Sony Digital Video Camera Recorder DCR-TRV900 Operating Instructions

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Additional information
Tips for using the battery pack
The life of the battery packIf the battery indicator flashes rapidly just after turning on the camcorder with a fully
charged battery pack, the battery pack should be replaced with a new fully charged one.
Charging temperatureYou should charge batteries at temperatures from 50¡F to 86¡F (from 10¡C to 30¡C). Lower
temperatures require a longer charging time.
Notes on the ÒInfoLITHIUMÓ Battery Pack
What is the ÒInfoLITHIUMÓ battery pack
The ÒInfoLITHIUMÓ battery pack is a lithium battery pack which can exchange data with
compatible video equipment about its battery consumption.
When you use this battery pack with video equipment having the 
 mark, the
video equipment will indicate the remaining battery time in minutes.*
* The indication may not be accurate depending on the condition and environment which
the equipment is used under.
How the battery consumption is displayedThe power consumption of the camcorder changes depending on its use, such as whether
the LCD panel is used or not, how the autofocusing is working on or not.
While checking the condition of the camcorder, the ÒInfoLITHIUMÓ battery pack measures
the battery consumption and calculates the remaining battery power. If the condition
changes drastically, the remaining battery indication may suddenly decrease or increase by
more than 2 minutes.
Even if 5 to 10 minutes is indicated as the battery remaining time on the LCD screen or in the
viewfinder, the i indicator may also flash under some conditions.
To obtain more accurate remaining battery indicationSet the camcorder to recording standby mode and point towards a stationary object. Do not
move the camcorder for 30 seconds or more.
¥ If the indication seems incorrect, use up the battery and then recharge it fully (Full
charge
1)). Note that if you have used the battery in a hot or cold environment for long time,
or you have repeated charging many times, the battery may not be able to show the correct
time even after being fully charged.
¥ After you have used the ÒInfoLITHIUMÓ battery pack with an equipment not having the
 mark, make sure that you use up the battery on the equipment having the
 mark and then recharge fully. 
						

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Tips for using the battery pack
Why the remaining battery indication does not match the
continuous recording time in the operating instruction
The recording time is affected by the environmental temperature and conditions. The
recording time becomes very short in a cold environment. The continuous recording time in
the operating instruction is measured under the condition of using a fully charged (or
normal charged
2)) battery pack in 77 °F (25 °C). As the environmental temperature and
condition are different when you actually use the camcorder, the remaining battery time is
not same as the continuous recording time in the operating instruction.
1)Full charge: Charging for about 1 hour after the charge lamp of the AC power adaptor goes
off.
2)Normal charge: Charging just until the charge lamp of the AC power adaptor goes off.
Notes on charging
A brand-new battery packA brand-new battery pack is not charged. Before using the battery pack, charge it
completely.
Recharge the battery pack whenever you likeYou do not have to discharge it before recharging. If you charged the battery pack fully but
you did not use it for a long time, it becomes discharged. Then recharge the battery pack
before use.
Notes on the terminals
If the terminals (metal parts on the back) are not clean, the battery charge
duration will be shortened
When the terminals are not clean or when the battery pack has not been used for a long time,
repeatedly install and remove the battery pack a few times. This improves the contact
condition. Also, wipe the +, Ð and C terminals with a soft cloth or paper.
Be sure to observe the following¥ Keep the battery pack away from fire.
¥ Keep the battery pack dry.
¥ Do not open nor try to disassemble the battery pack.
¥ Do not expose the battery pack to any mechanical shock. 
						

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Additional information
Moisture condensation
If the camcorder is brought directly from a cold place to a warm place, moisture may
condense inside the camcorder, on the surface of the tape, on the lens, on the head, or on the
floppy disk. In this condition, the tape may stick to the head drum and be damaged or the
camcorder may not operate correctly. To prevent possible damage under these
circumstances, the camcorder is furnished with moisture sensors. Take the following
precautions.
Inside the camcorderIf there is moisture inside the camcorder, the beep sounds and the { indicator flashes. Eject
the cassette or the floppy disk immediately. If this happens, none of the function except
cassette ejection will work. Open the cassette compartment, turn off the camcorder, and
leave it about 1 hour. When 6 indicator flashes at the same time, the cassette is inserted in
the camcorder. Eject the cassette, turn off the camcorder, and leave also the cassette about 1
hour.
On the lensIf moisture condenses on the lens, no indicator appears, but the picture becomes dim. Turn
off the power and do not use the camcorder for about 1 hour.
How to prevent moisture condensationWhen bringing the camcorder from a cold place to a warm place, put the camcorder in a
plastic bag and allow it to adapt to room conditions over a period of time.
(1)Be sure to tightly seal the plastic bag containing the camcorder.
(2)Remove the bag when the air temperature inside it has reached the temperature
surrounding it (after about 1 hour).
Video head cleaning
To ensure normal recording and clear pictures, clean the video heads.
The video heads may be dirty when:
¥ mosaic-pattern noise appears on the playback picture
¥ playback pictures do not move
¥ playback pictures are hardly visible
¥ playback pictures do not appear
¥ the v indicator and Ò ñ CLEANING CASSETTEÓ message appear one after another or
the v indicator flashes on the LCD screen or in the viewfinder.
If [a] or [b] happens, clean the video heads with the Sony DVM12CL cleaning cassette (not
supplied). Check the picture and if the above problem persists, repeat the cleaning. (Do not
repeat cleaning more than 5 times in one session.)
[a] [b]
Maintenance information and precautions
or 
						

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Maintenance information and precautions
Note
If the DVM12CL cleaning cassette (not supplied) is not available in your area, consult your
nearest Sony dealer.
Precautions
Camcorder operation¥ Operate the camcorder on 7.2 V (battery pack) or 8.4 V (AC power adaptor).
¥ Should any solid object or liquid get inside the casing, unplug the camcorder and have it
checked by Sony dealer before operating it any further.
¥ Avoid rough handling or mechanical shock. Be particularly careful of the lens.
¥ Keep the POWER switch set to OFF when not using the camcorder.
¥ Do not wrap up the camcorder and operate it since heat may build up internally.
¥ Keep the camcorder away from strong magnetic fields or mechanical vibration.
On handling tapes¥ Do not insert anything in the small holes on the cassette.
¥ Do not open the tape protect cover or touch the tape.
¥ Avoid touching or damaging the terminals. To remove dust, clean the terminals with a soft
cloth.
Camcorder care¥ When the camcorder is not to be used for a long time, disconnect the power source and
remove the tape. Periodically turn on the power, operate the camera and player sections
and play back a tape for about 3 minutes.
¥ Clean the lens with a soft brush to remove dust. If there are fingerprints on the lens,
remove them with a soft cloth.
¥ Clean the camcorder body with a dry soft cloth, or a soft cloth lightly moistened with a
mild detergent solution. Do not use any type of solvent which may damage the finish.
¥ Do not let sand get into the camcorder. When you use the camcorder on a sandy beach or
in a dusty place, protect it from the sand or dust. Sand or dust may cause the unit to
malfunction, and sometimes this malfunction cannot be repaired. 
						

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Additional information
AC power adaptor
Charging
¥ Use only an ÒInfoLITHIUMÓ type battery pack.
¥ Place the battery pack on a flat surface without vibration during charging.
¥ The battery pack will get hot during charging. This is normal.
Others
¥ Unplug the unit from the wall outlet when not in use for a long time. To disconnect the
power cord, pull it out by the plug. Never pull the cord itself.
¥ Do not operate the unit with a damaged cord or if the unit has been dropped or damaged.
¥ Do not bend the AC power cord forcibly, or put a heavy object on it. This will damage the
cord and may cause a fire or an electrical shock.
¥ Be sure that nothing metallic comes into contact with the metal parts of the connecting
plate. If this happens, a short may occur and the unit may be damaged.
¥ Always keep the metal contacts clean.
¥ Do not disassemble the unit.
¥ Do not apply mechanical shock or drop the unit.
¥ While the unit is in use, particularly during charging, keep it away from AM receivers and
video equipment because it will disturb AM reception and video operation.
¥ The unit becomes warm while in use. This is normal.
¥ Do not place the unit in locations that are:
Extremely hot or cold, Dusty or dirty, Very humid, Vibrating
Note on dry batteriesTo avoid possible damage from battery leakage or corrosion, observe the following.
¥ Be sure to insert the batteries in the correct direction.
¥ Dry batteries are not rechargeable.
¥ Do not use a combination of new and old batteries.
¥ Do not use different types of batteries.
¥ The batteries slowly discharge while not in use.
¥ Do not use a battery that is leaking.
If battery leakage occurred
¥ Wipe off the liquid in the battery case carefully before replacing the batteries.
¥ If you touch the liquid, wash it off with water.
¥ If the liquid get into your eyes, wash your eyes with a lot of water and then consult a
doctor.
If any difficulty should arise, unplug the unit and contact your nearest Sony dealer.
Maintenance information and precautions 
						

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Each country or area has its own electric and TV color systems. Before using your camcorder
abroad, check the following points.
Power sources
You can use your camcorder in any country or area with the supplied AC power adaptor
within 100 V to 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz. Use a commercially available AC plug adaptor [a], if
necessary, depending on the design of the wall outlet [b].
Difference in color systems
This camcorder is an NTSC system-based camcorder. If you want to view the playback
picture on a TV, it must be an NTSC system-based TV.
Check the following list.
NTSC system
Bahama Islands, Bolivia, Canada, Central America, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Jamaica,
Japan, Korea, Mexico, Peru, Surinam, Taiwan, the Philippines, the U.S.A., Venezuela, etc.
PAL system
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, China, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Great
Britain, Holland, Hong Kong, Italy, Kuwait, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal,
Singapore, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, etc.
PAL-M system
Brazil
PAL-N system
Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay
SECAM system
Bulgaria, France, Guiana, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Monaco, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, etc.
[a][b]
Using your camcorder abroad
AC-L10A 
						

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Additional information
Cause and/or corrective actions
¥ The tape is stuck to the drum.
mEject the cassette. (p. 11)
¥ The tape has run out.
mRewind the tape or use a new one. (p. 22)
¥ The POWER switch is not set to CAMERA.
mSet it to CAMERA. (p. 12)
¥ The tab on the cassette is out (red).
mUse a new tape or slide the tab. (p. 11)
¥ The START/STOP MODE selector is set to 5SEC or
ANTI GROUND SHOOTING.
mSet it to. (p. 15)
¥ The AC power adaptor is not connected to a wall outlet.
mConnect the AC power adaptor to a wall outlet. (p. 25)
¥ The battery is dead.
mUse a charged battery pack or the AC power adaptor.
(p. 8, 25)
¥ Moisture condensation has occurred.
mRemove the cassette and leave the camcorder for at least
1 hour. (p. 123)
¥ Reset the date and time. (p. 118)
¥ You did not make a new recording after reinserting the
cassette.
¥ The tape without cassette memory ejected after recording.
Cause and/or corrective actions
¥ The battery pack is not installed.
mInstall the battery pack. (p. 7)
¥ The battery is dead.
mUse a charged battery pack. (p. 8)
¥ The AC power adaptor is not connected to a wall outlet.
mConnect the AC power adaptor to a wall outlet. (p. 25)
¥ While being operated in CAMERA mode, the camcorder
has been in Standby mode for more than 5 minutes.
mSet the POWER switch to OFF, then to CAMERA. (p. 12)
¥ The battery is dead.
mUse a charged battery pack. (p. 8)
¥ The ambient temperature is too low. (p. 120)
¥ The battery pack has not been charged fully.
mCharge the battery pack again. (p. 8)
¥ The battery pack is completely dead, and cannot be
recharged.
mUse another battery pack. (p. 25)
Trouble check
If you run into any problem using the camcorder, use the following table to troubleshoot the
problem. Should the difficulty persist, disconnect the power source and contact your Sony
dealer or local authorized Sony service facility.
Camcorder
Power
Symptom
The power cannot be turned on.
The power goes off.
The battery pack is quickly discharged.
Operation
Symptom
START/STOP does not operate.
The cassette cannot be removed from
the holder.
{ and 6 indicators flash and no function
except for cassette ejection works.
ÒCLOCK SETÓ appears when the
camcorder is turned on.
The end search function does not work.
Continued to the next page 
						

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Trouble check
Operation
Symptom
The end search function does not work
correctly.
The tape does not move when a tape
transport button is pressed.
No sound or only a low sound is heard
when playing back a tape.
The new sound added to the recorded
tape is not heard.
The Steady Shot function does not work.
Recording stops in a few seconds.
The autofocus function does not work.
The fader function does not work.
The title is not displayed.
The title is not recorded.
The cassette label is not recorded.
Displaying the recorded date, date search
function does not work.
Cause and/or corrective actions
¥ The tape has a blank portion in the middle.
¥ The POWER switch is not set to VTR.
mSet it to VTR. (p. 22)
¥ The tape has run out.
mRewind the tape or use a new one. (p. 22)
¥ The volume is turned to the minimum.
mOpen the LCD panel and press VOLUME +. (p. 22)
¥ AUDIO MIX is set to ST2 side in the menu system.
mAdjust AUDIO MIX in the menu system. (p. 90)
¥ AUDIO MIX is set to ST1 side in the menu system.
mAdjust AUDIO MIX in the menu system. (p. 90)
¥ STEADYSHOT is set to OFF in the menu system.
mSet it to ON. (p. 51)
¥ The START/STOP MODE selector is set to 5SEC or
ANTI GROUND SHOOTING.
mSet it to. (p. 15)
¥ Focus is set to the manual mode.
mSet it to autofocus. (p. 58)
¥ Shooting conditions are not suitable for autofocus.
mSet focus to manual mode to focus manually. (p. 58)
¥ The START/STOP MODE selector is set to 5SEC or
ANTI GROUND SHOOTING.
mSet it to. (p. 15)
¥ TITLE DSPL is set to OFF in the menu system.
mSet it to ON in the menu system. (p. 30)
¥ The tape has no cassette memory.
mUse a tape with cassette memory. (p. 63)
¥ The cassette memory is full.
mErase another title. (p. 65)
¥ The tape is set to prevent accidental erasure.
mSlide the protect tab so that red portion is not visible.
(p. 11)
¥ Nothing is recorded in that position on the tape.
mSuperimpose the title to the recorded position. (p. 63)
¥ The tape has no cassette memory.
mUse a tape with cassette memory. (p. 68)
¥ The cassette memory is full.
mErase some titles. (p. 65)
¥ The tape is set to prevent accidental erasure.
mSlide the protect tab so that red portion is not visible.
(p. 11)
¥ The tape has no cassette memory.
mUse a tape with cassette memory. (p. 74)
¥ CM SEARCH is set to OFF in the menu system.
mSet it to ON. (p. 74) 
						

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Additional information
Trouble check
Continued to the next page
Operation
Symptom
The title search function does not work.
 indicator does not appear when using
a tape with cassette memory.
The date search, title search, or end search
does not work correctly.
The click of the shutter does not sound.
Picture
Symptom
The image on the viewfinder screen is not
clear.
A vertical band appears when a subject
such as lights or a candle flame is shot
against a dark background.
The picture is ÒnoisyÓ or does not appear.
v indicator flashes on the LCD screen or
in the viewfinder.
The picture is too bright or too dark on the
LCD screen.
A vertical band appears when shooting a
very bright subject.
The picture does not appear on the LCD
screen or in the viewfinder.
The picture does not appear in the viewfinder.
An unknown picture is displayed on the
LCD screen or in the viewfinder.
A display such as ÒC:¹¹:¹¹Ó appears
on the LCD screen or in the viewfinder.
Cause and/or corrective actions
¥ The viewfinder lens is not adjusted.
mAdjust the viewfinder lens. (p. 13)
¥ The contrast between the subject and background is too
high. The camcorder is not malfunctioning.
mChange locations.
¥ The video heads may be dirty.
mClean the heads using the Sony DVM12CL (not
supplied) cleaning cassette. (p. 123)
¥ The video heads may be dirty.
mClean the heads using the Sony DVM12CL (not
supplied) cleaning cassette. (p. 123)
¥ LCD BRIGHT is not adjusted properly.
mPress + or Ð to obtain the brightness you want. (p. 16, 22)
¥ The camcorder is not malfunctioning.
¥ Incorporated fluorescent tube is worn out.
mPlease contact your nearest Sony dealer.
¥ The LCD panel is open.
mClose the LCD panel.
¥ If 10 minutes elapse after you set the POWER switch to
CAMERA without inserting a cassette, the camcorder
automatically starts the demonstration or DEMO MODE is
set to ON in the menu system.
mInsert the cassette and the demonstration stops. You can
deactivate the demonstration. (p. 142)
¥ The self-diagnosis display function has been activated.
mCheck the code and diagnosis the problem by referring
to the code chart. (p. 132)
Cause and/or corrective actions
¥ The tape has no cassette memory.
mUse a tape with cassette memory. (p. 76)
¥ CM SEARCH is set to OFF in the menu system.
mSet it to ON. (p. 76)
¥ There is no title in the tape.
mSuperimpose the titles. (p. 63)
¥ The gold-plated connector of the tape is dirty or dusty.
mClean the gold-plated connector. (p. 117)
¥ The tape has a blank portion between the recorded
portions. (p. 116)
¥ BEEP is set to OFF in the menu system.
mSet it to MELODY or NORMAL. (P. 31) 
						

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Trouble check
Picture
Symptom
The picture seems to be in flash motion.
rrrrr is displayed on the LCD screen
or in the viewfinder.
Remaining tape indicator is not displayed.
The memory card slot does not function.
Recording does not function.
The image cannot be deleted.
Others
Symptom
While editing using the i.LINK cable (DV
connecting cable), recording picture
cannot be monitored.
The camcorder becomes warm.
The supplied Remote Commander does
not work.
Cause and/or corrective actions
¥ PROG. SCAN is set to ON in the menu system, or the
POWER switch is set to MEMORY. This is caused by
progressive scanning (display with all the pixels) and is
not a malfunction.
¥ The START/STOP MODE selector is set to 5SEC .
mSet it to
. (p. 15)
¥ The ñ REMAIN in the menu system is set to AUTO.
mIf the remaining tape indicator is always displayed, set
it to ON.
¥ The battery is dead.
mUse a charged battery pack or the AC power adaptor.
¥ The floppy disk is not inserted correctly.
mEject the floppy disk and insert it correctly.
¥ The POWER switch is set to CAMERA.
mSet it to MEMORY or VTR.
¥ The disk has already been recorded to its full capacity.
mErase unnecessary images and record again.
¥ The floppy disk or PC card is not inserted.
mInsert the disk or card.
¥ Unusable floppy disk is inserted.
mUse 2HD, 1.44MB, MS-DOS format floppy disk.
¥ Unformatted disk is inserted.
mFormat the disk.
¥ The protect tab on the floppy disk is set to protect.
mSlide the tab to write.
¥ The image is protected.
mCancel the protect.
Cause and / or corrective actions
¥ Remove the i.LINK cable (DV connecting cable), and
connect it again.
¥ If the power of the camcorder is on for a long time, it
becomes warm, which is not malfunction.
¥ COMMANDER is set to OFF in the menu system.
mSet it to ON.
¥ Something is blocking the infrared rays.
mRemove the obstacle.
¥ The battery is not inserted with the correct polarity.
mInsert the battery with the correct polarity. (p. 139)
¥ The batteries are dead.
mInsert new ones. (p. 139)