Sony CCD-TR940 Hi8 XR Stereo camcorder first test

[tunkunrunk]

I own mini dv tape camcorder , is HI8 video quality better than mini dv ?

[vwest7ife]

@tunkunrunk No, MiniDV is digital. Hi8 is analog.

[wallace758]

can any fix this for me? Im having a c31:11 problem

[mika961]

do you can move the date out of the film???

[vwest7ife]

@mika961 Yes.

[bakonfreek]

its like my VHS camcorder, but less loud

[charvelgtrs]

That's some hi-tech shit right there. Does it have night shot?

[vwest7ife]

@charvelgtrs Yes.

[ZackTheBeast99]

could I just plug in a external mic and then would you not hear that noise when you move it?

[bakonfreek]

do tape cameras usually have a loud tape mechanisms?

[vwest7ife]

@bakonfreek Some do. It depends on how close the microphone is to the tape motor.

[bakonfreek]

@vwest7ife does it also depend on how damaged the drumhead motor is? cause the one on my dad's old VHS camcorder makes a groaning noise in the BG all the time...ever since 1998

[lonskieg]

Can I please know how to connect my old camcorder to my computer? Thanks in advance.

[vwest7ife]

@lonskieg You need an analog video capture device. Or, you can transfer the video to DVD using a standalone DVD recorder, and then read the DVD with your computer.

[allanyamaha]

haha 90's

[SymmetryRolling]

how do you make it so that thing that say's the date doesnt come up?

[vwest7ife]

You turn off Auto Date in the menu options, then push the Date and Time buttons until the on-screen displays disappear.

[AnalogueJosh]

The video seems a little bit more noisy than the Digital8, however it seems that the color and brightness are much better with this camera, also I don't notice any pink fringing with this.

Now go out in the daylight and test out that night-shot mode... :D

[vwest7ife]

You are correct... the Hi8-XR video is more fuzzy and grainy than Digital8, but it doesn't have the pixellation and "rainbow fringing" that Digital8 exhibits (at least with the standard 460k-pixel CCD; Sony did have a few Digital8 models with the hi-res 1.07 megapixel CCD).

[survivor030406]

@vwest7ife which Digital8 camera models had 1.07 megapixel CCD?

[SlimeTron5000]

Also, spot focus is fucking obnoxious and annoying with digital video cameras!

[SlimeTron5000]

My Asus motherboard contains a sound card. It has two pink 3½ millimetre sockets - a socket is located at the front, and behind of the desktop computer case. I plugged two microphones in both sockets. I adjusted the channel positions, and this methodology made me realize that it defeats the purpose of buying a stereo microphone!

[jedw]

I like how you can put the tape in the digital 8 and firewire it. The only way I know to get VHS to youtube is with a capture card- and their a pain to use.

[vwest7ife]

Most Digital8 camcorders also have composite and S-video inputs so you could use one to capture any analog video source and stream it "live" to the PC through FireWire (without even needing to record it to tape first).

[pcwalker]

At first, I thought you had a Motorola HT like the P25 radio I have. That is a BIG charger. The video was still processing then, but after it was done I could see the Sony name on the charger.

[Trance88]

I think this camera puts out a better picture than the digital Hi8 camera! I'd love to be able to find one of these cameras.

[vwest7ife]

The image is a bit brighter than the Digital8 camera in low light, but not as crisp. The main thing I like is the less tape noise in the audio (at least once it quiets down); since Digital8 runs the tape at double speed, it makes more tape motor whine than analog Hi8.

[Mrtechguy94]

That halogen bulb is a great feature, but doesn't that suck up a lot of power from the battery?

[vwest7ife]

Yes it does, but the battery I have is huge -- the highest capacity one Sony made for these camcorders.

[weasel2htm]

I've got a new Flash based Sony Camcorder, It came today (it's at a friends house as I'm out of town for the long weekend) when I get home I plan to do a demo, We'll see how the old and the new compare.

[weasel2htm]

Haven't heard Seal in a long time.