JVC GR-AX837, GR-AX237, GR-AX437, GR-AX537 User Manual

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COMP ACT VHS CAMCORDER

VIDEOCAMARA VHS COMPACTO CÂMERA VHS COMPACTA

GR-AX837/GR-AX537 GR-AX437/GR-AX237

Compact VHS



(GR-AX837/AX537 shown.)

ENGLISHPORTUGUÊS ESPAÑOL

INSTRUCTIONS

MANUAL DE INSTRUCCIONES

INSTRUÇÕES

LYT0002-079A

2 EN

Dear Customer,

Thank you for purchasing the JVC Compact VHS camcorder. Before use, please read the safety information and precautions contained in the following pages to ensure safe use of your new camcorder.

Using This Instruction Manual

•All major sections and subsections are listed in the Table Of Contents (Z pg. 7).

•Notes appear after most subsections. Be sure to read these as well.

•Basic and advanced features/operation are separated for easier reference.

It is recommended that you . . .

..... refer to the Index (Z pgs. 45 – 48) and

familiarize yourself with button locations, etc. before use.

..... read thoroughly the Safety Precautions that

follow and cautions (Z pgs. 49, 50). They contain extremely important information regarding the safe use of your new camcorder.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

WARNING: TO PREVENT FIRE OR SHOCK HAZARD, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS UNIT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

Warning on lithium battery

The battery used in this device may present a fire or chemical burn hazard if mistreated. Do not recharge, disassemble, heat above 100°C or incinerate. Replace battery with Panasonic (Matsushita Electric), Sanyo or Maxell CR2025; use of another battery may present a risk of fire or explosion.

n Dispose of used battery promptly. n Keep away from children. n Do not disassemble and do not dispose of in

fire.

This camcorder is designed to be used with NTSC-type colour television signals. It cannot be used for playback with a television of a different standard. However, live recording is possible anywhere. Use the BN-V12U/V22U/ V25U battery packs and, to recharge them, the provided multi-voltage AC Power Adapter/ Charger. (An appropriate conversion adapter may be necessary to accommodate different designs of AC outlets in different countries.)

NOTES:

●

The rating plate (serial number plate) and safety caution are on the bottom and/or the back of the main unit.

●

The rating plate (serial number plate) of the AC Power Adapter/Charger is on its bottom.

This unit is produced to comply with Standard IEC Publ. 65.

CAUTIONS:

n To prevent shock, do not open the cabinet.

No user serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to qualified personnel.

n When you are not using the AC Power

Adapter/Battery charger for a long period of time, it is recommended that you disconnect the power cord from AC outlet.

EN 3

IMPORTANT PRODUCT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

Electrical energy can perform many useful functions. But improper use can result in potential electrical shock or fire hazards. This product has been engineered and manufactured to assure your personal safety. In order not to defeat the built-in safeguards, observe the following basic rules for its installation, use and servicing.

ATTENTION:

Follow and obey all warnings and instructions marked on your product and its operating instructions. For your safety, please read all the safety and operating instructions before you operate this product and keep this manual for future

reference.

INSTALLATION

1. Power Sources

Operate your product only from the type of power source indicated on the marking label. If you are not sure of the type of power supply to your home, consult your product dealer or local power company. If your product is intended to operate from battery power, or other sources, refer to the operating instructions.

2. Overloading

Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords, or integral convenience receptacles as this can result in a risk of fire or electric shock.

3. Power Cord Protection

Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the product.

4. Ventilation

Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided for ventilation. To ensure reliable operation of the product and to protect it from overheating, these openings must not be blocked or covered.

•Do not block the openings by placing the product on a bed, sofa, rug or other similar surface.

•Do not place the product in a built-in installation such as a bookcase or rack unless proper ventilation is provided or the manufacturer’s instructions have been adhered to.

5. Wall or Ceiling Mounting

The product should be mounted to a wall or ceiling only as recommended by the manufacturer.

ANTENNA INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

1. Outdoor Antenna Grounding

If an outside antenna or cable system is connected to the product, be sure the antenna or cable system is grounded so as to provide some protection against voltage surges and built-up static charges. Article 810 of the National Electrical Code, ANSI/ NFPA 70, provides information with regard to proper grounding of the mast and supporting structure, grounding of the lead-in wire to an antenna discharge unit, size of grounding conductors, location of antenna discharge unit, connection to grounding electrodes, and requirements for the grounding electrode.

2. Lightning

For added protection for this product during a lightning storm, or when it is left unattended and unused for long periods of time, unplug it from the wall outlet and disconnect the antenna or cable system. This will prevent damage to the product due to lightning and power-line surges.

3. Power Lines

An outside antenna system should not be located in the vicinity of overhead power lines or other electric light or power circuits, or where it can fall into such power lines or circuits. When installing an outside antenna system, extreme care should be taken to keep from touching such power lines or circuits as contact with them might be fatal.

EXAMPLE OF ANTENNA GROUNDING AS PER NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE, ANSI/NFPA 70

ANTENNA LEAD IN WIRE

GROUND CLAMP

ANTENNA DISCHARGE UNIT (NEC SECTION 

ELECTRIC SERVICE EQUIPMENT

POWER SERVICE GROUNDING ELECTRODE SYSTEM (NEC ART 250. PART H)

NEC – NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE

810-20)

GROUNDING  CONDUCTORS (NEC SECTION 810-21)

GROUND CLAMPS

4 EN

USE

1. Accessories

To avoid personal injury:

• Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket or table. It may fall, causing serious injury to a child or adult, and serious damage to the product.

• Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table recommended by the manufacturer or sold with the product.

• Use a mounting accessory recommended by the manufacturer and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for any mounting of the product.

• Do not try to roll a cart with small casters across thresholds or deep-pile carpets.

2. Product and Cart Combination

A product and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops, excessive force, and uneven surfaces may cause the product and cart combination to overturn.

3. Water and Moisture

Do not use this product near water—for example, near a bath tub, wash bowl, kitchen sink or laundry tub, in a wet basement, or near a swimming pool and the like.

4. Object and Liquid Entry

Never push objects of any kind into this product through openings as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short-out parts that could result in a fire or electric shock.

Never spill liquid of any kind on the product.

5. Attachments

Do not use attachments not recommended by the manufacturer of this product as they may cause hazards.

6. Cleaning

Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.

7. Heat

The product should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other products (including amplifiers) that produce heat.

PORTABLE CART WARNING (Symbol provided by RETAC)

SERVICING

1. Servicing

If your product is not operating correctly or exhibits a marked change in performance and you are unable to restore normal operation by following the detailed procedure in its operating instructions, do not attempt to service it yourself as opening or removing covers may expose you to dangerous voltage or other hazards. Refer all

servicing to qualified service personnel.

2. Damage Requiring Service

Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following conditions:

a. When the power supply cord or plug is damaged. b. If liquid has been spilled, or objects have fallen into the

product.

c. If the product has been exposed to rain or water. d. If the product does not operate normally by following

the operating instructions. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions as an improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the product to its normal operation.

e. If the product has been dropped or damaged in any way. f. When the product exhibits a distinct change in

performance—this indicates a need for service.

3. Replacement Parts

When replacement parts are required, be sure the service technician has used replacement parts specified by the manufacturer or have the same characteristics as the original part. Unauthorized substitutions may result in fire, electric shock or other hazards.

4. Safety Check

Upon completion of any service or repairs to this product, ask the service technician to perform safety checks to determine that the product is in safe operating condition.

QUICK OPERATION GUIDE

EN 5

SUPPLY POWER

Hook on.

Push in.

BATT. RELEASE

Using the battery pack

Hook-on the battery pack’s top end to the camcorder. (Charging procedure, Z pg. 8)

2 Push in the battery pack until it locks into

place.

To remove the battery pack

Slide BATT. RELEASE and pull out the battery pack.

PLAYBACK

STOP

REW

PLAY/PAUSE

Set to “PLAY”

1 Set the power switch to “PLAY”. 2 Press REW.

— The tape will automatically stop at the

beginning of the tape.

3 Press PLAY/PAUSE.

— Playback starts and the playback picture

appears in the viewfinder.

•To stop playback, press STOP.

(For more details, Z pg. 32.)

Or simply play back the tape on a VHS

VCR using the Cassette Adapter (VHS Playpak). Z pg. 30

INSERTING A VIDEO CASSETTE

EJECT

PUSH

1 Slide EJECT. 2 Insert a video cassette. 3 Press PUSH.

(For more details, Z pg. 12)

SHOOTING

Insert.

LENS COVER open/close knob

Set to “CAMERA”

Recording Start/Stop button

1 Slide the LENS COVER open/close knob to

open the lens cover.

2 Set the power switch to “CAMERA”.

— The power indicator will light and an

image will appear in the viewfinder.

3 Press the Recording Start/Stop button.

— Recording starts.

•To stop recording temporarily, momentarily press the Recording Start/Stop button once again. (For more details, Z pg. 14)

6 EN

MAJOR FEATURES

REMEMBER

The Logical Choice

The only compact video

cassettes that can be

used with your VHS VCR*

Program AE with Special Effects (

n Auto Mode Lock n Auto Mode Release n Electronic Fog Filter n ND Effect n Sepia n Twilight n Sports n 1/1000 sec. High Speed Shutter n 1/2000 sec. High Speed Shutter

Integrated Auto Light (GR-AX837/AX537 only)

Z pg. 17)

(

Z pg. 18)

Program Manager

Z pg. 18 – 29)

(

Program AE with Special Effects, Exposure Control, Focus, Fader, Wide, Instant Title, Date/Time Character Insert, White Balance Adjustment, Menu Adjustment

Variable-Speed Hyper Zoom

Z pg. 15)

(

Zoom-in

Zoom-out

Random Assemble Editing

Z pg. 35 – 37)

(

882

554411663

PROVIDED ACCESSORIES

•AC Power Adapter/ Charger AA-V11EG

•DC Cord

Cassettes marked can be used with this camcorder.

•Cassette Adapter (VHS PlayPak) C-P7U

•Shoulder Strap

•Battery Pack BN-V11U

•Lithium Battery CR2025

•x2 for GR-AX837 (clock operation and remote

control unit)

•x1 for GR-AX537/AX437/AX237 (clock operation)

•Remote Control Unit RM-V705U (GR-AX837 only)

CONTENTS

GETTING STARTED

Power............................................................................................... 8

Clock (Lithium) Battery Insertion/Removal................................................. 10

Viewfinder Adjustment ........................................................................ 10

Date/Time Setting ............................................................................. 11

Tape Length Setting ............................................................................ 12

Recording Mode Setting ....................................................................... 12

Loading/Unloading A Cassette ............................................................... 12

Grip Adjustment ................................................................................ 13

Shoulder Strap Attachment.................................................................... 13

Tripod Mounting ................................................................................ 13

EN 7

RECORDING

Basic Recording ................................................................................. 14

Basic Features................................................................................... 15

Advanced Features ............................................................................. 18

PLAYBACK

Using The Cassette Adapter................................................................... 30

Basic Connections............................................................................... 31

Basic Playback .................................................................................. 32

Features ......................................................................................... 33

EDITING

Tape Dubbing.................................................................................... 34

Random Assemble Editing (R.A.Edit)......................................................... 35

USING REMOTE CONTROL UNIT (GR-AX837 only)

Insert Editing.................................................................................... 40

Audio Dubbing .................................................................................. 41

USER MAINTENANCE TROUBLESHOOTING INDEX

Viewfinder ...................................................................................... 45

Controls.......................................................................................... 46

Connectors....................................................................................... 47

Indicators ........................................................................................ 47

Other Parts...................................................................................... 47

Terms ............................................................................................. 48

CAUTIONS SPECIFICATIONS OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

8 EN

POWER indicator

END indicator

Charge marker

CHG. (charge) indicator

Marks

REFRESH indicatorREFRESH switch

** CHARGE MARKER

A charge marker is provided on the battery pack to help you remember whether it has been charged or not. Two colors are provided (red and black)—you choose which one means charged and which means discharged.

To AC outlet

GETTING STARTED

Power

This camcorder’s 3-way power supply system lets you choose the most appropriate source of power.

NOTES:

●

No function is available without power supply.

●

Use only specified power supply.

●

Do not use provided power supply units with other equipment.

CHARGING THE BATTERY PACK

SUPPLY POWER

Connect the charger’s AC power cord to a wall

outlet. The power indicator lights.

ATTACH BATTERY PACK

Align the marks and slide the battery pack in the

direction of the arrow until it locks in place. The CHG. indicator lights.

DETACH BATTERY PACK

When charging is completed, the END indicator

lights. Slide the battery pack opposite the direction of the arrow.

BATT. PACK CHARGE DISCHARGE

BN-V11U approx. 1 hr. 10 min. approx. 3 hrs. 30 min. BN-V12U approx. 1 hr. 10 min. approx. 3 hrs. 30 min. BN-V22U approx. 2 hrs. 10 min. approx. 7 hrs. BN-V25U approx. 2 hrs. 40 min. approx. 10 hrs.

Hook on.

Push in.

BATT. RELEASE

ATTENTION:

Before detaching the power source, make sure that the camcorder’s power is turned off. Failure to do so can result in a camcorder malfunction.

USING THE BATTERY PACK

ATTACH BATTERY PACK

Hook its top end to the camcorder and push the

battery pack in until it locks in place.

DETACH BATTERY PACK

Slide BATT. RELEASE and pull out the battery pack.

APPROXIMATE RECORDING TIME

BATT. PACK GR-AX837/AX537/AX437 GR-AX237

BN-V11U 1 hr. 10 min. (40 min.) 1 hr. 10 min. BN-V12U 1 hr. 10 min. (40 min.) 1 hr. 10 min. BN-V22U 2 hrs. 20 min. (1hr. 25 min.) 2 hrs. 25 min. BN-V25U 3 hrs. 5 min. (1hr. 55 min.) 3 hrs. 10 min.

( ): when the video light is on (GR-AX837/AX537 only).

**REFRESH

The AC power adapter features a REFRESH function that allows you to fully discharge the battery pack before recharging.

To discharge the battery . . .

...... attach the battery pack to the adapter as shown in the

illustration to the left. Then push REFRESH. The REFRESH indicator lights when discharging starts, and goes out when discharging is complete.

EN 9

NOTES:

●

The recording time per charge is affected by such factors as the time spent in Record/Standby mode and the frequency of zooming. It is safer to have spare battery packs.

●

Charging times noted on page 8 are for fully discharged battey pack, and discharging times are for fully charged battery pack.

●

Charging and discharging times vary according to the ambient temperature and the status of the battery pack.

●

Remember to set the charge marker after charging a battery pack or after detaching a discharged one from your camcorder.

●

Perform the REFRESH function after no less than 5 chargings.

●

High temperatures can damage the battery pack, so use only where good ventilation is available. Don’t allow it to discharge in container, such as a bag.

●

If you stop recharging or discharging part way through, make sure to remove the battery pack before unplugging the adapter’s AC cord.

●

Remove the battery pack from the adapter immediately after discharging.

●

To avoid interference with reception, do not use the AC Power Adapter/Charger near a radio.

●

Make sure you unplug the DC cord before charging or discharging the battery pack.

●

A blinking CHG. indicator means that the battery pack has become hot. Wait until it cools down to continue.

●

The CHG. indicator may not light properly with a brand new battery pack, or with one that’s been stored for an extended period. In this case, remove and reattach the battery pack and recharge it. The CHG. indicator should light during recharging. If not, contact your nearest JVC dealer.

USING A CAR BATTERY

DC OUT terminal

To DC in jack

DC cord

Car Battery Cord AP-V7U (optional)

To AC outlet

AC Power Adapter/Charger AA-V11EG (provided)

To car’s cigarette lighter socket

Use the optional Car Battery Cord or Car Battery Charger/Adapter (connect as shown in the illustration to the left).

NOTES:

●

When using the car battery, leave the engine idling.

●

The optional Car Battery Charger (BH-V3U) can also be used to charge the battery pack.

●

When using the optional Car Battery Charger or Car Battery Cord (AP-V7U), refer to the respective instruction booklet.

USING AC POWER

Use the AC Power Adapter (connect as shown in the illustration to the left).

NOTE:

The supplied AC Power Adapter/Charger features

Car Battery Charger/Adapter BH-V3U (optional)

automatic voltage selection in the AC range from 110 V to 240 V.

10 EN

GETTING STARTED

(cont.)

Clock (Lithium) Battery Insertion/Removal

This battery is necessary for clock operation and to perform date/time settings.

SWITCH OFF POWER

Switch off the unit’s power and remove the power

supply unit.

OPEN COVER

Open the clock battery compartment cover while

pressing the release tab.

REMOVE BATTERY (when replacing)

Insert a pointed, non-metallic object between the

battery and the compartment (A) and pull the battery out.

INSERT BATTERY

Ensuring the plus (+) side is up, insert a CR2025

lithium battery and push it in.

CLOSE COVER

Close the compartment cover until it clicks in place.

NOTE:

See “SAFETY PRECAUTIONS” (Z pg. 2) for information on safe handling of lithium batteries.

Set POWER to “CAMERA”.

Viewfinder Adjustment

POSITION VIEWFINDER

Adjust the viewfinder manually for best viewability

(see illustration at left).

SELECT MODE

Set the power switch to CAMERA.

ADJUST DIOPTER

Turn the diopter adjustment control until the

indications in the viewfinder are clearly focused.

Date/Time Setting

EN 11

FAR

–

Menu Screen

Set Time and Date Screen

Date

Month/Day/Year

PROGRAM AE select dial

NEAR

GAIN UP S.LX TELE MACRO OFF INTERVAL TIMER OFF REC TIME OFF JLIP ID NO. 07 SET CHARACTER 

DATE/TIME 

END :MENU KEY



JAN 1.00 AM 12:00

SET CANCEL

SELECT MODE

First set the power switch to “CAMERA”. Turn the

PROGRAM AE select dial to any position except AUTO LOCK.

ACCESS MENU SCREEN

Press MENU.

SELECT FUNCTION

Press – to move the highlight bar down to “DATE/

TIME”, then press NEAR. The Set Date And Time screen appears.

SET DATE/TIME

Press FAR or NEAR until the item you want to set

begins blinking, then press + or – to until the correct setting appears.

•If you decide you want to return the date and time

to the previous settings, press FAR or NEAR to move the highlight bar to “CANCEL”, then press MENU.

•If you’re satisfied with the settings, go on to step 5.

START CLOCK OPERATION

Once you’ve set the month, day, year and time,

press FAR or NEAR until “SET” begins to blink, then press MENU. The Menu screen reappears.

CLOSE MENU

Press MENU.

NOTES:

●

To display the date and time in the viewfinder and on a connected TV, see “Date/Time Insert” (Z pg. 24).

●

If, in step 4, you input an invalid date (FEB 30, JUN 31, etc.) and perform step 5, “INPUT ERROR” appears blinking at the bottom of the screen. Press +, –, FAR or

NEAR to input the correct number.

Time

12-hour indication with AM or PM

12 EN

T20•30•40 tape length select button

SP-EP recording mode button

GETTING STARTED

(cont.)

Tape Length Setting

Set the tape length according to the length of the tape used.

SET TAPE LENGTH

Press T20•30•40 until the required indication

appears in the veiwfinder. T20 = 20 minutes of recording time, T30 = 30 minutes, and T40 = 40 minutes (in SP).

NOTE:

The tape remaining time (Z pg. 14) displayed in the viewfinder is correct only if the correct tape length has been selected.

Recording Mode Setting

Set depending on your preference.

Set POWER to “CAMERA”.

Tape length indicator

T30

T20

Recording mode indicator

Turn to take up slack.

GearErase Protection

T30 T40

SET RECORDING MODE

Press SP-EP button. “SP” (Standard Play) provides

higher picture and sound quality and is better for dubbing, while “EP” (Extended Play) is more economical, recording at 1/3 the speed of SP.

NOTE:

If the recording mode is switched during recording, the playback picture will be blurred at the switching point.

Loading/Unloading A Cassette

OPEN CASSETTE HOLDER

Slide EJECT until the holder opens. Do not use force

to open.

INSERT/REMOVE CASSETTE

Make sure the label is facing outward.

CLOSE CASSETTE HOLDER

Press PUSH and make sure the holder is closed and

locked.

NOTES:

●

A cassette holder can’t be opened unless a power supply is attached.

●

Make sure that the tape is not slack when loading the cassette. If there is any slack, turn the gear on the cassette in the direction of the arrow to take up the slack.

●

Make sure the Erase Protection tab is in the position that allows recording. If not, slide the tab. Some cassettes have removable tabs. If the tab has been removed, cover the hole with adhesive tape.

●

The cassette holder can’t be opened while the camcorder is in the record mode.

Recording Start/Stop button

Grip Adjustment

EXPAND LOOP

Separate the Velcro strip.

INSERT HAND

Pass your right hand through the loop and grasp the

grip.

ADJUST STRAP LENGTH

Adjust so your thumb and fingers can easily operate

the Recording Start/Stop button and Power Zoom lever. Refasten the Velcro strip.

Shoulder Strap Attachment

ATTACH STRAP

Following the illustration at left, thread the strap

through the top of the eyelet 1, then fold it back and thread it through the keeper 2, and then through the buckle 3. Repeat the procedure to attach the other end of the strap to the other eyelet, making sure the strap isn’t twisted.

ADJUST LENGTH

Adjust as shown in the illustration at left 1, then

slide both keepers snug against the eyelets to prevent slipping 2.

EN 13

Tripod Mounting

ALIGN AND TIGHTEN

Align the screw and camera direction stud on the

tripod with the camera’s mounting socket and stud hole. Then tighten the screw.

14 EN

Tape remaining time indicator

25MIN

Power indicator

POWER

Start/Stop button

Tally lamp

-MIN

*(Now calculating)

120MIN 119MIN

3MIN 2MIN (Blinking) 1MIN (Blinking) 0MIN (Blinking)

LENS COVER switch

RECORDING

Basic Recording

NOTE:

You should already have performed the procedures listed below. If not, do so before continuing.

●

Power (Z pg. 8)

●

Tape Length setting (Z pg. 12)

●

Recording Mode Setting (Z pg. 12)

●

Grip Adjustment (Z pg. 13)

LOAD A CASSETTE

Slide EJECT to open the cassette holder, then insert

the cassette with the label facing out. Press PUSH to ensure the holder is closed and locked.

ENTER RECORD–STANDBY MODE

Slide the LENS COVER open/close switch to open

the lens cover, then set the power switch to “CAMERA”.

•The power indicator lights and the camcorder enters the Record–Standby Mode.

•The scene you’re aimed at appears on the viewfinder screen, with the word “PAUSE” superimposed upon it.

START SHOOTING

Press the RECORDING START/STOP button.

•The tally lamp lights while recording is in progress,

REC

and “

STOP RECORDING

Press the RECORDING START/STOP button again to

stop recording.

•The camcorder re-enters the Record-Standby mode.

” appears in the viewfinder.

NOTES:

●

A cassette holder can’t be opened unless a power supply is attached.

●

There may be a delay after you slide EJECT until the holder opens. Do not use force.

●

The tape’s remaining time is displayed in the viewfinder as shown.

●

The indicated remaining time is approximate.

●

The time required to calculate the remaining tape length, and the accuracy of the calculation, may vary according to the type of tape used.

●

The tape remaining time displayed in the viewfinder is correct only if the correct tape length has been selected (Z pg. 12).

●

“TAPE END” appears when the tape reaches its end, and the power goes off automatically if left in this condition for 5 minutes. “TAPE END” also appears when a cassette whose tape is already at its end is loaded.

●

If the Record–Standby mode continues for 5 minutes without performing Zoom or any other operations, the camcorder’s power shuts off automatically. Set the Power switch to “POWER OFF”, and then back to “CAMERA” to turn the camcorder on again.

●

If the Recording Start/Stop button is pressed after the Record-Standby mode has continued for over 5 minutes, recording may not start immediately.

●

If you’re recording on a cassette from the middle, use the RETAKE function (Z pg. 16) to find the end of the last recording so you don’t erase any of it.

●

The LENS COVER warning blinks for about 10 seconds when the camcorder is turned on, when the cover is closed.

RECORDING

Basic Features

EN 15

Power zoom switch

Zoom-in

Zoom-out

Zoom indicator

FEATURE: Zooming PURPOSE: Varies the focal length of the lens

OPERATION:

NOTES: ●

and produces the zoom in/out effect.

Zoom In

1) Push the power zoom switch

down toward “T”.

Zoom Out

1) Push the switch up toward “W”.

The further the power zoom switch is pushed, the faster the zoom speed becomes.

●

Focusing may become unstable during zooming. In this case, set the zoom while in Record– Standby, set manual focus or Focus Lock (Z pgs. 20, 21), then zoom in or out in Record mode.

16 EN

RETAKE (R/F)

RECORDING

FEATURE: Quick Review PURPOSE: To check the end of the last record-

OPERATION: 1)Press “ ” and release quickly

NOTE:

FEATURE: Retake PURPOSE: To re-record certain segments. OPERATION: 1)Make sure the camcorder is in the

NOTE:

Basic Features (cont.)

ing.

during the Record–Standby mode.

•Tape is rewound for about 2 seconds and played back automatically, then pauses in Record–Standby mode for the next shot.

Distortion may occur at start of playback. This is normal.

Record–Standby mode.

2) Press either RETAKE button to

reach the start point for new recording. Pressing “F” fast-forwards the tape and pressing “R” reverses it.

3) Press Recording Start/Stop to start

recording.

Noise may appear during Retake. This is normal.

LIGHT ON/AUTO/OFF

EN 17

Video Light (GR-AX837/AX537 only)

When natural lighting is too dim, you can brighten the scene by using the built-in video light.

SET VIDEO LIGHT

Set the LIGHT ON/AUTO/OFF as required.

ON : Always keeps the light on as long as the

camcorder is turned on.

AUTO : Automatically turns on the light when the

camcorder senses insufficient lighting on the subject.

OFF : Turns off the light.

•The video light can be used with the camcorder’s power on.

•It is recommended to set the white balance (Z pg. 25) to indoor mode ( ) when you use the video light.

•When not using the video light, turn it off to save battery power.

NOTES:

●

Even if the battery indicator ( ) does not blink in the viewfinder, if the battery pack’s charge is low, the camcorder may turn off automatically when you turn on the video light, or when you start recording with the video light turned on.

●

When the LIGHT ON/AUTO/OFF switch is set to “AUTO”:

•

Depending on the lighting conditions, the video light may keep turning on and off. In this case, manually switch the light on or off using the LIGHT ON/ AUTO/OFF switch.

•

While the Sports or High-Speed Shutter mode (Z pg. 19) is engaged, the light is likely to stay on.

•

While the Twilight mode (Z pg. 19) is engaged, the light will not activate.

DANGER

•The video light become extremely hot. Do not touch it either while in operation or soon after turning it off, otherwise serious injury may result.

•Do not place the camcorder into the carrying case immediately after using the video light, since it remains extremely hot.

•When operating, keep a distance of about 30 cm. (1 ft.) between the video light and people or objects.

•Do not use near flammable or explosive materials.

•It is recommended that you consult your nearest JVC dealer for replacing the video light.

18 EN

1 second later, the mode is activated.

Viewfinder

SEPIA

FAR NEAR

RECORDING

Advanced Features

Program AE With Special Effects

After 1 sec.

Mark

PROGRAM AE select dial

–

All you have to do to access any of the variety of shooting effects is to turn the PROGRAM AE select dial.

SELECT MODE

Turn the PROGRAM AE select dial until the

symbol of the function you want is aligned with the mark.

•The selected mode’s name and its indication are displayed in the viewfinder for approx. 1 second. Then the name disappears, and only the indication remains. The mode is activated.

•When Auto Mode Lock or Auto Mode Release mode is selected, only the mode’s name is displayed. Then the name disappears and the mode is activated.

NOTES:

●

Only one effect can be engaged at a time.

●

The screen becomes slightly reddish when the fader (Z pg. 22) is used in the Sepia mode.

●

The screen becomes slightly dark in the High Speed Shutter mode. Use in well-lighted situations.

●

In the High Speed Shutter or Sports modes, picture color may be adversely affected if subject is lit by alternating discharge-type light sources such as flourescent or mercury-vapor lights.

DIAL VIEWFINDER

SYMBOL INDICATION

LOCK

AUTO LOCK

MODE

Auto Mode Lock

Locks the camcorder in Full Auto mode, preventing incorrect operation due to accidental button pressing during shooting.

•In this mode the following controls are disabled; FADE, WIDE, TITLE, DISPLAY, M.W.B (Manual White Balance), Manual Focus, Focus Lock, Exposure Control and MENU

RELEASE

AUTO RELEASE

Auto Mode  Release

Auto Mode Release

Re-enables the controls that were disabled by Auto Mode Lock.

DIAL VIEWFINDER

SYMBOL INDICATION

FG:FOGFG

MODE

Electronic Fog Filter

Makes the picture look misty white, as when an external fog filter is attached to the lens. Softens the image and gives it a “fancy“ look.

ND EffectND:ND EFFECTND

ND Effect

A black mist darkens the picture, as when an ND filter is used. Helps to counter the effects of glare on the subject.

DIAL VIEWFINDER

SYMBOL INDICATION

MODE

DIAL VIEWFINDER

SYMBOL INDICATION

EN 19

MODE

SEPIA

Sepia

The scene being shot is recorded in sepia-tinted (reddish-brown) monochrome, giving the effect of an older movie. Use together with Wide ( for the authentic look of a classic Hollywood movie.

TWILIGHT

Twilight

Dusk, twilight scenery, fireworks, etc., look more natural and dramatic. The following happens when Twilight mode is selected:

•Auto gain control is turned off.

•White Balance is set to “ ” (outdoor mode), but can also be manually changed to another mode (Z pg. 25).

•Auto Focus becomes available only in the range of 10 m to infinity. To focus when the subject-tocamera distance is less than 10 m, use manual focusing (Z pg. 21).

Sepia

Z pg. 22)

Twilight

SPORTS

Sports

High shutter speed clearly captures fast-moving action.

1/1000

1/2000

High-Speed Shutter (1/1000s., 1/2000s.)

Captures faster action than Sports mode.

S 1/1000

S 1/2000

Sports

1/1000 sec. High Speed Shutter

1/2000 sec. High Speed Shutter

Exposure Control

This feature automatically adjusts the iris for the best available picture quality, but you can override and make the adjustment manually.

SELECT MODE

Turn the PROGRAM AE select dial to any

position except AUTO LOCK.

–

To brighten the image

–

Exposure Level Indicator

To darken the image

BRIGHTEN IMAGE

Press + (maximum +06). The Exposure level

indicator appears in the viewfinder.

OR . . .

DARKEN IMAGE

Press – (maximum –06). The Exposure level indicator appears in the viewfinder.

When you want to return to the factory setting . . .

RESTORE INITIAL SETTING

Press + and – simultaneously. The standard

setting is immediately restored and the Exposure level indicator disappears.

20 EN

Focus detection zone

NEARFAR

PROGRAM AE select dial

RECORDING

Advanced Features (cont.)

Focusing

Auto Focus

The camcorder’s Full Range AF system offers continuous shooting ability from close-up to infinity. However, correct focus may not be obtainable in the situations listed below (in these cases use manual focusing):

•When two subjects overlap in the same scene.

•When illumination is low.*

•When the subject has no contrast (difference in brightness and darkness), such as a flat, one-color wall, or a clear, blue sky.*

•When a dark object is barely visible in the viewfinder.*

•When the scene contains minute patterns or identical patterns that are regularly repeated.

•When the scene is affected by sunbeams or light reflecting off the surface of a body of water.

•When shooting a scene with a high-contrast background.

* The low-contrast warning “

viewfinder.

Focus Lock

This feature locks the focus in place, which is especially helpful in the following situations:

•When things pass between your subject and the camcorder. Engage the focus lock function to lock your subject in before recording.

•When you want your subject to be focused, and to appear in a corner of the screen. First, center on the subject and focus using auto focus mode. Then engage the focus lock function and move the camcorder until the subject is where you want it.

” appears in the

SELECT MODE

Turn the PROGRAM AE select dial to any position

except AUTO LOCK.

LOCK FOCUS

Press FAR or NEAR. The focus lock indication “ ”

appears in the viewfinder.

RELEASE FOCUS LOCK

Press FAR and NEAR simultaneously. The focus lock

indication disappears.

NOTES:

●

If the lens is smeared or blurred, accurate focusing is not possible. Keep the lens clean, wiping with a piece of soft cloth if it gets dirty. When condensation occurs, wipe with a soft cloth or wait for it to dry naturally.

●

When shooting a subject close to the lens, zoom-out first (

pg. 15). If zoomed-in in the auto focus mode, the camcorder could automatically zoom out depending on the distance between the camcorder and the subject. *When Tele Macro ( activated, the camcorder will not zoom out automatically.

pg. 27) is

Power zoom lever

FAR

PROGRAM AE select dial

NEAR

EN 21

Manual Focus

NOTE:

You should already have made the necessary viewfinder adjustments (Z pg. 10). If you haven’t, do so before continuing.

SELECT MODE

Turn the PROGRAM AE select dial to any position

except AUTO LOCK.

ADJUST FOCUS

To farther subject . . .

Press and hold FAR . The Manual Focus indications

“ ” appear and “ ” blinks. Go to step 3.

To nearer subject

Press and hold NEAR. The Manual Focus indications “ ” appear and “ ” blinks.

Go to step 3.

. . .

LOCK FOCUS

Release FAR or NEAR. The focus

indication is replaced by the focus lock indication “ ” and the adjusted focus is locked in.

RELEASE MANUAL FOCUS MODE

Press FAR and NEAR simultaneously. The Manual

Focus mode is immediately released and the focus lock indication disappears.

NOTES:

●

Be sure to focus the lens in the maximum telephoto position when you use the Manual Focus mode. If you focus in on a certain subject in the wide-angle position, sharply focused images cannot be obtained when zoomed up because the depth-of-field is reduced at longer focal lengths.

●

When the focus level cannot be adjusted any farther or closer, “

” or “ ” will blink.

22 EN

SELECT button

Fade-Standby indication

Function indication

FADE

RECORDING

Advanced Features (cont.)

Fader

This feature allows smooth fade-in and fade-out to black blank screen. Fade-in works at recording start, and fade-out works at recording end or when you enter Record–Standby mode.

SELECT MODE

Turn the PROGRAM AE select dial to any position

except AUTO LOCK.

PROGRAM AE select dial

SET button

FADE IN

FADE OUT

Wide mode

SELECT FUNCTION

Press SELECT repeatedly until “

FADE

” appears.

ENGAGE FADE–STANDBY MODE

Press SET to engage the Fade–Standby mode.

The Fade-Standby indication “FADE” is displayed.

START RECORDING

Press Recording Start/Stop to start recording and

activate fade-in.

OR . . .

END RECORDING

Press Recording Start/Stop to end recording and engage fade-out.

NOTES:

●

Pressing and holding the Recording Start/Stop button allows you to record a black blank screen.

●

The screen becomes slightly reddish when the Fader is used with Sepia (Z pg. 19).

●

With the Electronic fog filter mode (Z pg. 18) engaged, the image fades in/out to a white screen.

Wide

This feature allows you to record black bars at the top and bottom of the screen to produce a cinema-like “wide-screen” effect.

SELECT MODE

Turn the PROGRAM AE select dial to any position

except AUTO LOCK.

SELECT FUNCTION

Press SELECT repeatedly until “

ENGAGE WIDE MODE

Press SET.

RESTORE NORMAL SCREEN

Press SET again while “

WIDE

” appears.

SELECT

SET

TITLE

No indication

Title indication

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OUR VACATION MERRY CHRISTMAS A SPECIAL DAY HAPPY HOLIDAYS OUR NEW BABY WEDDING DAY CONGRATULATIONS

The characters you  have set using  Character Generator

PROGRAM AE select dial

EN 23

Instant Titles

The camcorder has eight preset titles in memory. You can superimpose one of them above a previously stored title as shown in the illustration to the left.

DISPLAY

SELECT MODE

Turn the PROGRAM AE select dial to any position except AUTO LOCK.

SELECT FUNCTION

Press SELECT repeatedly until “

TITLE

” appears.

SELECT PRESET TITLE

Engage the Record–Standby mode, then press SET to cycle through the preset titles until the desired title is

displayed.

NOTES:

●

To delete the Instant Title during recording, press SET.

●

To recall a title, engage the Record–Standby mode and then press SET to select the desired title.

Character Generator

You can enter an original title of up to 18 characters.

GAIN UP S.LX TELE MACRO OFF INTERVAL TIMER OFF REC TIME OFF JLIP ID NO. 07

SET CHARACTER 

DATE/TIME 

END :MENU KEY

SET : MENU KEY

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Ä Ö Ü À È Ì Ò Ù Ñ Æ Ø Å & : . , ’ – / ! ? ¿ k 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

I L I END

SET : MENU KEY

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Ä Ö Ü À È Ì Ò Ù Ñ Æ Ø Å & : . , ’ – / ! ? ¿ k 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

I L I KE YOU

END CLEAR

CLEAR

ACCESS MENU SCREEN

Turn the PROGRAM AE select dial to any position except AUTO LOCK, then press MENU.

ACCESS CHARACTER SET MENU

Press + or – to move the highlight bar to “SET CHARACTER”, then press NEAR. The Character Set menu appears.

INPUT CHARACTERS

Press +, –, FAR or NEAR to move the pointer to the desired character, then press MENU. The selected characters appear

at the bottom of the screen. Repeat as many times as desired (max. 18).

• To select the location of the next character, press +, –, FAR or NEAR to highlight the row of squares at the bottom of the screen, then press FAR or NEAR to make the desired location blink. Press + when you’re done, and the pointer returns to the character grid.

END CHARACTER SETTING

Press +, –, FAR or NEAR to make “END” blink, then press MENU twice to return to the normal screen.

NOTES:

●

To erase a character you entered mistakenly, make “CLEAR” blink by pressing +, –, FAR or NEAR, then press MENU. All characters are deleted at once. Or, to erase selected characters only, first move the pointer to the row of squares by pressing +, –, FAR or NEAR to highlight them. Press FAR or NEAR to make the desired character blink, then press +, FAR or NEAR to move the pointer to “ ” in the top left corner. Press MENU.

●

To display the characters you have set — “Instant Title” or “Date/Time/Character Insert” (Z pg. 24).

●

Characters may be set only in the Record-Standby mode.

24 EN

SELECT

SET

PROGRAM AE select dial

DISP.

RECORDING

Advanced Features (cont.)

Date/Time Character Insert

This feature allows you to display date, time and characters in your viewfinder and on a connected color monitor, record them manually or automatically, and even make your own titles.

NOTE:

You should already have performed the Date/Time Setting procedure (Z pg. 11). If you haven’t, do so before continuing.

DISPLAY

SELECT MODE

Turn the PROGRAM AE select dial to any position

except AUTO LOCK.

SELECT DISPLAY

Press SELECT repeatedly until “

DISP.

” appears.

Auto Date Record mode

Date-off mode

Character Generator

Auto Date Record mode

AUTO DATE

Auto date record  mode

Date display

DEC 25.97

Character Generator

SET CHAR

No Characters  stored 

Date display

Date/Time display

DEC 25.97

Auto date record  executed

Date/Time display

DEC 25.97 PM 10:50

IN PARIS, FRANCE

Example of stored  characters

CHOOSE DISPLAY MODE

Press SET while in Record–Standby to cycle through

the modes as shown in the illustration at left.

NOTES:

●

The selected display can be recorded.

●

If you don’t want to record the display, select Date-off mode before shooting.

●

If you want to delete the display during shooting, press SET.

●

If you want to call back a deleted display, engage the Record–Standby mode and then select the desired display mode using SET.

AUTO DATE RECORD

Your camcorder automatically records the date for about 5 seconds after recording is initiated in the following situations:

•After changing the date.

•After loading a cassette.

•After Auto Date Record mode is selected by pressing

SE T.

In this mode, the date is replaced after 5 seconds with “AUTO DATE”.

NOTES:

●

Setting PROGRAM AE to LOCK always engages the auto date record mode, and disables all other modes.

●

In the Auto Date Record mode, if the date changes while you’re shooting, the date indication is recorded for about 5 seconds from that point. It is not recorded during any other recordings made on that day.

No indication  (Auto)

SELECT

White balance mode indicator

MWB

M.W.B.

MWB

EN 25

Manual White Balance Adjustment (M.W.B.)

This camcorder’s Automatic Color Temperature system senses the color temperature of the ambient lighting for automatic white balance adjustment. However, precise color adjustment is not possible under the following conditions:

• When an object is in various shades of the same color.

• When a predominantly red or brown object is being shot outdoors.

In these cases, use the camcorder’s built-in preset filters for white balance adjustment.

SELECT MODE

Turn the PROGRAM AE select dial to any position

except AUTO LOCK.

SELECT FUNCTION

Press SELECT reapeatedly until “

M.W.B.

” appears.

SELECT WHITE BALANCE

Press SET (Manual White Balance) until the required indication appears in the viewfinder.

SET

PROGRAM AE select dial

NOTES:

●

To switch to automatic white balance adjustment, press SET until the indication disappears, or turn the PROGRAM AE select dial to “AUTO LOCK”.

●

Re-adjust the White Balance when the lighting has changed, when the camcorder has been turned on and off again, or when the PROGRAM AE select dial’s position has been changed.

●

It is helpful to connect your camcorder to a color monitor when adjusting the white balance (“Basic Connections”

pg. 31).

●

When adjusted by putting colored paper in front of the subject in step 2 (“ADJUST FOCUS”), this unit makes its color temperature standard for automatic white balance. So you can enjoy shooting with different colors. For example, when adjusting with red, blue or yellow colors, the image becomes the color which aproximates to green, orange or purple respectively.

“MWB” ..... With a memorized personal White Balance

“ “ “

MWB

MWB sets the color temperature for the subject’s light source so you can shoot with natural colors that are unaffected by surroundings, even when there are multiple subjects with different color temperatures.

SELECT MODE

Turn the PROGRAM AE select dial to any position

except AUTO LOCK.

ADJUST FOCUS

Point the camcorder at a white, flat object such as a sheet of white paper, and adjust focus manually

(

Z pg. 21).

ADJUST WHITE BALANCE

Press SET until “MWB” appears, then press and hold SET for more than 3 seconds.

• “MWB” blinks in the viewfinder during adjustment, then stops blinking but stays lit when adjustment is complete.

setting (see below)

” ......... Outdoors on sunny day

”......... Outdoors on cloudy day

” .......... Light source is halogen or tungsten lamp

26 EN

RECORDING

Advanced Features (cont.)

Using Menu For Detailed Adjustment

This camcorder is equipped with Program Manager, an easy-to-use, on-screen menu system that simplifies many of the more detailed camcorder settings.

SELECT MODE

Turn the PROGRAM AE select dial to any position

except AUTO LOCK.

ACCESS MENU SCREEN

Press MENU.

FAR NEAR

–

GAIN UP S.LX

TELE MACRO OFF INTERVAL TIMER OFF REC TIME OFF JLIP ID NO. 07 SET CHARACTER  DATE/TIME 

END :MENU KEY

GAIN UP NORM

TELE MACRO ON

INTERVAL TIMER 1MIN REC TIME 1/2S JLIP ID NO. 07 SET CHARACTER  DATE/TIME 

END :MENU KEY

SELECT FUNCTION

Press + or – to place the highlight bar on the desired

function.

MAKE SETTING

The setting procedure depends on the function you

select.

If you select GAIN UP, TELE MACRO, INTERVAL

TIMER, REC TIME or JLIP ID NO. . . .

.... press FAR or NEAR to cycle through the choices

until the desired setting appears.

If you select SET CHARACTER or DATE/TIME . . .

.... press NEAR to access the selection menu for

each function (SET CHARACTER – Z pg. 23; DATE/TIME – Z pg. 11).

CLOSE MENU

Press MENU. The normal screen reappears.

NOTE:

The menu is available only in the Record-Standby mode.

PAUSE

If GAIN UP or TELE MACRO in the Menu has been changed from the factory settings, this mark appears in the viewfinder.

EN 27

GAIN UP S.LX To record a subject in a dark lit environment. When it is more

NORM To record a subject in a dimly lit environment. When it is

OFF Allows you to shoot dark scenes with no picture brightness

TELE MACRO OFF Usually set to this position.

ON Usually the distance to a subject where the lens is in focus

INTERVAL TIMER This feature allows you to set the parameters for Self-Timer

REC TIME This feature allows you to set the parameters for Animation

JLIP ID NO. This number is necessary when connecting the camcorder to a device such

SET CHARACTER Allows you to input characters. (Z pg. 23). DATE/TIME Allows you to set the current date and time (

OFF 15 S 30 S 1 MIN 5 MIN

OFF 1/4 S 1/2 S 1 S

as a computer using the J terminal (JLIP). The numbers range from 01 to 99. Factory setting is 07.

convenient to shoot the subject with a brighter image even if the picture becomes slightly coarse. Automatically selected when the PROGRAM AE select dial is set to AUTO LOCK mode. (S.LX : Super LoLux)

more convenient to shoot with a less coarse picture although the subject becomes slightly dark. This setting is suitable for measuring sensitivity conforming to EIA-639 (EIA* Standard for Low Light Sensitivity Measurement) *EIA : Electronic Industries Association

adjustment.

depends on the zoom magnification. Unless there is a distance more than 1m to the subject, the lens is out of focus at the maximum telephoto setting. When set to “ON”, you can shoot a subject as large as possible at a distance of approx. 60 cm.

•Depending on the zoom position, the lens may go out of focus.

(

Z pg. 28) and Time-Lapse recording (Z pg. 29).

and Time-Lapse recording (Z pg. 29).

Z pg. 11).

= Factory setting and when the PROGRAM AE Select Dial is set to

AUTO LOCK

NOTE:

During shooting in low light, Auto Focus accuracy may decrease even when Gain Up is used. In this case, use Manual Focus (Z pg. 21).

28 EN

Interval Timer Indicator

Rec Time Indicator

FAR

RECORDING

Advanced Features (cont.)

Self-Timer

You can set the delay between pressing RECORDING

1MIN 1/2S

START/STOP and the actual start of recording. If you secure the camcorder, you (or whomever is operating the camcorder) can enter the scene before recording starts.

NOTE:

Make sure the camcorder is in the Record-Standby mode

before performing the following steps.

ACCESS MENU SCREEN

NEAR

–

Turn the PROGRAM AE select dial to any position

except AUTO LOCK, then press MENU.

SET INTERVAL TIME

Press – or + to move the highlight bar down to

“INTERVAL TIMER”, then press FAR or NEAR to cycle through the choices. Stop when the desired time appears. Choose from “15S”, “30S”, “1MIN”, “5MIN”, or select to turn the function “OFF”.

CLOSE MENU

Press MENU.

Tally lamp

GAIN UP S.LX TELE MACRO OFF

INTERVAL TIMER OFF

REC TIME OFF JLIP ID NO. 07 SET CHARACTER  DATE/TIME 

END :MENU KEY

1/2S1S

1MIN5MIN

1/4S

START DELAYED RECORDING

Press RECORDING START/STOP. The tally lamp

begins blinking, and the blinking frequency increases about 5 seconds before recording is to start. Once recording begins, the lamp stops blinking but stays lit.

To Release Self-Timer . . .

..... while the tally lamp is blinking, press RECORDING

START/STOP to stop the blinking, then set “INTERVAL TIMER” to “OFF”.

OFF

15S30S

OFF

Animation

Give stationary scenes or objects an illusion of movement. This function allows you to shoot a series of pictures, each slightly different, of the same object for a brief period of time.

NOTE:

Make sure the camcorder is in the Record-Standby mode and the recording mode is set to “SP” before performing the following steps.

EN 29

Time-Lapse

You can record sequentially at preset time spans. Leaving the camcorder aimed at a specific subject, you can record subtle changes over an extended period of time.

NOTE:

Make sure the camcorder is in the Record-Standby mode and the recording mode is set to “SP” before performing the following steps.

ACCESS MENU SCREEN

Turn the PROGRAM AE select dial to any

position except AUTO LOCK, then press MENU.

SET RECORDING TIME

Press – or + to move the highlight bar down to

“REC TIME”, then press FAR or NEAR to cycle through the choices. Stop when the desired time appears. Choose from “1/4S”, “1/2S”, “1S”, or select to turn the function “OFF”. Then press MENU to close Menu screen.

START RECORDING

Press the Recording Start/Stop button after

focusing on the subject. The recording stops automatically after the selected period of time.

ASSEMBLE SERIES OF PICTURES

Repeat step 3 for the desired number of

pictures.

RELEASE ANIMATION MODE

Set “REC TIME” in the Menu screen to “OFF”.

NOTES:

●

For best results, make sure the camcorder is secured when shooting in Animation or Time-Lapse mode.

●

Fade-in/out cannot be performed during Animation or Time-Lapse shooting.

●

Before performing other operations following Animation or Time-Lapse recording, make sure the Animation or Time-Lapse mode is deactivated.

ACCESS MENU SCREEN

Turn the PROGRAM AE select dial to any

position except AUTO LOCK, then press MENU.

SET INTERVAL BETWEEN RECORDINGS

Press – or + to move the highlight bar down to

SET RECORDING TIME

Press – or + to move the highlight bar down to

START TIME-LAPSE RECORDING

Press RECORDING START/STOP. Recording

and intervals alternate automatically.

RELEASE TIME-LAPSE MODE

To release when the tally lamp is not blinking,

set “REC TIME” and “INTERVAL TIMER” in the Menu screen to “OFF”. To release when the tally lamp is blinking, press the Recording Start/Stop button to stop the blinking, then set “INTERVAL TIMER” and “REC TIME” in the Menu screen to “OFF”.

30 EN

Compact video cassette

Recording safety hole

VCR

Compartment door

Sliding latch

Reels

PLAYBACK

Using The Cassette Adapter

Cassette Adapter (VHS PlayPak)

Use this to play back a VHS-C video cassette recorded with this camcorder. It is fully compatible with any VHS video cassette recorder. The C-P7U adapter is battery powered and automatically performs tape loading and unloading.

INSERT BATTERY

Slide the battery cover up to remove it, and install

one “AA(R6)” size battery as shown in the illustration at left. Then reattach the cover.

INSERT CASSETTE IN ADAPTER

Slide the latch to open the adapter compartment

door, then insert the cassette and close the compartment door.

PLAY BACK ON CONNECTED VCR

Load the cassette adapter into the VCR and play the

tape back as you would any other.

REMOVE CASSETTE FROM ADAPTER

Slide the latch and the compartment door opens

automatically. Then insert your finger in the hole on the underside of the adapter as shown in the illustration at left, push up and remove the cassette.

NOTES:

●

During tape loading and unloading, do not touch the reels for safety and tape protection.

●

During special-effect playback (slow motion, still frame, etc.), the picture may vibrate or noise bars may appear on the screen.

●

To record on a VCR using a compact cassette and the adapter, cover the adapter’s recording safety hole with adhesive tape.

PLAYBACK

When connecting the cables, open the jack cover.

Basic Connections

To AUDIO and VIDEO connectors

Audio and Video cables (optional)

To AUDIO and VIDEO IN connectors

EN 31

There are three basic types of connections. When making the connections, refer also to your VCR and TV instruction manuals.

Connection To A VCR [A] (Editing, Dubbing and Playback)

NOTE:

Use the optional Audio and Video cables.

CONNECT CAMCORDER TO VCR

As shown in the illustration at left, connect the

optional Audio and Video cables between the AUDIO and VIDEO connectors on the camcorder and those on the VCR.

SUPPLY POWER

Turn on the camcorder, the VCR and the TV.

VCR

Antenna

To AUDIO, VIDEO and RF DC OUT connectors

RF unit RF-V5U (optional)

NOTES:

●

It is recommended to use the AC Power Adapter/Charger as the power supply instead of the battery pack.

●

To monitor the picture and sound from the camcorder without inserting a tape, set the camcorder’s Power switch to “CAMERA”, then set your TV to the appropriate input mode.

●

If you have a TV or speakers that are not specially shielded, do not place the speakers adjacent to the TV as interference will occur in the camcorder playback picture.

SELECT MODE

Set the VCR to its AUX input mode, and set the TV

to its VIDEO mode.

Connection To A TV With A/V Input Connectors [B] (Playback ONLY)

NOTE:

Use the optional Audio and Video cables.

CONNECT CAMCORDER TO TV

As shown in the illustration at left, connect the

optional Audio and Video cables between the AUDIO and VIDEO connectors on the camcorder and those on the TV.

SELECT MODE

Set the TV to its VIDEO or AV mode (as specified in

its instructions).

Connection To A TV With NO A/V Input Connectors (Playback ONLY)

NOTE:

Use the optional RF-V5U RF unit.

* Refer to the RF-V5U instruction manual for connection

procedure.

32 EN

STOP

REW

POWER

PLAY/PAUSE

PLAYBACK

Basic Playback

NOTE:

Make sure you connect your camcorder as directed in “Basic Connections” (Z pg. 31).

LOAD A CASSETTE

Slide EJECT to open the cassette holder, then insert

the cassette with the label facing out. Press PUSH to ensure the holder is closed and locked.

SELECT MODE

Set the Power switch to “PLAY”. The Power On

indicator lights.

PLAYBACK

Press PLAY/PAUSE. The playback picture appears in

the viewfinder and the connected TV.

STOP PLAYBACK

Press STOP.

Rewind or Fast-forward the tape

Press REW to rewind, or FF to fast-forward the tape during Stop mode.

Recording mode indicator

M-1:23:45

Tape counter

Tape running indicator

4 3

6 : Still Playback

: Playback : Fast-Forward/

Forward Search

: Rewind/Reverse

NOTE:

The camcorder shuts off automatically after about 5 minutes in Stop mode or Still Playback mode. To turn on again, set the Power switch to “POWER OFF”, then to “PLAY”.

PLAYBACK

–

COUNTER R/MFFPLAY/PAUSE

STOP

Features

REW

EN 33

FEATURE: Manual Tracking PURPOSE: To eliminate noise bars that appear

OPERATION: 1) Press either +/– button as many

NOTES: ●

FEATURE: Still Playback PURPOSE: To pause during playback. OPERATION: 1) Press PLAY/PAUSE during

NOTE:

FEATURE: Shuttle Search PURPOSE: To allow high-speed search in either

OPERATION:

NOTE:

FEATURE: Counter Memory Function PURPOSE: To make it easier to locate a specific

OPERATION: 1) Press COUNTER R/M and hold for

NOTES: ●

on the screen during playback.

times as necessary for best picture.

To reset TRACKING to the original preset, press both + and – buttons simultaneously.

●

Manual Tracking may not work with tapes recorded on other VCRs or camcorders.

playback.

2) To resume normal playback, press PLAY/PAUSE again.

Noise bars appear and pictures may become monochrome during Still Playback. This is normal.

direction.

Forward Search

1) Press FF during playback.

Reverse Search

1) Press REW during playback.

Noise bars appear and pictures may become monochrome or darken in Shuttle Search. This is normal.

tape segment.

more than 2 seconds. The counter resets to “0:00:00”.

2) Press COUNTER R/M. “M” appears.

3) After recording or playback, press STOP, then REW. The tape

automatically stops at or close to 0:00:00.

4) Press PLAY/PAUSE to start playback.

The counter memory functions in the FF and REW modes.

●

To disable Counter Memory Function, press COUNTER R/M so the “M” disappears.

34 EN

PLAY/PAUSE

Tape Dubbing

CONNECT EQUIPMENT

Following the illustration at left, connect the

camcorder and the VCR.

EDITING

When connecting the cables, open the jack cover.

Audio and Video cable (optional)

Power switch

To AUDIO and VIDEO OUT connectors

To AUDIO and VIDEO IN connectors

VCR (Recording deck)

PREPARE FOR DUBBING

Set the camcorder’s Power switch to “PLAY”, turn

on the VCR’s power, and insert the appropriate cassettes in the camcorder and the VCR.

SELECT VCR MODE

Engage the VCR’s AUX and Record-Pause modes.

FIND EDIT-IN POINT

Engage the camcorder’s Play mode to find a spot

just before the edit-in point. Once it’s reached, press PAUSE on the camcorder.

START EDITING

Press PLAY on the camcorder and engage the VCR’s

Record mode.

STOP EDITING TEMPORARILY

Engage the VCR’s Record-Pause mode and press

PAUSE on the camcorder.

EDIT MORE SEGMENTS

Repeat steps 4 through 6 for additional editing, then

stop the VCR and camcorder when finished.

Random Assemble Editing [R.A.Edit]

Create edited videos easily using your camcorder as the source player. You can select up to 8 “cuts” for automatic editing, in any order you like. R.A.Edit is more easily performed when the optional RM-V700U MBR (Multi-Brand Remote) is set to operate with your brand of VCR (see VCR CODE LIST), but can also be performed by operating the VCR manually.

2 3

5 6

VCR CODE LIST

VCR BRAND NAME

GE 1 1

HITACHI 6 6

JVC A B C

MAGNAVOX 9 5

MITSUBISHI 6 7

NEC 3 7

PHILIPS 1 9

BUTTONS (A) (B)

9 2 9 ` 9 4

6 3 9 1

9 6 9 3

1 1 7 1 7 6

6 8

3 8

9 5 1 1 9 4 9 1 9 6

MBR SET VCR CTL

RM-V700U (optional)

VCR BRAND NAME

PHILIPS 1 2

PANASONIC 1 3

RCA 9 2

SANYO 3 6

SHARP 1 5

SONY 6 5

TOSHIBA 6 9

ZENITH 1 6

BUTTONS (A) (B)

3 3

1 7 1 1 9 4 1 8 

9 4 6 6 6 3 9 `

3 5

1 `

6 ` 3 9 3 1 

6 1

EN 35

SET REMOTE/VCR CODE

SET REMOTE TO OPERATE VCR

Turn off the power to the VCR and point the remote

toward the VCR’s infrared sensor. Then, referring to the VCR CODE LIST on the left, press and hold MBR SET, and press button (A) and then (B).

•The code is automatically set once you release the

MBR SET button, and the VCR’s power comes on.

OPERATE THE VCR

Make sure the VCR’s power is on. Then, while

holding VCR CTL, press the button on the remote for the desired function. The functions the remote can control are PLAY, STOP, PAUSE, FF, REW and VCR REC STBY (you don’t need to press VCR CTL for this one).

You’re now ready to try Random Assemble Editing.

IMPORTANT

Although the MBR is compatible with JVC VCRs and those of many other makers, it may not work with yours or may offer limited functions.

NOTES:

●

If the VCR’s power doesn’t come on in step 1, try another code from the VCR CODE LIST.

●

Some brands of VCR don’t come on automatically. In this case, turn the power on manually and try step 2.

●

If the RM-V700U is not able to control the VCR, use the controls on the VCR.

●

The RM-V700U cannot be used to operate the GR-AX537/AX437/AX237.

MAKE CONNECTIONS

CONNECT TO . . .

JVC VCR EQUIPPED WITH REMOTE

PAUSE TERMINAL

Connect the editing cable to the Remote PAUSE terminal.

JVC VCR NOT EQUIPPED WITH REMOTE PAUSE TERMINAL

Connect the editing cable to the R.A.EDIT connector.

NON-JVC VCR WITH NEITHER

Connect the editing cable to the RM-V700U’s Pause-In jack.

All other connections are as shown in the illustration on page 36.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

36 EN

EDITING

(cont.)

REW/FF

STOP

To AUDIO and VIDEO out connectors

Audio and Video cable (optional)

To AUDIO and VIDEO IN connectors

CANCEL

VCR (Recording deck)

IN/OUT R.A. EDIT PLAY/PAUSE

Open the cover

To J terminal (JLIP)

Editing cable (optional, 3.5ø mini-plug cable)

To Remote PAUSE

To Pause-In

PREPARE CAMCORDER

Insert a recorded tape and set the Power switch to

“PLAY”.

PREPARE VCR

Turn the power on, insert a recordable tape and

engage the AUX mode (refer to VCR’s instructions).

SELECT SCENES

ACCESS R.A. EDIT COUNTER DISPLAY

Press PLAY/PAUSE, then press R.A. EDIT and the

counter display appears in the viewfinder and the screen of the connected TV.

Press REW or FF to locate the beginning of a scene

you want, then press IN/OUT to register that point. The data appears under IN on the display.

Press REW or FF to locate the end of the scene and

press IN/OUT to register it. The data appears under OUT on the display. The total time of the registered scene(s) is displayed at the bottom of the screen.

Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each additional scene

(as many as 8).

MAKE CORRECTIONS

Press CANCEL during steps 2 and 3 to erase the

most recently registered point.

IN OUT 

ç© 1 0:00:25  2 3 4 5 6 7 8 COUNTER 0:00:25  TOTAL 0:00:00

RM-V700U (optional)

IN/OUT

CANCEL

VCR REC STBY

IN OUT  ç 1 0:00:25 0:01:05 2 0:03:18 0:03:31 3 0:02:33 0:02:53 © 4 0:04:11  5  6 7 8 COUNTER 0:04:11  TOTAL 0:01:13

ON/OFF

NOTES:

●

For GR-AX837 only: The RM-V700U can be used to operate other camcorder functions as well. Point the RM-V700U at the camcorder’s remote sensor and press any of the following buttons (function apears in parentheses): — ON/OFF (camcorder R.A. EDIT) — IN/OUT (camcorder IN/OUT) — CANCEL (camcorder CANCEL)

●

There must be at least one second between an in-point and its corresponding out-point.

●

To ensure correct operation, leave at least 15 seconds open between scenes.

●

Blank portions of tape cannot be registered as in-points or out-points.

●

If it takes more than 5 minutes to search for an in-point, the VCR’s Record-Pause mode is cancelled and editing doesn’t take place.

●

Pressing R.A.EDIT clears all in- and out-points from memory.

●

Leave a small margin for error around each in-point to ensure the scene is recorded in its entirety.

ORIGINAL TAPE (camcorder)

1 3 2

IN OUT IN OUT IN OUT

AUTOMATIC EDITING TO VCR

ENGAGE VCR’S RECORD–PAUSE MODE

Point the remote control toward the VCR’s infrared

sensor and press VCR REC STBY, or manually engage the VCR’s Record-Pause mode.

EN 37

EDITED TAPE (VCR)

STOP

EDIT

BEGIN AUTOMATIC EDITING

Press EDIT on the camcorder, and the previously

selected scenes are copied to the VCR in the specified order.

END AUTOMATIC EDITING

When all selected scenes have been copied, the

camcorder and VCR enter the still or pause mode. Press STOP on both units.

•When finished editing, be sure to disconnect the editing cable and the audio/video cable.

NOTES:

●

If you performed step 1C on page 35 (“MAKE CONNECTIONS”), keep the remote control pointed at the VCR during editing.

●

The on-screen display only appears while the camcorder searches for each scene.

●

There may be noise at in- or out-points on the edited tape with certain VCRs.

38 EN

The Full-Function Remote Control Unit can operate this camcorder from a distance as well as the basic operations (PLAY, STOP, PAUSE, FF, and REW) of your VCR. This remote control unit makes additional recording functions possible.

USING REMOTE CONTROL UNIT

(GR-AX837 only)

NOTE:

The remote controls cannot operate GR-AX537/AX437/AX237.

RM-V705U

(provided with GR-AX837)

Lock hole

$ 8 9

! 5 0 3

RM-V700U

(optional)

Release tab

Installing The Battery

PULL OUT BATTERY HOLDER

TypeA: Pull out by inserting a pointed

TypeB: Pull out while sliding the lock

^ @ 4 6

TypeC: Pinch the release tab and pull

INSERT BATTERY

Making sure the plus (+) side is up, insert

the lithium battery (CR2025)* into the battery holder.

REPLACE BATTERY HOLDER

Insert the battery holder into the remote

control unit, and push the holder until it clicks into place.

* Read the caution concerning lithium

batteries (

instrument into slot a.

hole.

out.

Z pg. 2).

BUTTONS

1 Infrared beam

transmitting window

2 ZOOM (T/W) Buttons Zoom (invariable speed, Z pg. 15) — 3 PLAY Button — Playback start (Z pg. 32) 4 STOP Button — Stop (Z pg. 32) 5 REW Button Retake (rewind)/Quick Review (Z pg. 16) Rew/Rew Shuttle Search (Z pg. 32) 6 INSERT Button — Insert Editing (Z pg. 40) 7 START/STOP Button Functions same as the Recording Start/Stop button on the camcorder. 8 INT. TIME Button Self-Timer/Time-Lapse (Z pg. 39) — 9 REC TIME Button Animation/Time-Lapse (Z pg. 39) — 0 PAUSE Button — Pause (Z pg. 33) ! FF Button Retake (forward) (Z pg. 16) FF/FF Shuttle Search (Z pg. 32) @ A.DUB Button — Audio dubbing (Z pg. 41) # PAUSE IN Connector — Z pg. 36 $ MBR SET Button — Z pg. 35 % VISS Button Index Code marking (Z pg. 39) — ^ VCR CTL Button — Z pg. 35 & R.A.EDIT Buttons — Z pg. 36

# — & : RM-V700U only.

With the camcorder’s power switch With the camcorder’s power switch set set to “CAMERA”. to “PLAY”.

Transmits the beam signal.

FUNCTIONS

Transmitted beam effective area

15°

5m(16.4ft)

30°

15°

30°

Remote sensor (GR-AX837 only)

When using the remote control, be sure to point it at the remote sensor. The above illustration shows the approximate transmitted beam effective area for indoor use. The transmitted beam may not be effective or may cause incorrect operation outdoors or when the remote sensor is directly exposed to sunlight or powerful lighting.

Index Code Marking

Interval Timer Indicator

1MIN 1/2S

INDEX

Rec Time Indicator

Viewfinder

START/STOP

VISS INT. TIME REC TIME

RM-V700U (optional)

RM-V705U (provided

with GR-AX837 only)

EN 39

FEATURE: Self-Timer, Animation and Time-Lapse PURPOSE: The remote control lets you set/release

OPERATION:

NOTE:

FEATURE: Index Code Marking (RM-V700U only) PURPOSE: To give you automatic access to any

OPERATION: 1) Press VISS once to place the index

NOTE:

Interval Timer and Rec Time functions as well as the Menu screen.

Self-Timer

1) Set

Instead of performing steps 1 through 3 on pg. 28 (“Self-Timer”), press INT.

TIME on the remote control. Each time INT. TIME is pressed, the Interval Timer

indicator appears, changing in the following order: 15S, 30S, 1MIN, 5MIN and No indication (off).

2) Release

Instead of setting “INTERVAL TIMER” to “OFF” in the Menu, press INT. TIME on the remote control until the Interval Timer indicator disappears.

Animation

1) Set

Instead of performing steps 1 and 2 on pg. 29 (“Animation”), press REC TIME on the remote control. Each time REC TIME is pressed, the Rec Time indicator appears, changing in the following order: 1/4S, 1/2S, 1S and No indication (off).

2) Release

Instead of using the Menu in step 5 on pg. 29, press REC TIME on the remote control until the Rec Time indicator disappears.

Time-Lapse

1) Set

Instead of performing steps 1 through 3 on pg. 29 (“Time-Lapse”), press INT. TIME and REC TIME on the remote control. Each time INT. TIME is pressed, the Interval Timer indicator appears, changing in the following order: 15S, 30S, 1MIN, 5MIN and No indication (off). Each time REC TIME is pressed, the Rec Time indicator appears, changing in the following order: 1/4S, 1/2S, 1S and No indication (off).

2) Release

Instead of using the Menu in step 5 on pg. 29, press INT. TIME and REC TIME on the remote control until the indicators disappear.

Also refer to pgs. 28 and 29.

selected point on a recording.

code. “INDEX” blinks in the viewfinder during marking.

If VISS is pressed during Record– Standby mode, the mark is placed where RECORDING START/STOP is pressed.

40 EN

COUNTER R/M

USING REMOTE CONTROL UNIT

Insert Editing

You can record a new scene into a previously recorded tape, replacing a section of the original recording with minimal picture distortion at the in- and out-points. The original audio remains unchanged.

NOTE:

Use the RM-V705U or RM-V700U remote control unit to perform this procedure.

SELECT MODE

Set the Power switch to “PLAY”.

FIND EDIT-OUT POINT

Play back the tape, locate the point and press

PAUSE on the camcorder or the remote control.

(GR-AX837 only) (cont.)

M-1:23:45

Viewfinder

RM-V700U (optional)

POWER

START/STOP

Tape Counter

Insert editing indicator

REW

PLAY

PAUSE

REW

INSERT

RM-V705U (provided with GR-AX837 only)

RESET COUNTER

Press and hold COUNTER R/M for more than

2 seconds to reset the tape counter, then press for less than 1 second and make sure “M” appears in the viewfinder.

FIND EDIT-IN POINT

Press REW to go a little beyond the beginning of the

scene you want to replace, press PLAY to view the recorded tape, and press PAUSE at exactly at the point where the new scene should start.

ENGAGE INSERT EDITING MODE

Press and hold INSERT, and without releasing

INSERT, press and release PAUSE. The Insert

mode is engaged, and the scene the camcorder is aimed at appears on the screen.

BEGIN INSERT EDITING

Press RECORDING START/STOP. When the counter

reaches “0:00:00”, editing stops automatically and the camcorder enters the Insert-Pause mode.

END INSERT EDITING

Press STOP.

NOTES:

●

After step 5, Retake (Z pg. 16) can be performed.

●

The tape may stop slightly before or after the designated end point, and noise bars may appear. Neither indicates a defect in the unit.

●

Only video signal is recorded in the Insert Editing mode.

Viewfinder

Audio dubbing indicator

M-0:05:20

EN 41

Audio Dubbing

You can record a new soundtrack on a prerecorded tape (normal audio only).

** Perform steps 1, 2 and 3 of the Insert Editing procedure

(Z pg. 40) before continuing.

•The sound comes from the built-in mike.

FIND EDIT-IN POINT

Press REW to go a little beyond the beginning of the

scene onto which you want to dub new audio, press PLAY to view the recorded tape, then press PAUSE at exactly the point where dubbing should start.

ENGAGE AUDIO DUB STANDBY MODE

Press and hold A. DUB, and without releasing

A. DUB, press and release PAUSE.

Mike

RM-V700U (optional)

REW

PLAY

PAUSE

REW

A. DUB

RM-V705U (provided

with GR-AX837 only)

BEGIN AUDIO DUBBING

Press PLAY. When the counter reaches “0:00:00”,

Audio Dubbing stops automatically and the camcorder enters the Audio Dub-Standby mode.

END AUDIO DUBBING

Press STOP.

NOTES:

●

Do not press FF or REW during Audio Dub-Standby, or the edit points will not be accurate.

●

If the mike is too close to the TV, or if the TV’s volume is too high, whistling or howling may occur.

NOTES (for Insert Editing and Audio Dubbing):

●

Insert Editing and audio Dubbing may not work correctly if the tape contains blank segments, or if the recording speed was changed during the original recording.

●

To edit/dub onto a tape with the recording safety tab removed, cover the hole with adhesive tape.

●

Do not press STOP during Insert Editing or Audio Dubbing, or the edit points will not be accurate.

●

During Insert Editing and Audio Dubbing, when Insert– Pause or Audio Dub–Standby is engaged, the counter may go slightly past “0:00:00”. Recording, however, stops at exactly 0:00:00.

42 EN

BATT. RELEASE

LENS COVER open/close switch

Set to “POWER OFF”.

EJECT

USER MAINTENANCE

After Use

Set the Power switch to “POWER OFF” to turn off

the camcorder.

Slide EJECT to open the cassette holder, then remove

the cassette.

Close and lock the cassette holder by pressing

PUSH.

Press BATT. RELEASE to remove the battery pack.

Slide the LENS COVER open/close switch to close

the lens cover.

Cleaning The Camcorder

CLEAN EXTERIOR

Wipe gently with a soft cloth.

PUSH

Remove

Marks

CLEAN LENS

Blow it with a blower brush, then wipe gently with

lens cleaning paper.

CLEAN VIEWFINDER

1 Turn the eyepiece counterclockwise and pull it

out.

2 Remove dust using a blower brush. 3 Align the marks, re-attach the eyepiece and turn

it clockwise.

NOTES:

●

Avoid using strong cleaning agents such as benzine or alcohol.

●

Cleaning should be done only after the battery pack has been removed or other power units have been disconnected.

●

Mold may form if the lens is left dirty.

TROUBLESHOOTING

SYMPTOM POSSIBLE CAUSE(S)

POWER

No power is supplied.

The power suddenly goes off and doesn’t come back on by itself.

RECORDING

Recording cannot be performed.

Recording does not start.

PLAYBACK

The tape is running, but there’s no playback picture.

Noise bars appear in the playback picture.

Playback picture is blurred or interrupted.

The counter indication is blurred during Still playback.

EN 43

● The battery pack has not been attached correctly

(Z pg. 8).

● The battery pack is not charged (Z pg. 8).

● The power supply has not been correctly connected

(Z pg. 9).

● The battery pack has completely discharged.

● Remove the cassette and disconnect the power source,

then after a few minutes, try turning the power back on. If it still doesn’t come on, consult your nearest JVC dealer.

● The recording tape’s Erase Protection tab is missing. Cover the hole with adhesive tape. (Some tapes have sliding tabs. In this case, check the position of the tab.)

● The camcorder Power switch has not been set to “CAMERA” (Z pg. 14).

● The TV has not been set to its VIDEO mode or channel.

● If A/V connection is used, the TV’s VIDEO/TV switch has

not been set to VIDEO.

● The RF unit has not been set to the correct channel.

● Manual Tracking has not been performed (Z pg. 33).

● The video heads are dirty or worn out. Consult your

nearest JVC dealer for head cleaning or replacement.

● This is normal.

TAPE TRANSPORT

The tape stops during fast-forward or rewind.

Rewinding or fast-forwarding cannot be performed.

● The Counter Memory Function has been activated (Z pg. 33).

● The tape is already fully wound on one reel or the other.

44 EN

SYMPTOM POSSIBLE CAUSE(S)

OTHER

The tape won’t eject. Some functions are not available. Vertical white lines appear when

shooting a very bright object.

Bright, crystal-shaped spots appear in the viewfinder.

The picture is blurred in the Quick Review or Retake mode.

An error number (i.e. E03) appears in the viewfinder.

The image is out of focus.

A character generator title and the date and time displays disappear from the viewfinder.

Even though the Lens Cover is open, the Lens Cover Warning indicator blinks.

TROUBLESHOOTING

● The battery pack is running low.

● The PROGRAM AE select dial is set to “AUTO LOCK”.

● This sometimes occurs when the contrast between the

background and the object is great. It is not a defect of the camcorder.

● Sunlight is directly entering the lens.

● This is normal while recording in the EP mode. Some noise

may be present while recording in the SP mode (Z pg. 12).

● Turn the camcorder’s power off, then disconnect the power source. After a few minutes, try turning the power on again. If the error number still appears in the viewfinder, consult your nearest JVC dealer.

● The diopter needs to be adjusted (

● The scene being shot is adversely affecting the operation

of Auto Focus (Z pg. 20).

● If you remove the power source from the camcorder while the power is on, all settings and selections are erased. Make sure to turn the camcorder’s power off before disconnecting the power source.

● The Lens Cover Warning indicator may blink when the camcorder is used in dark areas, regardless of the position of the Lens Cover.

Z pg. 10).

(cont.)

The camcorder is a microcomputer-controlled device. External noise and interference (from a TV, a radio, etc.) might prevent it from functioning properly. In such cases, first disconnect its power supply unit (battery pack, AC Power Adapter/Battery Charger, etc.) and clock battery; and then re-connect it and proceed as usual from the beginning.

INDEX

Viewfinder

2 6 7

43 5

EN 45

18MIN

8 9

REC SP

SEPIA LENS COVER

FADE

PAUSE

! @

1MIN 1/2S

TAPE END

MERRY CHR ISTMAS

Viewfinder Indications

1 Cassette Warning/Remaining

Tape Time ........................................... Z pg. 14

When no cassette is inserted or when Erase Protection tab is not in the position that allows recording, the Cassette ( Otherwise, the Remaining Tape Time is displayed.

2 Recording Mode (SP/EP) Indicator ...... Z pg. 12

3, 9 PROGRAM AE Indicator................ Z pg. 18

Displayed at 3 for approx. 1 second when the PROGRAM AE select dial is switched from one position to another. Then only the indicator remains at 9.

4 Program Manager Function

Indication ........................................... Z pg. 22

Appears when the PROGRAM AE select dial is set to any position other than AUTO LOCK.

5 Lens Cover Warning ........................... Z pg. 14

6 Tape Length Display ........................... Z pg. 12

7 Zoom Level Indicator.......................... Z pg. 15

8 Recording Indicator ............................ Z pg. 14

0 Fade–Standby Indicator ...................... Z pg. 22

! Interval Time/Recording

Time Indicator..................................... Z pg. 28

@ Record–Standby Mode Indicator......... Z pg. 14

# Instant Title Display ............................ Z pg. 23

$ Date/Time Character Display .............. Z pg. 24

)Warning blinks.

DISP.

T30

% ^

– 05

MWB

& *

(

INDEX

) q w

AM 10 : 24DEC 25. 97

% Battery Pack Remaining Power Indicator

Changes as follows according to the battery pack’s remaining power level: “ When the power is almost gone, the indicator blinks, then the unit shuts off. Replace the battery pack with a fully charged one. (Note: The symbol containing 3 darkened squares — — does not necessarily mean that the battery pack is fully charged.)

^ Focus Indicator ................................... Z pg. 20

& Exposure Level Indicator ..................... Z pg. 19

* White Balance Mode Indicator ........... Z pg. 25

( Menu Setting Change Indicator ........... Z pg. 26

) Index Code Marking ........................... Z pg. 39

q Clock Warning

Displayed for about 5 seconds if the clock (lithium) battery is not in place or is exhausted when power is turned on. Also displayed for about 5 seconds when clock battery becomes exhausted while using the camcorder. For inserting or replacing the clock

battery ................................................ Z pg. 10

w Condensation Warning

When this indication appears, all functions are disabled. Turn the unit off (without removing the power source) for a few hours, and when you turn it on again the indicator should disappear.

e Tape End Display ................................ Z pg. 14

Appears when the end of the tape is reached during playback, recording or fast-forward.

”.

46 EN

453

INDEX

860

Controls

1 Diopter Adjustment ............................ Z pg. 10

2 Power Zoom Lever ............................ Z pg. 15

3 BATT. [Battery] RELEASE Switch .........Z pg. 8

4 Recording Start/Stop Button ................Z pg. 14

5 POWER Switch .................................. Z

6 STOP Button ...................................... Z pg. 32

7 Tape Length [T20•30•40]

Select Button...................................... Z pg. 12

COUNTER R [Reset]/M [Memory]

Button ................................................ Z pg. 33

8 EDIT Button ....................................... Z pg. 37

9 Recording Mode [SP/EP] Select

Button ................................................ Z pg. 12

R.A.EDIT CANCEL Button ...................

0 R.A.EDIT Button................................. Z pg. 36

! R.A.EDIT IN/OUT Button....................Z pg. 36

pg.14,32

Z pg. 36

*&% ()^

@ REW Button ....................................... Z pg. 32

RETAKE R [Quick Review] Button....... Z pg. 16

# FF Button ........................................... Z pg. 32

RETAKE F Button................................ Z pg. 16

$ PLAY/PAUSE Button ........................... Z pg. 32

% SELECT Button ................................... Z pg. 22

^ SET Button ......................................... Z pg. 22

& PROGRAM AE Select Dial .................. Z pg. 18

* Multi-Function Control

•Exposure +/– ................................... Z pg. 19

•Focus FAR/NEAR ............................. Z pg. 20

•Menu Setting Change ....................... Z pg. 26

•Tracking +/– .................................... Z pg. 33

( MENU Button .................................... Z pg. 26

) PUSH Button ..................................... Z pg. 12

q EJECT Switch ...................................... Z pg. 12

EN 47

EWRT

erty

Connectors

w J terminal (JLIP (Joint Level Interface Protocol)

Connector.) (Located beneath the jack cover)

•Connect the Editing Cable when performing Random Assemble Editing (Z pg. 36).

•It is used to connect the camcorder to a device such as a personal computer. For further detail consult your nearest JVC dealer. Information (in English) is also available at our home page: http://www.jvc-victor.co.jp/

e DC IN Jack ......................................... Z pg. 9

The jacks cover.

r VIDEO OUT Jack ............................... Z pg. 31

t RF DC OUT Jack................................ Z pg. 31

y AUDIO OUT Jack .............................. Z pg. 31

r to y are located beneath the jack

Indicators

u Tally Lamp ......................................... Z pg. 14

i Power On Indicator ........................... Z pg. 14

o p

Other Parts

o Video Light (GR-AX837/AX537 only) ... Z pg. 17 p • Camera sensor

Be careful not to cover this area; built-in here is the sensor necessary for shooting.

•Remote sensor (GR-AX837 only) ...... Z pg. 39

Q Microphone ....................................... Z pg. 41

W Shoulder Strap Eyelets ........................ Z pg. 13

E Clock Battery Compartment ................Z pg. 10

R Battery Pack Mount ........................... Z pg. 8

T Electronic Viewfinder ......................... Z pg. 10

Y LENS COVER Switch ......................... Z pg. 14

U Grip Strap .......................................... Z pg. 13

I VIDEO LIGHT ON/AUTO/OFF Switch

(GR-AX837/AX537 only)..................... Z pg. 17

O Tripod Mounting Socket ...................... Z pg. 13

48 EN

AC Power Adapter .................................. pg. 8

Animation Recording .............................. pg. 29, 39

Audio Dubbing ....................................... pg. 41

Auto Date Record ................................... pg. 24

Auto Focus ............................................. pg. 20

Auto Mode Lock Mode ........................... pg. 18

Auto Mode Release Mode .......................pg. 18

Battery Pack ............................................ pg. 8, 49

Brighten the Image.................................. pg. 19

Car Battery .............................................. pg. 9

Cassette Adapter ..................................... pg. 30

Character Generator ............................... pg. 23

Charge Marker ........................................ pg. 8

Charging the Battery Pack ........................pg. 8

Clock (Lithium) Battery ........................... pg. 10, 38

Connection to a VCR/TV ........................ pg. 31

Contents ................................................. pg. 7

Counter Memory .................................... pg. 33

Darken the Image ................................... pg. 19

Date/Time/Character Insert ......................pg. 24

Date/Time Setting ................................... pg. 11

Discharge the Battery pack ......................pg. 8

Diopter Adjust ........................................ pg. 10

Electronic Fog Filter Mode .......................pg. 18

Erase Protection ...................................... pg. 12

Exposure Control .................................... pg. 19

Fade-in/out ............................................. pg. 22

Fast-Forward Tape................................... pg. 32

Focus Lock ............................................. pg. 20

Grip Adjustment ..................................... pg. 13

High Speed Shutter Mode ........................pg. 19

Index Code Marking ............................... pg. 39

Insert Cassette ......................................... pg. 12

Insert Editing ........................................... pg. 40

Instant Titles............................................ pg. 23

Manual Focus ......................................... pg. 21

MBR code Setting ................................... pg. 35

INDEX

Terms

ND Effect Mode ...................................... pg. 18

Playback ................................................. pg. 32

Program AE with Special Effects...............pg. 18

Provided Accessories .............................. pg. 6

Quick Review ......................................... pg. 16

Random Assemble Editing ....................... pg. 35–37

Recording, Advanced Features ................pg. 18–29

Recording ............................................... pg. 14

Recording, Start/Stop .............................. pg. 14

Recording Mode Setting ......................... pg. 12

Recording-Standby ................................. pg. 14

Remote Control Unit............................... pg. 38

Remove Cassette..................................... pg. 12

Retake..................................................... pg. 16

Rewind Tape ........................................... pg. 32

Self-Timer ............................................... pg. 28, 39

Sepia Mode ............................................ pg. 19

Shoulder Strap Attachment ...................... pg. 13

Shuttle Search ......................................... pg. 33

Specifications ......................................... pg. 51

Sports Mode ........................................... pg. 19

Still Playback .......................................... pg. 33

Tape Counter .......................................... pg. 32

Tape Dubbing ......................................... pg. 34

Tape Length Setting................................. pg. 12

Time-Lapse Shooting............................... pg. 29, 39

Tracking .................................................. pg. 33

Tripod Mounting ..................................... pg. 13

Twilight Mode......................................... pg. 19

Video Light ............................................. pg. 17

Viewfinder Adjustment ........................... pg. 10

Viewfinder, Indications ........................... pg. 45

White Balance Adjustment ...................... pg. 25

Wide Mode............................................. pg. 22

Zooming ................................................. pg. 15

CAUTIONS

EN 49

DANGER:

Video Light

•The video light becomes extremely hot. Do not touch it either while in operation or soon after turning it off, otherwise serious injury may result.

•Do not place the camcorder into the carrying case immediately after using the video light, since it remains extremely hot.

•When operating, keep a distance of about 30 cm (1 ft.) between the video light and people or object.

•Do not use near flammable or explosive materials.

•It is recommended that you consult your nearest JVC dealer for replacing the video light.

When using the AC Power Adapter/Charger in areas other than the USA

n The provided AC Power Adapter/Charger features

automatic voltage selection in the AC range from 110 V to 240 V.

USING HOUSEHOLD AC PLUG ADAPTER

In case of connecting the unit’s power cord to an AC wall outlet other than American National Standard C73 series type use an AC plug adapter, called a “Siemens Plug”, as shown. For this AC plug adapter, consult your nearest JVC dealer.

Plug adapter

General Battery Precautions

•When the C-P6U or C-P7U (cassette adapter) is not functioning even when correctly operated, the batteries are exhausted. Replace them with fresh ones.

•Use only the following batteries:

C-P6U or C-P7U .................... AA (R6) size

Please make note of the following rules for battery use. When misused, batteries can leak or explode.

1. Refer to the C-P6U/C-P7U instructions when

replacing the battery.

2. Do not expose batteries to excessive heat as they

can leak or explode.

3. Do not dispose of batteries in a fire.

4. Remove the battery from the unit if it is to be

stored for an extended period to avoid battery leakage which can cause malfunctions.

Battery Packs

The supplied battery pack is a nickel-cadmium battery. Before using the supplied battery pack or an optional battery pack, be sure to read the following cautions:

1. To avoid hazard . . .

.... do not burn.

.... do not short-circuit the terminals.

.... do not modify or disassemble.

.... use only specified chargers.

2. To prevent damage and prolong service life . . .

.... do not subject to unnecessary shock.

.... avoid repeated charging without fully

discharging.

.... charge in an environment where

temperatures are within the tolerances shown in the chart below. This is a chemical reaction type battery—cooler temperatures impede chemical reaction, while warmer temperatures can prevent complete charging.

.... store in a cool, dry place. Extended exposure

to high temperatures will increase natural

discharge and shorten service life.

.... avoid prolonged uncharged storage.

.... remove from charger or powered unit when

not in use, as some machines use current

even when switched off.

3. To prevent damage to the camcorder . . .

.... replace the battery pack when it begins to

deliver less recording time per charge.

NOTE:

It is normal for the battery pack to be warm after charging, or after use.

Temperature Range Specifications

Charging ................................... 10°C to 35°C

Operation ................................. 0°C to 40°C

Storage...................................... –10°C to 30°C

NOTES:

●

Recharging time is based on room temperature of 20°C.

●

The lower the temperature, the longer recharging takes.

Terminals

50 EN

Cassettes

To properly use and store your cassettes, be sure to read the following cautions:

1. During use . . .

.... make sure the cassette bears the VHS-C

mark.

.... be aware that recording onto prerecorded

tapes automatically erases the previously recorded video and audio signals.

.... make sure the cassette is positioned properly

when inserting.

.... do not load and unload the cassette

repeatedly without allowing the tape to run at all. This slackens the tape and can result in damage.

.... do not open the front tape cover. This

exposes the tape to fingerprints and dust.

2. Store cassettes . . .

.... away from heaters or other heat sources.

.... out of direct sunlight.

.... where they won’t be subject to unnecessary

shock or vibration.

.... where they won’t be exposed to strong

magnetic fields (such as those generated by motors, transformers or magnets).

.... vertically, in their original cases.

CAUTIONS

(cont.)

3. DO NOT leave the unit . . .

.... in places of over 50°C (122°F).

.... in places where humidity is extremely low

(below 35%) or extremely high (above 80%).

.... in direct sunlight.

.... in a closed car in summer.

.... near a heater.

4. To protect the unit, DO NOT . . .

.... allow it to become wet.

.... drop the unit or strike it against hard objects.

.... subject it to shock or excessive vibration

during transportation.

.... keep the lens directed at extremely bright

objects for long periods.

.... direct the eyepiece of the viewfinder at the

sun.

.... carry it by holding the viewfinder.

.... swing it excessively when using the shoulder

strap.

5. This camcorder features a built-in head cleaner which automatically cleans the heads and head drum when a cassette is loaded or unloaded. If, however, the heads become dirty and cause blurriness or interruption in the playback picture, consult your nearest JVC dealer.

Main Unit

1. For safety, DO NOT . . .

.... open the camcorder’s chassis.

.... disassemble or modify the unit.

.... short-circuit the terminals of the battery pack.

Keep it away from metallic objects when not in use.

.... allow inflammables, water or metallic objects

to enter the unit.

.... remove the battery pack or disconnect the

power supply while the power is on.

.... leave the battery pack attached when the

camcorder is not in use.

2. Avoid using the unit . . .

.... in places subject to excessive humidity or

dust.

.... in places subject to soot or steam such as

near a cooking stove.

.... in places subject to excessive shock or

vibration.

.... near a television set.

.... near appliances generating strong magnetic

or electric fields (speakers, broadcasting

antennas, etc.).

.... in places subject to extremely high (over

40°C or 104°F) or extremely low (under 0°C

or 32°F) temperatures.

About moisture condensation . . .

• You have observed that pouring a cold liquid into a glass will cause drops of water to form on the glass‘ outer surface. This same phenomenon occurs on the head drum of a camcorder when it is moved from a cool place to a warm place, after heating a cold room, under extremely humid conditions or in a place directly subjected to the cool air from an air conditioner.

• Moisture on the head drum can cause severe damage to the video tape, and can lead to internal damage to the camcorder itself.

Serious malfunctioning

If malfunctioning occurs, stop using the unit immediately and consult your local JVC dealer.

SPECIFICATIONS

GENERAL

Format : VHS NTSC standard Power source : DC 6V Power consumption

GR-AX837/AX537

Light on : 8.5 W

GR-AX837/AX537

Light off/ GR-AX437 : 5.5 W GR-AX237 : 5.3 W

Signal system : NTSC-type Video recording system

Luminance : FM recording Color : Converted sub-carrier

direct recording

Conforms to VHS standard Cassette : cassette Tape speed

SP : 33.35 mm/sec.

(1-5/16 ips)

EP : 11.12 mm/sec. (7/16 ips)

Recording time (max.)

SP : 40 minutes EP : 120 minutes

(with TC-40 cassette) Operating temperature : 0°C to +40°C

(32°F to 104°F) Operating humidity : 35% to 80% Storage temperature : –20°C to +50°C

(–4°F to 122°F) Weight

GR-AX837 : Approx. 810 g (1.8 lbs) GR-AX537/AX437 : Approx. 805 g (1.8 lbs)

GR-AX237 : Approx. 820 g (1.8 lbs) Dimensions (Including viewfinder)

GR-AX837/AX537/

AX437 : 112 (W) x 112 (H) x

211 (D) mm (4-7/16” x 4-7/16” x 8-5/16”)

GR-AX237 : 112 (W) x 112 (H) x

232 (D) mm (4-7/16” x 4-7/16” x 9-3/16”)

CAMERA

Pick up : 1/4” format CCD Lens : F1.6, f = 3.8 to 68.4 mm,

18:1 power zoom lens with auto iris and macro control, filter diameter 46 mm

Viewfinder : Electronic viewfinder with

•0.55” color LCD (GR-AX837/AX537/ AX437)

•0.5” B/W CRT (GR-AX237)

White balance

adjustment : Auto/Manual adjustment

EN 51

VIDEO

Output : 1 Vp-p, 75 ohms,

unbalanced (via VIDEO out connector)

AUDIO

Output : –8 dBs, 1 k-ohm

(via AUDIO out connector)

AC POWER ADAPTER/BATTERY CHARGER (AA-V11EG)

Power requirement : AC 110 V to 240 V`,

50/60 Hz Power consumption : 23 W Output

Charge : DC 8.5 V , 1.3 A VTR : DC 6.3 V , 1.8 A

Charging system : Constant current, peak

detection, timer

controlled Dimensions : 150 (W) x 42 (H) x

68 (D) mm (5-15/16” x

1-11/16” x 2-11/16”) Weight : Approx. 350 g (0.78 lbs)

CASSETTE ADAPTER (C-P7U)

Dimensions : 188 (W) x 25 (H) x

104 (D) mm (7-7/16” x 1”

x 4-1/8”) Weight : Approx. 240 g (0.53 lbs) Accessory : “AA (R6)”-size battery x 1

Provided Accessories ...................... Z pg. 6

Optional Accessories

•Battery Packs BN-V12U, BN-V22U, BN-V25U

•Car Battery Charger BH-V3U

•Battery Charger BH-VC10U

•Car Battery Cord AP-V7U

•RF Unit RF-V5U

•Compact VHS-C Cassettes TC-40/30/20

•Active Carrying Bag CB-V7U

•Wireless Remote Control Unit RM-V700U

The RM-V700U cannot be used to operate the GR-AX537/AX437/AX237. The GR-AX537/AX437/AX237 can use the RM-V700U only for R.A. Edit with a non-JVC VCR.

Some acccessories are not available in some areas. Please consult your nearest JVC dealer for details on accessories and their availability.

Specifications shown are for SP mode unless otherwise indicated. E. & O. E. Design and specifications subject to change without notice.

VICTOR COMPANY OF JAPAN, LIMITED

GR-AX837/GR-AX537

GR-AX437/GR-AX237

Printed in Japan 0197TOV*UN*YP

JVC GR-AX837, GR-AX237, GR-AX437, GR-AX537 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual