| Sony DCR-DVD201 DVD Handycam Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom |
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Product Reviews:
Sony DCR-DVD201 DVD Handycam Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom |
Rating: 1 (out of 5)
Summary: Great camera ... however
Comments: I purchased this camera back in December 2004 just before going on a trip to Europe, at the time it was the "bee's knees" in camcorders. It was the almost all amazing little gadget I had owned at the time, and I was thrilled with the results. I am still happy with the results, however there are quite a few issues with it.
1stly, you can not do anything with the video you've shot - even getting clips onto your PC is a chore. Sometimes the computer finds the camera, more often it doesn't. I have now given up getting anything onto the PC, and I just watch the video on the TV unedited. The software that comes with it is completely useless. All you can do is stitch together different clips in their entirety. I managed to do this ONCE in 2 years, however never got the software to burn a DVD of what I had stitched together - the software crashed the computer e time I tried to do it, so I gave up trying.
Secondly, like many other people, disc errors pop up e once in a while. I admit I have been lucky with it, and have only had a couple, however then again, I haven't used this camera much in all that time, and you just do not know when its going to happen. (I had a disc error when I put a new SONY DVD into the camera in St Petersburg, Russia. I did not have another DVD with me, so I have no video of St Petersburg at all.)
Lastly, finalising a disc is a nightmare. You spend 10 or 15 mins chewing your nails to the quick waiting for the camera to start beeping and flashing 'DISC ERROR' at you, thus loosing ething you've shot. Again, this has only happened to me a handful of times, however it happens right at the moment when you do not want it to happen. I lost the whole of the west of Ireland because of a disc error during finalising - once again, a SONY disc. Its not as if you can just put another disc in and go back to Ireland to reshoot it all. The 3 or 4 other times its happened was close to home, when I just did go back and reshoot it another day. however what if it had been something important, like the birth of a child or a wedding, like other reviewers have had?
After reading many horror stories about this camera, I can say I am1of the lucky few. My camera has only done the dirty on me a couple of times, however then again, e time I use it, I think to myself, 'Is this the time its gonna stuff up???' Which is a real pity, because on the whole its been a nice little camera, and has traveled with me to a lot of places, and has generally been great. however ... you just never know when the moment will come.
Using Sony discs will not solve the disc error problem. I have only ever used Sony brand discs, and they also give errors when the camera feels like it. And the camera hates DVD+R discs - I wasted money on a whole packet of these, only to have e1of them get a DISC ERROR from the camera when I 1st put them in. Obviously it only likes DVD-R discs.
I would say, save your nerves and do not purchase any DVD camcorder, no matter what the brand. They're far too temperamental and the technology too dodgy. |
Rating: 1 (out of 5)
Summary: PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT purchase A SONY BRAND CAMCORDER
Comments: JUST LIKE SEVERAL OTHERS I purchased THIS CAMCORDER WHEN IT 1st CAME ON THE MARKET. MINE WAS PURCHASED IN DEC. 2004. IT WORKED FINE UNTIL JUNE OF THIS YEAR. AFTER SPENDING CLOSE TO AN HOUR ON THE PHONE WITH SONY'S REPAIR DEPT. I FOUND OUT IT WILL COST $211 TO REPAIR, AND I ONLY GET A 90 DAY GUARANTEE ON THAT. MY CAMCORDER JUST STOPPED WORKING, PERIOD!! FOR NO REASON AT ALL, THE LCD SCREEN WAS THE 1st THING THAT WENT, THEN IT WOULD NOT CHARGE, THEN IT WOULD NOT EVEN POWER ON!!!! THIS CAMERA HAS NEVER BEEN DROPPED, HIT, NEVER WET, NEVER USED OUTSIDE IN RAIN OR SNOW ETC; THIS IS THE BIGGEST WASTE OF $800 I HAVE EVER SEEN, AND IT'S OBVIOUS FROM THE OTHER OPINIONS I HAVE READ, I am NOT THE ONLY PERSON TO HAVE GOTTEN THE ROYAL SHAFT FROM SONY. MY NEXT LETTER WILL BE TO SONY. SO ANYBODY AND EBODY, PLEASE, PLEASE, DO NOT PURCHASE ANYTHING MADE BY SONY!!!!!!!! |
Rating: 1 (out of 5)
Summary: Will ERASE your memories!! do not purchase!!!!
Comments: I have had this camera for over a year. It's a gamble to use however. you will either be able to finalize your discs with no problems and have a great little DVD of your favorite moments, or it will have an error and erase ething!! It's really up to how it feels at the moment, too. You have to record without moving as well, remember, there is a tiny laser etching data inside there and any sudden turns will erase the disk.
If you can get it to work, the picture will look FANTASTIC!! however it's really too much a gamble to take. do not purchase. |
Rating: 1 (out of 5)
Summary: Sony DCR-DVD201 loses your memories and data
Comments: While I purchased my DVD201 alalmost all 2 1/2 years ago, I have yet to put over 30 hours of recording on it. The problem is that the camera has a horrible time with disc access errors. I have used brand new SONY DVD-R discs (both the 1.4GB single sided and the 2.8 GB double sided), and e time it is a crap shoot as to whether it will work or not.
About 1/3 of the disks never get recognized by the camera at all - and basically have to be returned as bad, even though they seem to work ok in my personal computer. Of the ones that originally work, alalmost all HALF of them end up with disc access errors at some point - many when I am finalizing the disc!! That means I lose the entire contants of the recording!! I have lost recordings of family vacations, holidays and birthdays, and finally (the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back) I LOST THE VIDEO OF MY ONLY DAUGHTER'S WEDDING!! UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!!!!
I went to SONY's online "help", and found it was a joke!! Not only were they incredibly slow, they asked me the same questions over and over again. DId you format the diswc? (no - the DVD-R's do not require formatting). Have you finalized the disc? (no - the camera does not even recognize it has a disc in it - I can not even record, let alone finalize anything) Have you tried a new disc? (yes, about 6 of them, right out of the package)
If the discs would fail initially, then I could at least get new ones - however TO HAVE IT FAIL AFTER THE PICTURES ARE RECORDED does not leave me ANY options. SONY endorseed going to a data reco house to recover the data, however they want $400 bucks to get whatever you get - I am not even sure the data is recoverable!!
I have been on several boards and have seen the same problem reported over and over (unfortunately, not before I had purchased the camera). Has ANYONE had ANY luck getting this camera to work reliably? SONY wants $211 (flat rate) for me to send the camera to them for repair, and a couple of other places have quoted about $140-$160. Before I throw any more money down the drain with this camera - I'd like some assurance that it will actually work. ANY suggestions greatly appreciated!!
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Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Summary: Great Product
Comments: Works wonderfully except the scrolling howeverton is rather small and hard to use with larger hands. Recording on the DVD is great. Seeing the DVD alalmost all instantaneously is great. Light weight enough to carry ewhere. |
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