Sony Digital Video Camera Recorder DCR-TRV900 Operating Instructions

							3-864-632-14 (2)
©1998 by Sony Corporation
DCR-TRV900
Digital Video
Camera Recorder
Operating Instructions
Before operating the unit, please read this manual thoroughly,
and retain it for future reference.
OwnerÕs Record
The model and serial numbers are located on the bottom. Record
the serial number in the space provided below. Refer to these
numbers whenever you call upon your Sony dealer regarding this
product.
Model No. DCR-TRV900Model No. AC-L10A
Serial No. Serial No. 
						

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RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
CAUTION :  TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK,
DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK).
NO USER¥SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE.
REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.
CAUTION
For the Customers in the U.S.A.
CAUTIONYou are cautioned that any changes or modifications not
expressly approved in this manual could void your
authority to operate this equipment.
Note:This equipment has been tested and found to comply
with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to
Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This equipment
generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy
and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If
this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio
or television reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or
more of the following measures:
Ñ Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Ñ Increase the separation between the equipment and
receiver.
Ñ Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit
different from that to which the receiver is connected.
Ñ Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV
technician for help.
For the Customers in CANADA
CAUTIONTO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, MATCH WIDE
BLADE OF PLUG TO WIDE SLOT, FULLY INSERT.
When you use Memory Sticks (not supplied),
see page 91 for details.
¥ IBM PC/AT is a registered trademark of International
Business Machines Corporation of the U.S.A.
¥ MS-DOS and Windows are registered trademarks
licensed to Microsoft Corporation, registered in the
U.S.A. and other countries.
¥ Macintosh is a trademark licensed to Apple
Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S.A. and other
countries.
¥ All other product names mentioned herein may be
the trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective companies.
Furthermore, ÒÔÓ and ÒÒÓ are not mentioned in each
case in this manual.
WARNING
To prevent fire or shock hazard, do
not expose the unit to rain or
moisture.
This symbol is intended to alert the
user to the presence of uninsulated
Òdangerous voltageÓ within the
productÕs enclosure that may be of
sufficient magnitude to constitute a
risk of electric shock to persons.
This symbol is intended to alert the
user to the presence of important
operating and maintenance
(servicing) instructions in the
literature accompanying the
appliance.
For the Customers in the U.S.A. and
CANADA
DISPOSAL OF LITHIUM ION BATTERY.
LITHIUM ION BATTERY.
DISPOSE OF PROPERLY.
You can return your unwanted lithium ion batteries to
your nearest Sony Service Center or Factory Service
Center.
Note: In some areas the disposal of lithium ion batteries
in household or business trash may be prohibited.
For the Sony Service Center nearest you call
1-800-222-SONY (United States only).
For the SONY Factory Service Center nearest you call
416-499-SONY (Canada only).
Caution:Do not handle damaged or leaking lithium ion
batteries.
Welcome !!
Congratulations on your purchase of this Sony Handycam VisionTM camcorder. With your
Handycam Vision, you can capture lifeÕs precious moments with superior picture and sound
quality. Your Handycam Vision is loaded with advanced features, but at the same time it is very
easy to use. You will soon be producing home video that you can enjoy for years to come. 
						

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Before you begin
Table of contents
Before you begin
Using this manual .............................................. 4
Checking supplied accessories ........................ 6
Getting started
Installing and charging the battery pack ....... 7
Inserting a cassette ........................................... 11
Basic operations
Camera recording ............................................ 12
Attaching the lens hood ........................... 14
Using the zoom feature ............................ 14
Selecting the start/stop mode ................. 15
Shooting with the LCD screen ................ 16
Letting the subject monitor the shot ....... 17
Self-timer recording .................................. 18
Hints for better shooting ................................ 19
Checking the recorded picture ...................... 21
Playing back a tape .......................................... 22
Searching for the end of the picture .............. 24
Advanced operations
Using alternative power sources ................... 25
Using the house current ........................... 25
Using a car battery .................................... 26
Changing the mode settings .......................... 27
Ñfor camera recordingÑ
Photo recording ............................................... 33
Shooting with all the pixels Ð PROG. SCAN .. 35
Using the FADER function ............................. 36
Shooting with backlighting ............................ 38
Using the wide mode function ...................... 39
Enjoying picture effect .................................... 40
Recording with various effects
Ð digital effect ............................................ 42
Shooting with manual adjustment ................ 44
Using the PROGRAM AE function ............... 54
Focusing manually .......................................... 57
Interval recording ............................................ 59
Cut recording ................................................... 61
Superimposing a title ...................................... 63
Making a custom title ...................................... 66
Labeling a cassette ........................................... 68
Ñfor playing back/editingÑ
Watching on a TV screen ................................ 70
Viewing the picture with the picture
effect ............................................................ 72
Viewing the picture with the digital
effect ............................................................ 73
Searching the boundaries of recorded
 tape with date Ð date search ................... 74Searching the boundaries of recorded
 tape with title Ð title search ..................... 76
Searching for a photo
Ð photo search/photo scan ...................... 77
Returning to a pre-registered position ......... 80
Displaying recording data
Ð data code function ................................. 81
Editing onto another tape ............................... 82
Editing partially on a mini DV tape
Ð DV synchro-editing ............................... 84
Recording from a VCR or TV ......................... 86
Replacing recording on a tape
 Ð insert editing .......................................... 87
Audio dubbing ................................................. 88
Memory card slot operations
Using the memory card slot
Ð introduction ............................................ 91
Recording an image from a mini DV tape
as a still image ........................................... 98
Copying still images from a mini DV tape
Ð photo save ............................................. 100
Recording still images on PC cards (not
supplied) Ð memory photo recording .. 102
Viewing a still picture
Ð memory photo playback ..................... 105
Preventing accidental erasure
Ð PROTECT .............................................. 108
Deleting images ............................................. 109
Copying the image recorded with the
memory card slot to mini DV tapes ..... 112
Playing back images in a continuous loop
Ð SLIDE SHOW ....................................... 114
Additional information
Usable cassettes and playback modes ........ 116
Charging the vanadium-lithium
battery in the camcorder ........................ 117
Resetting the date and time .......................... 118
Simple setting of clock by time
difference .................................................. 119
Tips for using the battery pack .................... 120
Maintenance information and
precautions ............................................... 123
Using your camcorder abroad ..................... 126
Trouble check ................................................. 127
Self-diagnosis function ................................. 132
Specifications .................................................. 133
Identifying the parts ...................................... 134
Warning indicators ........................................ 143
Index ................................................................ 145 
						

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Before you begin
Using this manual
As you read through this manual, buttons and settings on the camcorder are shown in
capital letters.
e.g., Set the POWER switch to CAMERA.
Note on Cassette Memory
This camcorder is based on the DV format. You can only use mini DV cassettes with this
camcorder. We recommend you to use a tape with cassette memory .
The functions which depend on whether the tape has the cassette memory or not are:
¥ End Search (p. 21, 24)
¥ Date Search (p. 74)
¥ Photo Search (p. 77).
The functions you can operate only with the cassette memory are:
¥ Title Search (p. 76)
¥ Superimposing a title (p. 63)
¥ Making a custom title (p. 66)
¥ Labeling a cassette (p. 68).
For details, see page 116.
Note on TV color systems
TV color systems differ from country to country. To view your recordings on a TV, you need
an NTSC system-based TV.
Precaution on copyright
Television programs, films, video tapes, and other materials may be copyrighted.
Unauthorized recording of such materials may be contrary to the provision of the copyright
laws. 
						

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Before you begin
Precautions on camcorder care
¥The LCD screen and/or the color viewfinder are manufactured using high-precision
technology. However, there may be some tiny black points and/or bright points (red,
blue or green in color) that constantly appear on the LCD screen and/or in the
viewfinder. These points are normal in the manufacturing process and do not affect
the recorded picture in any way. Over 99.99% are operational for effective use.
¥ Do not let the camcorder get wet. Keep the camcorder away from rain and sea water.
Letting the camcorder get wet may cause the unit to malfunction, and sometimes this
malfunction cannot be repaired [a].
¥ Never leave the camcorder exposed to temperatures above 140¡F (60¡C ), such as in a car
parked in the sun or under direct sunlight [b].
Using this manual
[a][b] 
						

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Check that the following accessories are supplied with your camcorder.
Checking supplied accessories
1Wireless Remote Commander (1) (p. 139)
2AC-L10A AC power adaptor (1),
Power cord (1) (p. 8, 25)
The shape of the plug varies from region to
region.
3NP-F330 battery pack (1) (p. 7)
4Size AA (R6) battery for Remote
Commander (2) (p. 139)5Floppy disk adapter (1) (p. 91)
6A/V connecting cable (1) (p. 70, 82)
7Shoulder strap (1) (p. 140)
8Lens cap (1) (p. 12)
9Lens hood (1) (p. 14)
Contents of the recording cannot be compensated if recording or playback is not made
due to a malfunction of the camcorder, video tape, etc.
2
9 513
4
6
78 
						

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Getting started
Getting started
Installing and charging the battery pack
Before using your camcorder, you first need to install and charge the battery pack.  To
charge the battery pack, use the supplied AC power adaptor.
This camcorder operates only with the ÒInfoLITHIUMÓ battery pack.
ÒInfoLITHIUMÓ is a trademark of Sony Corporation.
Installing the battery pack
(1)Lift up the viewfinder.
(2)Insert the battery pack in the direction of the $ mark on the battery pack. Slide the
battery pack down until it is locked.
Attach the battery pack to the camcorder securely.
Note on installing the NP-F730/F730H/F750/F930/F950 battery pack
Use the camcorder while stretching out the viewfinder.
Note on the battery pack
Do not carry the camcorder by grasping the battery pack.
12 
						

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Notes
¥ ÒÐ Ð Ð minÓ appears on the display window until the camcorder calculates remaining
battery time.
¥ Remaining battery time indication on the display window roughly indicates the recording
time with the viewfinder. Use it as a guide. It may differ from the actual recording time.
Installing and charging the battery pack
Charging the battery pack
Charge the battery pack on a flat surface without vibration. The battery pack is charged a
little in the factory.
(1)Open the DC IN jack cover and connect the supplied AC power adaptor to the DC
IN jack with the plugÕs 4 mark up.
(2)Connect the power cord to the AC power adaptor.
(3)Connect the power cord to a wall outlet.
(4)Set the POWER switch to OFF. Remaining battery time is indicated by the minutes
on the display window. Charging begins.
When the remaining battery indicator becomes õ, normal charge is completed. For full
charge, which allows you to use the battery longer than usual, leave the battery pack
attached for about 1 hour after normal charge is completed until FULL appears in the display
window.
Before using the camcorder with the battery pack, unplug the AC power adaptor from the
DC IN jack of the camcorder. You can also use the battery pack before it is completely
charged.
POWER
OFFCAMERA
MEMORY
VTR 
						

							9
Getting started
Battery life
While using with viewfinder
Battery pack Continuous recording time * Typical recording time **
NP-F330 (supplied) 75 (70) 40 (35)
NP-F530 120 (110) 60 (55)
NP-F550 150 (135) 75 (70)
NP-F730 270 (245) 140 (130)
NP-F750/NP-F730H*** 315 (275) 165 (145)
NP-F930 420 (375) 220 (195)
NP-F950 485 (440) 255 (230)
While using with LCD
Battery pack Continuous Typical Playing
recording time * recording time ** time with LCD
NP-F330 (supplied) 60 (50) 30 (25) 75 (70)
NP-F530 95 (85) 50 (45) 120 (110)
NP-F550 120 (105) 65 (55) 150 (135)
NP-F730 210(190) 115 (105) 270 (245)
NP-F750/NP-F730H*** 250 (220) 140 (120) 315 (275)
NP-F930 325 (295) 180 (165) 420 (375)
NP-F950 375 (335) 210 (185) 485 (440)
Numbers in parentheses indicate the time when you use a normally charged battery.
Battery life will be shorter if you use the camcorder in a cold environment.
* Approximate continuous recording time indoors.
** Approximate minutes when recording while you repeat recording start/stop, zooming
and turning the power on/off. The actual battery life may be shorter.
*** NP-F730H is sold only in the U.S.A.
Installing and charging the battery pack
Charging time
Battery pack Charging time *
NP-F330 (supplied) 150 (90)
NP-F530 210 (150)
NP-F550 210 (150)
NP-F730 300 (240)
NP-F750/NP-F730H** 300 (240)
NP-F930 390 (330)
NP-F950 390 (330)
The time required for a normal charge is indicated in parentheses.
* Approximate minutes to charge an empty battery pack using the supplied AC power
adaptor. (Lower temperatures require a longer charging time.)
** NP-F730H is sold only in the U.S.A. 
						

							10
Installing and charging the battery pack
Notes on remaining battery time indication during recording
¥ Remaining battery time is displayed on the LCD screen or in the viewfinder.  However, the
indication may not be displayed properly, depending on using conditions and
circumstances.
¥ When you close the LCD panel or open it, it takes about 1 minute for the correct remaining
time to be displayed.
To remove the battery packLift up the viewfinder. While pressing  BATT RELEASE, slide the battery pack in the
direction of the arrow.
 BATT RELEASE