Sony DCRTRV250 Digital8 Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, USB Streaming and Remote
By: Sony Average Rating: 3.5 Total Reviews: 50
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 On: 2007-03-09
Great Sony Video Camera for the price. I can use this camera and convert my video to CD-Videos and DVD using the USB and Firewire connections.
 On: 2006-11-16
I have read the other reviews about the lawsuit, unfortunately, the blank screen is not my problem. After very little use I found that the battery supplied with the camera lasts considerably less than one tape. So, I thought, "its new, its worth it" I bought 2 large batteries, for about $100/battery. The batteries are no longer the problem, after a little more time(less than 6 total hours recorded)the camera dings and flashes what I would only consider to be an error code. Online support was no help, and said send it in. Unfortunately once again, this is a "Flat Rate" fix, and on this camera it is $211, I dont know if Im going to pay a flat rate to get it fixed, or play with a hammer and have $211 worth of therapy with it. 2 other family members own this camera, one has never been able to watch their videos and Sony said it is a software problem, but not their problem, and the other family member bought a different product less than 30 days of owning it.
 On: 2006-03-29
I have not had any problems with my camera, but I have two family members who have the same camera and have had the really common LCD screen going blank. Someone has sued Sony and Sony is going to repair these cameras or reimburse you if you already had it fixed. Go to this link (http://www.sony.com/ccdservice) My faith is somewhat restored in Sony, but it is pretty bad it took a lawsuit for Sony to pony up the dough and correct their mistake.
by: emeraldstar_castle_media On: 2006-01-27
EXPERIENCE THE INCREDIBLE FEATURES OF THE SONY DIGITAL8® CAMCORDER!
PLAYS THRU YOUR COMPUTER AND RECORDS TO A DVD...THIS IS A NICE UNIT, EASY TO USE..!
The Sony® DCR-TRV250 camcorder delivers all the benefits of Digital8 recording quality in a smaller chassis.
The TRV250 features a 2.5-inch color LCD display and you can make your own digital-quality movies!
In addition to its crisp, clear digital video and stereo audio, the Sony TRV250 can also stream live and recorded moving video to a PC via USB.
Transfer video to your PC via iLink interface (also known as FireWire) to edit your masterpiece with the included software.
Sonys SteadyShot picture stabilization smoothes and steadies your images without degrading picture quality. Sony does it with motion sensors--a more accurate system than those used by many other camcorders on the market.
Now you can capture video even in total darkness.
Sonys NightShot system uses infrared light to capture images invisible to the human eye.
You can shoot subjects such as a sleeping baby up to 10 feet away in total darkness.
Sonys Stamina power management system and InfoLithium battery give the TRV250 incredible operating time.
To keep tabs on battery life, Sonys AccuPower meter displays the number of minutes remaining--right in the viewfinder!
The Sony TRV250 measures 3.63 by 4.00 by 7.88 inches.
FEATURES INCLUDE:
**) 20X Optical/700X Digital Zoom
**) 2.5" SwivelScreen LCD Display
**) SteadyShot Picture Stabilization System
**) NightShot Infrared 0 Lux System
**) Photo Mode
**) Digital8 System
**) 1/6" CCD 460K Pixels
**) USB Streaming Feature
**) i.LINK DV Interface
**) Built-In Light (3 Watt)
**) On screen Battery Information
**) InfoLithium Battery with AccuPower Meter System
**) Digital Program Editing
**) Program AE (Auto Exposure) Modes
**) Picture Effects Mode
This package includes the TRV250 camcorder, power adaptor/in-camera charger InfoLithium rechargeable battery, wireless remote, AV cable, lens cap, shoulder strap, USB cable, two AA batteries, and CD-ROM with PIXELA ImageMixer Version 1.5 software and USB driver software.
Model No: DCR-TRV250 (R)
Weight: 5.5 Lbs.
On: 2005-09-29
Sony camcorders have a factory defect that the ccd screen goes black when in record mode after a few tapes of use. I was asked to pay $270 to fix it. Beware.. there are thousands of such reported problems on this and other camcorder review sites. I would suggest that you read them before buying a Sony product.
On: 2005-09-12
At the beginning this camcorder seemed perfect, great video, easy to use, and the price made it an excellent value. I bought this camcorder because I figured it would be reliable. Unfortunately, after using the camera for about 18 months, the CCD failed. The camera now just records dark fuzzy ghostly video. The repair shop claims that almost all Sony digital camcorder CCDs are defective in design which eventually causes a capicitor in the CCD board to die. The CCD can be replaced for around $250, but the replacement designs are also defective and arent guaranteed to last any longer than the originals. So, in summary, you will love this camera for the few days or months that it lasts but then youll swear that youll never buy Sony again after the camcorder fails and you find out how unhelpful the Sony service department is. Before buying this camera do a google search for "Sony black screen failure" and youll find hundreds of cases of people experiencing the same problem I did. If you talk to Sony, theyll tell you that they have never had another customer with the same problem.
On: 2005-07-13
I purchased a Sony DCR TRV 250 digital camera new about 15 months ago. I took excellent care of it and suddenly the LCD went blank during my Ph.D. graduation ceremony ("a SONY Moment"). In this state of disrepair, the camera is not worth a nickel. I am very frustrated and angry with SONY as they have not responded to my email inquiries. After finally reaching them by phone, I was told SONY repairs would cost approximately $280 with shipping. I dont think so! I feel very deceived. SONY is now "unplugged" in my house - for good.
It is my understanding that there is a class action suit in progress and I am also notifying the Attorney General in New York. Its too bad SONY could not stand by their products and quit gouging customers for using cheap electronics. The real question here is whether or not SONY is committed to sound moral and ethical principles regarding the sale of defective products.
On: 2005-06-10
"There is no picture or a black screen appears in the viewfinder or LCD when attempting to record."
Knowledge Article C116445
====================================
Well, this happened to my camera after 15 months after very light use.
Minimium repair charge is $269.
On: 2005-05-28
The only problem I have ever had has just started...after a year of owning the "Sony DCRTRV250 Digital 8" I cant stream online anymore.
I do LIVE webcaming with my family on the other side of the USA and also in South America with my wifes family. Audio is always SUPER...Video is ALWAYS SUPER.
But last week I started to transfer a video that I recorded the day before...while it was saving, the image on the screen blinked like 5 times and went blank.
After that...my computer was not able to recognize the USB connection.
I thought it might be the USB wire, so I bought a new wire and that didnt seem to be the problem.
So I think that the USB connector on the cameras side might be kind of weak and is probably damaged easily.
Im afraid to go out there to fix it. Im sure they will charge me a fortune.
[...]
Thank You.
On: 2005-04-20
I have the same problem with my Sony DCR-TRV250 that more and more customers are reporting...after about 14 months, my viewfinder and LCD went completely black when in the recording mode. At the onset of this problem, the screens would display jagged, horizontal lines when I would first turn the camera on, but they would go away after about 5 minutes. After a couple of weeks of only moderate use, the screens were black and stayed black after turning the camera on. The viewfinder and LCD play back video perfectly, so I know that the screens are not the problem. This is so frustrating because it seems like this is a very common problem with this camera that Sony seems content to ignore...unless youre willing to pay $250 to have it repaired.
In general, this camera performed pretty well for the first 14 months...the pictures were mostly sharp, the microphone was very sensitive, and it feels good in your hand. However, indoor shooting was somewhat grainy, and the video light didnt seem to have much range, rendering it useless for subjects further than about 8 feet from the lens.
This black screen problem, though, makes this camera useless now. I have done some research on the problem from other users, and it seems that the CCD block goes bad. The CCD is pretty easy to access once you take the camera apart, but getting a replacement is very difficult. Unfortunately, when I spoke to Sonys technician, I had to explain to him what a CCD is and what its function is, so Im not too confident that Im going to get the right part.
Instead, it seems Im relegated to buying a new camera, and this was the last Sony product I will ever buy.
On: 2005-04-17
Before you purchase this camcorder, do a web search for DCRTRV250 Black screen. You will find a problem that some owners of this camcorder have had. It appears after about 1 year. The viewfinder and LCD screen go black. This is not something you did and it is not something you can fix yourself. In my opinion it is caused by a defective part.
The standard cost of repairing the camcorder is $269.00 not including shipping or additional parts and labor. I do not know if the part they replace is equally defective and I dont know if the repair is under warrenty.
It is my opinion that, regardless of the warranty, a camcorder should last longer than a year. Needless to say this is frustrating. Unfortunately, I will be shopping for a new camera.
I have learned a lesson here. In the future, when I buy a high tech product, Ill get one with a good warranty from a company which stands behind its products.
If you know how to repair this sort of equipment on your own the cost of the part is about $120.00.
It was a great camcorder when it worked. It had a really nice feel in the hand. It was easy to use and slick. I liked that I could mport all my tapes into my Mac using Imovie.
On: 2005-04-11
I used this camera an average of 1x a month. I recently went on vacation and the screen went blank. Contacted sony... link to a texas website where they will charge over $260.00, decided to open it and see if anything was loose. I removed the chip that is attached to the zoom lens and found some minor dust, blow it put it back, turn the cam on and wala! working, and I was gonna buy another one.
I gave this cam a 4 since the actual camera does a very good job. The software is very basic, to me was easy to use, but not good to keep your memories. I have an ATI all in wonder with Pinnacle and ulead and with that my camera is a 5 stars.
The cam is also an excellent webcam, crystal clear, but I wouldnt use the usb to transfer 1hr film with a slow system and small Hard Drive.
On: 2005-01-21
Do NOT even THINK about buying a Sony without also purchasing the best extended warranty available! It was a good camera while it lasted - exactly 13 months! The manufacturers warranty is one year, and alas, I did NOT purchase an extended warranty. I took good care of it, and always stored it in a case. I used it rarely, to tape wrestling meets and other school events. I tried to use it the other day for the first time in a few months, and the LCD shows no picture - only horizontal lines. Sonys answer is for me to ship it to Texas, AFTER I prepay a flat rate fee of $269 (plus tax, of course)! A brand new one can be purchased for less than that on sale! Bummer.
On: 2005-01-16
Similar to one of the other reviews I just read, my camera quit working after 1 year. The image through the view finder became distorted and thats what it recorded when I tried to use it.
I had only used the camera a hnadful of times, and I kept it in its case. Sony has a 90 day warranty for labor, and a 1 year warranty for parts. I was told it would be $290 for parts and labor, but since I was still under warranty for parts, it would only be $233! What a deal!
Ive had problems with other Sony products as well (stereo receiver) so Im done with them!
On: 2005-01-11
This camera is just over a year old when I went to record with it and the image was black with a white circle. Thats exactly how everything recorded! Their tech determined that it had to be repaired at a cost of $280. Of course, even though it was only a few weeks over warranty nothing would be covered. This camera was never abused and essentially I paid $400 to record about two or three tapes over the period of one year. What a rip off! This was the first time I bought a Sony in 40+ years and it will be the last. I had an RCA that lasted over 14 years, used extensively and never required service. I had expected a Sony product to at least last 1/2 as long. WRONG!!
On: 2004-12-31
My wife and I purchased this item 7 months ago and it has stopped working already. Sony has offered to pay for the parts to fix it, but the labor will cost $216!! We only paid $250 for the camcorder!
Buy another brand and avoid this type of [...]!!
On: 2004-12-17
I bought this camcorder for my wife to save her using my Sony PDX-10. I also did not want one that was tiny. My main beef with it and with my PDX-10 is the software to connect it to a PC stinks. This company could learn a lot from Apple. It was not my incompetence I discovered a whole message board of others making the same complaint. Fot the gentleman wo lost his CD dont bother replacing it buy some third party software.
One advantage of the D8 format is you can use cheap tapes (my daughter records her theater practise sessions) and you can use it for old Hi-8 tapes.
On: 2004-10-12
Well, I like this camcorder a lot. My daddy and I made some nice homemade videos, hehehe, and they came out perfect. Good color and clarity to where you can see "everything". I love how you can watch the video you just made on the camcorder itself. Many more fun times to be had with Daddy.
by: author_a_restless_knight On: 2004-04-12
I basically have been torturing my kitty learning this. But its easy to use. I have sworn I cannot get good pictures of kitty because she does not slow down. Now I came have a kitty cam!! hehehe. Seriously, the pictures were sharp. I had now trouble loading there. Its small, compact and basically great fun for a cheap price. Hard to believe Sony that reasonable.I only give it four stars because it I am still learning, so dont know enough about to give it really high rating as compared to others.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-04-09
I had my camcorder for 4 months. I used it 3-4 times when I first got it. Than when I went on vacation (only days after the 90 warrantly expired) it did not work. When I called customer service when I got home, they told me it would cost $290 to fix it. I am still hashing it out with them, however they have not offered me an acceptable response so far. Basically I paid $360 for a camera I was only able to use 3-4 times, and now its worthless. Even worse, if you read the troublshooting guide you will find that you will have problems when you take the camera to another climate. They claim it can adjust after 1 hour, but mine did not. Needless to say, I did not get to record any footage from my vacation...and Im very unhappy with Sony.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-03-28
Great quality, comfortable, easy operation. Wonderful night shoot feature. Amazing zoom power. Very handy remote control (Beware of TRV260 model that doesnt come with remote and still costs much more!)
A great buy at this price. I love the thin and wide mode too, it is fun.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-02-17
The camera takes excellent video. The picture and sound are crisp and clear-- even when played on my big screen Hitachi Hi Def TV (the picture is not hi def, of course, but still looks marvelous). 5 stars on picture and sound.The problem is transfering video to my PC. Ive tried both USB 1.1 (using both a USB 1.1 and 2.0 cable into a 2.0 connection) and Firewire cable. It is jittery and jumpy. It looks like old 8mm film and not clear and crisp like it does direct to the television. 2 stars on video capture. Which brings me to Sonys video software. It is, well, hideous. No clue how to use it. It comes with no real instructions, only on what all the buttons are but not how to use them. Worse, I cant designate where I want the captured video to go (I cant select the drive. Rather than capturing the video to my 120 G external hard drive, it will only capture to my 10 G internal. This is obviously a problem. 0 stars for video software, which also acts to capture. Perhaps I should go 0 stars on video capture also? Sony, you must do better than this. The camera itself is great. Everything else stinks.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-01-14
The camcorder is nice, with accpetable picture quality. However mine started giving error c:31:42 just after 7 months, though I havent used much. I checked the mannual and it states that the error codes starting with the letter c can be fixed by users.
I followed the possible solutions but wasnt able too fix the problem. I called sony they told me that it needs service and they will charge US $216 for labor.
This is totally unacceptable for a camcorder which is worth around $330.
I just cant believe that a company like sony is charging 2/3 of the original price to fix an error which according to their own mannual can be fixed by users. I would now think twice before buying any sony product.
My advice is to buy an extended warranty when you buy a sony camcorder or look for a differnt brand like samsung etc.
On: 2004-01-14
The sony dcr250 is a great price for a great camcorder. It has very high quality video and 5.1 suround sound (If you have a extra speakers atached to your tv). Its only when it comes to putting it onto your pc where theres a problem if you dont have a firewire cable and port then its crap but hay it only costs 20 pounds from Amozon and it really easy to install. When or if you have got the firewire it is 100% perfect. So overall a great camara rubbish usb streaming but perfect when you use a I link 1394 (firewire). Thanks Amazon its alot cheaper here.
On: 2004-01-08
I found this camera to be very good, for the money. But the manual indicates that it can record from an analog source - which you cant.
On: 2004-01-06
When I first purchased this camcorder I was very happy with what you could do with it, but within less than a year of use I could no longer charge the battery or download my video into my computer(the problem being the camera and not the battery, the charger, or fire wire). I have been very careful with this camera, never dropped it, wet it, or banged it. It was always carefully put away when not in use, so I know my treatment of this camera was not at fault, but now I have a useless piece of equipment and in order to repair it my only option is to send it to Sony for a minimum charge of $232.00 plus shipping. There is no authorized repair center in my area or even within a 150 miles of where I live and those repair centers that Sony listed will not touch this camera. If you do purchase this camera I recommend also purchasing an extended warranty. I wrongly assumed that Sony would manufacture a product that would last more that 10 months!
On: 2003-12-31
Im really happy with this camcorder. Lightweight and fun to use. The step-up 350 version offers a few more features, but I decided they werent worth the extra money to me.Yes, the included software is a joke, but Microsoft MovieMaker 2.0 has been working wonderfully for me. I use the camera mostly indoors and it performs very well under less-than-ideal lighting conditions. Speaking of less-than-ideal lighting, the Nightshot mode is fun to play with.
On: 2003-12-24
This is a great camera for the money. Works good in low light, picks up sound very well, is light, and has a lot of bells and whistles. BUT, if you are going to download your movies to your pc, junk the program it comes with. It just dont work. You will need to get the Firewire card. Another 80 bucks. But once you get that, it runs great.
On: 2003-12-09
i bought the sony dcr trv 250 based on sonys name. i was overall satisfied with the quality of the video and the ease of use of hte camera. needless to say sony delivers. however, it cant play back my old hi-8 tapes so that sucks. i would really have loved that functionality as well.
On: 2003-12-05
This camera is great. It does the job and fits into my budget. I was debating between this and the Canon ZR65 but found that this Sony has better quality. I checked at Best Buy to see the image quality and it helped a lot. The only benefit I saw in getting the canon was to take still pictures and it has a slot for memory card. But the still pictures are poor quality and meant for a digi-cam which I recently purchased too. =) This Sony trv250 camcorder gave me everything I wanted: best picture quality for lowest price, digital and capability to transfer to pc. When you watch the videos, the picture looks perfect. But once you record it onto vhs, you lose picture quality but thats due to the VHS technology. One of the main reasons I got this is to transfer the videos to my pc. The software it came with sucks. It saves it as .mpg which is great, but I couldnt even save a 20 mins video. It crashed several times. So I ended up using windows movie maker and it made my video fine but as an .avi format. I need to find a program that converts the .avi to .mpg so I can burn into vcd. One big flaw though is when you transfer the video using usb (its 1.0, not 2.0), it becomes choppy, unbelievably choppy. I was scared I couldnt transfer videos anymore as it can get very annoying watching my home videos choppy. So I went out and got a firewire card and tried again and it worked smoothly. I was getting nervous about my purchase but it worked out. The night version is awesome. In a pitch dark room, I can see everything, in green. Its infrared vision makes me feel like a G.I. Joe. I took this camcorder out to the dessert and videotaped my trip and it came out well. My friends thought the quality was pretty good too. The accessories that I bought were a stand, NPFM70 battery that lasts 4+ hrs, camera protective lens for the dusty times (avoid scratches on the actual lens), digital8 tapes (it shouldve at least came with one, cheap-a*s Sony), and a camcorder backpack to keep everything. All in all, for the price of the camera, I think it was a great purchase.
On: 2003-12-04
This camera is great. It does the job and fits into my budget. I was debating between this and the Canon ZR65 but found that this Sony has better quality. I checked at Best Buy to see the image quality and it helped a lot. The only benefit I saw in getting the canon was to take still pictures and it has a slot for memory card. But the still pictures are poor quality and meant for a digi-cam which I recently purchased too. =) This Sony trv250 camcorder gave me everything I wanted: best picture quality for lowest price, digital and capability to transfer to pc. When you watch the videos, the picture looks perfect. But once you record it onto vhs, you lose picture quality but thats due to the VHS technology. One of the main reasons I got this is to transfer the videos to my pc. The software it came with sucks. It saves it as .mpg which is great, but I couldnt even save a 20 mins video. It crashed several times. So I ended up using windows movie maker and it made my video fine but as an .avi format. I need to find a program that converts the .avi to .mpg so I can burn into vcd. One big flaw though is when you transfer the video using usb (its 1.0, not 2.0), it becomes choppy, unbelievably choppy. I was scared I couldnt transfer videos anymore as it can get very annoying watching my home videos choppy. So I went out and got a firewire card and tried again and it worked smoothly. I was getting nervous about my purchase but it worked out. The night version is awesome. In a pitch dark room, I can see everything, in green. Its infrared vision makes me feel like a G.I. Joe. I took this camcorder out to the dessert and videotaped my trip and it came out well. My friends thought the quality was pretty good too. The accessories that I bought were a stand, NPFM70 battery that lasts 4+ hrs, camera protective lens for the dusty times (avoid scratches on the actual lens), digital8 tapes (it shouldve at least came with one, cheap-a*s Sony), and a camcorder backpack to keep everything. All in all, for the price of the camera, I think it was a great purchase.
On: 2003-11-01
Well, when it comes down to it, its a nice little camera. Picture quality is good, has USB streaming, the digital zoom is very good. The only complaints I have is that the zoom button is a TAD too high, and the battery only lasts about a hour and a half if youre not using the LCD screen. So pick up another battery and youre set.Great first-time-camcorder.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-10-20
We mainly bought this camera to take on our Bahamas cruise. We had played with it around the house & everything seemed great, & we were looking forward to being able to have some video of our vacation. The zoom is great. However, almost every time we took the camera out to use, it wouldnt work! Apparently, going from an air-conditioned cabin to the humidity outside was too much for it, & it wouldnt operate. Someone else on our cruise said they had the same problem. We always keep the camera in its case, & we didnt anticipate this problem at all. So, unfortunately, we didnt get a lot on video, & we were quite disappointed. The camera was lucky its not at the bottom of the Caribbean!
On: 2003-09-20
I bought this Camera 2 weeks ago from Sears for $200. What a purchase, previously I had a Samsung SCD27, that camera was great but I didnt like its low light recording so I got the TRV250.The Camera is great, however the motor is noisey but it doesnt show up on the video which is of a high quality. Particularly in the low light/dark the Sony really shines, whereas the Samsung had a slight (annoying) grain to its shots, the Sony does not. I use Windows Movie Maker to Capture the Video (AVI format) then use the free program Tmpgenc from Tmpgenc.net to convert the AVI file to Mpeg1 VCD format. Great Results. I was also missing a lens cap on my camcorder, so I phoned Sony and they sent me a free replacement because I was within the 90 day warranty period. Great service. However the 90 day warranty period could be longer, the Samsung gave you 180 days so long as you registered your product!
by: Anonymous On: 2003-07-19
This is an excellent product. Sharp picture and color. Easy, light to handle. Takes a little practice to learn to hold it nice and steady. Suggest buying an additional, more powerful battery to have 2, they can be charged in the camera. Image Mixer software loaded easily on Windows ME. True, you cant change tapes while its mounted on a tripod, but big deal. Nature lovers just plan ahead if youre going to shoot for hours and hours.
On: 2003-06-18
The main reason I bought this camera is so that I could (finally) digitize the 8mm tapes we had recorded of our first son. We were given a Sony anolog camcorder as a gift about 4 years ago. We could not trade it in for a digital and so we decided that one day we would either get a video bridge or update to DV. Our hand was forced when our old camera died. Although I really wanted a miniDV camcorder I thought that it would be more practical to stay with a camera that used 8mm tapes. Well, this camera can use those tapes...but it cant play them back if they were recorded with an analog camcorder. Looks like I will have to return this unit in favor of the Sony 350 which DOES appear to be backwards compatible.
On: 2003-06-03
I researched this product before I bought and it has had a lot of great reviews. Basically, for the price, its a great camera for first time buyers who want a decent digital camera.Sony makes good products - I looked at other cameras of the same type and others looked cheaper. Biggest mistake when using: I used nightshot to try and capture some Vegas lights (at night of course) and everything was green! Dont use nightshot unless your in an unlit area - youll be able to tell through the viewfinder if your getting a picture or not - That was my only problem and that is why I gave it four stars - they dont mention the color problem in the manual. Otherwise great first camera at a great price.
On: 2003-05-12
Other than a few really dumb design flaws, this camera is perfect. I didnt want to spend a fortune on an all-digital camcorder, and I wanted better quality than a regular 8mm. This digital-8 format is perfect! The price of the camera cant be beat, especially considering the high quality. The video is crystal clear and the still photo feature is really wonderful. The camera is easy to use and very lightweight. The still photos I took came out really well, even when people were moving around. The night vision feature is amazing and Ive been having alot of fun with it. The only things I dont like about this camera are:
1. The battery only lasts for about an hour, and getting a 2nd battery with a charger & accessories costs almost as much as the camera itself.
2. The Hi-8 tapes only last one hour so you constantly have to change them. They also take FOREVER to rewind.
3. When you have a tripod screwed into the bottom of the camera, you cannot change the tape without removing the camera from the tripod! If they had moved that over about 1/2 inch it would be fine.
4. The included software is horrible and doesnt work very well at all. It was written in Japanese and most of the English translation makes no sense. I would not recommend even installing it. Instead, get something like Vegas Video or even Ulead Video Studio (which came with the Firewire card I purchased) to get the videos into your computer. These are just simple little inconveniences that anybody can live with to get such a high quality camera at a great price! I would recommend installing a Firewire card into the computer if you plan on using that for video editing. If you arent going to connect the camera to a computer, the included video cable makes it really easy to hook up to a VCR. The remote control is great for controlling the camera when watching your videos. As stupid as it sounds, I never realized how much easier it is with the remote. All in all, this is a great camera at a great price and I would highly recommend it to anyone. No, its not professional grade, but its perfect for the average Joe that wants to capture everyday stuff.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-05-10
This camcorder offers great features for a low price. Its video quality is excelent, zoom works very well, the software that sony offers is great to create home videos. Its necesary a good computer for better quality. I suggest you a Pentium 4. You can download the videos in a Pentium III, but it result a little slow.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-04-26
I had been saving for a nice camera and had done some looking. First at some analog cameras then some Digital. Next I came across this one and I looked at it for a long time. Then decided to buy it. Its light and nightvision did great as well for daytime. The only negative thing I could think of was my old charger isnt compatible with this one. For the most part this camera is great.
On: 2003-04-24
My first experience with a video camera was an old full sized VHS camera with about 10 minutes of battery life and a profile that made me look like someone from News at 11. After being out of the video scene for 10+ years, I did the research and decided that the Sony line was best. Well, today I went out to the local Wal-Mart and saw this model and played with it for about 10 minutes. I really was able to figure out the basic controls very quickly and was blown away when I could zoom in quickly across the store to the mole on a clerks face. The checkbook was doomed when I realized the camera was steady enough to count the hairs growing from the mole!!For me and most first time camcorder buyers, this model has more than enough features, which are listed in the review. I especially like that it hooked up to my Windows XP Home Edition system without an error. I was playing with my first streaming USB movie in 10 minutes. I took the camera outside at dusk and was able to record close up objects with amazing clarity. The Remote Commander works great -- I even have the added "feature" of being able to turn my stereo on and off with it!! The only "drawbacks" would be the short battery life (you really need to get a longer life battery which is readily available and at a good price.) The other problem for me is the bottom loading of the tape cartridge which means removing the camera from the tripod to change tapes.
On: 2003-04-21
We decided to go with the digital8 format for our upcoming first baby as the quality is similar to miniDV but the camcorders are about [$$$] less right now. Plus the Hi-8 tapes that digital8 uses are cheaper too.I am very pleased with the results so far and it seems like an excellent camcorder. The low-light is good enough and the daylight is spectacular. I have already shot a clip of our dog, transferred via firewire to our PC, converted it to a smaller size and emailed it. The quality is great. I look forward to getting a DVD writer and archiving our baby videos. If you like the Sony name and dont want to spend the [$$$] for a Sony miniDV camcorder, this is the one to get.
On: 2003-04-17
After purchasing this camcorder, I found out that the USB Streaming did not work with our Macintosh G4 Powerbook. You have to get the TRV 350 model if you want to use USB Streaming with a Mac - something the salesman did not tell us. Otherwise you have to purchase extra stuff (card, cable, etc.) for iLink. Also the ImageMixer software that comes with this camera is a total nightmare! After several hours I still was unable to make it do anything I wanted it to do. Yes, theres a manual for the software, but it was impossible to find any answers in it.
I loved the camera itself and all of its features, but I took it back to get something that would work better for me.
On: 2003-04-01
This is my first camcoder. I did some homework before I bought it. This little camera has a lot features for the money. The battery that comes with the camera doesnt last long. One thing I dont like is that you have to charge the battery on the camera. On the other side the colors are crisp clear and the sound is excellent. I took it to Universal Studios last weekend with the family and it was very easy to use all the way around. Ill give it a 4.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-03-28
i bought one my self. it is wicked good. the only problem is it dosnt have a memory stick. i give it a great rating. if your looking for a camera under 500 bucks, grab this 1 rite now.
On: 2003-03-22
Almost a best MiniDV camera quality for this price.
Little bulky compared to a MiniDV camera, but you have
to pay at least twice the price. You can use cheap 8mm
cassette too(use Hi8, LP mode to get 90min).USB video transfer is best for VCD creation, use Firewire
if you want DVD quality.
On: 2003-03-20
The picture and sound are crisp and good. The color was washed out and could be more accurate. The manual and camera lacked what I needed to compensate for washed out color. The motor noise didnt appear in the video, but was annoying for indoor recording and operation. The zoom button wasnt the easiest to reach.If youve used Sony camcorders in the past, I imagine that you will be satisfied. But, ultimately, I wanted something smaller, quieter, and uses MiniDV.
On: 2003-03-18
I used to own SONY TRV 340. I bought the TRV 250 for less and found that it is much better than TRV 340. TRV 340 costs around two times as the TRV 250. But it is an old model so dont buy it if I were you. You can connect to computer easily with USB port for the TRV 250. For TRV 340, you have to buy separate firewire card and software. It is a bad idea to take still pictures into memory stick for a digital camcorder. The quality of the picture wont be good. Get a digital camera instead.
On: 2003-03-17
Yesterday I became an owner of Sony TRV 250 camcorder. This was my first camera and Id done a lot of homework before this buying decision. The camera is good: it has all the features I need, but:
- the sound is a bit "metallic", and you have to edit the clip manually in order to avoid this sound, which in some cases turns to be very annoying;
- the battery life is really short. The standard battery lasts about 70 minutes, even if the camera tells you that 100 minutes are available for shooting;
- the supplied software is strange, not to say more. Ive been in software development business for 6 years, from a developer to a CEO and back to developer, but I havent seen such an UNfriendly user interface. Otherwise, the camera is good and will be your or your childs close companion in social events or in sightseeing. My rating of this camera is 4 of 5.
On: 2003-02-27
Our family has really enjoyed this camcorder. We just wish that we had had it for past vacations. Its so easy to use and gives you so much quality for such a small price! We have digital movies for the future at such a reasonable price. We cant wait to burn our movies to DVD once we get our DVD burner. This cam makes the future possible. It has all of the features of a great camcorder and leaves the digital camera options out; thats for our digital camera :)
On: 2003-02-15
better than the 240, and cheaper. Yeah the 240 has 25X zoom , and this one has 20, but youll never be able to tell the difference. And youll thank me later for getting something with such superior quality that allows you to record onto 8mm tapes. For this price, this is a must have. If youre an aspiring screenwriter/movie buff like myself, you can record your own low/no budget movies, transfer them easily to your computer (using provided or other software), edit them "professionally" (your limit is your own creativity), and even lay mp3 tracks as background music. I mean cmon. This price for a DIGITAL camcorder. How can you afford NOT to have one.
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