Canon Hv20 A Manual

							
 Do’s and Don’ts91
Additional Information
Do’s and Don’ts
Camcorder

  Do not carry the camcorder by the LCD 
panel. Be careful when closing the LCD 
panel.

  Do not leave the camcorder in places 
subject to high temperatures (like the 
inside of a car under direct sunlight), or 
high humidity.

  Do not use the camcorder near strong 
electric or magnetic fields such as above 
TVs, near plasma TVs or mobile phones.

  Do not point the lens or viewfinder at 
strong light sources. Do not leave the 
camcorder pointed at a bright subject.

  Do not use or store the camcorder in 
dusty or sandy places. The camcorder is 
not waterproof – avoid also water, mud or 
salt. If any of the above should get into 
the camcorder it may damage the 
camcorder and/or the lens.

  Be careful of heat generated by lighting 
equipment.

  Do not disassemble the camcorder. If 
the camcorder does not function properly, 
consult qualified service personnel.

  Handle the camcorder with care. Do not 
subject the camcorder to shocks or 
vibration as this may cause damage.
Batter y Pack

  Charged battery packs continue to 
discharge naturally. Therefore, charge 
them on the day of use, or the day before, 
to ensure a full charge.

  Attach the terminal cover whenever a 
battery pack is not in use. Contact with 
metallic objects may cause a short circuit 
and damage the battery pack.

  Dirty terminals may cause a poor 
contact between the battery pack and the 
camcorder. Wipe the terminals with a soft 
cloth.

  Since storing a charged battery pack for 
a long time (about 1 year) can shorten its 
lifecycle or affect performance, we 
recommend to discharge the battery pack 
fully and to store it in a dry place at 
temperatures no higher than 30 °C
(86 °F). If you do not use the battery pack 
for long periods, charge and discharge it 
fully at least once a year. If you have 
more than one battery pack, perform 
these precautions at the same time for all 
battery packs.

  Although the battery pack’s operating 
temperature range is from 0 °C to 40 °C
(32 °F to 104 °F), the optimal range is 
from 10 °C to 30 °C (50 °F to 86 °F). At 
cold temperatures, performance will 
temporarily decline. Warm it in your 
pocket before use.
Handling Precautions
DANGER!
Treat the batter y pack with care.
• Keep it away from fire (or it might 
explode).
• Do not expose it to temperatures 
higher than 60 °C (140 °F). Do not leave 
it near a heater or inside a car in hot 
weather.
• Do not try to disassemble or modify it.
• Do not drop or knock it.
• Do not get it wet.  
						

							
92Do’s and Don’ts 

  Replace the battery pack if the usable 
time after full charge diminishes 
substantially at normal temperatures.
About the batter y terminal cover
The battery terminal cover has a [ ]-
shaped hole. This is useful when you 
wish to differentiate between charged and 
uncharged battery packs. 
Back side of the battery pack
Terminal cover attached
Charged
Uncharged
Cassette

  Rewind tapes after use. A slack or 
damaged tape may cause video problems 
and/or audio distortions during playback.

  Return cassettes to the case and store 
them upright. Rewind tapes from time to 
time if they are stored for a long time.

  Do not leave the cassette in the 
camcorder after use.

  Do not use spliced tapes or 
nonstandard cassettes as they may 
damage the camcorder.

  Do not use tapes that have been 
jammed as video heads may become 
dirty.

  Do not insert anything into the small 
holes of the cassette, or cover them with 
cellophane tape.

  Handle cassettes with care. Do not 
drop or subject them to severe impact as 
this may damage the cassettes. 
  With cassettes equipped with a memory 
function, metal plated terminals may 
become dirty with use. Clean the 
terminals with a cotton swab after about 
10 times of removing and reinserting the 
cassette. The memory function is not 
supported by the camcorder.
Protecting Tapes from Accidental Erasure
To protect your recordings from accidental 
erasure, slide the tab on the cassette to 
SAVE or ERASE OFF.
Memor y Card

  We recommend saving backups of 
memory card images on your computer. 
Image data may be corrupted or lost due 
to memory card defects or exposure to 
static electricity. Canon Inc. makes no 
warranties for corrupted or lost data.

  Do not turn off the camcorder, 
disconnect the power source or remove 
the memory card while the CARD access 
indicator is flashing.

  Do not use memory cards in places 
subject to strong magnetic fields.

  Do not leave memory cards in places 
subject to high humidity and high 
temperature.

  Do not disassemble, bend, drop, or 
subject memory cards to shocks and do 
not expose them to water.

  Do not touch or expose the terminals to 
dust or dirt.

  Check the direction before inserting the 
memory card. Forcing a memory card into 
SAVE RECSAVEREC  
						

							
 Do’s and Don’ts93
Additional Information
the slot if it is not correctly oriented may 
damage the memory card or the 
camcorder.

  Do not attach any labels or stickers on 
the memory card.

  When you erase image files or initialize 
the memory card, only the file allocation 
table is altered and the data itself is not 
actually deleted. Take the necessary 
precautions when you dispose of the 
memory card, for example by physically 
damaging it to prevent the leakage of 
private data.
Lithium Button Batter y

  Do not pick up the battery using 
tweezers or other metal tools as this will 
cause a short circuit.

  Wipe the battery with a clean dry cloth 
to ensure proper contact.

  Keep the battery out of the reach of 
children. If swallowed, seek medical 
assistance immediately. The battery case 
may break and the battery fluids may 
cause internal damage.

  Do not disassemble, heat or immerse 
the battery in water to avoid the risk of 
explosion. 
 
For Califor nia, USA only: The lithium 
battery included contains Perchlorate 
Material – special handling may apply. 
See www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate for details.
Built-in Rechargeable Lithium Batter y
The camcorder has a built-in 
rechargeable lithium battery to keep the 
date/time and other settings. The built-in 
lithium battery is recharged while you use 
the camcorder, however, it will become 
totally discharged if you do not use the 
camcorder for about 3 months.
To recharge the built-in lithium batter y:Connect the compact power adapter to 
the camcorder and leave it connected for 
24 hours with the   switch set to  .WARNING!• The battery used in this device may 
present a fire or chemical burn hazard if 
mishandled. Do not recharge, 
disassemble, heat above 100 °C (212 °F) 
or incinerate the battery.
• Replace the battery with a CR2025 made  by Panasonic, Hitachi Maxell, Sony, 
Sanyo, or with Duracell2025. Use of 
other batteries may present a risk of fire 
or explosion.
• Dispose of the used battery according to  applicable recycling regulations.  
						

							
94Do’s and Don’ts 
Cleaning the Video Heads

  In the following cases the video heads 
are dirty and need to be cleaned.
- The message “HEADS DIRTY, USE 
CLEANING CASSETTE” appears.
- During playback you notice frequent 
video problems (blocky video artifacts, 
banding, etc.).
- When playing back a tape recorded in 
HDV standard the playback is jerky or the 
sound stutters on and off.
To maintain the best picture quality, we 
recommend using cassettes designed for 
high definition recording (Canon Digital 
Videocassette HDVM-E63PR, etc.) and 
cleaning the video heads frequently with 
the Canon DVM-CL Digital Video Head 
Cleaning Cassette or a commercially 
available dry cleaning cassette.

  Do not use wet type cleaning cassettes 
as this may damage the camcorder.

  Even after cleaning the video heads 
you may not be able to play back 
correctly tapes that were recorded with 
dirty video heads.
Cleaning the Camcorder
Camcorder Body

  Use a soft, dry cloth to clean the 
camcorder body. Never use chemically 
treated cloth or volatile solvents such as 
paint thinner.
Lens and Viewfinder

  If the lens surface is dirty, the autofocus 
may not work properly.

  Remove any dust or dirt particles using 
a non-aerosol type blower brush. 
  Use a clean, soft lens-cleaning cloth to 
gently wipe the lens or viewfinder. Never 
use tissue paper.
LCD Screen and I.AF sensor

  Clean the LCD screen and the I.AF 
sensor using a clean, soft lens-cleaning 
cloth.

  Condensation may form on the surface 
of the screen when the temperature 
changes suddenly. Wipe it with a soft dry 
cloth.
Storage

  If you do not intend to use the 
camcorder for a long time, store it in a 
place free of dust, in low humidity, and at 
temperatures not higher than 30 °C
(86 °F). 
Condensation
Moving the camcorder rapidly between 
hot and cold temperatures may cause 
condensation (water droplets) to form on 
its internal surfaces. Stop using the 
camcorder if condensation is detected. 
Continued use may damage the 
camcorder.
Condensation may form in the following 
cases:
When the camcorder is moved from an 
air-conditioned room to a warm, humid 
place
Maintenance/Others  
						

							
 Do’s and Don’ts95
Additional Information
When the camcorder is moved from a 
cold place to a warm room
When the camcorder is left in a humid 
room
When a cold room is heated rapidly
TO AVOID CONDENSATION

  Do not expose the camcorder to 
sudden or extreme changes in 
temperature.

  Remove the cassette, place the 
camcorder in an airtight plastic bag and 
let it adjust to temperature changes 
slowly before removing it from the bag.
WHEN CONDENSATION IS DETECTED

  The camcorder automatically shuts off, 
the warning message “CONDENSATION 
HAS BEEN DETECTED” appears for 
approx. 4 seconds and   starts flashing.

  If a cassette is loaded, the warning 
message “REMOVE THE CASSETTE” 
appears and   starts flashing. Remove 
the cassette immediately and leave the 
cassette compartment open. Leaving the 
cassette in the camcorder may damage 
the tape.

  A cassette cannot be loaded when 
condensation is detected.
RESUMING USE

  The precise time required for water 
droplets to evaporate will vary depending 
on the location and weather conditions. 
After the condensation warning stops 
flashing, wait for 1 more hour before 
resuming use.
Using the Camcorder Abroad
Power Sources
You can use the compact power adapter 
to operate the camcorder and to charge 
battery packs in any country with power 
supply between 100 and 240 V AC, 50/60 
Hz. Consult the Canon Service Center for 
information on plug adapters for overseas 
use.
Playback on a TV Screen
You can only play back your recordings 
on TVs compatible with the NTSC 
system. The NTSC system is used in the 
following countries/areas:
American Samoa, Antigua, Aruba, 
Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bolivia, 
Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, 
Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guam, 
Guatemala, Greenland, Haiti, Honduras, 
Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Mexico, 
Micronesia, Myanmar, Nicaragua, 
Panama, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, 
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint 
Vincent and the Grenadines, Surinam, 
Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, USA, 
Venezuela, Virgin Islands.  
						

							
96General Information 
General Information
System Diagram (Availability differs from area to area)
BP-2L13, BP-2L14, NB-2LH 
Battery Pack
CB-2LW
Battery Charger
STV-250N Stereo Video Cable CA-570 Compact 
Power Adapter
SC-2000 Soft
Carrying Case WS-20 Wrist Strap
SS-600/SS-650 
Shoulder Strap
miniSD Card BP-2L13, BP-2L14, 
NB-2LH
Battery Pack
ComputerVCR
MiniDV Video 
cassette
WL-D87
Wireless Controller
miniSD Card Adapter
Card Reader/Writer
 PictBridge
Compatible Printers
IFC-300PCU
USB Cable
DVD Recorder/Digital 
Device with DV Terminal
CTC-100 Component Cable
DV Cable
WD-H43
Wide-converter
TL-H43
Tele-converter
TV/HDTV
DTC-100 D Terminal Cable
HDMI Cable
FS-43U/FS-43U 
II
Filter Set
VFL-1 Video Flash Light
VL-3  Video Light
DM-50 Directional
Stereo Microphone
Stereo Microphone
(commercially available)  
						

							
 General Information97
Additional Information
Call or visit your local retailer/dealer for genuine Canon video accessories. You can 
also obtain genuine accessories for your Canon camcorder by calling: 1-800-828-
4040, Canon U.S.A. Information Center.
Batter y PacksWhen you need extra battery packs, select 
one of the following models: BP-2L13, 
BP-2L14, NB-2LH.
CB-2LW Batter y ChargerUse the battery charger for charging the 
battery packs. It plugs directly into a power 
outlet without a cable.
* Charging time varies according to the charging condition.
TL-H43 Tele-converterThis Tele-converter lens increases the focal 
length of the camcorder lens by a factor of 1.7.
• The image stabilizer is not as effective when the Tele-converter is attached.
• The minimum focusing distance with the  TL-H43 is 3 m (9.8 ft.); 3 cm (1.2 in.) at 
maximum wide angle.
• When the Tele-converter is attached, a shadow may appear in the picture when you record  with flash or assist lamp.
Optional Accessories
Use of genuine Canon accessories is recommended.This product is designed to achieve excellent performance when used with genuine Canon 
accessories. Canon shall not be liable for any damage to this product and/or accidents 
such as fire, etc., caused by the malfunction of non-genuine Canon accessories (e.g., a 
leakage and/or explosion of a battery pack). Please note that this warranty does not apply 
to repairs arising out of the malfunction of non-genuine Canon accessories, although you 
may request such repairs on a chargeable basis.
Battery PackCharging Time*
NB-2LH 90 min.
BP-2L13 175 min.
BP-2L14 170 min.  
						

							
98General Information 
WD-H43 Wide-converterThis lens decreases focal length by a factor of 
0.7, giving you a wide perspective for indoor 
shots or panoramic views.
• When the Wide-converter is attached, a shadow may appear in the picture when you 
record with flash or assist lamp.
FS-43U/FS-43U II Filter SetNeutral density and MC protector filters help you 
to control difficult lighting conditions.
VFL-1 Video Flash LightThis video flash light allows you to record still 
images and movies even at night or in dark 
places. It attaches to the camcorder’s advanced 
accessory shoe for cable-free operation.
VL-3 Video LightThis video light enables you to record brightly in 
color even in dark places. It attaches to the 
camcorder’s advanced accessory shoe for 
cable-free operation.
DM-50 Directional Stereo MicrophoneThis highly sensitive, super-directional 
microphone attaches to the camcorder’s 
advanced accessory shoe. It can be used as 
directional microphone (monaural) or stereo 
microphone.
• Using the viewfinder to record video when the 
DM-50 is attached may prevent you from enjoying the full capabilities of the camcorder (for 
example, you may accidentally touch the microphone and include noise in the recording). 
Please use the LCD screen and keep a distance from the microphone.  
						

							
 General Information99
Additional Information
Shoulder StrapYou can attach a shoulder strap for more 
security and portability.
Pass the ends through the strap mount and 
adjust the length of the strap.
WS-20 Wrist StrapUse this for extra additional protection for 
active shooting.
SC-2000 Soft Carr ying CaseA handy camcorder bag with padded 
compartments and plenty of space for 
accessories.
This mark identifies genuine Canon video accessories. When you use 
Canon video equipment, we recommend Canon-brand accessories or 
products bearing the same mark.  
						

							
100General Information 
Product Codes
Provided Accessories
CA-570 Compact Power Adapter  8468A002AA
BP-2L13 Battery Pack 2069B002AA (D85-1712-000)
WL-D87 Wireless Controller D83-0752-000
STV-250N Stereo Video Cable 3067A002AA (D82-0590-201)
CTC-100 Component Cable 1719B001AA
Optional Accessories
NB-2LH Battery Pack 9612A001AA 
BP-2L14 Battery Pack 9582A002AA
CB-2LW Battery Charger 0763B001AA
TL-H43 Tele-converter  2071B001AA
WD-H43 Wide-converter  2072B001AA
FS-43U/FS-43U II Filter Set  7150A001AA
VFL-1 Video Flash Light 8834A001AA
VL-3 Video Light 3175A002AA
DM-50 Directional Stereo Microphone 3176A002AA
WS-20 Wrist Strap 1729B001AA
SC-2000 Soft Carrying Case 9389A001AA
DVM-CL Digital Video Head Cleaning Cassette 3134A002AA
HDVM-E63PR Digital Video Cassette 1313B001AA