Sony TRV-900 User Manual

Sony TRV-900 miniDV Camcorder

Notes by Rob Danielson 9/03

Owner's manual:

http://www.sonystyle.com/pdfs/3864632142.pdf

Everything humans might want to know about the TRV-900:

http://www.bealecorner.com/

TRV-900/950 User's Group (may find used ones for sale too)

http://www.camcorderinfo.com/board/list.php?f=13

Suggestions:

MANUALLY set these function:

• Shutter Speed

• "Exposure" Aperture setting using with the Zebra display.

• Color Balance on White Card

• Use an External Mic and set Mic Level Manually

• In bright daylight, use ND filter and Set Gain Shift to -3dB

Check battery condition, it takes about 30-60 minutes to charge.

Check the lens for dust etc, remove the shade and ONLY CLEAN WITH LENS
TISSUE!!! Use only lens cleaning tissue - not nose tissue,

When you first turn-on the camcorder, check that the “AUTO Lock” Button is not ON,
put this switch in the center position
.
If you can find it by the main power switch, pull back the “photo mode lock-out”
button so it won’t go into this mode when you put it into camera mode.

Check these Menu Settings before you shoot (BOLD items are especially important):
Open side screen, press "menu" button:

- - - ­Auto Shutter: ON
Progressive Scan: OFF for live video, ON for taking stills.

- - - ­Digital Zoom: ON

16:9 Wide: OFF

SteadyShot: ON
AE Shift: Middle Position
Gain Shift: -3dB for Bright Lighting
Frame Record: Off
Int. Rec: Off

- - - ­LCD Color: Middle
LCD Brightness: Middle
Zebra: ON

- - - -

Record Mode: SP!!!

Audio Mode: 16 Bit!!!!
Mic Level: Manual. Adjust so peaks do not make the red light come on. Use
an external mic and monitor with headphones.

Remain: Auto

- - - ­Clock Set: Set to date, time
Auto TV: OFF
TV Input: Video 1
Letter Size: Normal

- - - ­World Time: whatever,..
Beep: OFF
Commander: ON
Display: LCD
Rec Lamp: OFF
Color Bar: OFF

Press "menu" buttton again to turn off menu options.

= = = = = = =

From the “Beale’s Corner TRV-900 Website, Other Tips & Tricks:

if you go manual and slow the shutter down then you can also hit the exposure after
and remove much of the noise in the picture. But you can't select exposure to reduce
the gain and then select shutter! You have to learn the button pressing order .

If you select FF in VTR mode you get a blue screen. But you can hit FF again while it
is fastforwarding to temporarily display what you are passing on the tape. When you
release it goes back to the FF blue screen

Reducing Gain and Using Neutral Density Filter
The camera can have the gain reduced by 3db, and a "GS" appears in the viewfinder.
This reduces the overall gain for normal shooting conditions, yet allows the gain to
go up in low light. I recommend this setting for reduced noise.

If you cannot figure out why the headphones don't seem to be working, see if the
volume control on the flip out screen has been turned right down. In addition to
adjusting the headphones level, this control also adjusts the speaker level when
headphones are not plugged in.

The Sony VHS VCR remote (model RMT-V158) in mode 1, will control the TRV900. All
of the other transport controls work, including using the shuttle for various speed
forward/reverse play. The Sony RMT-V229 remote also works.

Oddity: The TRV900 can record in DVCAM format if the tape is pre stripped in the
DCVcam format. It still uses unlocked audio. DVCAM format normally has locked
audio.

Static with mic connections. There's a liquid product called "Stabilant 22" from D.W.
Electrochemicals, Ltd. http://www.posthorn.com/Stab_2.html that supposedly
removes noise from connectors like that of 1/8’ (3.5mm) mini-jacks.

What you see: (wider aspect ratio with more on the sides)

What you get on a standard 3:4 video monitor/television:

trv-900 specs:

Audio Recording/Playback System 12/16-bit PCM
Imaging Device (gross pixels) 3 x 380,000
Filter Diameter 52mm
Memory Mode (Digital Still Camera Function) Yes (640 x 480)
Progressive Shutter Mode Prog. Scan
Zoom Lens/Digital Zoom 12X/48X
Super SteadyShot System Yes (Optical)
Lux Rating 4 Lux
Shutter Speeds 1/15-1/10,000 AE
Power Management Stamina Battery Life 8 Hours
AccuPower Battery Meter Yes
SwivelScreen LCD Monitor (diag.) 3.5" Precision
Viewfinder Precision Color
LaserLink IR Transmission System Yes
i.LINK DV Interface (IEEE1394) Yes
Control-L (LANC) Edit Interface Yes
Analog Audio/Video Inputs Yes
Drop Frame Time Code Yes
Built-In Speaker Yes
Edit Search Yes

World Time Clock Yes
Intelligent Accessory Shoe Yes
Remote Control Yes
Picture Effects 6 Modes
Digital Picture Effects 5 Modes
Audio/Video Digital Fader 5 Modes
16:9 Recording Yes
Digital Photo Mode Yes
Memory Mode 640 x 480
MANUAL CONTROLS
Program Auto Exposure 5 Modes
Manual Focus Yes (ring)
Manual Exposure Yes
Manual Audio Gain

TRV-950 Specs (replaced the 900)

Imaging Device Three 1/4.7" 1,070K Gross Pixels, Advanced HADTMCCDs
Video Actual 690K per CCD Imager
Still Actual 1,000K per CCD Imager
F: 1.6-2.8
Focal Distance 3.6-43.2mm
35mm Conversion 49-588mm (Camera Mode)
41-492mm (Memory Mode)
Filter Diameter 37mm
Optical Zoom 12X
Digital Zoom 150X
Focusing Full Range Auto/Manual/Spot(Touch Panel)
Minimum Illumination 7 Lux
NightShot Infrared System N/A
Shutter Speed 1/4-1/10,000(AE Mode)
Memory Mode Yes, 1152 x 864, 640 x 480
MPEG Movie EX Mode Yes, 320 x 240, 160 x 112
Viewfinder Color (180K)
LCD 3.5" Color (246K)
Accessory Shoe Yes (Intelligent)
Portable Printer Capable Yes
Video Input/Output Yes/Yes (Special and S-Video)
Audio Input/Output Yes/Yes (Stereo)
i.LINK® DV Interface (IEEE1394) Yes (4 Pin)
USB Terminal Yes
USB Streaming Yes
Headphone Jack Yes (Mini, Stereo)
Mic-Input Yes (Stereo)
White Balance Auto, Outdoor, Indoor, Hold
Exposure Yes/Dial (24 Step)
Software OS Compatibility Microsoft® Windows® 98SE, 2000, Me, XP;
Macintosh® 8.5.1 - 9.1(2)
Power Consumption (VF/LCD/VF+LCD) 4.9W/6.3W/6.6W