Sony SX20, SX20K User Manual
DCR-SR20/SX20/SX20K
4-209-886-11(1)
Additional information on this product and
answers to frequently asked questions can be
found at our Customer Support Website.
http://www.sony.net/
Printed in China
US/ES
Digital Video Camera Recorder
Operating Guide
Guía de operaciones
2010 Sony Corporation
US
ES
Owner’s Record
The model and serial numbers are located
on the bottom. Record the serial number
in the space provided below. Refer to these
numbers whenever you call upon your Sony
dealer regarding this product.
Model No. DCRSerial No.
Model No. ACSerial No.
WARNING
To reduce fire or shock hazard, do not
expose the unit to rain or moisture.
Do not expose the batteries to
excessive heat such as sunshine, fire or
the like.
This symbol is intended
to alert the user to the
presence of important
operating and maintenance
(servicing) instructions in
the literature accompanying
the appliance.
This symbol is intended
to alert the user to the
presence of uninsulated
“dangerous voltage” within
the product’s enclosure
that may be of sufficient
magnitude to constitute
a risk of electric shock to
persons.
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IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS.
DANGER - TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE
OR ELECTRIC SHOCK,
CAREFULLY FOLLOW THESE
INSTRUCTIONS.
Read these instructions.
Keep these instructions.
Heed all warnings.
Follow all instructions.
Do not use this apparatus near water.
Clean only with dry cloth.
Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions.
Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other
apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug
has two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a
third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If
the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the
obsolete outlet.
Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience
receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.
Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.
Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer, or
sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus
combination to avoid injury from tip-over.
US
Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.
Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus
has been damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has
been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to
rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
If the shape of the plug does not fit the power outlet, use an attachment plug adaptor of the
proper configuration for the power outlet.
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Representative plug of power supply cord of countries/regions around the world.
A Type
(American
Type)
B Type
(British Type)
BF Type
(British Type)
B3 Type
(British Type)
C Type
(CEE Type)
SE Type
(CEE Type)
(Ocean Type)
The representative supply voltage and plug type are described in this chart.
Depend on an area, Different type of plug and supply voltage are used.
Attention: Power cord meeting demands from each country shall be used.
For only the United States
Use a UL Listed, 1.5-3 m (5-10 ft.), Type SPT-2 or NISPT-2, AWG no. 18 power supply
cord, rated for 125 V 7 A, with a NEMA 1-15P plug rated for 125 V 15 A.”
Europe
Countries/regions Voltage Frequency (Hz) Plug type
Austria 230 50 C
Belgium 230 50 C
Czech 220 50 C
Denmark 230 50 C
Finland 230 50 C
France 230 50 C
Germany 230 50 C
Greece 220 50 C
Hungary 220 50 C
Iceland 230 50 C
Ireland 230 50 C/BF
Italy 220 50 C
Luxemburg 230 50 C
Netherlands 230 50 C
Norway 230 50 C
Poland 220 50 C
Portugal 230 50 C
Romania 220 50 C
Russia 220 50 C
Slovak 220 50 C
Spain 127/230 50 C
Sweden 230 50 C
Switzerland 230 50 C
UK 240 50 BF
Asia
Countries/regions Voltage Frequency (Hz) Plug type
China 220 50 A
Hong Kong 200/220 50 BF
India 230/240 50 C
Indonesia 127/230 50 C
Japan 100 50/60 A
Korea (rep) 220 60 C
Malaysia 240 50 BF
Philippines 220/230 60 A/C
Singapore 230 50 BF
Taiwan 110 60 A
Thailand 220 50 C/BF
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O Type
Countries/regions Voltage Frequency (Hz) Plug type
Vietnam 220 50 A/C
Oceania
Countries/regions Voltage Frequency (Hz) Plug type
Australia 240 50 O
New Zealand 230/240 50 O
North America
Countries/regions Voltage Frequency (Hz) Plug type
Canada 120 60 A
USA 120 60 A
Central America
Countries/regions Voltage Frequency (Hz) Plug type
Bahamas 120/240 60 A
Costa Rica 110 60 A
Cuba 110/220 60 A/C
Dominican (rep) 110 60 A
El Salvador 110 60 A
Guatemala 120 60 A
Honduras 110 60 A
Jamaica 110 50 A
Mexico 120/127 60 A
Nicaragua 120/240 60 A
Panama 110/220 60 A
South America
Countries/regions Voltage Frequency (Hz) Plug type
Argentina 220 50 C/BF/O
Brazil 127/220 60 A/C
Chile 220 50 C
Colombia 120 60 A
Peru 220 60 A/C
Venezuela 120 60 A
Middle East
Countries/regions Voltage Frequency (Hz) Plug type
Iran 220 50 C/BF
Iraq 220 50 C/BF
Israel 230 50 C
Saudi Arabia 127/220 50 A/C/BF
Turkey 220 50 C
UAE 240 50 C/BF
Africa
Countries/regions Voltage Frequency (Hz) Plug type
Algeria 127/220 50 C
Congo (dem) 220 50 C
Egypt 220 50 C
Ethiopia 220 50 C
Kenya 240 50 C/BF
Nigeria 230 50 C/BF
South Africa 220/230 50 C/BF
Tanzania 230 50 C/BF
Tunisia 220 50 C
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Read this first
Before operating the unit, please read this
manual thoroughly, and retain it for future
reference.
CAUTION
Battery pack
If the battery pack is mishandled, the
battery pack can burst, cause a fire or even
chemical burns. Observe the following
cautions.
Do not disassemble.
Do not crush and do not expose the battery
pack to any shock or force such as hammering,
dropping or stepping on it.
Do not short circuit and do not allow metal
objects to come into contact with the battery
terminals.
Do not expose to high temperature above 60°C
(140 °F) such as in direct sunlight or in a car
parked in the sun.
Do not incinerate or dispose of in fire.
Do not handle damaged or leaking lithium ion
batteries.
Be sure to charge the battery pack using a
genuine Sony battery charger or a device that
can charge the battery pack.
Keep the battery pack out of the reach of small
children.
Keep the battery pack dry.
Replace only with the same or equivalent type
recommended by Sony.
Dispose of used battery packs promptly as
described in the instructions.
Replace the battery with the specified type
only. Otherwise, fire or injury may result.
AC Adaptor
Do not use the AC Adaptor placed in a
narrow space, such as between a wall and
furniture.
Use the nearby wall outlet (wall socket)
when using the AC Adaptor. Disconnect
the AC Adaptor from the wall outlet (wall
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socket) immediately if any malfunction
occurs while using your camcorder.
Even if your camcorder is turned off, AC
power source (mains) is still supplied to
it while connected to the wall outlet (wall
socket) via the AC Adaptor.
The power cord (mains lead) is designed
specifically for use with this camcorder
only, and should not be used with other
electrical equipment.
For customers in the U.S.A. and CANADA
RECYCLING LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES
Lithium-Ion batteries are
recyclable.
You can help preserve our
environment by returning
your used rechargeable
batteries to the collection and
recycling location nearest you.
For more information
regarding recycling of
rechargeable batteries, call toll
free 1-800-822- 8837, or visit
http://www.rbrc.org/
Caution: Do not handle
damaged or leaking LithiumIon batteries.
Battery pack and memory card
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) This device
may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
This Class B digital apparatus complies
with Canadian ICES-003.
Supplied items
The numbers in ( ) are the supplied
quantity.
AC Adaptor (1)
Power cord (Mains lead) (1)
A/V connecting cable (1)
USB cable (1)
Rechargeable battery pack NP-FV30 (1)
CD-ROM “Handycam” Application
Software (1)
“PMB” (software, including “PMB Help”)
“Handycam” Handbook (PDF)
“Operating Guide” (This manual) (1)
For DCR-SX20K only*
Memory card (4GB)**
* Confirm the model name on the packing box.
** When measuring media capacity, 1 GB equals
1 billion bytes, a portion of which is used
for system management and/or application
files. The capacity that a user can use is
approximately 3.83 GB.
See page 21 for the memory card you can use
with this camcorder.
Using the camcorder
Do not hold the camcorder by the following
parts, and also do not hold the camcorder by
the jack covers.
LCD screen
Battery pack
The camcorder is not dustproofed, dripproofed
or waterproofed. See “Precautions” (p. 62).
Menu items, LCD panel, and lens
A menu item that is grayed out is not available
under the current recording or playback
conditions.
The LCD screen is manufactured using
extremely high-precision technology, so over
99.99% of the pixels are operational for effective
use. However, there may be some tiny black
points and/or bright points (white, red, blue,
or green in color) that appear constantly on the
LCD screen. These points are normal results of
the manufacturing process and do not affect the
recording in any way.
Black points
White, red, blue or green points
Exposing the LCD screen or the lens to direct
sunlight for long periods of time may cause
malfunctions.
Do not aim at the sun. Doing so might cause
your camcorder to malfunction. Take images
of the sun only in low light conditions, such as
at dusk.
About changing the language setting
The on-screen displays in each local language
are used for illustrating the operating
procedures. Change the screen language before
sing your camcorder if necessary (p. 18).
u
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Recording
When you use a memory card with your
camcorder for the first time, formatting the
emory card with your camcorder (p. 54) is
m
recommended for stable operation.
All data recorded on the memory card will
be deleted when it is formatted, and cannot
be recovered. Save important data to your
computer, etc., beforehand.
Before starting to record, test the recording
function to make sure that the image and sound
are recorded without any problems.
Compensation for the contents of recordings
cannot be provided, even if recording or
playback is not possible due to a malfunction of
the camcorder, storage media, etc.
TV color systems differ depending on the
country/region. To view your recordings on a
TV, you need an NTSC system-based TV.
Television programs, films, video tapes,
and other materials may be copyrighted.
Unauthorized recording of such materials may
be contrary to copyright laws.
Note on playback
Images recorded on your camcorder may not
play correctly on other devices.
Conversely, images recorded on other devices
may not play correctly on this camcorder.
Movies recorded on SD memory cards
cannot be played on A/V equipment of other
manufacturers.
Save all your recorded image data
To prevent your image data from being lost,
save all your recorded images on external media
periodically. It is recommended that you save
the image data on a disc such as a DVD-R using
your computer. Also, you can save your image
data using a VCR or a DVD/HDD recorder,
c. (p. 45).
et
Notes on battery pack/AC Adaptor
Be sure to remove the battery pack or the AC
Adaptor after turning off the camcorder.
Disconnect the AC Adaptor from the
camcorder, holding both the camcorder and the
DC plug.
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Note on the camcorder/battery pack
temperature
When the temperature of the camcorder
or battery pack becomes extremely high or
extremely low, you may not be able to record
or play back on the camcorder, due to the
protection features of the camcorder being
activated in such situations. In this case, an
indicator appears on the LCD screen.
When the camcorder is connected to a
computer or accessories
Do not try to format the recording media of the
camcorder using a computer. If you do so, your
camcorder may not operate correctly.
When connecting your camcorder to another
device with a cable, be sure to insert the
connector plug in the correct way. Pushing the
plug forcibly into the terminal will damage the
terminal and may result in a malfunction of
your camcorder.
If you cannot record/play back images,
perform [MEDIA FORMAT]
If you repeat recording/deleting images for
a long time, fragmentation of data occurs on
the recording media. Images cannot be saved
or recorded. In such a case, save your images
on some type of external media first, and then
perform [MEDIA FORMAT] by selecting
(MENU) [Show others] [MEDIA
FORMAT] (under
[MANAGE MEDIA]
category) the desired medium (DCR-SR20)
[YES] [YES]
.
Notes on optional accessories
We recommend using genuine Sony accessories.
Availability of such products is subject to
country/region.
About images, illustrations, and screen
displays of this manual
The example images used in this manual for
illustration purposes are captured using a
digital still camera, and therefore may appear
different from images and screen indicators that
actually appear on your camcorder. And, the
illustrations of your camcorder and its screen
indication are exaggerated or simplified for
understandability.
In this manual, the internal hard disk (DCRSR20) of your camcorder and memory card are
called “recording media.”
Design and specifications of your camcorder
and accessories are subject to change without
notice.
Confirm the model name of your
camcorder
The model name is shown in this manual when
there is a difference in specification between
models. Confirm the model name on the
bottom of your camcorder.
The main differences in specification of this
series are as follows.
Recording
media
Capacity
of internal
recording
media
DCR-SR20 Internal
80 GB
hard disk
+ memory
card
DCR-SX20 Memory card
Notes on use
Do not do any of the following, otherwise, the
recording media may be damaged, recorded
images may be impossible to play back or may
be lost, or other malfunctions could occur.
Eject the memory card when the access lamp
. 21) is lit or flashing
(p
Remove the battery pack or AC Adaptor from
the camcorder, or subject the camcorder to
shock or vibration when the POWER lamp
r the access lamp (p. 21) are lit or
. 16) o
(p
flashing
When using a shoulder belt (sold separately), do
not crash the camcorder against an object.
Do not use your camcorder in very loud areas
(DCR-SR20).
On the drop sensor (DCR-SR20)
To protect the internal hard disk from shock
by dropping, the camcorder has a drop sensor
function. When a drop occurs, or under a nongravity condition, the block noise made when
this function is activated by the camcorder may
also be recorded. If the drop sensor catches a
drop repeatedly, recording/playback may be
stopped.
Note on using the camcorder at high
altitudes (DCR-SR20)
Do not turn on the camcorder in a low-pressure
area, where the altitude is more than 5,000
meters (16,000 feet). Doing so may damage the
internal hard disk drive of your camcorder.
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Operation flow
Getting started (p. 13)
Prepare the power source and recording media.
Recording movies and photos (p. 23)
Recording movies p. 24
Changing the recording mode
Expected recording time (MEDIA INFO)
Shooting photos p. 26
Playing movies and photos
Playback on the camcorder p. 28
Playing images on a TV p
Saving images
Saving movies and photos with a computer p. 35
Saving movies and photos in external media p
Saving images with a DVD writer/recorder p
. 31
. 42
. 45
Deleting movies and photos (p. 33)
If you delete the image data that has been saved on your computer
or a disc, you can record new images on the free media space
again.
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Table of contents
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS .. .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . . 3
Read this first .
Operation flow .
Getting started
Step 1: Charging the battery pack .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. 13
Step 2: Turning the power on, and setting the date and time .
Step 3: Preparing the recording media
Recording/Playback
Recording . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . 23
Playback on the camcorder .
Playing images on a TV .
Making good use of your camcorder
Deleting movies and photos . . .. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. 33
Saving movies and photos with a computer
Preparing a computer (Windows) . . .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . 35
Starting PMB (Picture Motion Browser) .
Creating a disc with one touch (One Touch Disc Burn) .
Importing movies and photos to a computer .
Creating a disc .
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. 6
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . 10
Charging the battery pack abroad .
Using the Multi-selector .
Changing the language setting .
To check the recording media settings .
Dubbing or copying movies and photos from the internal recording media
to memory card (DCR-SR20) .
When using a Macintosh .
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . 40
Copying a disc .
Editing movies .
Capturing photos from a movie .
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . 41
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . . 18
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. 28
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . 31
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . 35
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. 41
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . 15
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. 16
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . 18
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . 19
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . . 20
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . . 22
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. 38
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . 38
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . . 39
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. 41
Table of contents
Saving images with an external device
Saving images in external media (DIRECT COPY) . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. 42
Creating a disc with a DVD writer, recorder .
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . . 45
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Customizing your camcorder
Using menus .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . 50
Getting detailed information from the “Handycam” Handbook .
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. 56
Additional information
Troubleshooting . .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . 57
Recording time of movies/number of recordable photos .
Precautions .
Specifications .
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. 62
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . . 64
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . . 60
Quick reference
Screen indicators . . . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. 66
Parts and controls .
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. 70
Index .
. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. 67
12
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Getting started
Step 1: Charging the battery pack
DCR-SR20
DC IN jack
Battery pack
CHG (charge) lamp
DC plug
AC Adaptor
Power cord
(Mains lead)
To the wall outlet
(wall socket)
DCR-SX20
CHG (charge) lamp
Battery pack
DC IN jack
DC plug
AC Adaptor
Power cord
(Mains lead)
To the wall outlet
(wall socket)
You can charge the “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack (V series) after attaching it to your
camcorder.
Getting started
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13
14
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Notes
You cannot attach any “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack other than the V series to your camcorder.
Turn off your camcorder by closing the LCD screen.
1
Attach the battery pack by sliding it in the direction of the arrow until it
2
clicks.
Connect the AC Adaptor and the power cord (mains lead) to your
3
camcorder and the wall outlet (wall socket).
Align the mark on the DC plug with that on the DC IN jack.
The CHG (charge) lamp lights up and charging starts. The CHG (charge) lamp turns off
when the battery pack is fully charged.
When the battery is charged, disconnect the AC Adaptor from the DC IN
4
jack of your camcorder.
Tips
See page 60 on recording and playing time.
When your camcorder is on, you can check the approximate amount of remaining battery power with the
remaining battery indicator at the upper left on the LCD screen.
Charging time
Approximate time (min.) required when you fully charge a fully discharged battery pack.
Battery pack Charging time
NP-FV30 (supplied) 115
NP-FV50 155
NP-FV70 195
NP-FV100 390
Times measured with the camcorder at 25 C (77 °F).
C to 30 C (50 °F to 86 °F) is recommended.
10
To remove the battery pack
Close the LCD screen. Slide the BATT (battery) release lever () and remove the battery
pack ().
To use a wall outlet (wall socket) as a power source
Make the same connections as “Step 1: Charging the battery pack.” Even if the battery pack is
attached, the battery pack is not discharged.
Charging the battery pack abroad
You can charge the battery pack in any countries/regions using the AC Adaptor supplied with
your camcorder within the AC 100 V - 240 V, 50 Hz/60 Hz range.
Notes
Do not use an electronic voltage transformer.
Notes on the battery pack
When you remove the battery pack or disconnect the AC Adaptor, close the LCD screen and make sure
that the POWER l
The CHG (charge) lamp flashes during charging under the following conditions:
The battery pack is not attached correctly.
The battery pack is damaged.
The temperature of the battery pack is low.
Remove the battery pack from your camcorder and put it in a warm place.
The temperature of the battery pack is high.
Remove the battery pack from your camcorder and put it in a cool place.
In the default setting, the power turns off automatically if you leave your camcorder without any
operation for about 5 minutes, to save battery power ([A.SHUT OFF]).
Notes on the AC Adaptor
Use the nearby wall outlet (wall socket) when using the AC Adaptor. Disconnect the AC Adaptor from
the wall outlet (wall socket) immediately if any malfunction occurs while using your camcorder.
Do not use the AC Adaptor placed in a narrow space, such as between a wall and furniture.
Do not short-circuit the DC plug of the AC Adaptor or battery terminal with any metallic objects. This
may cause a malfunction.
amp (p. 16), the access lamp (p. 21) are turned off.
Getting started
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16
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Step 2: Turning the power on, and setting the date and time
Open the LCD screen of your camcorder.
1
Your camcorder turns on.
POWER lamp
Select the desired geographical area by selecting
2
multi-selector, keep pressing the center of the multi-selector until the
desired geographical area is turned on a light.
Multi-selector
See page 18 for the detail of the using the multi-selector.
To set the date and time again, operate the multi-selector to select
others] [CLOCK/
item is not on the screen, select
Select [NEXT] with of the multi-selector, then press the center of the
3
multi-selector.
LANG] (under [GENERAL SET] category) [CLOCK SET]. When an
/ until the item appears.
/ with / of the
(MENU) [Show
Select setting of [DST SET] or [SUMMERTIME] with / of the multi-
4
selector, and press the center of the multi-selector.
If you set [DST SET] or [SUMMERTIME] to [ON], the clock advances 1 hour.
Select [NEXT] with of the multi-selector, then press the center of the
5
multi-selector.
Set the date and time by repeating the procedure bellow.
6
Highlight the desired item with / of the multi-selector.
elect the setting value with / of the multi selector, and press the center of the
S
multi-selector.
Select [NEXT]
7
of the multi-selector.
The clock starts.
Notes
The date and time do not appear during recording, but they are automatically recorded on the recording
media, and can be displayed during playback. To display the date and time, select
[Show others] [PLAYBACK SET] (under
TIME]
You can turn off the operation beeps by selecting
SET] (under
.
[GENERAL SET] category) [BEEP] [OFF] .
with of the multi-selector, then press the center
(MENU)
[PLAYBACK] category) [DATA CODE] [DATE/
(MENU) [Show others] [SOUND/DISP
Getting started
To turn off the power
Close the LCD screen. The POWER lamp flashes for a few seconds and the power is turned
off.
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Using the Multi-selector
Multi-selector
Select a button by placing an orange frame over it using // / of the multi-selector.
ress the center of the multi-selector to confirm your selection.
P
Changing the language setting
You can change the on-screen displays to show messages in a specified language.
Select
category) [
(MENU) [Show others] [CLOCK/ LANG] (under [GENERAL SET]
LANGUAGE SET] a desired language .
Step 3: Preparing the recording media
The recording media that can be used differs depending on your camcorder. The following
icons are displayed on the screen of your camcorder.
DCR-SX20:
Memory card
DCR-SR20:
* In the default setting, both movies and photos are recorded on this recording media. You can perform
recording, playback and editing operations on the selected medium.
Select with /// and press the button in the center of the multi-selector to confirm your selection.
Tips
See page 60 for the recordable time of movies.
See page 61 for the number of recordable photos.
Selecting the recording media for movies (DCR-SR20)
*
Internal hard disk Memory card
Multi-selector
Getting started
Select (MENU) [Show others] [MEDIA SETTINGS] (under
[MANAGE MEDIA] category) [MOVIE MEDIA SET].
The [MOVIE MEDIA SET] screen appears.
Select the desired recording media.
Select [YES] .
The recording medium is changed.
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Selecting the recording media for photos (DCR-SR20)
Select (MENU) [Show others] [MEDIA SETTINGS] (under
[MANAGE MEDIA] category) [PHOTO MEDIA SET].
The [PHOTO MEDIA SET] screen appears.
Select the desired recording media.
Select [YES] .
The recording medium is changed.
To check the recording media settings
When recording in movie recording mode or photo recording mode, the recording media
icon is displayed in the top right corner of the screen.
Recording media icon
The icon displayed on the LCD screen varies depending on the camcorder you use.
Inserting a memory card
Notes
Set the recording medium to [MEMORY CARD] to record movies and/or photos on memory card
(DCR-SR20).
Types of memory card that can be used with your camcorder
Only “Memory Stick PRO Duo” media, “Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo” media, SD memory cards (Class
2 or faster), SDHC memory cards (Class 2 or faster) and SDXC memory cards (Class 2 or faster) can be
used with this camcorder. Operation with all memory cards is not assured.
“Memory Stick PRO Duo” media of up to 32 GB and SD memory cards of up to 64 GB have been tested
and proven to operate with your camcorder.
For recording movies on “Memory Stick PRO Duo” media, it is recommended that you use “Memory
Stick PRO Duo” media of 512 MB or larger.
In this manual, “Memory Stick PRO Duo” media and “Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo” media are called
“Memory Stick PRO Duo” media and SD memory cards, SDHC memory cards and SDXC memory cards
are called SD memory cards.
Notes
MultiMediaCard cannot be used.
Images recorded on SDXC memory cards cannot be played back or imported on non-exFAT*-compatible
computers, AV components, etc., connected to this camcorder by USB cable. Check that the connected devices
are compatible with exFAT beforehand. If you connect a device that is not compatible with exFAT, the screen
for initialization may appear. Never execute initialization, otherwise all recorded contents will be lost.
* exFAT is the file system used in SDXC memory cards.
Size of memory cards that can be used with your camcorder
Only “Memory Stick Duo” media that is about a half the size of the standard “Memory Stick” media, and
standard-sized SD memory cards can be used.
Do not attach a label, etc., to a memory card or memory card adaptor. Doing so may cause a malfunction.
Open the cover, orient the memory card’s notched corner as shown in the
illustration, and insert into the memory card slot until it clicks.
Close the cover after inserting the memory card.
Access lamp
Note direction of notched corner.
The [Create a new Image Database File.] screen may appear if you insert a new memory
card. In that case, select [YES]. If you record only photos on the memory card, select
[NO].
Confirm the direction of the memory card. If you forcibly insert the memory card in the wrong
direction, the memory card, memory card slot, or image data may be damaged.
Notes
If [Failed to create a new Image Database File. It may be possible that there is not enough free space.]
is displayed, initialize the memory card by selecting
FORMAT] (under
[YES]
[MANAGE MEDIA] category) [MEMORY CARD] (DCR-SR20) [YES]
.
(MENU) [Show others] [MEDIA
Getting started
To eject the memory card
Open the cover and lightly push the memory card in once.
Do not open the cover during recording.
When inserting or ejecting the memory card, be careful so that the memory card does not pop out and
drop.
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Dubbing or copying movies and photos from the internal recording media to memory card (DCR-SR20)
Select (MENU) [Show others] [MOVIE DUB]/[PHOTO COPY] (under
[EDIT] category), then follow the displays on the screen.
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Recording/Playback
Recording
In the default setting, movies are recorded on the following recording media.
DCR-SX20: Memory card
DCR-SR20: Internal hard disk
Tips
See page 19 on changing the recording media (DCR-SR20).
To open the lens cover
Slide the LENS COVER switch to open.
Tips
When you finish recording or when you play back images, close the lens cover.
Fasten the grip belt.
1
DCR-SR20
DCR-SX20
Recording/Playback
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Open the LCD screen of your camcorder.
2
Your camcorder turns on.
You can switch recording modes by pressing MODE. Press MODE until the desired mode icon
appears.
(Movie): When
recording a movie
Recording movies
Press START/STOP to start recording.
START/STOP button
MODE button
[STBY] [REC]
To stop recording, press START/STOP again.
The icons and indicators on the LCD panel will be displayed for about 3 seconds, then disappear after
turning on your camcorder or switching the recording (movie/photo)/playback modes. To display the
icons and indicators again, press the multi-selector.
about 3sec
after
Notes
If you close the LCD screen while recording movies, the camcorder stops recording.
The maximum continuous recordable time of movies is about 13 hours.
When a movie file exceeds 2 GB, the next movie file is created automatically.
It will take several seconds until you can start recording after you turn on the camcorder. You cannot
operate your camcorder during this time.
The following states will be indicated if data is still being written onto the recording media after recording
has finished. During this time, do not apply shock or vibration to the camcorder, or remove the battery or
AC Adaptor.
ccess lamp (p. 21) is lit or flashing
A
The media icon in the upper right of the LCD screen is flashing
Tips
When a face is detected, a white frame appears and the image quality around the face is optimized
automatically ([FACE DETECTION]).
You can capture photos from recorded movies.
See page 60 on the recordable time of movies.
You can check the recordable time, estimated remaining capacity, etc., by selecting
[Show others] [MEDIA INFO] (under
The LCD screen of your camcorder can display recording images across the entire screen (full pixel
[MANAGE MEDIA] category).
(MENU)
display). However, this may cause slight trimming of the top, bottom, right and left edges of images when
played back on a TV which is not compatible with full pixel display. In this case, set [GUIDEFRAME] to
[ON], and record images using the outer frame displayed on the screen as a guide.
STEADYSHOT] is set to [ON] in the default setting.
[
To adjust the angle of the LCD panel, first open the LCD panel 90 degrees to the camcorder (), and
then adjust the angle ().
Recording/Playback
90 degrees (max.)
180 degrees (max.)
90 degrees to
the camcorder
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Data code during recording
The recording date, time and condition are recorded automatically on the recording media.
They are not displayed during recording. However, you can check them as [DATA CODE]
during playback. To display them, select
SET] (under
[PLAYBACK] category) a desired setting .
(MENU) [Show others] [PLAYBACK
Shooting photos
In the default setting, photos are recorded on the following recording media.
DCR-SX20: Memory card
DCR-SR20: Internal hard disk
Tips
See page 19 on changing the recording media (DCR-SR20).
Press MODE until the (Photo) icon appears.
The LCD screen display switches for photo recording mode, and the screen aspect ratio
becomes 4:3.
(Photo): When
shooting a photo
Press PHOTO lightly to adjust the focus, then press it fully.
Flashes Lights up
When disappears, the photo is recorded.
Tips
See page 61 on the recordable number of photos.
To change the image size, select
[PHOTO SETTINGS] category) a desired setting .
You can check the recordable number of photos on the LCD screen (p. 66).
(MENU) [Show others] [ IMAGE SIZE] (under
Recording/Playback
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Playback on the camcorder
In the default setting, movies and photos that are recorded on the following recording media
are played.
DCR-SX20: Memory card
DCR-SR20: Internal hard disk
Tips
See page 19 on changing the recording media (DCR-SR20).
Open the LCD screen of your camcorder.
1
Your camcorder turns on.
Press
2
The VISUAL INDEX screen appears after some seconds.
Select the
3
Select the
Movies are displayed and sorted by recording date.
(VIEW IMAGES).
(Movie) () a desired movie () to play back a movie.
(Photo) () a desired photo () to view a photo.
To MENU screen
/ : Displays movies recorded on the previous/next date.
/ : Displays the previous/next movie.
Returns to the recording screen.
appears with the movie or photo that was most recently played or recorded. If you select the
movie or photo with , you can continue playback from the previous time. ( appears on the
photo recorded on a memory card.)
Playing movies
Your camcorder starts playing the selected movie.
Volume adjustment
Previous
Next
To stop
OPTION
To fast-forward
To fast-reverse
Tips
When playback from the selected movie reaches the last movie, the screen returns to the VISUAL INDEX
To pause/play
screen.
Select
As you repeat selecting
/ during pause to play back movies slowly.
/ during playback, movies are played as fast as about 5 times
about 10 times about 30 times about 60 times.
You can display the VISUAL INDEX by selecting
INDEX] (under
The recording date, time, and shooting conditions are recorded automatically during recording. This
[PLAYBACK] category).
(MENU) [Show others] [VISUAL
information is not displayed during recording, but you can display it during playback by selecting
(MENU) [Show others] [PLAYBACK SET] (under [PLAYBACK] category) [DATA
CODE] a desired setting
.
To adjust the sound volume of movies
While playing back movies, select adjust with / .
You can also adjust the sound volume by using / in the OPTION MENU.
Recording/Playback
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Viewing photos
Your camcorder displays the selected photo.
Previous
To the VISUAL
INDEX screen
Tips
When viewing photos recorded on a memory card,
To start/stop slide show
Next
OPTION
(playback folder) appears on the screen.
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