Sony DCR-TRV18 User Manual

THE MINI DV STORY

Mini DV Handycam®Camcorders:

The definition of digital.

The Foundation of the Format

Digital video was once the exclusive province of broadcasters and video professionals. The Mini DV format changes all that, using advanced compression, videotape and recording technologies to make digital performance available to everyone.

Studio Quality Digital Pictures

• Better than broadcast resolution. A maximum resolution of

530 horizontal lines.

•

Three times the color information of VHS. Separate R-Y,

B-Y color “components” provide far brighter, richer, more vibrant color. You’ll see digital quality that analog systems just can’t record.

•

Minimum generation loss. With digital copies, you won’t

experience the annoying quality loss when you edit videos and share the results with friends and family.

CD Quality Digital Sound

• 16-bit two-channel sound. DV offers the

same 16-bit PCM stereo sound quality as the Compact Disc. So customers enjoy a breathtaking 96-dB dynamic range and full 20-to-20,000-Hz frequency response.

•

12-bit, four-channel sound. At your option, you can record in

12-bit mode with two sets of stereo tracks—one for the original sound and another for adding music or narration.

Analog Inputs with Digital Conversion

Sony Mini DV Handycam®camcorders also offer analog inputs. So you can archive your older analog recordings on compact, durable Mini DV cassettes. And of course, this footage then is available for digital editing on a PC through i.LINK

connectivity!

Prosumer Performance

Sony has endowed the Mini DV line with “prosumer” features, enhancements that blur the distinction between amateur and professional.

•

3-CCD image block. Almost every consumer camcorder has a

single CCD image sensor. But almost every broadcast camera has three. Sony’s Mini DV 3-CCD camcorders render beautiful

color, dramatically reducing smear and bleed.

•

Mega Pixel image sensors. Selected DV camcorders

can capture still images at almost two times the standard VGA resolution. Both still images and video benefit from increased resolution.

•

Carl Zeiss®Vario Sonnar T* lenses. Because a

picture can’t be any better than the lens that helps capture it, Sony incorporates professional-grade lenses from the legendary Carl Zeiss. The T* coating minimizes lens “flare” in sunlight, preserving maximum contrast and resolution.

Enhancing the DV Experience

i.LINK®Connectivity and Digital Editing

The i.LINK®(IEEE 1394 DV input/output) connector and PC editing software are now featured in millions of home PCs. Which means you can shoot, connect, enhance, edit and copy the results back to tape to share with friends and family!

Cassette Memory

Sony Mini DV Handycam®camcorders take advantage of the 4K bit Memory Chip available in selected DV cassettes. You can perform Tape Titling, Index Titling and Title Search to speed up or for quicker access to recorded scenes.

The range of Sony DV functions and features continues to grow.

•

Still image capture. Every Sony Mini DV Handycam

camcorder offers Digital Still Memory Mode, which saves still images onto the supplied Memory Stick

•

MPEG movie mode. MPEG movies can be stored on Memory

Stick

media and distributed in emails, on websites or in

PowerPoint

•

Bluetooth™ wireless networking. Selected Sony Handycam

presentations.

media.

camcorders can also transfer information from Memory Stick media to the Internet. The camcorders can communicate with the BTA-NW1 Bluetooth™ adapter (select models) or with other compatible Bluetooth™ devices such as cell phones. You can even use the camcorder to send and receive emails or browse the web—right on the LCD screen!