Sony DCRTRV103 Handycam Digital Camcorder | 
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| Brand: Sony
Category: Photography
This item is no longer available
Avg. Customer Rating:  23 reviews
Sales Rank: 8727
Platforms: Windows Nt, Macintosh, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows Nt 3.5, Windows Nt 4, Windows Nt 5, Powermac, Windows Me, Windows Xp, Windows 2000 Server, Mac Os X, Mac Os 9 And Below, Windows
Media: Electronics
Batteries Included: Yes
Floppy Disk Drive: None
Optical Zoom: 20
Display Size: 2.5
Compatibility: PC Firewire
Maximum Focal Length: 72
Minimum Focal Length: 3.6
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 4 x 4.3 x 8.5
Warranty: 1 year warranty
MPN: DCR-TRV103
Model: DCR-TRV103
UPC: 027242552722
EAN: 0027242552722
ASIN: B00000JMO3
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| Features:
| • | 360x digital zoom | | • | High-quality Digital 8 format | | • | Infrared night video capability | | • | Stereo recording | | • | 2.5-inch swivel LCD screen |
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| Accessories:
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Sony digital camcorder lets you capture life's precious moments with quality and ease. New Sony DCR-TRV103 incorporates Digital8 Video Recording that records digital video and audio for outstanding digital quality with up to 500 lines of horizontal resolution. This Handycam camcorder has the ability to playback virtually any 8mm or Hi8 Tape. This camera is also capable of recording 12 Bit or 16 Bit PCM digital stereo audio. New 20x Optical/360x Digital Zoom brings the action up close from far away. 2.5" Active Matrix LCD Screen provides excellent viewing clarity, with improved resolution.Steadyshot Picture Stabilization is the image stabilization system using motion sensors that compensates for camera "shake". With Sony's NightShot system you can capture video even when shooting in total darkness (0 lux) up to 10 feet away using the built-in infrared system. By applying slow shutter in the NightShot mode picture quality is increased. LaserLink Wireless Transmitter with TV Control provides wireless connection between your camera and TV, up to 16 feet. TV Control will power your TV on, and set it to the proper video input. SteadyShot eliminates shaky camera shots without compromising picture quality. New Analog Recording Capability allows you to record from an analog source and converts to digital video through A/V inputs. To make sure you get the maximum benefit from each charge, Sony's InfoLithium batteries have no life shortening "memory effect." To keep you informed of remaining power, Sony's AccuPower meter spells out remaining battery time in minutes on the camcorder's LCD Monitor or Viewfinder. Forget about cables, wires and adapters. Edit, Dub, Archive, or Playback between two digital components with virtually no generation loss with a help of i.LINK DV Interface. Intelligent Accessory Shoe Communicates signals such as Power On/Off, Control L, and Audio between the camcorder and accessories to simplify usage.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 18 more reviews...
 Excellent Camcorder November 2, 2005
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
* * * * * I M P O R T A N T * * * * *
Ignore the bashing of this camera for CCD problems (with a reference to CNET forums). This camera is NOT one of the models affected by CCD's manufactured between OCTOBER 2002 and MARCH 2004. There were MANY manufacturers affected by these faulty CCD's, NOT JUST SONY.
* * * * * I M P O R T A N T * * * * *
Despite being a superseded model, my camera still takes nice video. The Digital8 format was great for me because I had a lot of 8mm tapes that would have been otherwise lost if I couldn't transfer them via firewire with this camera. I paid $1100 for this brand new a few years ago, but you can get budget models today that compare or outdo it for much less ($300).
The battery life is one of the big benefits (about 2 hours of shooting time), and with the NP-F550 battery I got over 3 hours of recording time easily.
Pro's:
1. Flexible Digital8 format allows digital recording on regular 8mm tapes
2. Good video and 16-bit PCM audio
3. 20X optical zoom
4. Easy transfer of analog 8mm video to digital via firewire
5. Excellent battery life
Con's:
1. A bit bulky (by today's standards)
2. A/V inputs don't allow for direct pass-through to firewire (subsequent models allow this, but for the TRV103 you have to record input video/audio to tape then playback and capture over firewire).
3. Low-light video is somewhat grainy (but average for the time period this model was produced).
 Another FORMER Sony customer...BLACK SCREEN of death May 28, 2005
I bought Sony camcorder last year. It has stopped recording video. I can't see anything in the viewfinder or screen. Absolutely nothing.
On the flip side, it did work nicely for the year when it was working though.
Just in case, you think I am disgruntled, cynical and I am writing this out of spite, please follow this link. There are many like us.
http://reviews.cnet.com/5208-7594-0.html?forumID=59&threadID=53316&messageID=635769
In fact, people there have filed a class action suit against Sony on this issue.
Overall, buy it if you want to. But see you on the forum above in 1 year.
 7 Good Years May 11, 2005
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I purchases the Sony DCR-TRV103 Handycam just after my first son was born, and just after my VHS camcorder died. I have used this camera extensively over the last 7 years, never have had a problem, until recently. I have filmed several hundred hours worth of videos with great results. Excellent pictures and quality sound. Recently I have been getting an error message, telling me to eject the tape. I am looking into to repair, but maybe after all this time it is ready to replace, but I would recommend a new one of these to anyone.
Former Sony customer March 20, 2002
My wife purchased a Sony camcorder model DCR-TRV-103 in the summer of 2000 and gave it to me as a gift for to take on our 25 day tour of Europe in September ,2000. After familiarizing myself it I never had a reason to use it until on our trip. About half way into the trip the unit failed in Rome , Italy with about two weeks left on our tour. After returning home I sent it to a Sony Service Center near St. Louis and received it back about a month later. I did not use it again until the following August for about 15 min. to record a Christening at our church and it Worked o.k. I didn't use it again until Christmas day to record our last holiday in our present home .All our family was present. After nearly an hour I checked to see if the cassette had finished and I was shocked to see it had failed with the same exact failure as the first .I believe it should have held up longer than two hours of recording time since the repair but not so. Now Sony refuses to make the repair good ...
Hard to beat this one July 19, 2000
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
I have had this camera for about 3 months, and I am very satisfied with the quality of the camera itself (not surprising from Sony), and the quality of the results. Considering the resolution (500 lines, compared to 240~260 for VHS & 400 for S-VHS, both of which are analog), I don't really see any great advantage to going with DV technology, except that a full digital camera is a bit lighter and the fact that you can record up to 2 hours on a DV tape, compared to 1 hour on either 8mm or Hi8 tape. I use both tapes, by the way, and there is no readily noticeable difference in quality. As far as the weight, since I do a lot of handheld recording, I find that I like this one better because a lighter camera is more difficult to keep steady. The recording sound quality is very good also, as well as being able to record in darkness! The ONLY, and I mean ONLY thing about this camera that bothers me is the fact that more of the on-camera controls are not duplicated on the remote control, such as fades, backlight, etc. I do a lot of active videography, and even though I have a very steady hand, it's very hard not to jiggle the camera when trying to turn on a fade or the backlight or one of the picture processing modes. Other than that, I would highly recommend this camera to anyone.
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