TRV900 Visitor Archive, Page 4
December 19 1999 - April 20 2000

This is an archive of past entries. To add a new one, return to the current page.

Great job on the site! Many thanks! I'm just joining the chorus of kudos here. I have recently noticed that my TRV900 has developed an imbalance in the audio levels for the left and right channels. Does this mean a trip to a service center? I'd rather adjust it myself if it is just a matter of tweaking some parameters with the service remote. Does anyone know if the service manual has information on adjusting audio levels for individual channels? TIA
csakuma <csakuma@my-yahoo.com>
Los Angeles, CA USA - Sunday, December 19, 1999 at 11:24:34 (PST)
More than one person has reported L-R imbalance in audio, although several others including me have measured perfectly even balance. I have not found anything in the service manual to indicate that a balance adjustment is possible, except for replacing the internal microphones.
John
USA - Monday, December 20, 1999 at 11:02:15 (PST)
I've never owned a camcorder or digital camera and have been looking at two models - the TRV900 and the TRV10. Size is important, but I also value image quality and ease of use. I would be interested in any comments relative to still image quality for these as I need the capability for magazine articles (Tech Editor for an automotive club magazine). Also, is there any particular advantage of the single CCD system of the TRV10 relative to the 3 CCD system of the TRV900? Thanks for your time - Great site with loads of info. (Now, to truly research the two I need a similar site for the TRV10!)
Steve Seekins <seekins.howe@erols.com>
Annandale, VA USA - Monday, December 20, 1999 at 19:08:54 (PST)
I borrowed a friend's TRV10 and took a number of stills, with the intent to put them on my web page for comparisons. Quite frankly the quality was low enough so I wasn't inspired to actually make the page. The only advantage of 1ccd (bsides price) is that there is an IR mode ("nightshot") which for most people is a curiosity but seldom of real use.
John
USA - Monday, December 20, 1999 at 22:52:49 (PST)
Last weekend I tested my new Amphibico Navigator 900 underwater housing, specially designed for the TRV900. It's a great housing, really compact and comfortable to use. It includes a flip-out mirror that reflects the image of the LCD, so there's no need to add an expensive underwater monitor to the housing. The "wet" microphone works great. This housing is fully mechanic, so it's possible to work with the TRV900 as if we were on the surface, with the camcorder in the hand. Something I've found, and I'd like to know if anybody else experienced this, is that in the recording there's some HUM, so the sound is not only the noise of the bubbles. I've noticed that when the camcorder is ready to record, some noise can be heard (in fact, you should be in a silent area to hear it). So this noise must be "filtered" later when editing the clips in the PC. Did anybody notice this?
Esteban Wiaggio <esteban.wiaggio@unisys.com>
Madrid, Spain - Wednesday, December 22, 1999 at 05:29:49 (PST)
Used the TRV900 at our international meeting in september (5 tapes) - the resulting video was SUPER (picture quality). When making the final VHS copies, I could see the quality loss, even using professional equipment. I now have a DV300 and Premiere, as well as Ulead Video studio (to create MP2's) - works well with the TRV900.
Hans de Corti <hans@enjo.com.au>
Perth, Western Australia - Thursday, December 30, 1999 at 21:54:30 (PST)
Century 16:9 widescreen lens works beautifully on my Sony 900. One problem however: stills taken from recordings with this lens attached will be "squeezed". Any work around that you are aware of? Is there a photo shop plug in that re-sizes anamorphically squeezed photos? Thanks.
Mel Surdin <msurdin@ucla.edu>
USA - Wednesday, January 05, 2000 at 14:29:17 (PST)
John, Thanks for the help on the crinkled tape situation! I had purchased an extended warranty from MACK in NJ when I purchased the camera from B&H. I shipped it to them December 22nd and received it back December 24th, just in time!! They did an excellent job and cleaned the internals. I will watch for the build up on the rollers from now on! Thanks again....Carter.
Carter Herrmann <carterh@att.net>
PA USA - Wednesday, January 05, 2000 at 22:29:49 (PST)
John, Excellent site. Useful info on the tape crinkle problems, I am giving Sony some grief over this as I think they have a real problem, do you have any more info on these problems as I want to collate enough to get Sony Technical and Development involved in Japan. All the best for the New Year.Keep up the good work revor
Trevor <starmaker.video@cwcom.net>
Reading, UK - Saturday, January 08, 2000 at 02:27:33 (PST)
This is one of the most massive in-depth pages on the net I have ever seen. Great work! I `ve just bought the TRV-900 (with inspiration from this excellent site) and are going to have it with me to Africa, and I´ll climb Kilimanjaro with it. Maybe I can give some tips on filming in rough camera-conditions afterwards.
Ingve Gilje <igilje@hotmail.com>
Norway - Saturday, January 15, 2000 at 18:53:03 (PST)
What a wealth of information here! I won't start work on our next music video until I get one of these cameras! And thanks to you I won't get "skinned" doing it!
Dan Laskowski <techristian@musicinit.com>
Windsor, ON Canada - Monday, January 17, 2000 at 11:49:20 (PST)
Great website. Can anyone help? I recently purchased the sony dcr-trv900e and am having problems using it as a recording vcr. When I use it as such with the audio/video jacks or svideo jacks (or even both) I get nothing on the lcd and only a constant light grey screen for footage with no sound. all the leads are connected properly and the menu>display>lcd procedure does nothing. Can anyone advise ? additional to above... yes I have tested it by connecting it to two different vcr's and two different tv's could it be faulty? Thanks in advance.Blue
Blue <blue.1st@virgin.com>
london, united kingdom - Thursday, January 20, 2000 at 16:07:48 (PST)
Are you aware that the provided SCART connector goes only one way? That is, for playback from the camera. If you are using the supplied SCART adaptor that explains it- you will need instead to obtain a bidirectional one for this use. If you have an s-video source, that should work, but consumer TV s-video jacks are almost always just inputs, not video signal sources. If you have a SVHS vcr or Hi8 camera, those normally have s-video outputs.
John Beale
USA - Friday, January 21, 2000 at 10:29:11 (PST)
Awesome, Awesome site. It helped make my decision to purchase a TRV-900. I'll be checking back soon. Hopefully, I'll have some material to submit too.
Nate Gee Tang <killerpanda@yahoo.com>
Los Angeles, CA USA - Sunday, January 23, 2000 at 16:08:03 (PST)
howdy! what is footage worth? i shot some freeride stuff with my trv900 and real tv is interested in using it. anyone out there have any ideas as to value? also does anyone out there know of any resources out there for guys like us with shit hot little cameras to market our footage or contribute to web casting etc. certainly we must be the immediate future of television production. thanks jb
jimmy the bee <supercat@telus.net>
whistler, bc canada - Thursday, February 03, 2000 at 10:32:13 (PST)
It's worth what you can get for it- depends how unusual the product I suppose. I've never tried to sell for broadcast so I can't advise further.
John
USA - Thursday, February 03, 2000 at 21:00:09 (PST)
This page will be the most valuable information source for people like me who is thinking to buy a TRV900 but need more information to make the decision. Thanks for setting up such a great page. Heintz
Heintz Hwang <heintz45@yahoo.com>
Newark, CA USA - Friday, February 04, 2000 at 18:09:39 (PST)
Hi, is Ed Juge there? Ed, I read your note which was posted long time ago: Date: Sun 15, Nov. 1998, Sub: TRV900 verses Canon A1 Digital. In that note you wrote: "....BTW... I'm selling the A1, so transferred my old Hi8 tapes to the 900. Worked super. I'd almost swear the copies are (in some cases) better than the original." I also have recorded quite a few Hi8 tape myself and is thinking to buy a TRV900. Since you already had the experience to copy the analog Hi8 tape to a miniDV tape, here comes my question (please be tolerant if it sounds silly) to which you or someone on the board has the answer(I'll appreciate it very much if anyone of you can get my confusing resolved): Question: since the Hi8 has only approx. 400 lines of horizontal resolution, while the mini DV has more than 500 lines resolution, if you feed a TRV900 (which is mini DV format) with the super Video (which, in this case, comes from a Hi8 format machine) where will the mini DV guy get that extra 100 horizontal lines of information to fulfill its spec. requirement? If the TRV900 just forgos any information beyond 400 lines, then what would its screen look like? Will it be a narrower picture or something unusual? I have another question which is unrelated to the one just said. Again, thanks to anyone who can give me the direction: Question: I know that most, if not all, digital Camcorders on the market now provide the IEEE 1394 digital interface. TRV900 is not exceptional. However, none of these camcorders ever bother mention about the data transmit speed the camera has implemented in its 1394 digital interface. Based on the information from both Adaptec and T.I., right now, the 1394 spec. has already defined the speed(s) to cover three non-continuous step: 100, 200 and 400 mega bits/second. My concern is: Is 100 mb/sec already fast enough to cover the digital data transmission for live Video & Audio? If not, which speed level is the minimum requirement to do the job? And what speed level does the TRV900 implement in its 1394 (a.k.a. i.Link) interface?
Heintz Hwang <heintz45@yahoo.com>
Newark, CA USA - Friday, February 04, 2000 at 18:56:38 (PST)
DV cameras all record video frames as 720x480 pixels (in the US and other NTSC format countries), which can in theory give you up to 540 "lines of resolution". While you always get that many actual pixels, the image they form might be blurry (eg. from Hi8 video) so the "effective" resolution is lower. Firewire is a general-purpose serial data transfer standard for many things, firewire hard drives etc. The TRV900 and other DV cameras use it at a fixed rate of about 3.6 megabytes per second, well below the capacity of even the slowest version (100,200,400 Mbits/sec).
John
USA - Friday, February 04, 2000 at 22:31:16 (PST)
Any suggestions re the choice of the Sony TRV900, the Sony DSRPD100A, and the Canon GL1? I work with music groups, and want something that looks and sounds good enough to put up on the Net.
Elliot <cahnman@aol.com>
Oakland, CA USA - Saturday, February 05, 2000 at 22:59:23 (PST)
I don't know if you've looked at much video on the internet recently, but I find it very low quality: low resolution, low framerate, and highly compressed. Any of those three cameras is more than good enough for WWW-based video. Audio is a different story- modern audio compression eg. MP3 is excellent. Each camera can record good sound, but there is some reason to believe the GL1 will give you better audio since the TRV900/PD100 mic preamp is a bit noisy. For best audio on any camera, use a good external mic, and maybe a mixer too.
John
USA - Saturday, February 05, 2000 at 23:24:39 (PST)
Suggestions for the engineers at Sony: How 'bout a Digital 8 camera with (1) a 3-CCD chip (2) when Steady Shot is disabled , full resolution of the 490k imaging chip occurs Thanks. Alfred
Alfred in Whittier, CA <AMDuck49@aol.com>
Whittier, CA USA - Sunday, February 06, 2000 at 08:48:52 (PST)
I have a TRV 900, about 9 months old. The unit has performed admirably but there is one issue: the memory slot unit will not record still images onto the diskette. Except for the first time I tried to use it, when it performed flawlessly, the unit has never worked. Everything in the procedure seems to function, but no images are recorded to the diskette. Any suggestions? Thanks for your site. It's a fine resource. Bill Plante
Bill Plante <Solistic@shore.net>
Amesbury, MA USA - Monday, February 07, 2000 at 08:58:22 (PST)
When you say "everything seems to function" does this include the red bar graph appearing in the viewfinder, the red memory access LED coming on, and the disk drive spinning after pressing the "photo" button? And the disk is DOS-formatted 1.44MB, has enough free space, and not write protected?
John
USA - Monday, February 07, 2000 at 09:32:59 (PST)
Great site!!! I come back time and time again.
Doug <bonefish@iline.com>
Ft. Myers, FL USA - Thursday, February 10, 2000 at 16:40:00 (PST)
This site is excellent, and not just for reviews of the TRV900. I found it extremely informative on resolution testing in general. I did find some of the information too technical (speaking as a University third year astrophysics student)but I find that a good thing. This is by far the most comprehensive website I have ever been on. Based partly on information I have read on the site, I am less than a week away from getting a TRV900 myself. I have already printed out a large percentage of your information, because I know that it will be very useful to me. Thanks again, Dave.
David Williams <davrew@hotmail.com>
Birmingham, Britain - Friday, February 11, 2000 at 05:13:57 (PST)
I have had a TRV900 for about 10 months now and have just purchased MotoDv Studio 2 until now mostly taking stills. To date I have no complaints. Have some great shots of my dogs. Your site is outstanding keep it comming.
Bob Rayl <rayls@erols.com>
Fairfax, Va USA - Friday, February 11, 2000 at 18:33:39 (PST)
Hi there; Great Page!! I have a question for firewire users. Does the 2 way nature of firewire allow real time recording of whatever appears on a computer screen. By that I mean can the cursor movemants and any animation program outputs get recorded ( like a scan converter ) or does the firewire only output info from a digital editing program.
Tom <dpivideo@aol.com>
W. Bloomfield, MI USA - Saturday, February 12, 2000 at 12:01:22 (PST)
Super site...I just got a 900 about a month ago, used great price! My Dad has had his almost a year and is making a travelogue with it, he is switching from 16mm Bolexes. He had a Canon Hi8 top of the line and he cannot believe the difference. He edits on a Casablanca and is doing well. The Travelouge industry is making the switch to e-cinema. I am having problem wiht my 900, when I record and then playback I get drop out in the audio, picture is fine. After much playing around I noticed that it was not always in the same place. This led me to think it is a playback problem, so I rewind alot further to check things and it doesn't happen as often or not at all...also noticed that at the front end of the tape there seems to be lots of drops. I have begun religiously to FF and REW tape before using, I thought I read this somewhere anyway...seems to help. It can be nerve racking when you can only get the action once especially when it is a performance. Might it be dirty heads or alingment problems? There is no tape crinkle at the locations or front end, when the silence shows up!!! HELP? Thanks again for your wonderful page/book and all the links. Where can I find people who have used Azden products with the 900?
Peter Walsh <pjay9@juno.com>
Tacoma, WA USA - Sunday, February 13, 2000 at 00:30:53 (PST)
Enjoyed your info on the trv-900. Concerned about warranty. Can I buy an extented warranty from Sony if I purchase the camera on the net? Do you know of any cheap training for Adobe Premiere ? I want to take great pictures of my 7 yr old daughter and upload pictures to E-Bay for sales..what do you think? is it the camera that can do e-commerece as well ?
Ron Stacey <bskcase@pacbell.net>
San Jose, Ca USA - Sunday, February 13, 2000 at 06:55:57 (PST)
My guess is that you can get a Sony extended warranty regardless of purchase location but you should check with Sony, of course. Let me know what they say. I personally feel the camera is great for web images (probably even more than you need), but look at all the stills on my site and decide for yourself. Note, if you want 4x6 photo prints to put in an album, a cheap pocket 35mm film camera will do better.
John
USA - Sunday, February 13, 2000 at 12:46:29 (PST)
John, I appreciate all the info you provide re: the TRV900. I just purchased my first 900 last November. Have shot a few weddings and a promo video in Cabo San Lucas and very happy with this camera so far. But I would like to add my thoughts to the crinkling problem. I purchased my first camera to use professionally in 1993. It was an AG-455 Panasonic Super-VHS. I used the camera as an editing deck for the first wedding I shot with it, along with an AG1960 VCR as the recording deck. My first thought was that I needed a source deck and quit using the camera as a player. I immediately purchased another Super-VHS deck to use as a source deck and saved my camera for videotaping only. My concern about using my TRV-900 as an editing deck (using the slow-mo function, fast forwarding, rewinding, back and forth..... etc., etc) is that I am using it for something it was never intended. I know that DV decks are a darn sight more expensive than S-VHS, but that is going to be my next purchase. I feel very uneasy about using my 900 as an editing source deck, even though playing back video into my computer is about all I use it for. Not a lot of manipulating involved. Anyway, one of your listers comments was that she has shot more than 600 tapes and used the 900 as the playback deck. Seems to me that is asking this little camcorder to do a lot. I am just happy with the video quality of mini-dv coming from my 900 and plan to give it some relief by purchasing an editing deck to do the grunt work. Also John...how can I subscribe to your list on the 900's? Thanks Again !! Danny Jackson Videooman@aol.com (714) 775-3163
Danny Jackson <Videooman@aol.com>
Santa Ana, CA USA - Sunday, February 13, 2000 at 08:37:06 (PST)
I don't have a mailing list myself. To join Chris Reijnen's TRV900 mailing list, go here.
John
USA - Sunday, February 13, 2000 at 12:42:10 (PST)
I'm pretty handy at doing the extra messing about to make a good idea work. But after I recieved from Tritronics the Hitachi eye piece stated by one of your contributers as a perfect fit larger and less expensive eyepiece for the 900. I can't for the life of me figure how this eyepiece is a good match....I suggest not to do it and order the Sony larger eyepiece for the 1000. I sent thru a msg on Feb 13, have you any suggestions? THX Great Site and I really have learned alot.
PETER WALSH <pjay9@JUNO.COM>
TACOMA, WA USA - Tuesday, February 15, 2000 at 06:15:45 (PST)
I have this extra eyepiece shade and it works for me. You have to remove the rubber part from the hard, transparent window and then fit the rubber section over your existing camera eyepiece. I updated the eyepiece section to show this.
John
USA - Tuesday, February 15, 2000 at 12:03:41 (PST)
THx for the info on the eyepiece....didn't see update, have old printout....regarding my previous 2/13 question audio problem, any suggetions? I'll give it a try on the eyepiece. THX again PJ
Walsh <pjay9@juno.com>
Tacoma, wa USA - Tuesday, February 15, 2000 at 13:39:54 (PST)
The one cause I know of for audio dropouts is a broken tape guide support. See the article on this subject here.
John
USA - Tuesday, February 15, 2000 at 20:37:04 (PST)
Thank you God for a website dedicated to helping me find all the info I ever needed to know on buying a new Digital camcorder. In watching this web page and following up on leads and tips given here, I ordered a TRV900 yesterday from B&H and am anxiously awaiting my new toy. By the way, I had to go through a few hoops from them to get it sent because I was calling from my business phone which was an internal # and couldn't be looked up in a phone book (new one on me...). Will keep watching this site with interest. Keep up the GREAT work! Dave
Dave Summerson <summersond@phibred.com>
Johnston, IA USA - Tuesday, February 15, 2000 at 14:06:50 (PST)
WARNING!! WARNING!! If you have any valued video on Sony Hi-8 Tape transfer it to other media now!!!!!! The majority of my Hi-8 tape has developed a problem Sony terms "stiction". The tape refuses to run in any hi-8 machine smoothly resulting in garbled play back. I sent a few tapes back to Sony and all they were able to do was apologize profusly....SAVE YOUR VIDEO WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!!!! Please e-mail me if you have any suggestions on how to get the word out so others don't have to go through what I have...I've lost some very precious videos of my family..especially my nephews as babies. Good Luck to everyone out there!!! Mike
Mike L <Cam504@aol.com>
Santa Rosa, CA USA - Tuesday, February 15, 2000 at 17:25:01 (PST)
Your page has become very popular in the past couple of weeks with some of the technicians here at ESPN. The TRV900 was used at the Super Bowl to shoot some video teases for some of the segments in SportsCenter and NFL coverage while we were in Atlanta. While I was in Bristol checking the feeds coming in from Atlanta I was hard pressed to see the difference between the 900 and our professional ENG cameras. The mini DV format was used at many of the venues during the Winter X Games in Vermont. Enjoy your page... from the right side of the country, jeff
Jeff Israel <jeff.israel@espn.com>
Bristol, CT USA - Wednesday, February 16, 2000 at 10:44:48 (PST)
What a helpful and interesting website! Thanks John. Just 2 days ago I received my new DCR-TRV900 and have begun to learn to use it. I also own a Sony DCR-TRV103 (Digital 8) which I like, but wanted to improve on its still and video picture quality. My usage is all amateur/hobby so my demands are not that great. My initial impression of the camera is that it is similar to my Digital 8 in size, weight, and the layout and feel of many controls. The real difference is in picture quality. I've been able to see that difference mostly in outdoor shooting of subjects with fine detail and lots of color. The digital 8 is not as sharp or accurate in color reproduction. But I was really disappointed by the 900's performance indoors with ambient light. I only used the fully automatic settings for everything, which I usually did with the D8. The picture was very dark, grainy, and had almost no color. In comparison, the D8 had a very watchable picture with no grain and full color saturation. I really don't know how to make the 900 look better under these conditions. Another problem is the viewing area. I couldn't fit a reasonable area in the viewfinder without having to step back 10 feet, even in full wide-angle mode. Hopefully I will find out how to get better video under these conditions. Again, thanks for all the work you've done on this site. Besides its content, this site has a nice flow and presentation.
Jim Lynch <jrlynch9@juno.com>
Jamestown, NC USA - Friday, February 18, 2000 at 16:08:19 (PST)
As you can read, and see, on my D8 page, I've had better images with the TRV900 than my Digital8 indoors. You might want to try slow-shutter mode on the TRV900 if that's acceptable for your material. No consumer camcorder, including the D8s and the TRV900 goes very wide so in small spaces you have difficulty framing the shot. Many people get wide angle adaptors for this reason.
John
USA - Saturday, February 19, 2000 at 11:21:42 (PST)
This is great service.Are you sure you don't work for sony?
richard lusk <desert@atlantic.net>
stuart, fl USA - Friday, February 18, 2000 at 19:49:44 (PST)
My web page is just a hobby, although I have (without intending to) been responsible for selling quite a few TRV900s. Sony has never even acknowleged that my web page exists, let alone paid me anything.
John
USA - Saturday, February 19, 2000 at 11:43:49 (PST)
Does anyone know which camera produces better movie quality- Canon XM1 or Sony TRV900? Can I use TRV900 for a small studio broadcast?
JamesB <uat-max@cmdnet.lu>
Luxemburg, Luxemburg - Sunday, February 20, 2000 at 14:03:50 (PST)
The Canon XM1 is the PAL version of the GL1, which I review on this web page along with the TRV900. Many people argue about which one is better. The GL1 is lower resolution but on a typical monitor it can look better than the TRV900, perhaps signal/noise ratio and lens flare effects are a factor. If you are examining progressive-scan stills on a computer screen, I definitely prefer the TRV900. As far as what's possible to broadcast, you have to ask the station who is broadcasting it. I do know that both GL1 and TRV900 footage has been and is broadcast.
John
USA - Sunday, February 20, 2000 at 22:55:42 (PST)
Great site. Without the great and thorough information provided I would have picked a different camera. The price was steep (at least for me) but I'm more than pleased with this outstanding camera. Thanks again
Ted Trimble <Efirebarn@earthlink.net>
Elgin, Il USA - Monday, February 21, 2000 at 19:59:15 (PST)
I bought a TRV 900, it has a progressive scan function. I do not know a lot about this function because I had never had a camera with it. The instruction does not say a lot about it. Can anyone explain me what can I do with this function and where can I use it. Can TRV900 be considered as a professional or a semi-professional camera?
John Steves <stalev_m@hotmail.com>
Dallas, USA - Tuesday, February 22, 2000 at 10:36:02 (PST)
The TRV900 is a "prosumer" camera which you may consider to be semi-professional, if you like. It lacks a number of features like true manual lens control, interchangable lenses, external sync, line level audio in etc. which mark true "pro" cameras. Progressive scan enables you to take sharper still images. As I describe in my TRV900 FAQ that mode is generally too jerky to use for video.
John
USA - Tuesday, February 22, 2000 at 13:43:01 (PST)
Can I reach the movie quality of Canon XL1 on my TRV900? What can I use to improve the movie quality on my cam?
John S <stalev_m@hotmail.com>
USA - Friday, February 25, 2000 at 10:24:13 (PST)
The XL1 has slightly lower resolution, but also lower noise than the TRV900 and almost all observers like its picture better. There is a reason the XL1 costs so much. The best thing you can do is take care with your lighting: 1) have enough light and 2) well-balanced light (no "hotspots") causing saturated whites where you don't want them. Outdoors, with the TRV900 the problem is often too much light; use an external ND filter (AND the internal ND, if required).
John
USA - Friday, February 25, 2000 at 12:10:07 (PST)
Thank you for the excellent information you have provided on the TRV900. I just ordered my camera and can't wait to get it. Your pages are of exceptional value. Again, thank you very much. Ralph
Ralph Gerbasi <rgerbasi@avantron.com>
Montreal, QC Canada - Friday, February 25, 2000 at 17:39:06 (PST)
I've been checking out this site often over the past few days. You and your readers have convinced me that the 900 is what I need. What is the best place to get one right now and what should I expect to pay? It sounds like the 900 is a very hot seller, but are the prices still negotiable?
Jerry Daniel <jdaniel@one.net>
USA - Monday, February 28, 2000 at 17:25:01 (PST)
Please refer to my FAQ, in particular the very first question. At the moment, the best prices are around $1800 mail-order. I don't think you'll be able to negotiate much better, no harm in trying I guess.
John
USA - Monday, February 28, 2000 at 18:43:47 (PST)
Hello, I am looking at the TRV900 vs the Canon GL1 and cannot decide which to go with. I am currently a student looking to go semiprofessional with video. I also just bought the new G3 powerbook and am looking to do a lot of on the run editing with the help of the camera (no deck). I like the features of the SONY with the Canon's lens capabilities, but can't have both! Any advice?
C. Rooney <cmr@dreamscape.com>
USA - Wednesday, March 01, 2000 at 15:55:40 (PST)
The "TRV900 vs. GL1" question is a popular one; probably 20 people have emailed me variants of it so far. However, all my thoughts on this subject are already on my web pages. If you don't find mine useful I link to other pages as well... try my GL1 page to start with.
John
USA - Wednesday, March 01, 2000 at 22:52:11 (PST)
Am on the cusp of purchasing a TRV900--am a professional speaker and want to be able to not only record my presentations but also do custom video work for clients. Your site is just incredible. Thanks for all the time and hard work.
Rick Jakle <rickjakle@jakle.com>
Elgin, IL USA - Thursday, March 02, 2000 at 19:28:54 (PST)
Whoops!! Forgot to ask a BIG question. Went down to Sony Showroom on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. They cautioned me not to purchase a TRV900 from an internet (or other "cheapie discount" store, as they referred to them) vendor because I'd have endless grief with warranty issues. Is that true? I can save $600-700 and hate to let that go . . . but service is a big priority. We do have a Sony owned repair depot in the Chicago area. Could/would, in your experience or others who read this, they refuse warranty service because I didn't buyit from an Authorized Sony Reseller?? Really appreciate any help I could get on this.
Rick Jakle <rickjakle@jakle.com>
Elgin, IL USA - Thursday, March 02, 2000 at 19:42:43 (PST)
I have not heard from anyone who had Sony refuse to perform in-warranty service on a regular NTSC TRV900 sold in the USA (std. 1 year warranty). As of last year, I heard you could even buy extended warranty service from Sony anytime during the first year. You may wish to ask a Sony representative specifically if they honor their own 1-year warranty regardless of location purchased. If the unit was manufactured for sale in USA, I think Sony is required to honor their own warranty, regardless who actually sold it (but I am not a lawyer, this is just my understanding). However if the unit is "grey-market" (purchased abroad by a reseller and imported by them without Sony authorization for sale in USA) then you may be stuck for service. I do know PAL format cameras (TRV900e) cannot be serviced in the USA, although you can buy them in a few places here (eg. www.profeel.com, a reputable place, but I assume they import the PAL models, which Sony USA doesn't carry.)
John
USA - Thursday, March 02, 2000 at 23:13:54 (PST)
I Can't thank you enough for the information on my Sony Trv-900 and GV-900 . Although the manuals which came with the camera and vcr are very good, there is no way a manual writer can address all of the questions that a user has while trying to use a new piece of equipment. I have a Sony VAIO computer that I am trying to learn to use at the same time as learning how to make a video tape for court room use. Your web pages are a Godsend . As an old engineer who was trained in the slide rule and vacuum tube era this has been a very interesting and sometimes frustrating time. Your web pages are the best source of NLE information I have seen! I have had no problems with my camera or vcr. Aloha, Jim Campbell
James M. Campbell <camp@interpac.net>
Pahoa, HI USA - Friday, March 03, 2000 at 11:52:36 (PST)
I've only had my TRV900 for a couple of months: I've been using it for weather timelapses which has been a lot of fun. I'm interested in cataloguing professional media useage of the TRV900: any info., anyone?
Hamish Robertson <hamishr@home.com>
Toronto, ON Canada - Tuesday, March 07, 2000 at 08:01:16 (PST)
Can I use DvCam standart tapes (I know DSR PD 100 uses this standart) on TRV 900? And what is the difference between DVcam and normal DV tapes? Another question, are there any lenses exist which I can buy for TRV 900 to improve movie quality (I know only lenses which can improve its zoom) .
James
Luxemburg, Luxemburg - Wednesday, March 08, 2000 at 12:34:49 (PST)
John I was one of your first visitors, since then your site has gone from monumental to encyclopaedic. Truly awesome!
carl vandesande <carl.vandesande@tijd.com>
belgium - Wednesday, March 08, 2000 at 15:02:49 (PST)
INDISPENSABLE!! A great big thank-you. This page is a constant reference for me and many other TRV900 users in the UK.
Wojciech Duczmal <wojciech.duczmal@cmg-europe.com>
London, United Kingdom - Thursday, March 09, 2000 at 09:08:44 (PST)
Thanks for this great website! thanks.
Mark Bergt <mark_bergt@attglobal.net>
Hong Kong - Saturday, March 11, 2000 at 09:13:41 (PST)
just got my trv900 last week...feel like a new mom...will be checking in when i have questions.... also: i recently took a course in final cut pro 1.2... as a professional avid editor(who started many years ago in film then moved to tape) i can say this is an incredible program!!! i recommend it
pamela mcdonough <pjm@cbsnews.com>
new york, ny USA - Saturday, March 11, 2000 at 11:41:10 (PST)
John, Thank you very much for your great site, it was invaluable to me in helping me make up my mind as to which DV camera to purchase. The $2400 (4yr warranty incl) was a big nut to drop but I love my new toy. Quite a learning curve for the novice videographer but your site is much more helpful than the pitiful manual that came with the camera. For stills I have thus far chosen to use the floppy adapter since the cost of floppys is so low and the memory sticks are still rather expensive. I really dont see the advantage in buying the memory stick since I have a PC that can really be classified as a dinosuar(133MMX)and I would need an adapter for both the camera and the PC. If anyone can explain why the memeory stick is far superior other than the storage size I'd appreciate it. Also I may want to get the laser link receiver for my TV and would appreciate any feedback from people who use this. Thanks and keep up the great work
Kevin <kevnmary@monmouth.com>
Boonton Twshp, NJ USA - Monday, March 13, 2000 at 10:04:50 (PST)
Hi John, your site is the absolute reference, "the bible" for TRV-900, I bought mine, BECAUSE OF YOU, IF the Sony people don't give you a FREE TRV-900 (or the new VX 2000) every year they don't deserve we buy their products..... Thanks FrŽdŽric
FrŽdŽric <fmercier@cybercable.fr>
Paris, France - Tuesday, March 14, 2000 at 02:21:08 (PST)
I am really impressed to find such accurate information on the TRV, you must be very dedicated to have put such an effort into this site. It is sites like this one, that makes the internet superior in seeking information. Thank you.
Torben Colling Jensen <t.colling@get2net.dk>
Denmark - Thursday, March 16, 2000 at 15:09:49 (PST)
I like your site. I'm just begging to get interested in film and anyone that could help me with vocabulary and technical terms and stuff I'll appreciate it.
Thomas <The60gunnr@aol.com>
USA - Thursday, March 16, 2000 at 18:06:52 (PST)
your site is very helpful to me. thanks. will visit again.
juan gan <none>
timonium, md USA - Sunday, March 19, 2000 at 14:06:38 (PST)
I tip my hat to you for all the valuable info you provide. Your site is the best miniDV source. More power to you!
Ben Manaloto <bmanaloto@chicagobar.org>
Morton Grove, IL USA - Sunday, March 26, 2000 at 08:16:24 (PST)
Casually considering to replace my eleven year old JVC Super VHS camcorder, I traveled to Best Buy attracted by a $669 ad for a Sony TR 7000 Digital 8mm. After noticing they had further reduced the price to $499 including a $100 PC Firewire board, I decided to purchase it, but they were sold out, offering only a raincheck. A week later, I was told the model had been discontinued and other digital 8mm prices were at least $300 or $400 more. Fortunately, though, while fruitlessly looking for an equivalent deal, I stumbled across your site and became drawn into the TRV900 web of superior performance. At this moment I am evaluating prices and suppliers and will move into the DV format within the next month. Thanks for the info and I’ll keep you posted.
Harry Brown <brownh@muskegon.cc.mi.us>
Muskegon, MI USA - Sunday, March 26, 2000 at 14:43:56 (PST)
Question - TRV900 or PC100 ? There's so much information on this site, and the links you give, but I'm completely at a loss at the moment as to which to go for. The price difference isn't too great, but it's very difficult to find out the specific differences that will tip the balance either way.
Roland Serjeant <rserjean@ford.com>
Cologne, Germany - Tuesday, March 28, 2000 at 06:15:37 (PST)
The PC100 has better still quality but inferior video quality compared with the TRV900 (in video mode it doesn't use all it's CCD pixels, so the 3CCD design of the TRV900 wins out). The PC100 is more compact, those are the important issues I think.
john
USA - Tuesday, March 28, 2000 at 11:12:06 (PST)
John keep up the excellent work this is whithout doubt one of the most informative sites on the net covering so many aspects concerning sony trv900, in fact I have just been getting the latest info on the dreaded tape crinkle and ittermitant loss of sound as my camera has finaly give up and is being repaired,suprise surprise sony in the uk, have not heard of these problems ! many thanks Dave
Dave Newson <video@reflections.screaming.net>
Surrey., United Kingdom - Tuesday, March 28, 2000 at 11:23:25 (PST)
I really like your site! What great information! I'm considering the purchase of a TRV900 or the DSR-PD100A. I will be using it for b-roll and some other purposes in professional video productions. My other source is Beta SP. Do you have a recommendation as to which camera is a better choice? I know the TRV900 records longer, but the PD100 comes with a wide angle lens and an XLR mic adapter. Any thoughts? Thanks. Bob.
Bob <rm@avalar.net>
USA - Wednesday, March 29, 2000 at 10:19:00 (PST)
beststopdigital.com had the 900 listed for $1756, but is out of stock, at least until end of April, 2000. So, being the impatient fool, I bought today from profeel.com for $1879.95... same price as B&H photo in NYC. It seems like a decent price, from what I could find.
Ken <Ken_Borland@hotmail.com>
New York, NY USA - Wednesday, March 29, 2000 at 14:05:28 (PST)
Don't forget onecall.com which I like since they give me a 1% referral fee if as a first-time customer, you mention me :-). As an authorized dealer Sony requires them to list an unrealistic price on their web page but call them and you find it's competitive.
John Beale
USA - Wednesday, March 29, 2000 at 17:02:41 (PST)
John, I’ve been looking at wide-angle lenses for the TRV-900, but would like your recommendation on the ones that are currently available. I have had difficulty finding the Kenko KNW-05 Pro from any of the popular Internet stores. The Kenko VC-050-HI is more readily available, but David Ruether says on his site that it didn’t work well on his TRV-900 (?). Considering the fact that the VCL-0752H is relatively close in price to the KNW-05 Pro, I am tempted to get it, but am paranoid that because it doesn’t have a filter thread, I’ll need one someday. Anything to help my novice anxieties would be greatly appreciated.
Dennis Balgavy <dbalgavy@wielandfurniture.com>
Fort Wayne, IN USA - Friday, March 31, 2000 at 08:26:22 (PST)
I only have the one Kenko wide angle I mention on my page, no experience with the others; sorry!
John
USA - Sunday, April 02, 2000 at 21:55:21 (PDT)
This site is primarily what motivated me to finally purchase the TRV900... doing some short-format fiction and documentary work. So far, it's performed beyond my expectations! I've been editing with a DVRaptor and Premiere... DV's the best!
Sean Dicken <sean@pixeltwisters.com>
San Francisco, CA USA - Monday, April 03, 2000 at 11:42:47 (PDT)
Great site. Thanks for skipping the Java scripts, etc. and concentrating on information. I have a Sony TRV310 Digital8 camera and am awaiting delivery of an NLE system. I'll be back with reviews. Like the camera already! Incidentally, I also have a HandyCam SportCase which I bought from Sony about 6 yrs ago. It's handy when I take the camera canoeing, but I've never tried it underwater.
Martha Gay
USA - Monday, April 03, 2000 at 18:28:11 (PDT)
Just bought a TRV900 - looking forward to using it.
Alan <alan1805@bigpond.net.au>
Sydney, NSW Australia - Wednesday, April 05, 2000 at 20:54:52 (PDT)
I want to know wheather sony DSRPD100A have firewire ? and does it have video in and out? If not can it be added later on?
ashish <ash9111@yahoo.com>
illinois, illinois USA - Thursday, April 06, 2000 at 06:22:07 (PDT)
The PD100a is like the TRV900 in most respects. Yes, it has firewire in/out and video (composite and S-video) in/out
John
USA - Thursday, April 06, 2000 at 12:56:28 (PDT)
Love the site but have a question! OK found the information on your site between the TVR900 and PD100AP and still think the 900 in the better of the two but what do you think between the 900, PD100AP and the new TVR 20?
Martin Carroll <martin@nitram-media.com>
Corvallis, Or USA - Monday, April 10, 2000 at 12:50:07 (PDT)
Has anyone actually seen or used a TRV20 ? (I haven't.)
John
USA - Monday, April 10, 2000 at 14:01:15 (PDT)
Need ideas on waterproofing camcorder for shallow underwater use - less than 10 feet. Tried to find the Sony Sport-Pac, nowhere to be found. If anyone has any ideas, know of alternative products, please send me email.
Catch <catch@laflyfish.com>
Baton Rouge, LA USA - Wednesday, April 12, 2000 at 11:31:44 (PDT)
I mention many options on my underwater page.
John
USA - Wednesday, April 12, 2000 at 12:18:55 (PDT)
Brilliant site!
Andrew Lincoln <lincoln@mail.com>
Wilmslow, UK - Friday, April 14, 2000 at 06:01:46 (PDT)
My congratulations on a really superb site! I bought a TRV900 this morning partly on the basis of the obvious enthusiasm this machine has engendered. Nice one!
Dave Gymer
Maldon, Essex England - Saturday, April 15, 2000 at 08:43:35 (PDT)
John, Thanks again for a great site. You've added quite a bit since I was here last. Thanks, Simon.
Simon Plint <thanks@hunterlink.net.au>
Newcastle, NSW Australia - Sunday, April 16, 2000 at 18:13:14 (PDT)
Great job! Your site convinced me to buy TRV900. One question, do you know any TRV900 user forums?
Jason <j-comm@usa.net>
Walnut, CA USA - Monday, April 17, 2000 at 00:32:35 (PDT)
There is a very active trv900 Mailing list which I link to on my page. The Global-DVC page in Europe has a TRV900 user forum.
john
USA - Monday, April 17, 2000 at 12:13:12 (PDT)
What a mine of useful information! I have never seen such an abundance of comments, help, tips, FAQs etc. I've only had my TRV900E (Pal) a few days but I can see your site is going to be of great value to me. Thanks
John Leggett <jleggett@shepherd-construction.co.uk>
York, UK - Tuesday, April 18, 2000 at 05:13:35 (PDT)
Posted by Roland Serjeant on April 18, 2000 at 03:20:41:, at http://www.i-depth.com/P/o/ow00412.frm.camcorder.html OK - another one of those 'which camera should I buy' questions. And before some wise-guy tells me to do my research.... The price difference between these two is not a problem, amateur use only (holidays etc) - with a lot of wintersport (snow) usage. I don't need a professional quality image because it's only a hobby at this stage, but I'd like to start editing, all of my playback gear is high-end and I think that the amount of moving images in harsh light (mountains, snow) that I take requires a good piece of kit. I'll be taking occasional stills, but have no requirement to post the photos on a website etc (as yet). The obvious differences are understood - e.g. 3CCD vs. 1CCD megapixel etc, and camera size - thanks to John Beale for that pearl of wisdom ?! How much inferior is the video quality of the PC100, particularly for moving images ? How much inferior is the digital steadyshot of the PC100 to the optical steadyshot of the TRV-900 ? This is relatively important as whilst snowboarding / skiing, the camera can get bumped around a lot, and is also important when you're at the zoom limit. How much better is the still image of the PC-100, or is it actually better ? Progressive shutter or progressive scan ? How robust are the cameras in general ? I'll be interested to read any replies....
Roland Serjeant <rserjean@ford.com>
USA - Tuesday, April 18, 2000 at 07:01:49 (PDT)
John, Is there any problems with tape for the TRV-900 going through the metal detector at airports?
Michael Higgins <mhiggins@pic.tacoma.wa.us>
Tacoma , WA USA - Wednesday, April 19, 2000 at 10:54:24 (PDT)
No, neither metal detectors nor x-ray machines harm the tape. Please refer to the FAQ regarding x-ray machines.
John
USA - Wednesday, April 19, 2000 at 18:02:24 (PDT)
I just read your comparison of VHS video tapes and believe the distortion you see at the bottom of the frame is the head switching inherent in all analog helical scan recordings. Since my last posting, I joined the TRV900 owners and have been thrilled with it ever since. As this is my first digital camcorder, I immediately noticed the lack of head switching noise in both the TV image and captured frames. I also experimented with feeding it S-Video from my DSS dish and the playback is the best I have ever seen from any VCR, including a string of SVHS machines I've owned for the past 13 years. When I am able to slow the pace, I'll contribute my initial impressions of the TRV900 which are almost all spectacular. I was playing back some raw footage for friends a few days ago and many remarked it was the cleanest, clearest TV images they had ever seen.
Harry Brown <brownh@muskegon.cc.mi.us>
Muskegon, MI USA - Thursday, April 20, 2000 at 09:48:14 (PDT)
Hi there, great work on the site; I am thinking of buying a 900 and have two concerns: 1. wanting to get a LATER model - do you happen to know what serial numbers to look for for ones where the tape crinkle/audio dropout problem should be fixed? 2. Buying off the net, warranty repairs and extended warranties: have you heard anything about these issues? Canadians often have to go a more roundabout way of getting service on electronics... Sincere Thanks, Lu Nelson
Lu Nelson <lu@youandmeent.com>
Vancouver, BC Canada - Thursday, April 20, 2000 at 20:31:28 (PDT)
Sony has no simple serial numbering system, they keep changing it. If you buy from a large vendor they'll probably have fresh stock. Sony USA will sell an extended warrany anytime within the first year of ownership. I don't know about other countries, you're on your own there.
John
USA - Thursday, April 20, 2000 at 21:45:23 (PDT)
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