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Sony Handycam DCR-TRV250 Digital-8 CamcorderThe DCR-TRV250 delivers all the benefits of Digital8® recording quality in a smaller chassis. And with the USB streaming feature, you...
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The DCR-TRV250 delivers all the benefits of Digital8® recording quality in a smaller chassis. And with the USB streaming feature, you can turn your camcorder into a video conferencing tool or webcam. Stream live and recorded moving video to a PC via USB! Make your own digital-quality movies. Stream and share content. This remarkably value-priced unit delivers amazingly crisp and clear Digital8® video, which allows you to transfer video to your personal computer via its iLINK® DV input/output (iLINK® DV interface cable sold separately). Kit includes the DCR-TRV250 Camcorder and the free Carrying Case
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34 Reviews from Shopping.com
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Excellent choice for Digital Camcorder beginners
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Pros: Plenty of features for intermediate users; more than enough for beginners for the price.
Cons: Included battery only lasts 1hour. Bottom load of cartridge requires removal of camera from tripod.
The Bottom Line:
If you are just starting with Digital Video, I would highly recommend this product. Sony has gone all out on Digital Video and it shows!!
After doing a lot of web research, I became sold on the Sony brand, but the prices on the MiniDV systems (my first choice) were way out of line, for someone who would only be doing casual recordings of family events and video hobbyist subjects. I had a chance to test out this model in the local Wal-Mart and was sold, even though Web prices are less, as I tend to buy quickly. I judge a model by how many features I can figure out without cracking a manual, and this model lived up to all my expectations. The digital zoom (easily turned on in the menu), could so crisply zoom in on a face across the store that you could count hairs in a facial mole!! After getting it home, I easily figured out the basic features, installed the software on my PC (Windows XP Home edition}, and had my first USB streaming movie in 15 minutes. Some other reviews have complained about the software installs on a MacIntosh, but the install on Windows was trouble free. (Just remember to install the software before attaching the camera physically to the PC.) The video quality was excellent, and the color quality in low and/or difficult lighting was excellent --- it just works without a lot of tweaking and fiddling. The only drawbacks are the bottom load of tapes and the short battery life (which is remedied with a Sony accessory battery--I bought the NP-FM50). Neither of these drawbacks would change my mind about this fine camera!!
Update for 1/4/04
1. I have stopped using Hi-8 tapes in favor of Sony's Digital-8 tapes (Part #N8-60P2) Available at Wal-Mart for about $13.00 for a 3-pack.
2. I have just connected the camcorder to my PC using a "firewire" card and a cable to the DV port on the camcorder. While I won't go into detail here on the editing software (You can read about Microsoft Movie Maker and Pinnacle's Studio 8 elsewhere on Epinions), I can say that this connection seems faster than the USB. You can also re record your edited movie back on to a blank tape, Video CD, or burn your own DVD movie.
The only drawback is that an added firewire card sometimes causes problems with the PC staying "shut down." It tends to reboot itself over and over again. You will need to adjust your power management settings in the computer's BIOS.
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