RCA Pro 8 Manual

Camcorder Recording Tips
Recording Tips
•Practice recording under a variety of lighting
conditions.  This will help you respond quickly
whenever you see a scene you want to record.
•When using manual focus, it is easier to make
professional looking videos if you check the focus
before you start recording.  Use your camcorder’s
zoom to help you focus manually.  Before you start
recording, zoom in on your subject and adjust the
focus until you see a clear image in the viewfinder.
Then zoom back to where...

Care and Maintenance
Camcorder Care and Storage
•Keep dust and grit from entering the camcorder’s
cassette door.  Dust and grit are abrasive and will
cause excessive wear both to the camcorder’s
recording/playback heads and cassettes.
•We recommend RCA video cassettes be used with
this camcorder.  These cassettes have been
manufactured to our critical specifications.  Use of
cassettes not meeting these specifications may
reduce the camcorder’s performance or
contaminate the heads resulting in a snowy...

Viewfinder Playback
Viewfinder playback is the simplest way to watch
tapes using the camcorder.  This method is generally
used only to review scenes immediately after
recording because the display is in black and white.
If you want to privately listen during viewfinder
playback, you may connect an optional earphone to
the earphone     jack.
To play back a tape through the viewfinder, follow
these steps:
1.Slide the POWER switch to the PLAYposition.
2.Insert the cassette you want to playback.
3.Press the...

Playback on a TV (or VCR) Using the Antenna Connection
Installation
1Disconnect the VHF antenna from your TV 
(or VCR). Connect the antenna to the VHF IN
connector on the RF output adapter if you are
going to leave the adapter connected to the TV
(or VCR).  
Note:  If your VHF antenna is the flat twin-lead type
attached by two screws, you will also need an optional
300/75 ohm transformer, such as 193983 shown on
page 6.
32
2Attach one end of the coaxial RF cable to the
VHFOUTconnector on the adapter and...

Playback on a TV Using the Antenna Connection (continued)
Playback Operation and How to Copy Tapes
on the VCR
1.Set the CHANNEL 4CH/3CHswitch on the RF
output adapter to 4CHor 3CH.
2.A.Camcorder connected directly to TV:  Turn on
the TV and tune it to channel 3 or 4.
B.Camcorder connected to VCR that is already
connected to TV:  Turn on VCR and tune it to
channel 3 or 4”.  Operate the TV as you
normally do to see the signal coming from the
VCR.
3.Attach a power supply, and slide the camcorder’s
POWER...

Playback on TV (or VCR) Using AUDIO/VIDEO IN Jacks
Installation
1Attach one end of an optional audio/video cable
(such as AH069G, AH070G, or AH075G) to the
AUDIO INjack on the TV (or VCR) and the
other end to the white audio jack located under
the door on the side of the camcorder.
Note:If your TV (or VCR) has stereo AUDIO jacks,
attach the AUDIO plug to the one labeled MONO.  If
one is not labeled MONO, you may need a Y-adapter
to hear sound from both channels.
2Attach one end of another optional...

Playback on TV (or VCR) (continued)
1.A.Camcorder connected directly to TV monitor:
Turn on the TV and tune it to the video input
channel.
B.Camcorder connected to VCR that is already
connected to TV:  Turn on VCR and place it in
the “line” or “camera mode”. (If your VCR
does not have a “line” or “camera mode”,
consult the VCR owner’s manual.)  Operate the
TV as you normally do to see the signal
coming from the VCR.
2.Attach a power supply and slide the camcorder’s
POWER switch to the PLAYposition....

Trouble Checks
36
Troubles sometimes are caused by simple “faults”
that you can easily correct without the help of a
service technician by first checking a few basic
remedies.
Before you call or take your camcorder to an
Authorized RCA Compact Camcorder Servicenter,
No power
Won’t record or playback
Won’t playback
Won’t record
No picture in viewfinder
Tape stops during rewind or
fast forward
Camcorder remains in “stop
action” (play-pause) mode•ON/POWER SAVElever in POWER SAVEposition.  Place lever in ON...

Trouble Checks (continued)
Poor auto-focus operation
Picture is too dark or
subject too dark.
Viewfinder displays are
out of focus
Date and/time (or date)
were recorded on tape
Date and/or time are
incorrect
Remote control 
will not operate camcorder •Make sure AUTOLOCK switch is in the AUTOLOCK position.
•Scene is dark. Auto-focus may not work under this condition.  See page 26
for details on manual focus.
•Lens is smudged, and image appears unfocused.
•Viewfinder eyepiece focus is misadjusted. (See...

Design Specifications
38
General
Power requirement:  6VDC
Power consumption:  5.8 watts (normal)
Weight: 1.7 lbs.  (780g)
Dimensions: 4-3/5(W) x 4-3/5(H) x 10-1/5(L) 
(117 x 118 x 259mm)
Video Recorder Section
Format: 8mm
Record/Playback System:
Two video record/playback heads
One flying erase head
Headwheel Cylinder Diameter: 40 mm
Video Signal: EIA Standard NTSC Color
Camera Section
Scanning: 525 Lines/60 Fields/30 Frames
Image Sensor: 1/3 high-resolution, 
solid-state CCD Imager
Tripod Mount: One 1/4...