 since summer of 1999. I use it mainly as a second/back-up for my JVC dv500. Picture looks fabulous in most situations, However I have just now figured out what was causing an image problem I notice in low light. PROBLEM: In low light with some gain on, I notice a streaking of red whenever a reddish colored object (skin, red clothes etc.) moves across or up and down the screen. It leaves a "trail" that stays there until something else passes through that area on the scene. WHAT I FOUND: Going on a suggestion from someone that I may have the digital effect (trail, etc) on, I started playing with those settings. If I hit the digital effect button and scroll to "trail" and turn the setting all the way down to no trail, from the default trail setting of half way (half the bars for setting amount of trail) and then push the digital effect button to cancel, the streaking problem is gone!!!! That is until I either turn the camera off and on, or it goes into standby off. Weird huhh??? ALSO!!!!!!, whenever my camera goes into standby off (after 5 min) I lose my manual white balance, becomes more bluish, like it is in auto white. ALSO!!!!! I swear the auto white balance doesn't work at all never looks anything close to what it does when I manually balance. What do you think is up? I think the internal battery is holding a charge, keeps time and menu settings. I have tried doing a hard re-set with the pen push button on side of camera. Didn't seem to help.
Michael Tsagares <acclaimvid@aol.com>
Poland, OH USA - Thursday, May 30, 2002 at 01:59:09 (GMT)Hi John,..I'm thinking about purchasing a TRV900 specifically to use the fast shutter speed mode of 1/10,000 for filming very fast moving objects while cam is mounted on tripod. Does this fast shutter speed function very well with the 900, and can it be set to just that speed and film consistently at that speed throughout the tape? Thanks...Denny
Denny <elm@sover.net>
Williamsville, VT USA - Thursday, May 30, 2002 at 16:42:48 (GMT)1/10000 is too fast for most object, unless you are talking about
bullets. It requires a tremendous amount of light to get a clear image. It
is easily fast enough to stop the turbine blades of a jet aircraft engine,
for example, and those move pretty fast.
To answer your question, yes you
can set the camera at 1/10,000 sec exposure and it will run the whole
tape. But the image is going to be pretty dark unless you have very
powerful arc lights (considerably brighter than the noon sun.)
John USA - Thursday, May 30, 2002 at 17:56:23 (GMT)John.....Thanks for the reply about the fast shutter speed use on the 900. Would a wide angle lens allow more light in without any added distortion? As a followup to that, do you think it might be wise to spend the extra money and purchase the VX2000 for shooting very fast moving objects? If I recall the specs on the VX2000, it may have a greater capacity to utilize more light with its larger lens and it also has the 1/10,000 shutter speed capability. Do you think the VX2000 would give noticeably better shots than the TRV900 at 1/10,000?
Thanks much for your help!
Denny
Denny <elm@sover.net>
Williamsville, VT USA - Friday, May 31, 2002 at 14:32:09 (GMT)Nothing you add to a lens will ever "let more light in" in terms of making a picture brighter. The wide angle lens does let light from a wider range of angles reach the CCD imagers, but the image is not any brighter.
The VX2000 will give you better results at extreme shutter speeds because it has a lower-noise CCD design for cleaner images in low light. At 1/10,000 sec shutter, the noonday sun is "low light".
John
USA - Friday, May 31, 2002 at 18:31:09 (GMT)Hi,
Thank you for a great site! I am going to use the TRV900 for a TV-production and wanted find out some additional info about the camera. I found all the answers on your site. Keep up the superb work!
Johannes <ostergard@iobox.com>
Vasa, Finland - Monday, June 03, 2002 at 19:01:00 (GMT)Hi John,
My PD-100P has for about 6 months been making an irritating humming noise when I zoom from tele to wide. This sound has increased lately, and after recording you can clearly hear this noise on playback. Have you any idea as to what causes this sound? Thank you for a great site!
Torben Colling Jensen <t.colling@vip.cybercity.dk>
Frederiksberg, Denmark - Monday, June 03, 2002 at 22:06:34 (GMT)The lens zoom motor and associated gears become more noisy with time, and the only solution I know is factory service to replace the affected parts.
John
USA - Monday, June 03, 2002 at 23:13:21 (GMT)TRV900 has a 52mm lens. VX2000 has 58mm lens. Probably that is one of reason VX2000 performs better in low light.
But the new TRV950 has a 37mm lens. Like the less priced single ccd ones. I think it is one step backward. I don't think I will upgrade to the TRV950 due to this change.
Tin Little <tinlittle_nospam@hotmail.com>
CA USA - Wednesday, June 05, 2002 at 21:52:34 (GMT)TRV900 has a 52mm lens. VX2000 has 58mm lens. Probably that is one of reason VX2000 performs better in low light.
But the new TRV950 has a 37mm lens. Like the less priced single ccd ones. I think it is one step backward. I don't think I will upgrade to the TRV950 due to this change.
Tin Little <tinlittle_nospam@hotmail.com>
CA USA - Wednesday, June 05, 2002 at 21:52:38 (GMT)Best site! most helpful to us novices! I am just researching before I purchase my 1st dv camcorder.
Thanks, Anne
Anne F. Mitroka <amguest@earthlink.net>
USA - Thursday, June 06, 2002 at 16:02:51 (GMT)Who give me advice, How can i developed my English fluency.
alamgir <alam1bd@yahoo.com>
Chittagong, Bangladesh - Saturday, June 08, 2002 at 09:53:54 (GMT)Can someone help me? I have a Sony DCR-TRV11 Mini DV camcorder and it has a repeated problem. Whenever I try to turn it VCR, Camera or Memory, it beeps continually and "C:31:30" blinks in the display area. The only way to stop the beeping is to turn it on and then remove the battery while on, and then put the battery back in. If you put the battery back (while in the on position) the camera makes a "zooming" noise, as if its trying to rewind the tape. If you try to eject the tape, the inner mechanism just "spins." The only way to get the tape out it to keep replacing the battery when the camera is on until the beeping stops. I have taken a ton of video and not I want to edit it but the camera is not functioning properly. If anyone can help, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks
fobby <fobby420@yahoo.com>
USA - Sunday, June 16, 2002 at 22:42:05 (GMT)something is broken in the tape transport mechanism, but you probably already knew that. I think it needs factory service. I have a link to SOny service centers on my main TRV900 page.
john
USA - Sunday, June 16, 2002 at 23:35:03 (GMT)John, thanks for the quick response. I noticed that roger@buffaloreadings.com had a similar problem and you recommended that it could be a problem with the humidity sensor. My problems all started a few months ago when I took my camera on a trip to asia. It was really hot and humid there. Do you think the numbers in my display, "C:31:30" also indicate a humidity related problem? Your site is great, thanks again for all the help.
fobby <fobby420@yahoo.com>
USA - Monday, June 17, 2002 at 03:53:26 (GMT)Hello John:
I have a TVR900e, and I'm trying to probe if can convert a Super or Composite signal in trough my camara to a DV signal (whitout need to rec it in a tape) for digitize in my computer by fire wire in real time, how can I make that?.
PLEASE, answer me (I'm desperated).
Thanks a lot.
Guille M <mycasita@interlap.com.ar>
Buenos Aires, BA Argentina - Monday, June 17, 2002 at 03:56:53 (GMT)Sony does not offer this feature on the TRV900e. If you really want to, you can "hack" your camera to enable it.
See http://www.bealecorner.com/trv900/rm95.html#transcoding
john
USA - Monday, June 17, 2002 at 04:30:28 (GMT)is there anyone who has a software driver for sony floppy disk driver fa-p1 for w2k
kaan <kaan.ozcelik@veezy.com>
tr - Monday, June 17, 2002 at 08:21:55 (GMT)hi john, i'm eagerly waiting for your comments on TRV950 (PAL).
if you have read some article about this, please advice me that should i wait for 950 or just go for 900E or VX2000. in my earlier mail i've already informed you that i'm a TV journalist. i need your advice.
sanjay
sanjay sinha <sanjay_zee@yahoo.com>
denver, co USA - Tuesday, June 18, 2002 at 04:13:27 (GMT)I'm only aware of one review of a TRV950 so far, at www.camcorderinfo.com
and it doesn't have much detail.
From what little I know I suspect the
VX2000 is still a better camera, if you don't mind the larger size.
john USA - Tuesday, June 18, 2002 at 17:58:15 (GMT)I have noticed that both the DCR-TRV27 and TRV950 have FRAME RECORDING. Would this work for "claymation", or stop motion animation? Or would a digital still camera give better results?
David <dloving@nmia.com>
Rio Rancho, NM USA - Friday, June 21, 2002 at 16:02:03 (GMT)The newer video cameras have a digital still camera mode, and some offer
"progressive scan" video mode. However, if you are doing stop-motion
animation you only need individual still frames and you would get better
resolution and probably better overall quality from a dedicated digital
still camera. You can make the stills into a movie in your computer using a
video editor.
Here is an example short movie made up of still frames from
my Canon D30 digital camera:
Lake Elizabeth
timelapse. The original is 2160x1440 which is even higher
resolution than HDTV.
John USA - Friday, June 21, 2002 at 17:17:04
(GMT)Iīm about to buy my first 3 ccd cam and cant decide which
one to get. I know this has probably been up a million times
but....sorry. Looking at the Trv 900 and the Xm1 and Panasonic
mx 350. If you donīt care what they cost, only care about film
quality such as sharpness, colours and lowlightfilming, which
one should I get ???
Please e-mail me on; gunnarbl@algonet.se
Gunnar <gunnarbl@algonet.se>
USA - Monday, June 24, 2002 at 17:58:01 (GMT)Thanks for making time to elevate our know-how and understanding via a superb internet illuminator. I use a DX110b which, if a bit fiddly at first, has turned out a great joy and reliable tool to use. Roy.
Roy <royclass1fenney@aol.com>
London, U K. - Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at 00:35:30 (GMT)john can you please compare TRV30(PAL), DCR120BT(PAL) with TRV900(PAL). I know TRV900 is a good handyam but what about TRV30 and SONY DCR120? can i use these handycams as semi professional? please suggest me.
thanx.
sanjay
sanjay sinha <sanjay_zee@yahoo.com>
denver, co USA - Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at 22:13:07 (GMT)I am only able to review cameras I own myself. My website has reviews
and comments about other cameras, which are contributed by others. I don't
have the cameras you mention, or had reviews submitted by anyone who
does. John USA - Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at 22:54:33 (GMT)Great site.
Alberto <afer1952@hotmail.com>
Logroņo, La Rioja Spain - Saturday, June 29, 2002 at 15:04:16 (GMT)950 is here. Worth the wait. Beautiful machine.
Steve <smw@LH20454.fsnet.co.uk>
UK - Sunday, June 30, 2002 at 21:01:05 (GMT)