Sony DCRTRV240 Digital8 Camcorder 2.5" LCD with USB Streaming

Product Description

The DCR-TRV240 delivers all the benefits of Digital8 recording quality in a smaller chassis. Design includes an intelligent accessory shoe, an enhanced 25X optical/700X digital zoom, and backwards compatibility with your existing Hi8/D8 tapes. The DCR-TRV240 also provides Sony's new USB streaming feature and the flexibility of Super NightShot 0 Lux mode and Color Mode in addition to a Super SteadyShot Picture Stabilization System. Sony's new USB Image Capture Function lets you stream live and recorded images to your PC and send them through e-mail.

Amazon.com Review

The Sony DCR-TRV240 Digital8 camcorder is a well-specified model with both DV in and out connections, making it ideal for those wishing to edit digital footage on a PC. Sony's new Digital8 cameras are more compact than previous models. The TRV240 sits neatly in the hand and is light enough to use without effort. Digital8 has the added advantage of being able to play your old analog Hi8 tapes. It's also a less expensive way into digital video than MiniDV camcorders, both in respect of the cameras themselves and tapes.

Digital video comes as a real surprise after analog systems, the image quality is superb and free of all the noise associated with analog systems. Digital8 offers a resolution of 500 lines, over twice that of VHS. The superb Super SteadyShot picture stabilization system means you can produce good, shake-free shots. Sound is also digital, and the built-in microphone is adequate--as long as you remember to keep quiet yourself--but an external one is an idea for more serious work.

There are a wealth of features, many controlled by a menu system on the LCD screen. This helps keep the number of buttons down, but can be tiresome to navigate. Getting started is easy, as everything comes set at automatic. Just pop in a tape and away you go.

The camera boasts a remarkable level of zoom: a healthy 25x optical backed by digital zoom that extends this to 700x. At higher levels, however, the picture degrades considerably and you are advised to keep the digital zoom within reasonable levels. Usefully, the display indicates when you've exhausted the power of the optical zoom and are about to move to digital zoom. The zoom control reacts to pressure, right down to a gentle creep.

There's little else to do for easy shooting. There's a manual backlight button and exposure control. It has 16:9 support, which simply cuts strips off the top and bottom of the image so that, when replayed on a wide-screen television, the image fills the screen. This does of course cut back the image resolution a little. It can also take stills, fitting over 500 on a tape, though the quality of these do not make it a sufficient replacement for a high-quality digital camera.

Battery life is enough for a day trip, but spare or better high-capacity batteries are a wise investment. A full charge takes an hour and a quarter and is good for about an hour's continuous use. If you can resist using the LCD, you might get an extra half an hour. High-capacity batteries that can provide up to 10 hours use are available separately.

Another interesting feature is the time-lapse function, enabling you to film flowers opening and so forth. The Super NightShot mode offers a green-hued recording in darkness thanks to an infrared lamp below the lens. The multitude of buttons can be daunting, but after a while you begin to wish the camera had more to offer direct access to some of these features.

The edit modes include the ability to select scenes, which is excellent if a little fiddly to use. It outputs and inputs analog video either in composite or S-VHS and comes supplied with a composite lead and SCART converter, but includes no S-VHS lead. Digital input and output is via iLink, also known as FireWire or DV-in/out. There's also the ability to output video directly to a PC using a USB cable, enabling you to view them on your PC screen. It can even act as an analog to digital converter, feeding the signal through the camera to another device.

The TRV240 is a sophisticated and capable camera with an impressive feature list that'll take considerable time to explore fully. Having tasted what can be done with a digital camcorder, you won't ever want to go back to analog. --Miles Berkeley

Pros:

Sophisticated digital camcorder, yet easy to get started shooting
Impressive feature list: time-lapse function, digital still capability
25x optical zoom lens

Cons:

Will need to invest in extra batteries to shoot comfortably all day

Amazon.com Product Description

The Digital8 line was conceived to provide a path to digital for current owners of 8mm or Hi8 camcorders. The DCR-TRV240 succeeds in that regard, playing back both 8mm and Hi8 tapes.

Sony put in a 25x optical zoom and paired it with Super SteadyShot image stabilization. Image stabilization is a handy technology that helps to eliminate the shakiness associated with high zoom levels. The only way to avoid shakiness completely is to utilize a tripod, table, or other stable surface. The 2.5-inch LCD is the best way to frame your shots, although you can use the black-and-white EVF to preserve battery life.

In addition to the normal slew of ports (IEEE 1394, S-video, Mini AV) that have made their way onto the TRV240, there's also a USB port, which, with some included software, offers some interesting functions. Specifically, it allows you to use the camcorder to capture stills, or "broadcast live video with audio," according to Sony, which seems to indicate you can use the TRV240 as a Webcam. There is also one very important port on the TRV240: a mic input. Not only do most camcorders have poor built-in microphones, but also they are often situated too near the tape mechanism, meaning you get the annoying throbbing sound of the tape pulled through the heads.

The DCR-TRV240 comes with a power adapter, InfoLithium battery, remote control, two AA batteries, AV cable, lens cap, shoulder strap, USB cable, and software CD-ROM.

Customer Reviews:

very nice!.......2003-11-02

I bought this camcorder about a year ago & have been very pleased with it. It's a good size, easy to use, & has lots of cool components, especially for the price. I wouldn't buy anything other than a Sony!

USB connection total garbage.......2003-01-28

whoefully disapointed with the quality of the video coming from the usb connection. the analogue outs are much much better. so here we have a situation where the analogue is better than the digital out.

plan on buying a video capture card in order to get decent video to your pc.

USB streaming / Firewire.......2003-01-09

This camera works just fine; and despite having a few too many bells and whistles for my taste, the picture is as good as my trusty eight year old Sony camcorder that died last summer. BUT!!!... Be aware that the USB streaming capability that is touted as a selling point is absolutely useless. The USB's connection is slow enough that it's impossible to get anything other than jerky, dark, over-compressed video with tons of dropped frames and terrible sound.
The SOLUTION though, is simple if you have a reasonably new computer with plenty of muscle: ... I picked up an i.link / FireWire card with a video rendering chipset built in that gives me the decent quality video for burning VCD's that I expected. USB bad. FireWire good, camera good. 'Nuf said.

An amazing little camera!.......2003-01-07

This is an extremely versatile bit of technology, with a lot of very clever features. It's backward compatible with Hi-8, and has a useful digital pass-through capability that makes it invaluable in editing other video sources.

I simply don't understand the complaints regarding battery life, tape loading, or low light performance. At this price point, and considering the competition, Sony is way ahead of the game.

Two suggestion for all users:

1) Spring [$$$] for a UV or skylight filter to spare the lens.

2) Spend [$$$] for a Firewire card to take advantage of the i-Link port. You can edit video like a pro, record it back onto Digital 8, or even push it back out to any VCR.

If you want to be a professional, get a professional camera, for about [$$$]. If you want to have fun, get this camera and spend the rest on a vacation to try it out!

Great camera, but watch out for hidden costs.......2002-10-26

I wanted to give this camera Five Stars because it is splendid, but there are hidden costs associated with this camera that I was dissapointed to find out about, so it is only getting 4 stars. Read on to learn more.

The camera itself is fine. It takes clear pictures, and the image stabilization helps keep things steady. It is a little bigger than some of the other digital video cameras available, but easy enough to work with. I have taken this on vacation to Disneyland and the Southwestern U.S. and was happy I had it with me. The night shot feature makes it possible to film in darkness, which is a plus, although the picture comes out a bit green (but it's so awesome to be able to film in the dark, that everyone who has watched my night shots has been impressed and the green wasn't an issue). One of the main reasons I chose this camera was that it plays and records on both regular 8mm and digital video. It was easy to learn how to use this camera, and after reading the instruction manual a couple of times, I was using many of the features, such as night shot, fades, titles, etc.

I found that the microphone picks up the sound of the air going by when I film while hanging out the window of a moving car. It's fairly loud.

I bought a cheap (less than $10) UV lens cover at the advice of the sales girl, and have read about others who have done so as well. It seems like a good idea. This way, the $10 lens cover gets scratched, not the expensive camera lens. This does not appear to change the image quality.

Problems:

~You will want to buy at least one extra battery, and Sony cameras ONLY use the Sony Info-Lithium batteries, which are horribly expensive. I bought the longest lasting one for (Money). It was so frustrating to see other brands of batteries that were less expensive but not compatible with Sony cameras.

~You have to charge the battery ON the camera (you plug the camera into the wall, and use the power coming into the camera to charge the battery), which means you can't film while charging the battery. The solution to this is to spend MORE MONEY and buy a battery charger. The one I purchased cost me (Money). I was happy that this charger came with a car adapter, so I can charge the battery while driving.

~The other problem I have read about but not experienced yet is for users of tripods. The video tape goes in the bottom, and if you have a tripod attached, you need to remove the tripod to get the video out. I haven't used a tripod yet but it will be a bit of a hassle if I decide to try one.

I love this video camera and have no issues with perfomance or quality, but I was disappointed about the expensive batteries and the method of charging them.

Average customer rating:

Monster Cable SV1F-1M NF - Well worth the extra cost!

Monster Cable SV1F-1M NF Monster Standard Video Cable with F-pin Connectors No Frills Precuts (3.28 ft.)

Manufacturer: Monster Cable
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

Plugs & Adapters | Cables & Interconnects | Audio & Video Accessories | Accessories & Supplies | Categories | Electronics
F-Pin-Coaxial Tip | Video Cables | Cables & Interconnects | Audio & Video Accessories | Accessories & Supplies | Categories | Electronics
Standard | F-Pin | Video Cables | Home Audio & Video | Monster Cable | Custom Brands | Custom Stores | Specialty Stores | Electronics Features | Electronics
Product Features:

90 degree F-pin connector reduces cable strain

90 degree F-pin drops cable from outlet to floor for a more compact connection

Low-density structured dielectric on one end for low-loss

Fine-stranded copper conductors for signal transfer

High quality video cable with high-performance connectors in a low-cost design

ASIN: B00004Y2ZC

Product Description

Monster Cable Products is the world's leading manufacturer of high performance cables that connect audio/video components for home, car and professional use as well as computers and computer games. Monster Cable is an indispensable component for music lovers, audiophiles, recording studios, sound professionals, musicians, custom-installers and home theater enthusiasts.

Customer Reviews:

Monster Cable SV1F-1M NF - Well worth the extra cost!.......2004-02-26

Several recent upgrades and additions to two different audio/video systems brought about the need for several additional cables to include some coaxial cables. Monster Cable's reputation alone brought me to the shelf looking for their coaxial cables in both the three and six foot range. After hooking up this particular model of Monster Cable's coaxial cable, a Monster Cable two way splitter and one other particular model of Monster Cable's coaxial cable I noticed an immediate and highly agreeable improvement in the picture on a new Sony television. Prior to using these great coaxial cables from Monster Cable, that new Sony television just didn't seem to want to work to its full capacity with the standard cables brought by the cable company.

I highly recommend this particular coaxial cable and any other product from Monster Cable Company as every product of theirs that I've purchased so far has brought about a very noticeable difference in the quality of the picture on my television set. Although their products are considerably more expensive than similar items from other companies, I've found that additional cost to be worth it every time so far. {ssintrepid}

Product Description

Panasonic's vision of the digital future is driven by the needs and aspirations of its business customers and millions of consumers around the world who use Panasonic products every day. Panasonic shares its dream to live a fuller life by providing ways of working smarter and enjoying the rewards of technological advances.Panasonic KX-TC1503B is a 900 MHz Digital Cordless Phone with Digital Answering System and features a 15-Minute All-Digital Recording and an All-Digital Answering System. 10-Station Speed Dialer is very useful as well as a Slow Talk Message Playback. For even more convenience there is a Remote Operation option with Tone Remote Control and a 2-Way Paging/Automatic Intercom. The Headset Jack and Belt Clip allow you to take your headset with you nearly everywhere.

Amazon.com Product Description

The Panasonic KXTC1503 combines digital technology with easily operable features, resulting in an excellent value. 900 MHz digital operation offers better clarity and longer range than traditional analog phones that operate in the 43-49 MHz band, while 22-channel autoscan selects the frequency with the least interference. Plus, a speakerphone permits hands-free conversations.

The all-digital answering machine stores up to 15 minutes of date/time-stamped messages and supports remote retrieval so that you can check your messages while you're away from home. The unit comes with a pre-recorded answering message, or you can record your own. The new message playback feature plays back only those messages you haven't already listened to, while a two-line LCD panel lets you know how many messages are in your in-box. Instant call interrupt allows you to verify the caller and then pick up the handset even after the machine has already answered. Other answering system features include a toll saver, slow-talk message playback, and voice prompts.

The extra-long-life battery can handle up to 6 hours of talk time and up to 14 days on standby without recharging. A 10-station speed dialer is provided for those numbers you call the most. Two-way paging/automatic intercom means you don't have to spend time looking for that pesky handset. Both ringer and handset volumes can be toggled between three volume levels and you can also select between tone and pulse dialing. Flash and redial buttons are included, and the positive charge self-cleaning battery contacts ensure efficient (and therefore shorter) recharging time. The phone is easily wall-mountable and comes backed with a one-year warranty that covers parts and service.

Customer Reviews:

Great phone for an awesome price!!!.......2003-04-28

Easy to setup and use! No unnessesary bells and whistles. Great speaker phone feature in the handset!! A definite improvement over other brands. No other brand that I researched was ranked higher.

Great value.......2003-04-03

In the past 3 weeks, I have returned 4 phones (2 Uniden, GE, & Vtech). For this price range, I have found this phone to be superior to the other 4 that I had purchased. Uniden had the easist set-up and menu system by far, but everything else goes to the Panasonic (reception, clarity, digital recordings, range, etc.)This 900 mhz phone actually performs better than 2 of the other 2.4 ghz phones that I bought. The only thing that I which it had was a lighted message display like all the other phones on the market. It could also use a ringer on the base unit. I would certainly recommend this phone for the money. FYI, the Vtech 2468 was the worst of the bunch.

below average.......2003-02-05

Although this phone has decent features for a low price, the sound quality is lacking. Ever since I received this phone as a gift over a year ago people talking to me wondered if I was speaking through a cell phone, or if I was receiving another incoming call. A lot of conversations sounded choppy or broken to either party, sometimes forcing an early end to long distance calls. Another reviewer mentioned that he was able to get range of up to 50 meters, mine got nowhere near that, and this model did not include backlit #'s either. I leave the handset on the charger a majority of the time, so battery life issues haven't surfaced. Otherwise, the answering machine and speakerphone work well and would have raised the overall rating to 4 stars if not for the inconsistant sound quality.

Bad voice quality..........2003-01-23

This phone has the typical Panasonic characteristics: good looking, solid feeling, feature rich, and good worksmanship. However, this model uses digital transmission, probably a ADPCM-based digital vocoder, so voice will "clip" and fade in and out from time to time when it is hit with radio interference. Also, it takes a few seconds for the ADPCM vocoder to "adapt" to the radio interference to adjust modulation, which is to clear up voice. It's pretty irritating when part of your voice is chopped... On a good note, the answering machine works great and sounds very clear. One last thing, Panasonic removed "rapid charge" feature from the 2002 product line up, so it will take 15-17 hours to charge up a battery that lasts 5 hours.

Not pleased at all..........2002-11-22

I have a panasonic cordless set I've been using for quite some time which works great, so when I decided to get another panasonic set for another room, I decided on this on. I'm not sure what happened here, either I bought a defective phone or Panasonic has really lowered the bar on quality performance. When dialing a number, usually right after dialing, it'll ring right away, however, this set, it makes several sounds, as if it's connecting to something, like an internet (?) and it takes about 3-5 seconds to "connect", then it starts the actual ringing. The volume on this set [need help] as well. There are only 3 levels, super low, low and ok. Don't they know some people have hearing problems?! And the ring to this set is annoying. It sounds retarded, not like other phone sets. And the ring volume, there's only two levels, super low or rediculously high. However, the major complaint I have with this set is you can't dial any number over 10 digits. For example, you dial the credit card company and then they ask you to punch in your credit card number, you punch it in and well, the phone thinks that you're dialing an actual phone number, so it'll make that "connecting" noise and it'll just keep on doing that, getting you nowhere so eventually, you're forced to hang up and maybe try again and get nowhere again. Luckily, I have another phone for cases like that. Overall, the price you pay on this phone is not even worth it. Even if it was free I wouldn't take it. Stay away from this phone. If I could give it a zero rating, I would.

Average customer rating:
Monster Cable I401XLN 2C-4M Interlink 401XLN (2 Channel) Car Audio Interconnect With Multiple Gauge Wire Networks (4 m. pair)

Manufacturer: Monster Cable
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

Plugs & Adapters | Cables & Interconnects | Audio & Video Accessories | Accessories & Supplies | Categories | Electronics
Premium Grade | Analog Audio Interconnects | Car Audio & Video | Monster Cable | Custom Brands | Custom Stores | Specialty Stores | Electronics Features | Electronics
Electronics Available for International Shipping | Specialty Stores | Electronics Features | Electronics
Product Features:

Connector housing is 1/3 the overall length of average RCA connectors for easy installation in tight places.

Features DoubleHelix construction for extra-low noise music reproduction.

Patented Time Correct windings for accurate phase, amplitude, and frequency response.

Superior Connection 8-cut Turbine 24k gold RCA connectors resist corrosion and will not vibrate loose over time.

XLN construction for rejection of loop area noise and inductive interference.

ASIN: B00004Y2XQ

Product Description

Monster Cable has solved the problem of noise introduced into conventional coaxial cables with its exclusive XLN Xtra Low Noise DoubleHelix (2-channel) and QuadHelix (4-Channel) interconnect cables. These revolutionary cables feature special twisted construction, which minimizes the loop area for maximum noise rejection. DoubleHelix and QuadHelix construction reduces inductive coupling between high current sources and low level signals - ensuring noise sensitivity reduction of 40 DB compared to ordinary side-by-side constructed coaxial interconnects. The result is greater noise rejection for superior performance. Interlink 401XLN uses dual multiple gauge Bandwidth Balanced bass and high frequency wire networks for more accurate signal transfer and smooth, balanced reproduction of music harmonics. Time Correct technology compensates for phase variations in the audio signal for improved sound stage, clarity and imaging. Fine-stranded high purity copper windings enhance signal transfer for overall sonic improvement with tonal and dynamic realism. Bass notes are deep and tight. Imaging of instruments is precise with a spacious and layered sound stage. Phase and amplitude response is accurate for more natural sound.Monster's patented Turbine RCA connectors feature a massive 24K gold contact ground shell with eight diagonal cuts along its circumference to maximize contact area and provide very high contact mass, allowing a more complete transfer of the audio signal. The extra-thick shell ensures a precision fit that won't pull or vibrate loose in your car.Ultra high performance Interlink 401XLN interconnect with DoubleHelix construction solves the problem of car audio noise and provides outstanding music reproduction. Installing your system with Monster's XLN cables ensures maximum performance - virtually noise free.

Product Description

The Sony DCR-TRV460 Digital8 Handycam camcorder gives you the best digital features at the price of an analog. Just some of its numerous features include a huge 2.5" SwivelScreen LCD display, a monstrous 20X optical zoom, NightShot Plus infrared recording, USB streaming, and Stamina Battery Power Management System. It also includes touch-screen operation through the LCD display and digital still image capture onto convenient Memory Stick Media. Plus, Digital8 recording means high-quality digital recording on inexpensive Hi8 and 8mm video cassettes, so you get professional results without paying professional prices. It's the digital camcorder that anyone can afford!

Customer Reviews:

Good Camera but you need lots of extras to actually use it.......2007-08-06

I bought mine in late 2005, but didn't use it when I was overseas because the supplied software was TERRIBLE and I never could get it to work. I ended up using the video capture on my separate Digital camera. So, a year later, I fired it up this week and spent an entire day trying to play a video I recorded yesterday on my PC... being a digital video novice, here are the caveats you need to know after I spent all day on it, plus read all 43 review before this one:
- I like the features of the camera, the zoom and fold out screen, but the pain is usability and working with the videos or pictures once you take them. If you just want to take taped videos, and watch them on a TV using the provided AV cable, it is ok, but NOT if you want to see or use the video on a PC and edit it. So read on...
- You really need a second battery, which I ordered automatically, which added to the price. Some of the reviews here say you can use 3rd party batteries, but others say an embedded chip prevents using them. Mine was an expensive Sony battery.
- There are no tapes in the box, so you have to buy some.
- READ the simple manual first for each task you do... for instance if you try to plug in the USB cable to a pc first it screws up the drivers, and you have to go to troubleshooting sections to manual delete the drivers, then reload.
- Sony uses a 4 wire firewire cable called "iWire" (they don't say firewire anywhere).. BUT THEY DON'T PROVIDE THE iWire CABLE. So the user wastes time trying to get provided USB cables to work and after two hours trying to install, reinstall and use the TERRIBLE Sony provided "Picture Package" software, or keep flipping through all the touchscreen menus to turn on "Burn DVD" which uses a CD-R (not DVD) and never find a way to transfer the video to the PC. I finally got the low budget USB Streaming player to work so I could see my video in a small screen on the PC, but there was no option to capture it to a file (stupid). Sony also provides an "AV" cable that has three composite rca jacks to plug into your vcr so you could play the video through that method, but I don't have a VCR anymore - I use a Comcast DVR which has the physical jacks, but they are disabled (a whole separate story about Comcast DVRs).
- Using firewire - finally, I fired up my previously purchased Pinnacle Studio version nine, which apparently can't recognize the Sony USB connection, as it kept saying it was looking for a connection on ieee 1394 input, which is firewire (Sony refuses to say that common name). I finally figured out I needed firewire for best transfer to the PC (and so do some of the reviews), and ordered the 4 wire to 6wire Sony iWire cable by part number (read the Accessories catalog) because my PC does have the standard 6 wire Firewire jack on the back. Just after I ordered it, I found that Belkin had much lower priced cables of the same type on Amazon, or you can order used ones or generic ones. ALSO, I happen to have a Sony laptop, and it has a Sony design 4-wire firewire jack on it (not the standard 6-wire jack), so I ordered a Belkin 4-wire to 4-wire cable to connect my camcorder to the Sony laptop.
- Sony doesn't provide any memory stick card at all so you can't use that storage feature until you buy one. Other reviews here say 64-128mb are fine for storing the 1mpx pictures it takes. 1-2 reviews say that you can't store movies on the memory stick, but I would confirm that - I haven't tried it.
- Conclusion:
- Get a second battery
- Don't rely on the USB connection for anything except a streaming video to the Sony viewer, but you can't capture it. Go for firewire, which means you need the cable (see below) and a standard firewire port or Firewire card on your pc.
- Get a 128mb memory stick to start (which means you also need a memory stick reader on the PC or laptop). The HandyCam pictures are only 1 megapixel, so I will rarely use it, but the memory stick is how you transfer the pictures to a PC (There might be a way with the USB line, but I don't want to waste anymore time on their software)
- Order the 4 wire to 6 wire iWire or Firewire cable for playback and transfer, and if your computer doesn't have firewire, add a card with it. The Sony part number is VMC-IL4615 - but get the Belkin alternate or another supplier - Sony's price is $39.95 when Belkin's is 1/4 of that. (I ordered it, but haven't gotten it yet).
- Expect to not be able to do ANY work on the PC editing your video with the USB cable or Sony's poor software. Instead, try using firewire and the free Microsoft Movie Maker that comes with XP. OR, expect to pay $100 or more for Pinnacle Studio, or ULead's Movie product, or Adobe's video maker products. Pinnacle has special high end audio visual cards with firewire you might look at. Or just make sure you have a good AV card with firewire and the right hardware specs to use the video editing software (i.e. ATI Radeon, etc.) . MY HP has the right specs, so I didn't need an additional card.
- To process video files on the computer, you might need to add more memory - if the editing is slow, determine if more RAM will help.
- The camera doesn't come with a bag, so you will need one.
- The battery is charged by plugging the power brick into the camera and charging the battery in the camera. It is slow, and means you can't use the camera while charging, but I always have two batteries charged, so that is what you have to live with, or buy an external charger.
- Misc - I bought an infrared filter and tripod also for the camera.
- Cost - So even though you budgeted $400 or so for the camera, the true price with all the above is more like $600-700 to actually be usable.

And now, my budding You Tube production might actually happen, once I get those cables...
VJ

Good Product.......2007-05-13

Works well. Has fire wire and is Digital Quality. Would recommend this product.

Mine's still working after 26 months.......2006-12-10

I've read some poor reviews on what's happened over time with other people's Handycams, but I must say that mine still works after 2 years, a few typhoons and several 'dropping' accidents. I'm just now beginning to find some of the neat features of this camcorder, too!
The reason I purchased this camcorder was because of the colored infrared nightshot, which works great! You can take pictures in pitch darkness. Although I must say recently I've noticed problems with the handycam's playback feature. It keeps switching to Hi8 mode when the video isn't taken with the Hi8 feature (this makes the LCD screen turn blue so you can't see the playback). I'll most likely buy another Sony with the color enhanced nightshot, but I think I'll switch to the DVD or harddrive version.

2 years old and same problem.......2006-12-02

I bought this camera in winter of 2004. It was a good camera for about a year and a half. This past summer I started getting the same "Video Heads are Dirty" message that everyone is getting. I've tried cleaning, but am still getting the message. Now it won't even recognize that there's a video cassette in it.

Looks like I need to take it to be serviced, but I fear what the cost will be.

Long time owner.......2006-10-26

I have had this camcorder for at least 3 years. I received it as a gift. I love it. It's easy to use, takes great still photos as well as awesome video. I make many little home movies with this camera along with my computer. It's zooms in and out nicely, had night shot and the battery charges quickly and lasts a long time. I did require a special cable that didn't come with the camera though. But as a long time user of this camera I must say its worth the money. I know it was under $400.00.

Average customer rating:
Monster Cable SV1R-4M NF Standard Video Cable with RCA Connectors (4 Meter)

Manufacturer: Monster Cable
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

Categories | Electronics | Accessories & Supplies | Audio & Video | Camera & Photo | Car Electronics | Computers & Add-Ons | GPS & Navigation | Home Automation & Security | Office Electronics
Video | Home Audio-Video Custom Installation | Monster Cable | Custom Brands | Custom Stores | Specialty Stores | Electronics Features | Electronics
Computer Carts & Machine Stands | Carts & Stands | Office Furniture & Accessories | Categories | Office Products
Product Features:

Low-density structured dielectric for low-loss signal transfer.

Fine-stranded center conductors for increased flexibility.

High-quality video cable in a low-cost design.

Terminated with reinforced, molded rubber grip 24k gold RCA connections for a durable connection.

ASIN: B00006346N

Product Description

Product Description

The Vibra Trainer Elite Heart Rate Monitor features the new innovative, vibrating heart zone alarm, particularly useful when exercising to music using earphones or in a noisy gym environment. When you reach the pre programmed heart rate zones the watch gently vibrates to prompt you. The Cardio Vibro Trainer allows the user to enter age, sex, weight, height and activity level. The "SMART Trainer" program will then provide realistic HR limits for the user, with a 5 min warm up and 30 min exercise. Any parameter can be changes to suit the user fitness level or ability. Specially designed for smaller wrists, this heart rate monitor also gives an indication of calories burnt, % of time spent in selected zone and average heart rate. SMART training program with warm up and warm down timer Stopwatch range of 99 - 59 - 59 Measures real-time calories and % fat burn Fitness Index Clock, calendar and dual alarms Low battery indicator HiGlo backlight User selectable units of measurement Watch is water resistant up to 50 meters. Chest belt is splash proof Storage pouch & chest belt included

Oregon Scientific SE212 Vibra Trainer Fit Heart Rate Monitor Lady, Black

Average customer rating:

Oregon Scientific SE212 Vibra Trainer Fit Heart Rate Monitor Lady, Black

Manufacturer: Oregon Scientific
ProductGroup: Health and Beauty
Binding: Health and Beauty

Oregon Scientific | Brands | Electronics Features | Electronics

Heart Monitors | Fitness Accessories | Exercise & Fitness | Categories | Sports & Outdoors

Stress Reduction | Nutrition & Fitness | Products | Health & Personal Care

Wireless chest strap transmits heart rate to accompanying wristwatch
Smart training program
User selectable audible or vibration heart rate alert for out of zone indication
Water resistant up to 150 feet
Shows calories burned, fat burning %, maximum and average heart rate in user select display

ASIN: B000EGUZ64
Release Date: 2006-02-02

Product Description

Monitors & displays heart rate continuouslyWireless chest strap transmits heart rate to accompanying wristwatchSmart Training ProgramHiGlo electro-luminescent backlight for easy viewing 12/24-hour clock with alarm, month/day/date disp

Electronics:

Electronics

Electronics