Sony DCRTRV460 Digital8 Handycam Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom
By: Sony Average Rating: 3.5 Total Reviews: 44
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 On: 2007-08-06
I bought mine in late 2005, but didnt use it when I was overseas because the supplied software was TERRIBLE and I never could get it to work. I ended up using the video capture on my separate Digital camera. So, a year later, I fired it up this week and spent an entire day trying to play a video I recorded yesterday on my PC... being a digital video novice, here are the caveats you need to know after I spent all day on it, plus read all 43 review before this one:
- I like the features of the camera, the zoom and fold out screen, but the pain is usability and working with the videos or pictures once you take them. If you just want to take taped videos, and watch them on a TV using the provided AV cable, it is ok, but NOT if you want to see or use the video on a PC and edit it. So read on...
- You really need a second battery, which I ordered automatically, which added to the price. Some of the reviews here say you can use 3rd party batteries, but others say an embedded chip prevents using them. Mine was an expensive Sony battery.
- There are no tapes in the box, so you have to buy some.
- READ the simple manual first for each task you do... for instance if you try to plug in the USB cable to a pc first it screws up the drivers, and you have to go to troubleshooting sections to manual delete the drivers, then reload.
- Sony uses a 4 wire firewire cable called "iWire" (they dont say firewire anywhere).. BUT THEY DONT PROVIDE THE iWire CABLE. So the user wastes time trying to get provided USB cables to work and after two hours trying to install, reinstall and use the TERRIBLE Sony provided "Picture Package" software, or keep flipping through all the touchscreen menus to turn on "Burn DVD" which uses a CD-R (not DVD) and never find a way to transfer the video to the PC. I finally got the low budget USB Streaming player to work so I could see my video in a small screen on the PC, but there was no option to capture it to a file (stupid). Sony also provides an "AV" cable that has three composite rca jacks to plug into your vcr so you could play the video through that method, but I dont have a VCR anymore - I use a Comcast DVR which has the physical jacks, but they are disabled (a whole separate story about Comcast DVRs).
- Using firewire - finally, I fired up my previously purchased Pinnacle Studio version nine, which apparently cant recognize the Sony USB connection, as it kept saying it was looking for a connection on ieee 1394 input, which is firewire (Sony refuses to say that common name). I finally figured out I needed firewire for best transfer to the PC (and so do some of the reviews), and ordered the 4 wire to 6wire Sony iWire cable by part number (read the Accessories catalog) because my PC does have the standard 6 wire Firewire jack on the back. Just after I ordered it, I found that Belkin had much lower priced cables of the same type on Amazon, or you can order used ones or generic ones. ALSO, I happen to have a Sony laptop, and it has a Sony design 4-wire firewire jack on it (not the standard 6-wire jack), so I ordered a Belkin 4-wire to 4-wire cable to connect my camcorder to the Sony laptop.
- Sony doesnt provide any memory stick card at all so you cant use that storage feature until you buy one. Other reviews here say 64-128mb are fine for storing the 1mpx pictures it takes. 1-2 reviews say that you cant store movies on the memory stick, but I would confirm that - I havent tried it.
- Conclusion:
- Get a second battery
- Dont rely on the USB connection for anything except a streaming video to the Sony viewer, but you cant capture it. Go for firewire, which means you need the cable (see below) and a standard firewire port or Firewire card on your pc.
- Get a 128mb memory stick to start (which means you also need a memory stick reader on the PC or laptop). The HandyCam pictures are only 1 megapixel, so I will rarely use it, but the memory stick is how you transfer the pictures to a PC (There might be a way with the USB line, but I dont want to waste anymore time on their software)
- Order the 4 wire to 6 wire iWire or Firewire cable for playback and transfer, and if your computer doesnt have firewire, add a card with it. The Sony part number is VMC-IL4615 - but get the Belkin alternate or another supplier - Sonys price is $39.95 when Belkins is 1/4 of that. (I ordered it, but havent gotten it yet).
- Expect to not be able to do ANY work on the PC editing your video with the USB cable or Sonys poor software. Instead, try using firewire and the free Microsoft Movie Maker that comes with XP. OR, expect to pay $100 or more for Pinnacle Studio, or ULeads Movie product, or Adobes video maker products. Pinnacle has special high end audio visual cards with firewire you might look at. Or just make sure you have a good AV card with firewire and the right hardware specs to use the video editing software (i.e. ATI Radeon, etc.) . MY HP has the right specs, so I didnt need an additional card.
- To process video files on the computer, you might need to add more memory - if the editing is slow, determine if more RAM will help.
- The camera doesnt come with a bag, so you will need one.
- The battery is charged by plugging the power brick into the camera and charging the battery in the camera. It is slow, and means you cant use the camera while charging, but I always have two batteries charged, so that is what you have to live with, or buy an external charger.
- Misc - I bought an infrared filter and tripod also for the camera.
- Cost - So even though you budgeted $400 or so for the camera, the true price with all the above is more like $600-700 to actually be usable.
And now, my budding You Tube production might actually happen, once I get those cables...
VJ
 On: 2007-05-13
Works well. Has fire wire and is Digital Quality. Would recommend this product.
 On: 2006-12-10
Ive read some poor reviews on whats happened over time with other peoples Handycams, but I must say that mine still works after 2 years, a few typhoons and several dropping accidents. Im just now beginning to find some of the neat features of this camcorder, too!
The reason I purchased this camcorder was because of the colored infrared nightshot, which works great! You can take pictures in pitch darkness. Although I must say recently Ive noticed problems with the handycams playback feature. It keeps switching to Hi8 mode when the video isnt taken with the Hi8 feature (this makes the LCD screen turn blue so you cant see the playback). Ill most likely buy another Sony with the color enhanced nightshot, but I think Ill switch to the DVD or harddrive version.
 On: 2006-12-02
I bought this camera in winter of 2004. It was a good camera for about a year and a half. This past summer I started getting the same "Video Heads are Dirty" message that everyone is getting. Ive tried cleaning, but am still getting the message. Now it wont even recognize that theres a video cassette in it.
Looks like I need to take it to be serviced, but I fear what the cost will be.
On: 2006-10-26
I have had this camcorder for at least 3 years. I received it as a gift. I love it. Its easy to use, takes great still photos as well as awesome video. I make many little home movies with this camera along with my computer. Its zooms in and out nicely, had night shot and the battery charges quickly and lasts a long time. I did require a special cable that didnt come with the camera though. But as a long time user of this camera I must say its worth the money. I know it was under $400.00.
On: 2006-09-23
We had a sony handycam 8 and was very pleased with its 10 year+ longevity. This Digital 8 camera has turned out to fail rather quickly with much less use in a much shorter period of time.
After vacation it said the heads were dirty and to run a tape cleaner. So got the tape head cleaner and ran it several times but and no improvement. Apparently the heads have died on the unit. Piece of junk!
On: 2006-07-14
Recording was jumpy. I inserted a cleaning tape. The cassette did not operate and now the door will not open and the tape will not eject.
Does anyone know how to manually open the cassette door - short of breaking it.
 On: 2006-04-16
Great images for 14 months. Then I got a dialog box that said the video heads were dirty and I need to run a cleaning tape - which I bought and ran per instructions. Didnt clear up. Went to Sony online help, was told to run it again. Didnt clear up. Tried a few more times, didnt clear up. Told it needs repair - $211. Guess maybe I should drop it in the water like the last guy whose TRV460 is indestructable. Sony should be ashamed for not backing these things up longer than a year.
On: 2006-02-19
i dont know what the heck you all are talking about, i am the camera distructor, i break on avrage two cameras a year, and i have now had this camera for a year and a half, i have Dropped it a million times, IT FELL INTO THE RIVER ONE TIME, i brought it to a mosh pit and fell on it several times, i have dropped it out of a moving Golf Cart, and i go snowboarding with it in my backpack and crash all the time with it in the back, infact i resently broke my digital camera that was in the same case as my Video Camera,, and the digital camera broke, but my sony is still working great, except it is beat up a little, i cracked some of the plastic on it, but it still works great, and not only is it invncible, it has GREAT video, and the touch screen makes things SO MUCH EASIER! and also the S-Video is a really nice feature, it makes getting video onto your computer a Snap!, i love this camera and i have owned lots of cameras before, and i can honestly say, that sony makes THE BEST cameras out there, they got GREAT quility, Built Good, and have alot of features other cameras dont! so the bottom line is, if you are looking for a "Jack Ass" camera, that you just want to do crazy stuff and dont want it to break down,this is the camera, it is easy to use, and it is just awesome!
PS: i have owned these brands of video cameras: Samsung, Panisonic, RCA, Cannon, and some others, and sony, is the BEST of the Best!
On: 2006-01-19
Ive owned this vidio camera since July 04. When camera works it is a fine machine. BUT, just after warrantee expired tapes would not eject--repair bill $230. Now in 1/06 playback is horribly distorted--head cleaning tapes do not work so video head needs replacing--repair bill $211.00 I will start searching for a replacement unit (NOT SONY) that is not so prone to breakedown within 18 months of purchase. If you like paying for a camera over and over again, this is the unit for you--otherwise work hard to find a more dependable brand/model.
On: 2005-09-09
I used the camera for normal use for 15 months and the heads and mechamism failed. $300.00 for parts and labor to repair. It was a good camera until then, but I would think the parts would last longer that a year and half.
On: 2005-06-24
The Sony TRV460 Has been a loyal friend since i purchased it, but this friend has some limits...
Pros: the Touch screen feature is AWSOME! When u record video using a HI8 tape, the resolution is incredible, i dare say its equal to a miniDV camcorder. Still images are very sophisticated considering this is a camcorder and not a digital still camera. The cameras features are abundant, yet easy to understand, and use. its size is very compact, and will never be a burden to carry in trips.
Cons: If you want to record video using your memorystick... FORGET IT! i dont even know why sony included that feature in this camera, its simply unacceptable. the size, and resoultion of digital video in this camera is disgusting! The battery that is included in the package will barely record 1.5 hours (using the LCD) and to buy another one is a 8itch (too expensive)
In conclusion the pros of this camera obviosly overthrow the cons, but the cons cannot go unrecognized. all in all, the camera wont let you down in any other way.
On: 2005-04-18
I purchased this camera seven months ago and have been pleased with it. I attempted to change the tape today and it would not eject. I followed the troubleshooting instructions in the owners guide, then called the Sony helpline. When I was still unable to eject the tape, I was told that I would need to mail it in for repair, since Sony no longer had local service centers. The parts would be covered under the warranty, but not the labor. The estimated cost for labor was $230.
On: 2005-02-24
This camcorder is good. The camcorder has the very nice ability to record mpegs on to a memory stick. I get more than 10 minutes of video on a 64MB mem stick. It takes decent stills, nothing good enough to print. The video is nice, and affordable. I thought about going MiniDV, but this works fine for me. The analog-to-digital pass thorough lets me upload to my computer in mpeg format. The touch screen is a very nice feature. There are some decent effects, and the night vision and built on very bright light are great features.
On: 2005-01-22
My old 8mm camcorder died around Thanksgiving leaving me with 15 years worth of home movies and no way to view them. The TRV460 was at a great price point and perfectly bridges the gulf between analog and digital. I wanted to transfer the keepers stuff to DVDs and edit the really good stuff in to movies. Im far from done, but Ive worked with this camcorder enough to pass on some tips.
CAMCORDER: Easy to use. Pictures are so much sharper than my analog camera (I know, no surprise here, but it had a wow factor for me). The camera is smaller than my old one, a little bigger than my two hands wrapped together. The touchscreen is easy to use - plan on studying the manual though. Its all in there and its easy to read, but you have to approach it like a text book. It powers up quickly. Two things to beware of -- (1) the tape inserts through the bottom and this that if you use a screw tripod adapter you have to take it off the to insert a tape, (2) there are some features that only work on movies recorded to DV tape vs. recording straight to the memorystick - for example when you record to the memory stick it only records in mono.
SOFTWARE: Other reviews are correct when they pan the software that comes with the camera. I bought Adobe Premiere Elements and it is great. I bought the adobe software from amazon - they were offering a Photoshop Elements/Premiere Elements combo that I opted for after reading numerous reviews. Ive used the full version of photoshop for years and the user interface of elements is dumbed-down but still has a familiar touch and enough features to do everything I want. Wait a minute - this is a camcorder review, sorry for the tangent.
FIREWIRE/USB2.0: Elements will capture movies recorded to the memorystick via the USB2.0, but to do the same for movies recorded to tape you need a firewire cable. If your PC does not have a firewire port, you can just add a PCI firewire/usb2.0 card onto your motherboard (costs less than $20 for the card). I had bought the card at retail a year ago. But camcorders need a firewire cable with a 6 pin to 4 pin configuration. Found one on line recently (listing: 6ft IEEE 1394 FireWire Cable 6pin-4 DV ILINK IPOD SONY) for less than a buck. Once you plug the firewire cable into the TRV460, you control the camera from the computer through the premiere software - no special settings or adjustments needed. By the way, you can do some camcorder to PC transfers using the USB2.0 cable and the Sony Picture Package software - but "clunky" is too kind.
Along with the camcorder, there are some necessary accessories. I looked for low-cost options on all of these and was pretty successful. Ill pass them on here - for what theyre worth.
DIGITAL TAPES: Sony makes many different types of tapes that are good for recording digital. The Sony Digital8 Camcorder Tapes (at first I thought these were the only ones that would work) costs $20 a pair at retail. There are many other 8mm tapes that are compatible for less than half this cost (check out Sonys website for compatibility).
MEMORY STICK: Again I went online to find a good price on a memory stick. But the stick I bought was not compatible with this camcorder (listing: SanDisk 256MB Memory Stick PRO Duo Sony 256 MB DSC-T1 +). The camcorder would only intermittently recognize the stick (mostly it wouldnt). Searches on the web showed that many people had this problem. The kind customer service dept at SanDisk agreed to check it out and said they would probably replace it. They did and the newer version of the same memorystick works fine. While I was waiting I bought a Sony 256MB memory stick at a retail store and, of course, it works fine. I got a memory card reader to plug into my USB port (listing: USB MS/MEMORY STICK CARD READER) so I could transfer movies to the PC without involving the camcorder.
ANALOG TAPE TO MEMBORY STICK TRANSFER: One cool thing I learned about the camera is you can copy scenes from an analog tape to the memory stick all from within the camcorder. With the touch screen monitor, it is very easy to do. This is great if you want to compile selected scenes (from the huge pile of old 8mm tapes) without sitting at the computer. I did a lot of this analog tape-to-memorystick xfer (using just the camera) while sitting around the fire with my family - it made me a little more sociable with the family than if I were staring at the computer.
BATTERY: Another reviewer posted some tips on non-Sony batteries. I took an even cheaper approach that worked great. On line I bought a charger (listing: CHARGER for SONY NP-F550 NP-FM50 NP-QM71 QM91 BATTERY) for less than a fiver and a high capacity battery (listing: SONY NP-QM71 NP-FM70 DCR-TRV950 2800mAh BATTERY NEW) for less than fifteen bucks.
So thats it. I feel like the only splurge was on the tape editing software. I could have stayed with the free Sony Picture Package - but the Adobe is so much easier and does tons more. If you amortize it over the hours you spend on editing, the $100 bucks or so is not that much.
My PC is a off-brand clone with a AMD Athlon 2800+ CPU running at 2.07 MHz, wtih 512MB ram, running XP Home Edition SP2 and a ATI AIW 8500DV videocard. I like this camcorder a lot!
On: 2005-01-15
...THAT WE WANT TO ARCHIVE, VIA A DIGITAL CONVERTER (THIS CAMCORDER), TO DVD. I HAVE RECENTLY CONVERTED ALL MY OLD ANALOG TAPES, ALL SHOT WITH SONY ANALOG CAMCORDERS ORIGINALLY, AND I THANK SONY FOR HAVING THE INSIGHT TO CREATE THIS FORMAT FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME. IF YOU HAVE OLD 8MM OR HI-8MM TAPES SHOT WITH NON-SONY CAMCORDERS YOU ***MAY*** RUN INTO SOME TROUBLE BEING ABLE TO CONVERT THEM OR YOU MAY HAVE NO TROUBLE AT ALL. THIS CAMCORDER DOES A VERY GOOD JOB AT CONVERTING OLD 8MM TAPES, BUT NOT EVERY 8MM TAPE IS CONVERTABLE (LARGELY DEPENDENT UPON WHAT CAMCORDER YOU ORIGINALLY USED - IF IT WAS ALL SONY LIKE ME YOU WILL HAVE NO PROBLEM). EASE OF USE IS 5 STARS AND THE CAMERA IS FEATURE RICH (SURPASSING ALL ENTRY LEVEL MINI-DV FORMAT CAMERAS THROUGH 2004.) 2005 MAY BE THE YEAR THIS CEASES TO BE TRUE. NOW AS TO THE QUALITY OF THE 460 AS A STAND ALONE CAMCORDER I GIVE IT 5 STARS. FEATURE RICH WITH GREAT QUALITY RECORDINGS. MY NEXT CAMCORDER A FEW YEARS DOWN THE ROAD WILL SURELY BE A MINI-DV. I HOPE SONY KEEPS MAKING THIS FORMAT FOR MANY MORE YEARS AS IT IS STILL NEEDED!!! MOST FOLKS DONT KNOW THIS FORMAT IS A VIABLE OPTION!!! A FEW TIPS...
1) DONT USE THE INCLUDED SOFTWARE AS IT SUCKS.
2) IF YOU DONT NEED TO CONVERT YOUR OLD ANALOG 8MM TAPES TO A DIGITAL FORMAT FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES - GET A MINI-DV CAMERA.
3) IF YOU WANT MINI-DV QUALITY AND YOU NEED 8MM COMPATIBILITY, THEN LOOK NO FURTHER, CAUSE THIS CAMERA IS YOUR ONLY CHOICE LITERALLY - YOU HAVE NO OTHER BUYING OPTION. ONLY SONY MAKES THE DIGITAL 8 FORMAT - AND ONLY THE 460 CAN CONVERT OLD TAPES THE 260 CANNOT.
4) SONY SHOULD BE ROLLING OUT THEIR NEW PRODUCTS THIS MONTH, SO IF YOU CAN WAIT, YOU MAY WANT TO SEE IF A NEW MODEL IS COMING OUT WITH BETTER FEATURES.
5) XP HAS BUILT-IN SOFTWARE THAT IS FREE AND WORKS GREAT- USE IT!
On: 2005-01-14
I agree with most of the reviews written here, and it is a good camcorder, but dont buy it simply because Digital 8 is a format on the way out.
The picture quality is okay, but honestly I really wish I had spent the extra money and bought one of the MiniDV camcorders instead.
If you really, really want a Digital 8 camcorder, then this is a good one to buy. Otherwise, save up a little more and get one that is MiniDV.
On: 2004-11-03
The biggest reason we purchased this camcorder was for the night-shot. The resolution with the night shot is a bit grainy (which is expected with infrared) and has a mostly green overtone, but the night-shot plus has a color enhancer that works really well. Not vivid colors like you would get in the daylight but its really neat for infrared. You can take pictures in pitch darkness. Just remember, with infrared pictures, your eyes will show up as a creepy zombie-like black!
I cant say anything about Sony customer service because we havent had to deal with them in the last year that weve owned this camcorder. Great product!
On: 2004-10-11
The camera has been fine, but Sonys service is very, very bad, enough that I would not recommend you purchase this or any other Sony product. When I got the camera, I installed the software that came with it. My computer crashed some months later, and I couldnt find the CD. I couldnt find where to download the support software on the website, and contacted Sony. Bottom line.... you have to buy it for $62.95. This is just profoundly bad service, and completely non-standard in the industry.
Ive always liked Sony products, but Im done!
On: 2004-10-10
The camera has been fine, but Sonys service is very, very bad, enough that I would not recommend you purchase this or any other Sony product. When I got the camera, I installed the software that came with it. My computer crashed some months later, and I couldnt find the CD. I couldnt find where to download the support software on the website, and contacted Sony. Bottom line.... you have to buy it for $62.95. This is just profoundly bad service, and completely non-standard in the industry.
Ive always liked Sony products, but Im done!
On: 2004-09-13
I was going to buy a simple Hi8 but read some reviews and looked at a trv260 but did not like what people said so came to this one. In the end I spent almost TWICE as much as I was originally going to!
It was worth it. The picture quality is very good. Its more than adequate for my needs. Sound is good, video on memory stick is just OK (I think it could be better).
The best part is the firewire connection. Just plug it in and go (on WinXP), no divers needed. Then transfer videos to your computer in full resolution and full fps!
Great camera, very highly recommended!
On: 2004-09-12
I was going to buy a simple Hi8 but read some reviews and looked at a trv260 but did not like what people said so came to this one. In the end I spent almost TWICE as much as I was originally going to!
It was worth it. The picture quality is very good. Its more than adequate for my needs. Sound is good, video on memory stick is just OK (I think it could be better).
The best part is the firewire connection. Just plug it in and go (on WinXP), no divers needed. Then transfer videos to your computer in full resolution and full fps!
Great camera, very highly recommended!
On: 2004-08-29
Here you have some options for the battery monopoly:
Power 2000 ACD701 1800mAh $34.99 <=> Sony NP-FM50 $50.58
Power 2000 ACD702 3600mAh $59.99 <=> Sony NP-QM71 2760mAh $69.94
Power 2000 ACD703 5400mAh $69.99 <=> Sony NP-QM91 4140mAh $107.99
Power2000 Batteries have an awful white color but much cheaper.
The charger for these batteries is the POWER 2000 QP7400 AC / DC Turbo Charger for SONY Batteries for $29.99 comes with 100v-220V inputs and car adapter. The Sony equivalent is the Sony bctrm Compact Battery Charger for M for $46.95 without the 110v - 220v input and car adapter.
I hope this will help to solve the battery problem. This will also work for TRV-328, 260, DVD101, 201 and PC-109, 330 among others.
On: 2004-08-12
I primarily bought this Sony because it is backwards compatable with HI8 tapes, plus has the functionality to upload digital 8 to my computer.
I previously had a Sony analog HI8 camera purchased new 4 yrs ago that had problems from the get go. It had several warranty related issues relating to sound. The most recent problem (on/off switch related) would cost me about $200 to fix. This camera has seen low usage and has not been abused.
Nevertheless, I decided to stick with Sony on my upgrade to the TRV460. I purchased the unit 3 weeks ago and havent taken any video yet. However, I can tell you that uploading my HI8 tapes to my PC based computer couldnt be easier. You will have to purchase a firewire cable, which Sony should have included instead of the USB, because otherwise quality in transfer suffers. I did not opt to use the Sony software that came with the unit (didnt even bother loading on my computer). They might make good electronics, but Ill stick with another leader on the software.
I have sever old BetaMax tapes which I first transfered to the camcorder using the Sony supplied cables. Then I used the firewire cable with Microsoft Movie Maker 2 (which is free) to upload them to my PC. What a flawless operation. I have read of many people having problems with this step. Being able to accomplish this and get into video editing will greatly improve your videos. I may migrate to Pinnacle Studio for more video software options, but for now as a beginner I should be able to get myself started.
In summary, I expect Sonys video capture quality to be excellent (see other reviews since I havent taken video yet). I am very pleased with the video transfer process, which was a big factor in my purchase. I only hope I wont have repair troubles with this camcorder.
On: 2004-08-02
Purchased this camcorder about a week ago. Ease of operation and a great operators manual help sort out technical items. Picture quality utilizing only standard grade 8mm tape is excellent. I can only imagine the more expensive metal particle or metal evaporated tapes may have even higher quality pictures. Have not had time to check out the camera picture quality using the memory stick. I do not expect any disappointments. Sony make a terrific camcorder product. Consumers reports recommends this as one of their "Best Buys" for digital camcorders. Sony & Panasonic both continually excell in the catagory as "Models requiring the least amount of repairs" or "Most trouble-free manufacturers". The battery that comes with the unit gives approximately 67 minutes of recording time on a normal charge. A full charge will give approximately 74 minutes. Recommend purchasing the FM-50 battery for extended recording/playing time and for nothing else, simply to have a back-up. I own a DVD recorder that allows me to transfer audio & video from my camcorder to DVDs . The camcorder has an A/V output for the consumer interested in transfering their home movies/digital images to DVDs. It also features an S-Video output for capturing even higher quality video.
Some of the bad things:
- The camcorder does not come with a portable/cordless charger. You have to plug the batteries into the camcorder and plug the adapter/charger into the camcorder to charge. Purchase an additional external charger for simplicity.
- The camcorder does not come supplied with a memory stick. Consider purchasing at least 128 M. That way you can get approximately 80 minutes of recording time.
- The battery supplied FM-30 (see above) is not adequate.
Some of the good things:
- Quality product
- Image & sound quality excellent
- Auto focus & stabilization also excellent
- Great zoom feature
All in all, a fantastic product with great performance and features at a very reasonable price. If you want to get into digital video recording for less that $ 500.00, try this one.
GAC
On: 2004-08-02
Ive had this camcorder for only 3 days but I played with it alot.
PROS:
- Easy to use touch screen
- Image Quality
- 20X Zoom
- Image stabilizer (Steadyshot) that actually works
- USB Streaming, easy to use and your camcorder can act as a webcam!
- Night Shot and Super night shot
- View finder with focus control
- Image and sound Quality
CONS:
- Software... its plain bad!!!
- Batteries are expensive!!!!!
- No memory stick provided
- No battery charger provided (have to put the battery on the cam and let it charge for ~1h45)
First of all the software... man is it bad... I couldnt figure how that thing works since its so "dumbed down". I think it was designed for a 3 years old. I uninstalled it after 5 minutes then I had to reinstall the drivers from the drivers directory on the CD. The USB streaming is pretty good and you can use it as a webcam and microphone. I havent tried it with the memory stick yet. I replaced the software with Cyberlink PowerVCRII (great with the USB Streaming) and Ulead VideoStudio (using the firwire connection when you fast forward, stop, pause, play etc... it will actually control the camcorder so you dont have to fiddle with it at all to capture your films).
The Touch screen LCD is working great and you can personalize your menus too! So you can add shortcuts to your favorite options like Digital Zoom, digital effect, wide screen etc... thats a great idea from Sony! The menus are pretty straight forward so even without reading the 134 pages of the manual you can use the cam easily.
The 20X zoom is a beauty and will get those small details without any image quality. You can enable the Digital Zoom up to 40X or the full 990X. For the first 40X the image is still details but after that the quality is going down pretty fast! if you require a better zoom better get a telephoto lense.
The Steadyshot on this cam is good! It will get rid of the small movements your hand will go when recording. Turn it off and youll see all the small vibrations.
The night shot and super night shot are working good but the super night shot seems to be "software driven" because the image is a little choppy (so are some of the digital effects...). The image is clear and even through the "greenish" image youll still see some colors.
If youre wearing glasses youll be ok with this viewfinder as you can adjust the focus! With the NPFM-30 battery youre better use the viewfinder if you want to keep recording as the LCD is ~30% more "power hug"
The image and sound quality are just great... nothing bad to say! The microphone is sensitive and will keep most of the frequencies... even the deep sound of a Harley-Davidson with straight pipes will sound good on a home theater.
On: 2004-07-23
I havent used it enough to giva a good once over here however,...
The USB cable that comes with the camera is only good for downloading stills and short video from the memory stick. The memory stick doesnt come with the camera.
The USB streaming of video to a MAC needs to be done into the Firewire port. The firewire cable doesnt come with the camera.
The instruction books tell you neither of these little details for MAC although there are instructions on using the camera with MAC OS. The on-line knowledge base just tells you USB Streaming is not available on MAC- not what the help desk said. Well see after I get the parts.
Other than those minor frustrations and the increased cost to get it to do what I originally purchased it for, the camcorder seems to be a nice upgrade to my previous Sony 8mm and Sony "C" cameras.
On: 2004-07-22
I havent used it enough to giva a good once over here however,...
The USB cable that comes with the camera is only good for downloading stills and short video from the memory stick. The memory stick doesnt come with the camera.
The USB streaming of video to a MAC needs to be done into the Firewire port. The firewire cable doesnt come with the camera.
The instruction books tell you neither of these little details for MAC although there are instructions on using the camera with MAC OS. The on-line knowledge base just tells you USB Streaming is not available on MAC- not what the help desk said. Well see after I get the parts.
Other than those minor frustrations and the increased cost to get it to do what I originally purchased it for, the camcorder seems to be a nice upgrade to my previous Sony 8mm and Sony "C" cameras.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-07-02
In addition to making you buy and new battery and memory stick, the Sony Corp sticks you with bad software which will not let you download your videos to your hard drive with music and special effects that have been preselected by Sony. There is no way to get rid of the music and special effects and just have the raw video as you made it. Its a perverted piece of software that leaves you stuck with someone else adding things to your videos that you dont want. Dont buy this camera, dont buy anything Sony. We just wanted a simple camera that would download to our computer so we could do what we wanted with our videos but all we got was a lot of extra expense and no freedom at all with our videos.
On: 2004-06-28
Despite what I have read about this model of camera, I must admit that I am truly satisfied with this product. Then again, Im not very picky on specifics. My film group uses this camera and we have had top results from it. My only issue is its size. It is a bit big. However, the usb connection is fine. If you do not have a great editing program that imports video files, or purchased roxio media suite and got a corrupted file, you might be a BIT mad. The program my camera came with sucked and only imported through memory card. I had just bought twenty bucks in tapes too. Luckily, I had Windows Movie Maker to bail me out. So guys, do not fret. Every Windows XP computer has this program. IF you have not discovered it, click start, programs, accessories, entertainment, and there ya have it. Click capture from device after connecting, name it, make the audio selection usb microphone (something with usb, not realtek), start the capture, click play on your camera. Anyway, great product. Durable. I recommmend it to no-budget amatuers like myself. www.geocities.com/theout_takes
by: Anonymous On: 2004-06-28
I was confused. Consumer Reports, which has been testing camcorders a lot longer than Camcorderinfo.com, said the Sony DCR-TRV350 was a Best Buy. Consumer Reports said the TRV350 "...has an excellent image-stabilizing system, and the best low-light performance among the digital camcorders." Consumer Reports rated the TRV350 higher overall than the Sony DCR-PC105, Sony TRV80, TRV70, TRV22, TRV19, and TRV 33. The TRV350 was also rated higher than the Panasonic DV953.Camcorderinfo.com rated the TRV350, and its successor the TRV460, very low. Camcorderinfo.com said both models had very poor low-light performance. I decided to buy a Sony HC85, but then I read about the quality issues. So, I decided to buy the Sony TRV460 and give it a try. I planned on just giving it away if it performed poorly. Actually, I REALLY WANTED that 20X zoom. I ordered it over the net at a very low price. When it arrived, I immediately tested it by shooting movies inside and outside our house in all types of lighting including one room in total darkness. I am amazed at the picture quality produced by the TRV460. Even in total darkness using the Night Plus infrared mode, the pictures were, in my opinion, very good. In our (large) living room with only five 40-watt bulbs, the picture quality was very good to excellent. And these were handheld movies of people moving around - not just a color chart taken from a tripod. We have had a Nikon VN-720 Hi8 since 1993, and I always thought it took good movies, even in relatively poor lighting conditions. I have been a 35 mm SLR camera buff for over 30 years, and I know how hard it is to get good pictures of moving objects in poor light. The Sony TRV460 blows away the Nikon Hi8 in terms of picture quality. I am sure a $3500 camcorder, or even a $1,000 camcorder, is capable of taking slightly better pictures than the TRV460. But what is the point? We are talking home movies here; they dont have to rival a Spielburg special effects movie. Comparing a $3500 prosumer camcorder to an inexpensive model meant for home movies is comparing apples and oranges. It is time for a reality check. Do yourself a favor and try the Sony TRV460 before you spend twice as much or even ten times as much. The Sony TRV460 takes great home movies.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-05-14
This seems like a nice camera but be forewarned if you are buying it for its backward compatibility to older 8MM and Hi8 tapes. I bought the previous model the TRV350 and found that my Hi8 tapes recorded on a Canon Hi8 camcorder would not play properly on this camera. I took my tape to a store and had them try it in the TRV460 and the same thing, sound worked but a blue screen for picture. I called Sony and they said they couldnt guarantee that any older 8MM media would be 100% compatible. I dont think you see that anywhere in their literature. Buy it for its other features but if you want it to be able to play older 8MM you should bring in one of your old tapes and try it in the store first. Good luck.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-05-05
I bought this camcorder from Amazon using the Next Day service and it was at my door the next day. It took two hours to charge the battery but I was out the door and ready to record my sons track events on time. My first impressions of the camcorder are very postitive...it was easy to set up, easy to read instruction booklet, and generally very easy to operate. I like the on-screen touchpad and I used it outside in bright light and had no trouble seeing the screen text. I find the zoom on this camera to be far superior than my old camcorder and yes, it was shaky at first to use the zoom feature but it only requires a light touch and a bit of practice to use it with little distortion. Sound recorded well. Picture quality of the tape I played when we got home was wonderful. I cant wait to copy this onto Dvd and see how that feature works. I will update my review once I have done that.To summarize...I bought this camera based on the reviews here at Amazon and I was not disappointed. The camera is small without being too small. I put it into my 35mmSLR case where I usually keep my auxillary flash and it fit in there snuggly and saved me having to carry two camera bags. The battery showed a life of 84 minutes once fully charged so I will definitely be getting a second battery with a longer charge time.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-04-18
This camcorder is great! Its touch screen display is easy, battery life is great and the price isnt all that bad.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-04-17
I have owned this camera for a month, took it on a cruise, and have six excellent tapes. I am still learning how to use all of its features. Likes: 20X optical zoom, touchpad LCD screen, long battery life, backward compatability with other 8mm formats, 16x9 format, and "super night shot". Dislikes: hair trigger zoom is difficult to zoom smoothly, lack of anti-shake feature when using 16x9 format(!?), lack of color viewfinder, having to contort hand to use zoom and off/on buttons, standard battery chargers extremely long charging time and fact that battery must be in camera to charge it. (I spent another $200 to get the SQ950D charger and QM71D long life battery.) I havent used the software yet, so cant comment on PC compatability or ease of use there.
PS: How can someone write a valid review when they dont even have the camera, yet???? Maybe hes psychic?
On: 2004-04-13
I have been wanting to put my old 8mm camcorder tapes on DVD disks as a more permanent archive of family events. I had lined up a bunch of hi-tech devices, when I found this camcorder and my problems were solved. It also gives us a new camcorder, since our old Olympus has no more batteries and I cant find any decently priced batteries to make it portable.The Sony does all the things we want and now I have stacks of DVDs with home movies on them. Only thirty more tapes to convert. I had to buy video editing and authoring software, because the Sony software is not useful to do this in a decent way, but the machine is great and gives nice quality output that renders well onto the DVDs. I havent had the camcorder for very long, but so far its all I could want, as far as features and conversion capability. Its just perfect for those of us who need a recorder to digitize our old 8mm family memories and record them onto DVDs. It also gives us a great camcorder for capturing all the things the grand kids are doing, now. Two thumbs up from my wife and I.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-04-12
An Earlier Post stated that "Only sony batteries can be used" in the TRV460. Wrong, only infolithium batteries can be used. No more NiCads but plenty of non-sony brand batteries will work just fine in the camera.I purchase CE brand infolithiums "NP-QM71 battery for Sony Li-Ion 7.2V 2400mAh (kq)", the cost is $25 compared to $75 to $100 for the Sony, and they work great. The camera is fantastic, my only complaint would be the small hard to reach zoom control on top, but other than that a great camera. Dont let the battery issue scare you off, just have to use infolithiums, Sony or Generic is up to you. This is the perfect Camera to go digital and still be backward compatible with all those 8mm and Hi-8mm tapes.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-04-12
First off, I can state without hesitation that while the name SONY typically equates with expensive, it always equals QUALITY. Whats great about this camcorder is that you have the QUALITY without the expensive price tag. I paid $399 at Circuit City.I almost bought a JVC MiniDV which was a few bucks cheaper, but since I have never had a problem with any SONY product I have ever owned (cd players, TVs, etc), I went with the Sony. Plus, I am by no means a video buff, so the reality is IF there truly is a difference between MiniDV and Digital 8 picture quality, I am sure I would not be able to notice. A plus for 8mm camcorder owners, you can use/view those tapes on this model!! That being said, the beauty of the product is its ease of use. My wife is completely confused by technical gadgets, and she was able to use the camcorder using the EasyCam setting out of the box. There are enough video tricks and editing features to satisfy the most creative amateur videographers. Also, contrary to what other reviewers have stated here, the battery life of the InfoLithium battery has been pretty good for me. I get about 1hr on a full charge, though I have not filmed for 1 continuous hour, just a few minutes here and there. So allow me to move on to my only CONS:
- SIZE - if this is an issue for you, go with MiniDV, however the smaller you go, the more hand shakiness becomes an issue, even with image stabilizing technology. The size of the TRV460 is a tad large for todays camcorder, but definitely not bulky or too heavy. Mainly due to tape size. - MOTOR HUM - When recording or playback, there is a distinct hum that comes from the camcorder. I hadnt noticed in Circuit City, so I went back, checked a few other models and soon realized most camcorders make a slight hum when the tape is active. I learned to live with it as the "hum" sound does not get picked up by the microphone when recording. Overall, I highly recommend this VERY affordable QUALITY Sony camcorder as it more than capabale of fulfilling any familys video needs. I am very happy with my purchase!
On: 2004-04-08
I was attracted to this camcorder because of excellent Consumer Reports ratings for the previous year models. I also liked that this camera has a lot more features than MiniDV models with the same price tag. I bought this camcorder along with two other MiniDV models, the Panasonic PV-DV53 and JVC GRD30. This models was far better in picture quality than the other two even though they supposedly have higher resolution. After doing some research, I found that this camcorder has a bigger lens than the MiniDV models and although it has a 1/6 inch CCD, this is sufficient for the number of pixels it generates. Ultimately, you get much better low light resolution with this camcorder. If you dont believe me, do your own comparison. My only complaint is that the battery life is short with the included battery (about 15 minutes max) so you are almost forced to buy a better battery.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-03-24
Ive been using the DCR-TRV460 for about six weeks and have been very pleased. I use it for home movies, transfer of my old 8MM tapes to the computer and burning Video CDs (MPEG-2 format).Several reviews have mentioned poor battery performance and incompatability with generic batteries. Ive had none of those problems. The battery supplied with the camera lasts about one hour. I bought a Duracell lithium battery on sale at Circut City for $30 and it lasts over two hours and works just like the Sony battery. I really like the battery management system that Sony provides which shows the charge status both when charging and when using the camera. The touch screen controls are, in my opinion, a huge improvement over the mechanical buttons of previous Digital 8 models. One secret (when editing or transfering video to a PC) is to turn the screen completely around and click it back in place on the side of the camera. Then the camera can be easily controlled without the screen sticking out to the side. I bought the Sony Digital 8 EZ Editor kit ($45 from Sony on clearance) which comes with a firewire card, cable and movie making software. It works great with my Windows XP PC. The PC sees the camera quickly when its plugged in and even recognizes the model number. Capturing video, editing, adding backgroud music/transitions/titles, and burning video CDs has been very easy. I expect burning video to DVDs will work just as well. The DCR-TRV460 is an inexpensive camcorder so its CCD imager is small. Its video quality isnt as sharp as more expensive camcorders. However, for the price it does a lot of things very well. For home movies and amature video its worked flawlessly for me. I play back the video on a standard 36" TV and the quality is fine. I also like the cameras compact size and its ease of use which is an improvement from previous Digital 8 models. It also plays my old 8MM analog tapes and can convert them to digital output to the PC. I bought the DCR-TRV460 at Ultimate Electronics for $340 ($400 list price less a 15% off promotion on any single item in the store). After using it for six weeks, I would buy it again.
On: 2004-03-23
Referred to by some salesmen as a "dinosaur" this 1.5-pound marvel is a great beginners camcorder with an easy to read and follow owners manual. With the units "Easy" button, everything becomes automatic and the first movies are really great. The 2.5-inch LCD touch screen contains all the menus for setting up the camera, instead of numerous mechanical buttons. The camera has 4 methods of video transfer: An A/V cable that will plug directly in to a VCR or the front panel of your TV for viewing directly from the camera, "S" video transfer, USB and Firewire. I highly recommend using a firewire port as the preferred method of video transfer into your PC as the USB transfer has too many frame dropouts, resulting in jerky video. The still picture resolution is around 1 mega pixel (MP) and is stored on a memory stick, so if you currently use a digital still camera at 2 MP or above, you might be a bit disappointed. The viewfinder has its own focus adjustment which is really good if you wear glasses. Some hints-Dont bother to purchase a separate battery charger if you purchase a spare battery, the camera does a fine job of charging the battery and the charge indicator light goes out after a full charge. A 64MB memory stick will store 980 pictures at standard resolution and 390 at fine resolution so resist the temptation to go with a more expensive 128 MB or larger stick. One last note, Windows XP along with Windows Movie Maker V2.0 (which is free from Microsoft) has the capability to capture and edit the video from this camera.
On: 2004-03-20
Hi,I bought a DCR TRV-460 about 10 days ago and have only shot an hour of video till now. But I am more than happy with the results and the ease of handling this camcorder. The picture quality is good. I agree that it gives you not more than 45 - 50 mins of battery time in one shot but then my requirements are such that I am comfortable with this so called drawback. I would have given it a 5 star rating but for the camcorder size. I think this is the camcorder for the people who have a medium budget but do not want to compromise on the quality. I had a budget of $450 - $500 for the complete set that would include the Camcorder + 4 Tapes + Bag + 128 MB Memory Stick + Lens Cleaning Set and to be true, I got all this in less that $500 and the only thing that I had to compromise was the size. So for me, its a deal worth my TOTAL HAPPINESS. For all those who think their needs are somewhat like mine, then I would definitely suggest DCR TRV-460. We have to remember one thing that if you have the budget, you can get whatever you want. But before buying an camcorder do sit down and analyze what would you be doing with it actually and if you are getting all that in a $399 camcorder then why do you want to spend more just because it has that added fancy feature. Happy shopping..!! -Anurag
by: Anonymous On: 2004-03-18
I have been useing Sony Video products for years TRV33,TRV350,TRV950 etc. I now have a large supply of things like Battery Packs, Tapes, Lights etc... The problem is that the TRV460 now forces you to use Sony Brand Batterys only. The TRV460 will start up fine with an after market battery then it will shut down with the mesage "Use the infoLITHIUM battery pack" This now will force you buy over priced Sony battery packs, if you would like to use TRV460 for any lenght of time. This is a bad move from Sony and for loyal Sony customers. I buy Sony video cameras fo my Video Production business with the intent of reuseing me older batterys and other Sony compatiable products. I will not recommend TRV460 for any one. I do not like Sony forceing you to use their Over Priced Battery packs only, when we have a large after market supply of low priced high quality battery packs to pick from (Better than Sony Battery Packs). What next will I be forced to use only Sony Brand Video tapes next? Im returning the Sony TRV460. Beyond unhappy and posiable former Loyal Sony customer.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-03-02
Ihave been using this new sony model for just a few weeks but think it delivers quite a lot for the price. it is very compact,making it easy to slip into a backpack or small carrying case. the supplied battery does require careful monitoring, and i am thinking of getting a bigger model. takes a decent-- not great-- digital picture on its memory stick, so it can double as a digital camera too if you want to travel light. the specifications contain an odd error as it does have a built in light, although the specs say it does not.
On: 2004-02-27
I just unpacked my TRV-460 and charged the FM-30 battery, which comes with the camcorder. After setting the date and shooting for about 7 minutes, the battery was dead. When reading the manual, Sony doesnt even recomend the FM-30; but, they ship it anyway. When I replaced the battery with an off-brand FM-50, sold by a well known retail store, the camcorder powered up and gave a message that it wasnt a Sony battery and then powered down and didnt work. Appears Sony wants to only sell their batteries. Someone there must still be remembering Hiroshima or something. The camera is good. The accesories are high priced and what is shipped is inadequate to say the least.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-02-27
I just opened my TRV-460 and after charging the FM-30 battery that Sony sent along, I set the date and shot about 7 minutes of video and the battery died! The Sony Manual doesnt even recommend an FM-30; but they chose to send it along anyway. I replaced the battery with another FM-50 (Off-brand from nations largest store) and the camcorder powered up, gave a message that the battery was not a Sony and powered down. Appears you need to use a Sony battery only, as their is some new chip technology that wont let others copy their over-priced batteries anymore. The 3-Watt, LED light does nothing for the video. The video does look bettter than HI-8 when played back on a 32" TV. There is no media shipped with the unit. Be prepared to spend alot on batteries, memory stick and tapes.
On: 2004-02-24
I started using Digital8 Camcorders when they first came out. I had the Sony TRV-820 which had a built in Printer. It was a great camera, albeit bulky. The printer feature got old real quick, though it was cool. Early this year I decided to upgrade to MiniDV until I saw that Sony was releasing this camcorder. In my experience, Sony Digital8s are just as good as MiniDV. While I admit not ever owning a MiniDV camcorder, I am basing my judgement on video footage I have seen. Plus, this Camcorder is a few hundred dollars cheaper than the closest MiniDV Camcorder with similar features. I was leaning towards the Canon MiniDV line of camcorders, but after reading all the negative reviews about quality in low light, I decided to try the Digital8 once again. I have owned a few analog Camcorders before moving to Digital. Before my Sony, I owned 2 different Samsung Camcorders. Both ate tapes like starving kids at a candy factory. When I first got my Sony TRV820 I was SO impressed. In all the years I had owned it, it NEVER ate a tape and NEVER had any problems. That alone makes me want to get the new TRV460. Plus, the video quality was great, even in low light (though, low light is obviously produces much less attractive video than what good light produces). The TRV460 is more compact than the older Digital8s, it has more features (though Im giving up the 4" screen that was on my 820). Plus, it can play old analog 8MM tapes, like the TRV820, which is an awesome bennifit. While I do plan on moving to MiniDV soon, I dont want to get a low-end MiniDV. I would rather have a high-end Digital8 and save up for a high end MiniDV because I doubt low-end MiniDVs are as good as this camcorder. I will update this review with specifics as soon as I recieve my TRV460. At $399, this camcorder is well worth the price. You get AD/DA converters (convert VHS footage to Digital using a Computer). Plus you get a 20X optical zoom, which is great and means you can be pretty far from the action but still get good footage. Some people prefer to be up close since they can get sound, but honestly, how ofter do you get good sound in any recording? I usually shoot video strictly for the video and then I fill it up with audio tracks and music when editing. It creates a much better visual experience than people walking by the camcorder every few seconds saying "Hi!"
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