Sony DCR-HC46, DCR-HC96 manual

Digital Video Camera Recorder

Operating GuideDCR-HC36/HC46/HC96

2-659-813-11(1)

Getting Started 12

Recording/	28
Playback
Using the Menu	44
Dubbing/Editing	71
Using a Computer	86
Troubleshooting	99
Additional Information	122

Contents

Getting Started Recording Playback Using the Menu Dubbing/Editing Using a Computer WARNING To reduce fire or shock hazard, do not expose the unit to rain or moisture Use Power Sources Polarization Overloading Object and Liquid Entry IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS (Continued) Lightning Safety Check Service Damage Requiring Service Read this first CAUTION For customers in the U.S.A. and CANADA RECYCLING LITHIUM-IONBATTERIES Read this first (Continued) Notes Owner’s Record CAUTION Note Types of “Memory Stick” you can use in your camcorder with or (p. 124) Using the camcorder •Do not hold the camcorder by the following parts On recording About this manual The The illustrations used on this manual are based on the model About the Carl Zeiss lens Getting Started Step 1: Checking supplied items Step 2: Charging the battery pack Step 3: Turning the power on and holding your camcorder firmly Step 4: Adjusting the LCD panel and viewfinder Using the Menu Menu items CAMERA SET menu MEMORY SET menu PICT.APPLI. menu Using a Computer Before referring to the “First Step Guide” on your computer Installing the software and “First Step Guide” on a computer Viewing “First Step Guide” Creating a DVD (Direct Access to “Click to DVD”) Step 1: Checking supplied items Make sure that you have following items supplied with your camcorder The number in the parentheses indicates the number of that item supplied The cassette tape and “Memory Stick Duo” are not supplied. See AC Adaptor (1) (p. 13) Step 2: Charging the battery pack Started Getting Step2: Charging the battery pack (Continued) For DCR-HC36: With the v mark facing to the LCD screen 4 For DCR-HC46/HC96: DCR-HC96: To remove the battery pack 2Remove the battery in the direction of the arrow with the other hand To remove your camcorder from the Handycam Station To use an outside power source When storing the battery pack DCR-HC36 NP-FP30(supplied) NP-FP50 DCR-HC46 NP-FP50(supplied) opened *When the LCD backlight turns on On the battery pack •Before changing the battery pack, slide the POWER switch to OFF (CHG) The CHG (charge) lamp flashes during charging, or the Battery Info Step 3: Turning the power on and holding your camcorder firmly When using it for the first time, the [CLOCK SET] screen appears (p. 23) For DCR-HC36/HC46: Remove the lens cap by pressing both knobs on the sides of the cap To record on a tape To turn off the power Slide the POWER switch to OFF (CHG) Attach the lens cap after turning off the power Step 4: Adjusting the LCD panel and viewfinder Step 5: Using the touch panel You can play back recorded pictures (p. 31), or change the settings (p. 44) using the touch panel Changing the language setting [LANGUAGE] on the (TIME/ LANGU.) menu (p. 44, 69) Step 5: Using the touch panel (Continued) 3 Touch the area including the indicator that you want to check When you touch , the screen returns to the area selecting display To finish the operation Touch [END] CAMERA SET Step 7: Inserting a tape or a “Memory Stick Duo” Cassette tape You can use mini DV cassettes only (p. 123) OPEN/EJECT lever Lid You can use only a “Memory Stick Duo” marked with or (p. 124) 1 Open the LCD panel DCR-HC36/HC46: Access lamp WIDE SELECT button POWER switch Selecting the aspect ratio for recording movies on a tape Be sure to set the POWER switch to CAMERA-TAPE Press WIDE SELECT repeatedly to select the desired screen aspect ratio Page Easy Recording/Playback (Easy Handycam) Playing back movies/still images Movies Touch , then touch to start playback AStop BPlay/Pause toggles C Rewind/Fast forward Recording Lens cap (DCR-HC36/HC46) Remove the lens cap by pressing both knobs on the sides of the cap Lens cover (DCR-HC96) Opens in accordance with the setting of the POWER switch Playback 2 Start playing back On a Tape: Touch, then touchto start playback The most recently recorded image is displayed Functions used for recording/playback, etc For DCR-HC46: Recording To use zoom Wider range of view: (Wide angle) •Attaching a conversion lens (optional) may create a shadow To record in dark places (NightShot plus) (DCR-HC36/HC46) Set the NIGHTSHOT PLUS switch 3 to ON. (and [“NIGHTSHOT PLUS”] appear.) •To record an image brighter, use Super NightShot plus function (p. 52) Functions used for recording/playback, etc. (Continued) To record in mirror mode To use a tripod To use a Shoulder belt Attach the Shoulder belt (optional) to its designated hook qs Recording/playback To check the remaining battery (Battery Info) beep (BEEP) To use special effects Indicators displayed during recording/playback Recording: Playback: ( ) is a reference page The indicators during recording will not be recorded Viewing movies Viewing still images On a tape MTape transport indicator NVideo operation buttons (31) Indicators when you made changes Upper left Upper right Center Bottom Searching for the starting point Make sure that the CAMERA-TAPElamp lights up (p. 30) Searching for the last scene of the most recent recording (END SEARCH) Touch t Remote Commander Remove the insulation sheet before using the Remote Commander Insulation sheet APHOTO*1 (p. 30) BSEARCH M. (p. 41)*2 4 Press PLAY Playback starts from the point designated “0:00:00” on the tape counter To cancel the operation Press ZERO SET MEMORY 5 again before rewinding Searching for a scene by date of recording (Date search) Playing the picture on a TV A/V OUT jack A/V OUT (Yellow) (White) AA/V connecting cable (supplied) BA/V connecting cable with S VIDEO (optional) When connecting your camcorder to a TV through a VCR Change the aspect ratio of the image according to the screen size of your TV 1Slide the POWER switch repeatedly to turn on the PLAY/EDIT lamp Using the menu items CAMERA-TAPElamp: settings on a tape CAMERA-MEMORYlamp:settings on a “Memory Stick Duo” PLAY/EDIT lamp: settings for viewing/editing xTo use menu items during Easy Handycam operation is not displayed during Easy Handycam operation (p. 28) Menu items CAMERA SET menu (p. 49) MEMORY SET menu (p. 55) Easy Handycam PICT.APPLI. menu (p. 59) EDIT/PLAY menu (p. 64) VAR. SPD PB REC CTRL AUD DUB CTRL REC MOVIE Menu items (Continued) STANDARD SET menu TIME/LANGU. menu (p. 69) CAMERA SET menu See page 44 for details on selecting menu items PROGRAM AE BAUTO SPOTLIGHT*() EXPOSURE 1Touch [MANUAL] 2 Adjust the exposure by touching 3 Touch To return the setting to automatic exposure, touch [AUTO] t SHARPNESS (DCR-HC96) You can adjust the sharpness of the image Soften Sharpen AUTO SHUTTER AE SHIFT (DCR-HC96) TELE MACRO When you set [TELE MACRO] to [ON] For DCR-HC36:down to about 39 cm (15 3/8 in.) For DCR-HC46:down to about 35 cm (13 7/8 in.) For DCR-HC96:down to about 37 cm (14 5/8 in.) NS LIGHT (NightShot Light) –For DCR-HC36/HC46: NightShot plus or [SUPER NSPLUS] (p. 33) –For DCR-HC96: NightShot or [SUPER NS] (p. 52) DIGITAL ZOOM Up to 20 × zoom is performed optically 40 × 800 × For DCR-HC46: MEMORY SET menu Settings for the “Memory Stick Duo” (BURST/QUALITY/IMAGE SIZE/ALL ERASE/ NEW FOLDER, etc.) STILL SET xBURST (DCR-HC46/HC96) MEMORY SET menu (Continued) x QUALITY BFINE () Records still images at the fine image quality level STANDARD () In 16:9 aspect ratio (DCR-HC46/HC96) Approximate data size of a picture (kB) 4:3 picture 16:9 picture (DCR-HC46/HC96) MOVIE SET xIMAGE SIZE B320 × 240 () Records movies in high resolution 160 × 112 () PICT.APPLI. menu PICT.APPLI. menu (Continued) OVERLAP (fade in only) WIPE (fade in only) DOT FADER (fade in only) SLIDE SHOW To cancel [SLIDE SHOW], touch [END]. To pause, touch [PAUSE] D. EFFECT (Digital effect) You can add digital effects to your recordings LUMI. KEY The color scheme of the area in the still image which is to be swapped with a movie PICT. EFFECT (Picture effect) You can add special effects to a picture during recording or playback. appears Does not use [PICT. EFFECT] setting NEG.ART The color and brightness are reversed INT.REC-STL(Interval photo recording) 1Touch t a desired interval time (1 or 10 minutes) t t [ON] () t 2Press PHOTO fully stops flashing and the interval still image recording starts EDIT/PLAY menu VAR.SPD PB (Various speed playback) You can play back in various modes while viewing movies 1Touch the following buttons during playback change the STANDARD SET menu REC MODE (Recording mode) BSP (SP) Records in the SP (Standard Play) mode on a cassette LP (LP) STANDARD SET menu (Continued) BSTEREO Plays back with main and sub sound (or stereo sound) Plays back with main sound (or the left channel sound) Plays back with sub sound (or the right channel sound) A/V t DV OUT (DCR-HC96) VIDEO INPUT (DCR-HC96) BVIDEO Connects via video plug of the A/V connecting cable S VIDEO REMAINING Always displays the remaining tape indicator REMOTE CTRL (Remote control) The default setting is [ON], allowing you to use the supplied Remote Commander (p. 40) TIME/LANGU. menu (CLOCK SET/WORLD TIME/LANGUAGE) CLOCK SET WORLD TIME When using your camcorder abroad, you can set the time difference by touching Arranging the order of menu items displayed on Personal Menu t [P-MENUSET UP] t [DELETE] Dubbing to VCR/DVD device, etc AUDIO VIDEO jacks VCR/DVD device Dubbing to VCR/DVD device, etc. (Continued) AUDIO/VIDEO jacks To i.LINK jack 1 Prepare your camcorder for playback Insert the recorded cassette Set [TV TYPE] according to the playback device (TV, etc.) (p. 43) 2 Prepare your VCR/DVD device for recording When dubbing to the VCR, insert a cassette for recording Recording pictures from a TV or VCR/DVD device, etc TV or VCR/DVD device, etc A/V jack (DCR-HC96) TV or AFor DCR-HC96: BFor DCR-HC96: •While your camcorder is receiving signals from Recording pictures from a TV or VCR/DVD device, etc. (Continued) Dubbing pictures from a tape to a “Memory Stick Duo” 2 Search and record the scene you want to record When you dub pictures as a still image When you dub pictures as a movie Touch t [MENU] t (EDIT/PLAY) t [REC MOVIE] Dubbing sound to a recorded tape Connecting You can input audio in the following ways: The audio input to be recorded takes precedence over others in the order of A t B t C Recording sound Insert a recorded cassette into your camcorder beforehand 3 Touch t [MENU] t (EDIT/PLAY) t t [AUD DUB CTRL] t t [AUDIO DUB] Deleting recorded pictures from the “Memory Stick Duo” 2 Touch 3 Select a picture you want to delete with •To delete all pictures at once, select [ALL ERASE] (p. 58) (Print mark/Image protection) Selecting still images for printing (Print mark) 2 Touch t t t [PRINT MARK] Printing recorded images (PictBridge compliant printer) Connect the AC Adaptor to obtain power from the wall outlet Connecting your camcorder to the printer 2 Connect the (USB) jack of your Page Jacks to connect external devices Camcorder Handycam Station (DCR-HC46/HC96) DCR-HC36 DCR-HC46 Page Using a Computer Before referring to the “First Step Guide” on your computer •There are 2 ways to connect your camcorder to a computer –USB cable –i.LINK cable For details on connection, see “First Step Guide.” About “First Step Guide” “First Step Guide” is an instruction manual you can refer to on your computer About the help function of the software System requirements xFor Windows users Before referring to the “First Step Guide” on your computer (Continued) Others: USB port (This must be provided as standard), disc drive Others: xFor Macintosh users When using ImageMixer VCD2 OS: Mac OS X (v10.1.5 or later) Installing the software and “First Step Guide” on a computer before connecting your camcorder Installing on a Windows computer If the screen does not appear 4 Click [Install] Installing the software and “First Step Guide” on a computer (Continued) 1Read the License Agreement, then click [Next] 2Click [Next] 3Click [Finish] 14Remove the CD-ROMfrom the disc drive of your computer Installing on a Macintosh computer 4 Double-click CD-ROMicon 7 Double-click[IMXINST.SIT] in the folder it was copied to 8 Double-clickthe unzipped [ImageMixerVCD2_Install] 9 When the user acceptance screen is displayed, enter your name and password Viewing “First Step Guide” Displaying “First Step Guide” Starting up on a Windows computer Viewing with Microsoft Internet Explorer Ver.6.0 or later is recommended Double-clickthe icon on the desktop Creating a DVD (Direct Access to “Click to DVD”) Using the Direct Access to “Click to DVD” function for the first time •[Click to DVD Automatic Mode Launcher] is set up for each Windows XP user 1 Turn on the computer Close all applications running with an i.LINK 4 Insert a recorded cassette into your camcorder 6 Touch t [MENU] t (EDIT/PLAY) t [BURN DVD] t 7 Place a writable DVD in the disc drive of the computer 8 Touch [EXEC] on the screen of your camcorder [CAPTURING]: The picture recorded on the tape is being copied to the computer Creating a DVD (Direct Access to “Click to DVD”) (Continued) A/V jack A/V VCR Computer 1 Turn on the analog video unit 3 On the LCD screen, touch t[MENU] t (STANDARD SET) t [A/V t DV OUT] t [ON] 4 Start playback on the analog video unit 5 Start capturing procedures on your computer Troubleshooting Troubleshooting Overall operations/Easy Handycam The power does not turn on The camcorder does not operate even when the power is set to on Buttons do not work Troubleshooting (Continued) Batteries/Power sources The power abruptly turns off •Charge the battery pack (p. 13) The CHG (charge) lamp does not light while the battery pack is being charged LCD screen/viewfinder A rippling effect appears on the LCD screen when you touch it An unknown picture appears on the LCD screen or viewfinder An unknown indicator appears on the screen The picture remains on the LCD screen Cassette tapes The cassette cannot be ejected from the compartment The remaining tape indicator is not displayed The cassette is noisier during rewinding or fast-forwarding Page Page Adjusting the image during recording Refer also to “Menu” (p. 108) The auto focus does not function [STEADYSHOT] does not function The BACK LIGHT function does not function Tiny spots in white, red, blue, or green appear on the screen The color of the picture is not correctly displayed The screen picture is bright, and the subject does not appear on the screen Deactivate the NightShot plus The picture appears too bright, or flickering or changes in color occurs Image data stored on a “Memory Stick Duo” cannot be played back • Clean the head using the cleaning cassette (optional) (p. 129) Fine patterns flicker, diagonal lines look jagged (DCR-HC96) • Adjust [SHARPNESS] to the (soften) side (p. 51) No sound or only a low sound is heard Remote Commander The supplied Remote Commander does not function Another VCR malfunctions when you use the supplied Remote Commander Page Page Dubbing/Editing/Connecting to other devices Pictures from connected devices cannot be zoomed Time code and other information appear on the display of the connected device You cannot dub correctly using the A/V connecting cable New sound added to a recorded tape is not heard Connecting to a computer The computer does not recognize your camcorder An error message appears when you place the supplied CD-ROMin your computer You cannot view the pictures the camcorder is seeing on the computer You cannot view the video recorded on a tape on the computer You cannot view the video recorded on a tape on a Macintosh computer The Removable Disk does not appear on the computer screen xFor Windows Me x For Windows xFor Windows XP You cannot copy video and still images to the Windows computer The movie is not smooth during USB Streaming Picture Package does not function correctly An error message appears while operating Picture Package “First Step Guide” is not displayed correctly Warning indicators and messages Self-diagnosisdisplay/Warning indicators C:(or E:) ss:ss (Self-diagnosisdisplay) C:04:ss C:21:ss (DCR-HC96) xMoisture condensation %Z Moisture condensation. Eject the cassette (p. 129) %Moisture condensation. Turn off for 1H. (p. 129) xCassette/Tape QInsert a cassette. (p. 24) xPictBridge compliant printer Check the connected device Connect the camcorder to a PictBridge compatible printer Error. Cancel the task Cannot print. Check the printer (DCR-HC46 HC96) Additional Information Using your camcorder abroad Power supply On TV color systems Simple setting of the clock by time difference Usable cassette tapes You can use mini DV format cassettes only To prevent a blank section from being created on the tape Copyright signal xWhen you play back About the “Memory Stick” Types of “Memory Stick” Recording Playback “Memory Stick” •Do not disassemble or modify the “Memory Stick Duo.” •Do not let the “Memory Stick Duo” get wet xOn a location for use Do not use or keep the “Memory Stick Duo” in the following locations •Places under direct sunlight About the “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack have the mark What is an “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack To charge the battery pack To use the battery pack effectively About i.LINK What is i.LINK About the i.LINK Baud rate i.LINK’s maximum baud rate varies according to the device. There are 3 types S100 (approx. 100Mbps*) About i.LINK (Continued) is also indicated near the i.LINK interface on some devices * What is Mbps To use i.LINK functions on this unit About the required i.LINK cable Keep the Remote Commander and •If the battery electrolytic liquid has leaked –consult your local authorized Sony service facility –wash off any liquid that may have contacted your skin •Periodically turn on the camcorder and play a cassette for about 3 minutes Maintenance and precautions (Continued) LCD screen •Do not exert excessive pressure on the LCD screen, as it may cause damage The position of the “×” changes To cancel [CALIBRATION], touch [CANCEL] in step On charging the pre-installedrechargeable battery 3 months xProcedures To change the battery of the Remote Commander 2Place a new battery with the + side facing up Specifications System 2 rotary heads, Helical scanning system Exif Ver. 2.2*1 NTSC color, EIA standards f=5.1 ~ 51 mm (7/32 ~ 2 1/8 in.) When converted to a 35 mm still camera 42.8~ 495 mm (1 11/16 ~ 19 1/2 in.) (16:9)*2 45 ~ 450 mm (1 13/16 ~ 17 3/4 in.) (4:3) ~ 406 mm (1 5/8 ~ 16 in.) (16:9) 37 ~ 370 mm (1 1/2 ~ 14 5/8 in.) (4:3) F1.8 Filter diameter: 30 mm (1 3/16 in.) Specifications (Continued) General Handycam Station Input/Output connectors DCRA-C151 (DCR-HC46) DCRA-C152 (DCR-HC96) AC Adaptor AC-L25A/L25B Rechargeable battery pack NP-FP30 (DCR-HC36) NP-FP50 (DCR-HC46/HC96) DCR-HC A/V jack DV Interface Handycam Station LANC jack Index Numeric/Symbol Index (Continued) Page http://www.sony.net Printed in Japan

Getting Started 12

Recording/

Playback

Using the Menu

Dubbing/Editing

Using a Computer

Additional Information

© 2006 Sony Corporation