Never use the plug without the fuse cover. If you should lose the fuse cover, please contact your nearest Sony service station. FOR CUSTOMERS IN EUROPE ATTENTION for DCR-TRV255E/TRV265E The electromagnetic fields at the specific frequencies may influence the picture and sound of this camcorder.
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• To ensure a good grip, fasten the grip belt as shown in the following illustration. • You can change the language to be used for screen display on your camcorder (p. 19). • Do not hold the camcorder by the following parts. Viewfinder LCD panel Battery pack •...
Adjusting the exposure... 27 Adjusting the exposure for backlit subjects ... 27 Adjusting the exposure manually ... 28 Recording in dark places – NightShot plus ... 28 Adjusting the focus manually ... 29 CCD-TRV228E: TRV228E DCR-TRV255E: CCD-TRV428E: TRV428E DCR-TRV265E: TRV228E/428E) ... 25...
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Recording a picture using various effects ... 30 Fading in and out of a scene – FADER ... 30 Superimposing a title... 31 Searching for the last scene of the most recent recording – END SEARCH ... 33 Playback Viewing pictures recorded on a tape... 34 Playing back in various modes ...
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– Digital program editing TRV255E/265E) ... 68 Troubleshooting Troubleshooting ...73 Warning indicators and messages ...78 Additional Information Using your camcorder abroad ...80 Usable cassette tapes ...81 About the “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack ...82 About i.LINK ...83 (VCR Maintenance and precautions ...84 Specification ...87...
Quick Start Guide Recording movies Attach the charged battery pack to the camcorder. To charge the battery, see page 12. Lift up the viewfinder. Insert a cassette into the camcorder. Slide the OPEN/ EJECT lever in the direction of the arrow and open the lid until it clicks.
The date and time is not set up in the default setting. To set the date and time, see page 17. Remove the lens cap. Lens cap is not attached when you purchase your camcorder (p. 90). Press OPEN and open the LCD panel. While pressing the...
Recording/Playing back with ease By switching to Easy Handycam operation, recording/playback operation becomes even easier. Easy Handycam operation allows easy recording/playback for even first time users by providing only the basic functions for recording/playback. Press EASY when recording/ playing back. EASY lights up in blue (1) and screen font size increases (2) during Easy Handycam operation.
Getting started Step 1: Checking supplied items Make sure you have following items supplied with your camcorder. The number in parentheses indicates the number of that item supplied. AC Adaptor (1) Mains lead (1) Lens cap (1) See page 90 on how to attach the lens cap.
With the v mark on the DC plug facing up, connect the AC Adaptor to the DC IN jack on your camcorder. Battery pack DC plug Connect the mains lead to the AC Adaptor.
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After charging the battery The CHG (charge) lamp turns off when the battery is fully charged. Disconnect the AC Adaptor from the DC IN jack. To remove the battery pack POWER switch BATT (battery) release button Lift up the viewfinder. Set the POWER switch to (CHG) OFF.
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TRV228E/428E: Battery pack Continuous recording time NP-FM30 (supplied) NP-FM50 NP-QM71/ QM71D NP-QM91/ QM91D TRV255E/265E: Battery pack Continuous recording time NP-FM30 (supplied) NP-FM50 NP-QM71/ QM71D NP-QM91/ QM91D Recording time when recording with the viewfinder Approximate number of minutes available when you use a fully charged battery pack at 25°C (77°F).
• The power will not be supplied from the battery pack when the AC Adaptor is connected to the DC IN jack of your camcorder, even if its mains lead is disconnected from the wall socket. • The recording and playback time will be shorter when you use your camcorder in low temperature.
90 degrees Press OPEN and open the LCD panel. SEL/PUSH EXEC dial Open the LCD panel 90 degrees to the camcorder, then rotate it to the desired position. To adjust the brightness of the LCD screen Press MENU. Turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to select (LCD SET), then press the dial.
Note • If you do not use your camcorder for about 3 months, the built-in rechargeable button-type battery gets discharged and the date and time settings may be cleared from the memory. In that case, charge the rechargeable button-type battery (p.
• For TRV255E/265E: The recording time when you use your camcorder is 2/3 of the indicated time on Hi8 select the [LP] mode in the menu settings, the recording time is the indicated time on tape.
Step 7: Setting the screen language You can select the language to be used on the LCD screen. SEL/PUSH OPEN EXEC dial Turn on your camcorder. Press OPEN to open the LCD panel. Press MENU. MANUAL SET STBY PROGRAM AE P EFFECT...
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[ MENU ] : END Turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to select the desired language, then press the dial. Press MENU. z Tip • Your camcorder offers [ENG [SIMP]] (simplified English) for when you cannot find your native tongue among the options. Getting started...
To turn the power off Slide the POWER switch up to (CHG) OFF. z Tip • If you do not use your camcorder for a long time, remove the cassette and store it. Indicators displayed during recording The indicators will not be recorded on the tape.
(CHG) OFF. • In the default setting, if you do not operate the camcorder for more than about 5 minutes, the power will automatically turn off to preserve battery power ([A.SHUT OFF], p. 59). To restart recording, slide the POWER switch down to select CAMERA, and then press REC START/STOP.
• The battery pack discharges quickly while the built- in light is turned on. • When you do not use your camcorder, turn the built- in light off and remove the battery pack to avoid turning on the built-in light accidentally.
You can also utilize this function when recording yourself, to keep the attention of small children attracted to the camcorder while you record them. Open the LCD panel 90 degrees to the camcorder, then rotate it 180 degrees towards the subject.
(or DATE) to record the date and time. To hide the date and time, press DATE and/or TIME again. When you purchase your camcorder, the clock is not set up yet. Set the date and time to your local time before using (p. 17).
OPEN REC START/STOP z Tip • Buttons that do not work during Easy Handycam operation have a dot beside them on your camcorder. Also, only menu items that are available during Easy Handycam operation are displayed when MENU is pressed.
• You cannot switch from/to Easy Handycam operation during recording. • For TRV255E/265E: During Easy Handycam operation, you cannot connect the USB cable to your camcorder. • For TRV255E/265E: You cannot use Easy Handycam operation together with USB Streaming. • All the settings return to their defaults during Easy Handycam operation.
Adjusting the exposure manually You can fix the brightness of a picture at the best exposure. When recording indoors on a clear day, for instance, you can avoid backlight shadows on people next to the window by manually fixing the exposure to that of the wall side of the room.
z Tip • If you record subjects in complete darkness, set [N.S. LIGHT] to [ON] in the menu settings. The maximum shooting distance using the NightShot Light is about 3 meters (10 feet). If you record subjects in dark places (such as night scene or in moonlight), set [N.S.
Tips for focusing manually • It is easier to focus on the subject when you use the zoom function. Move the power zoom lever towards T (telephoto) to adjust the focus, and then, towards W (wide angle) to adjust the zoom for recording.
Select a desired title from the displayed titles (2 original titles that you have created before and the preset titles that have been stored in your camcorder). You can create original titles (up to 2 types of title of within 20 characters each) in the following procedure.
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• When you superimpose a title while you are recording, the beep does not sound. • When you are using your camcorder on the battery pack and do not operate it for 5 minutes, the power automatically goes off as the default setting. If you may take 5 minutes or longer to enter characters, set [A.SHUT OFF] in the...
Press END SEARCH. The last scene of the most recent recording is played back for about 5 seconds, and the camcorder enters the standby mode at the point where the last recording has finished. To cancel the operation Press END SEARCH again.
Playback Viewing pictures recorded on a tape Make sure you have a recorded cassette inserted into your camcorder. When you want to play back the recorded picture on your TV, see page 39. TRV228E/428E/ You can control playback using the Remote Commander.
• For TRV255E/265E: If you use a standard 8 mm tape, be sure to play back the tape on your camcorder. Mosaic noise may appear when you play back the standard 8 mm tape on other camcorders (including another DCR- TRV255E/TRV265E).
EASY OPEN z Tip • Buttons that do not work during Easy Handycam operation have a dot beside them on your camcorder. Also, only menu items that are available during Easy Handycam operation are displayed when MENU is pressed. Press OPEN and open the LCD panel.
Various playback functions You can display the recorded date on the screen. DSPL/BATT INFO MENU Displaying the screen indicators You can choose to display the time code, tape counter, and other information on the screen. Press DSPL/BATT INFO. The indicators appear/disappear as you press the button.
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To hide the date/time or the camera settings data Follow steps 2 to 4, and select [OFF] in step 5. Camera settings data display In the date/time data display, the date and time is displayed in the same area. If you record the picture without setting the clock, [-- -- ----] and [--:--:--] will appear.
TRV255E/265E: A/V OUT jack A/V connecting cable (supplied) Signal flow Connect your camcorder to a TV using the supplied A/V connecting cable as shown in the following illustration. Connect the supplied AC Adaptor to the wall socket for the power supply (p. 12).
S video cable (optional) to the S video jacks on both your camcorder and the device instead of using the yellow plug is recommended. The audio will not be output when you connect with the S video plug alone.
Press STOP on the Remote Commander. b Notes • If one day’s recording is less than 2 minutes, your camcorder may not accurately find the point where the recording date changes. • The Date search will not function correctly when there is a blank section between recorded sections on the tape.
Playing back still images in sequence – Photo scan You can also locate still images one after another and display each image for 5 seconds automatically. SEARCH M. . / > STOP Slide the POWER switch repeatedly to select the PLAY/EDIT mode. Press SEARCH M.
Advanced operations Customizing Your Camcorder Changing the menu settings You can change various settings or make detailed adjustments using the menu items displayed on the screen. MENU SEL/PUSH EXEC dial Turn on the power (p. 15). Press MENU. The menu screen appears.
( LANDSCAPE** (landscape) ( * Your camcorder is adjusted to focus only on subjects in the middle to far distance. Customizing Your Camcorder The default settings are marked with G. The settings you can adjust vary depending on the power mode of your camcorder.
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**Your camcorder is adjusted to focus only on distant subjects. Note • When you set the NIGHTSHOT PLUS switch to ON, [PROGRAM AE] does not work. (The indicator flashes.) P EFFECT TRV228E/428E: You can add special effects (such as films) to a picture before recording.
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TRV255E/265E: You can copy pictures edited using picture effects to another tape (p. 63). AUTO SHTR Customizing Your Camcorder Select to automatically activate the electronic shutter to adjust the shutter speed when recording in bright conditions. Select when recording without using the electronic shutter.
990 × The default settings are marked with G. The settings you can adjust vary depending on the power mode of your camcorder. The screen shows the items you can operate at the moment. Unavailable items will be grayed out.
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LCD screen or in the viewfinder. GOFF CINEMA ( 16:9 FULL ( Customizing Your Camcorder TRV228E/428E: When viewed on a 16:9 wide screen TV* When viewed on a standard TV** When viewed on a 16:9 wide screen TV* When viewed on a standard TV** Standard setting (to record pictures to play back on a 4:3 TV).
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You can record a 16:9 wide picture on the tape to watch on a 16:9 wide-screen TV ([16:9 WIDE] mode). With this function [ON], your camcorder offers even wider angles when you move the power zoom lever to the “W” side than recording in [OFF].
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N.S. LIGHT When using the NightShot plus function to record, you can record clearer pictures by using the NightShot Light to emit infrared rays (invisible). Customizing Your Camcorder TRV428E/ TRV255E/265E: Standard setting (enable the SteadyShot function). If you select a function that STEADYSHOT cannot work with, Select to deactivate the SteadyShot function.
You can select how to play back audio recorded on a tape in stereo mode. GSTEREO Notes • You can playback a dual sound track cassette on this camcorder. However, you cannot record a dual sound track on this camcorder. • The setting returns to [STEREO] when you disconnect the power source from your camcorder for more than 5 minutes.
Notes • You cannot adjust sound recorded in 16 bit audio mode. • Only the originally recorded sound will be heard when you disconnect the power source from your camcorder for more than 5 minutes. Customizing Your Camcorder TRV228E/428E: Select to correct jitter (horizontal picture shake during playback).
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GBRT NORMAL BRIGHT Notes • When you connect your camcorder to outside power sources, [BRIGHT] is automatically selected for the setting. • When you select [BRIGHT], battery life is reduced by about 10 percent during recording. LCD COLOR Turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to adjust the color on the LCD screen.
• If you record in the LP mode, a mosaic-like noise may appear or sound may be interrupted when you play back the tape on other camcorders or VCRs. • For When you record a tape in the LP mode on your camcorder, recording is carried out in the standard 8 mm • For...
• The last scene will be longer than other scenes. Select to display the remaining tape bar: • For about 8 seconds after you turn on your camcorder with the cassette inserted, and your camcorder calculates the remaining amount of tape.
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INT.REC TRV255E/265E: You can achieve excellent recordings of flowers blooming, etc., with this function. Connect your camcorder to the wall socket using the supplied AC Adaptor during the operation. a. [REC TIME] b. [INTERVAL] Turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to select [SET], then press the dial.
– you set [AUTO DATE] to [OFF] once and set it back to [ON] in the menu settings. USB STREAM TRV255E/265E: You can connect a USB cable (supplied) to your camcorder, and view the picture displayed on the screen of your camcorder on your computer (USB Streaming). For details, refer to the “Computer Applications Guide.”...
– When a cassette is inserted. – When a mode other than CAMERA is selected. • If [A.SHUT OFF] is set to [5 min] when the camcorder is used on the battery pack, the power will be turned off after approximately 5 minutes (p. 59).
CAM DATA WORLD TIME You can adjust the time difference when using your camcorder abroad. Set the time difference by turning the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial, the clock will be adjusted in accordance with the time difference. If you set the time difference to 0, the clock returns to the originally set time.
Note • When you connect your camcorder to the wall socket, [A.SHUT OFF] is automatically set to [NEVER]. COMMANDER Note • The setting returns to [ON] when you have the power source disconnected from your camcorder for more than 5 minutes.
(p. 63). TRV265E, you can also record the picture from a VCR to a tape on your camcorder (p. 68). Connect your camcorder to a VCR as shown in the following illustration. Yellow Black VCRs...
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S video cable (optional) to the S video jacks on both your camcorder and the device instead of using the yellow plug is recommended. The audio will not be output when you connect with the S video plug alone.
When connected using the A/V connecting cable, to record the date/time and camera settings data, have it displayed on screen (p. 37). • For TRV255E/265E: When your camcorder is connected to the VCR via DV Interface, you cannot record the title or indicators. • For TRV255E/265E: Pictures edited with Picture effect ([P EFFECT] p.
Dubbing a tape easily – Easy Dubbing ( TRV228E/428E) You can control VCR for dubbing with your camcorder easily with the VCR connected to the camcorder. Step 1: Preparing your camcorder and VCR for operation Follow the steps below when you are performing the Easy Dubbing for the first time.
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Turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to select [ RETURN], then press the dial. [IR SETUP] code list The following [IR SETUP] codes are recorded on your camcorder by default. (It is set at “3” as the default setting.) Manufacturing company Sony Aiwa...
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Recording time (VCR) b. Waiting time (VCR) c. Playback time (camcorder) Step 4: Performing Easy Dubbing Make sure that your camcorder and VCR are connected, and that the VCR is set to recording pause. Turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to select [START], then press the dial.
Notes • You cannot perform the Digital program editing on a VCR that does not support [IR SETUP] codes. • When your camcorder is connected to the VCR via DV Interface, you cannot record the title or indicators. Connect your VCR to the camcorder as a recording device (p.
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To set the [IR SETUP] code When you connect with an A/V connecting cable, you need to check the [IR SETUP] code signal to see if your VCR can be operated by your camcorder (infrared ray emitter). Remote sensor Infrared ray emitter Turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to select [IR SETUP], then press the dial.
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VCR before using the following procedure. You can adjust the synchronization of your camcorder and the VCR to avoid not recording the starting scene. Remove the cassette from your camcorder. Prepare a pen and paper to take notes.
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[ MENU ] : END Search for the beginning of the first scene that you want to record on your camcorder, then pause playback. Turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to select [MARK], then press the dial. The starting point of the first program is set, and the upper part of the program mark changes to light blue.
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[ MENU ] : END Repeat steps 5 to 8 and create programs. Set your VCR to the recording pause. Skip this step if your camcorder is connected via an i.LINK cable. Turn the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial to select [START], then press the dial.
If the problem persists, disconnect the AC Adaptor from the wall socket and contact your Sony dealer. The battery pack may be damaged. (p. 12) • The temperature of the environment is too low, or the battery pack has not been charged enough.
(battery pack or AC Adaptor) is connected correctly. (p. 12) cRemove the battery pack from the camcorder, then attach it again. (p. 12) cAttach a charged battery pack to the camcorder. (p. 12) cMoisture condensation is starting in your camcorder. (p. 85)
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REC or insert a new cassette. (p. 81) cThe tape is stuck to the drum due to moisture condensation. Remove the cassette and leave your camcorder for at least 1 hour, then re-insert the cassette. (p. 85) •...
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• There is a blank section in the beginning or middle of the tape. This is not a malfunction. cPress LIGHT repeatedly to select cIf the problem persists, contact your Sony dealer or local authorized Sony service facility. Cause and/or Corrective Actions cIf the tape has reached the end, rewind the tape.
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VCR correctly, then check the connection between your camcorder and the VCR. (p. 61) cWhen your camcorder is connected to a DV device that is not a Sony product via an i.LINK cable, select [IR] in step 9 of “Step 1: Preparing your camcorder and VCR for operation.”...
Troubleshooting Cause and/or Corrective Actions Some symptoms can be fixed by yourself. If the problem persists even after you tried a couple of times, contact your Sony dealer or local authorized Sony service facility. C:04:ss cA battery pack that is not an “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack is being used.
Indication Z (Eject cassette warning)* * You hear a melody or beep sound when the warning indicators appear on the screen. Warning messages The following messages will appear to prompt you to correct the situation. Subjects Indications Battery Use the “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack. Battery level is low.
Power supply You can use your camcorder in any country/ regions using the AC Adaptor supplied with your camcorder within AC 100 V to 240 V, 50/60 Hz. On TV color systems Your camcorder is a PAL system-based camcorder. If you want to view the playback...
Copyright signal When you play back If the cassette you play back on your camcorder contains copyright signals, you cannot copy it to a tape in another video camera connected to your camcorder.
To store the battery pack, remove it from your camcorder and put it in a dry, cool place. • To completely use up the battery pack on your camcorder, set [A.SHUT OFF] to [NEVER]...
Tips • i.LINK is a more familiar term for the IEEE 1394 data transport bus proposed by Sony, and is a trademark approved by many corporations. • IEEE 1394 is an international standard standardized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Interface, see page 62, 63. This unit can also be connected to other i.LINK (DV Interface) compatible device made by Sony (e.g. a VAIO series personal computer) as well as to video device. Before connecting this unit to your computer,...
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• For TRV228E/428E: If the following problem occurs, clean the video heads for 10 seconds with the Sony V8-25CLD cleaning cassette (optional). – Playback pictures contains noise or the screen is displayed in blue. – Playback pictures are hardly visible.
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• For TRV255E/265E: If the following problem occurs, clean the video heads for 10 seconds with the Sony V8-25CLD cleaning cassette (optional). – Mosaic-pattern noise appears on the playback picture or the screen is displayed in blue.
Specification Video camera recorder System Video recording system TRV228E/428E: 2 rotary heads, Helical scanning FM system TRV255E/265E: 2 rotary heads, Helical scanning system Audio recording system TRV228E/428E: Rotary heads, FM system TRV255E/265E: Rotary heads, PCM system Quantization: 12 bits (Fs 32 kHz, stereo 1, stereo 2), 16 bits (Fs 48 kHz, stereo) Video signal PAL color, CCIR standards...
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USB jack TRV255E/265E: mini-B LCD screen Picture 6.2 cm (2.5 type) Total dot number 123 200 (560 × 220) General Power requirements DC 7.2 V (battery pack) DC 8.4 V (AC Adaptor) Average power consumption (when using the battery pack) TRV228E/428E: During camera recording using the viewfinder 1.8 W...
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Types of differences Model TRV228E Recording system Playback system Audio recording Monaural AUDIO/VIDEO jack S VIDEO jack DV Interface USB jack SteadyShot Remote sensor RFU jack z Provided — Not provided CCD- TRV428E Hi8/8 Hi8/8 Monaural — — — — —...
F Speaker G Viewfinder (p. 2, 16) If you attach the large capacity battery pack NP-QM71/QM71D/QM91/QM91D (optional) to the camcorder, extend and lift up the viewfinder and adjust its angle. H Battery pack I LIGHT button (p. 23) J FADER button (p. 30) K BACK LIGHT button (p.
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A Built-in light (p. 23) B Lens C Infrared ray emitter (p. 64, 69)/ TRV228E/428E/ Remote sensor D Camera recording lamp (p. 21, 26) A Jack cover B For TRV255E/265E: A/V OUT jack (p. 39, 62) C For TRV265E: DV Interface (p. 62) TRV255E: DV OUT Interface (p.
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A RESET button (p. 73) B For TRV255E/265E: BURN DVD/VCD You can easily take a picture recorded on the tape and burn it onto a DVD or CD-R. See the supplied “Computer Applications Guide” for details. TRV228E/428E: EASY DUB (Easy Dubbing) button (p.
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5.5 mm (7/32 inch). Otherwise, you cannot attach the tripod securely, and the screw may damage your camcorder. To attaching the shoulder strap Attach the shoulder strap supplied with your camcorder to the hooks for the shoulder strap. Quick Reference ,continued...
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Remove the insulation sheet before using the Remote Commander. TRV228E/428E: TRV265E: A Transmitter After turning on your camcorder, point towards the remote sensor to control your camcorder. B REC START/STOP button (p. 21) C Power zoom button (p. 23) D Video control buttons (Rewind, Playback, Fast-forward, Pause, Stop, Slow) (p.
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Otherwise, the Remote Commander may not function properly. • When you are operating with the Remote Commander supplied with your camcorder, your VCR may also operate. In that case, select a commander mode other than VTR 2 for your VCR, or cover the sensor of your VCR with black paper.
Following indicators will appear on the LCD screen and viewfinder to indicate the state of your camcorder. Indicators and their on-screen/viewfinder positions vary depending on your camcorder model. Example: Indicators in the CAMERA mode Time code (p. 21)/Tape counter (p. 21)/Self- diagnosis (p.
Index Numerics 16:9 WIDE mode ...48, 49 21-pin adaptor ...40 A/V connecting cable ...39, 61, 62 AC Adaptor...15 Adjusting the viewfinder ...16 AUDIO MIX...52 AUDIO MODE ...54 AUTO DATE...57 AUTO SHTR ...46 Auto shut off function (A.SHUT OFF) ...59 BACK LIGHT ...27 Battery Battery Info ...13 Battery pack ...12...
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Picture search ... 35 Playing time ... 14 Power mode... 15 PROGRAM AE... 44 Recording capacity Display... 22 REMAIN ... 55 Recording lamp (REC LAMP)... 60 Recording mode (REC MODE) ... 22, 54 Recording time ... 13 Remote Commander... 94 Remote sensor ...