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Product Reviews:
Sony DCRTRV460 Digital8 Handycam Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom |
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Summary: great Camera however you need lots of extras to actually use it
Comments: I purchased mine in late 2005, however did not use it when I was overseas because the supplied software was TERRIBLE and I never could get it to work. I ended up using the video capture on my separate Digital camera. So, a year later, I fired it up this week and spent an entire day trying to play a video I recorded yesterday on my PC... being a digital video novice, here are the caveats you need to know after I spent all day on it, plus read all 43 review before this one:
- I like the features of the camera, the zoom and fold out screen, however the pain is usability and working with the videos or pictures once you take them. If you just want to take taped videos, and watch them on a TV using the supplied AV cable, it is ok, however NOT if you want to see or use the video on a PC and edit it. So read on...
- You really need a second battery, which I ordered automatically, which added to the price. Some of the reviews here say you can use 3rd party batteries, however others say an embedded chip prevents using them. Mine was an expensive Sony battery.
- There are no tapes in the box, so you have to purchase some.
- READ the simple manual 1st for each task you do... for instance if you try to plug in the USB cable to a pc 1st it screws up the drivers, and you have to go to troubleshooting sections to manual delete the drivers, then reload.
- Sony uses a 4 wire firewire cable called "iWire" (they do not say firewire anywhere).. however THEY do not supply THE iWire CABLE. So the user wastes time trying to get supplied USB cables to work and after2hours trying to install, reinstall and use the TERRIBLE Sony supplied "Picture Package" software, or keep flipping through all the touchscreen menus to turn on "Burn DVD" which uses a CD-R (not DVD) and never find a way to transfer the video to the PC. I finally got the low budget USB Streaming player to work so I could see my video in a small screen on the PC, however there was no option to capture it to a file (stupid). Sony also supplies an "AV" cable that has3composite rca jacks to plug into your vcr so you could play the video through that method, however I do not have a VCR anymore - I use a Comcast DVR which has the physical jacks, however they are disabled (a whole separate story about Comcast DVRs).
- Using firewire - finally, I fired up my previously purchased Pinnacle Studio version nine, which apparently can not recognize the Sony USB connection, as it kept saying it was looking for a connection on ieee 1394 input, which is firewire (Sony refuses to say that common name). I finally figured out I needed firewire for best transfer to the PC (and so do some of the reviews), and ordered the 4 wire to 6wire Sony iWire cable by part number (read the Accessories catalog) because my PC does have the standard 6 wire Firewire jack on the back. Just after I ordered it, I found that Belkin had much lower priced cables of the same type on Amazon, or you can order used ones or generic ones. ALSO, I happen to have a Sony laptop, and it has a Sony design 4-wire firewire jack on it (not the standard 6-wire jack), so I ordered a Belkin 4-wire to 4-wire cable to connect my camcorder to the Sony laptop.
- Sony doesn't supply any memory stick card at all so you can not use that storage feature until you purchase one. Other reviews here say 64-128mb are fine for storing the 1mpx pictures it takes. 1-2 reviews say that you can not store movies on the memory stick, however I would confirm that - I haven't tried it.
- Conclusion:
- Get a second battery
- do not rely on the USB connection for anything except a streaming video to the Sony viewer, however you can not capture it. Go for firewire, which means you need the cable (see below) and a standard firewire port or Firewire card on your pc.
- Get a 128mb memory stick to start (which means you also need a memory stick reader on the PC or laptop). The HandyCam pictures are only 1mega pixel, so I will rarely use it, however the memory stick is how you transfer the pictures to a PC (There might be a way with the USB line, however I do not want to waste anymore time on their software)
- Order the 4 wire to 6 wire iWire or Firewire cable for playback and transfer, and if your computer doesn't have firewire, add a card with it. The Sony part number is VMC-IL4615 - however get the Belkin alternate or another supplier - Sony's price is $39.95 when Belkin's is 1/4 of that. (I ordered it, however haven't gotten it yet).
- Expect to not be able to do ANY work on the PC editing your video with the USB cable or Sony's poor software. Instead, try using firewire and the free Microsoft Movie Maker that comes with XP. OR, expect to pay $100 or more for Pinnacle Studio, or ULead's Movie product, or Adobe's video maker products. Pinnacle has special high end audio visual cards with firewire you might look at. Or just make sure you have a great AV card with firewire and the right hardware specs to use the video editing software (i.e. ATI Radeon, etc.) . MY HP has the right specs, so I did not need an additional card.
- To process video files on the computer, you might need to add more memory - if the editing is slow, determine if more RAM will help.
- The camera doesn't come with a bag, so you will need one.
- The battery is charged by plugging the power brick into the camera and charging the battery in the camera. It is slow, and means you can not use the camera while charging, however I always have2batteries charged, so that is what you have to live with, or purchase an external charger.
- Misc - I purchased an infrared filter and tripod also for the camera.
- Cost - So even though you budgeted $400 or so for the camera, the true price with all the above is more like $600-700 to actually be usable.
And now, my budding You Tube production might actually happen, once I get those cables...
VJ |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: great Product
Comments: Works well. Has fire wire and is Digital Quality. Would endorse this product. |
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Summary: Mine's still working after 26 months
Comments: I have read some poor reviews on what's happened over time with other people's Handycams, however I must say that mine still works after 2 years, a few typhoons and several 'dropping' accidents. I am just now beginning to find some of the neat features of this camcorder, too!!
The reason I purchased this camcorder was because of the colored infrared nightshot, which works great!! You can take pictures in pitch darkness. Although I must say recently I have noticed problems with the handycam's playback feature. It keeps switching to Hi8 mode when the video isn't taken with the Hi8 feature (this makes the LCD screen turn blue so you can not see the playback). I'll almost all likely purchase another Sony with the color enhanced nightshot, however I think I'll switch to the DVD or harddrive version. |
Rating: 1 (out of 5)
Summary: 2 years old and same problem
Comments: I purchased this camera in winter of 2004. It was a great camera for about a year and a half. This past summer I started getting the same "Video Heads are Dirty" message that eone is getting. I have tried cleaning, however am still getting the message. Now it will not even recognize that there is a video cassette in it.
appears like I need to take it to be serviced, however I fear what the cost will be. |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: Long time owner
Comments: I have had this camcorder for at least 3 years. I received it as a gift. I love it. It's easy to use, takes great still photos as well as awesome video. I make many little home movies with this camera along with my computer. It's zooms in and out nicely, had night shot and the battery charges quickly and lasts a long time. I did require a special cable that did not come with the camera though. however as a long time user of this camera I must say its worth the money. I know it was under $400.00. |
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