Sony CCD-TR91 Handycam and EV-A80 Video8 VCR Overview and Demonstration
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- Опубліковано 25 сер 2024
- Here is a video demonstration of a Sony CCD-TR91 Video8 Handycam from around 1993 and an unusual Sony EV-A80 Video8 VCR from around 1986. The Handycam has a very thorough selection of features for its time, and I would guess that it was a higher end (if not top of the line) model when it was new.
The Video8 VCR is a relatively low end piece of equipment, although it does integrate a cable-capable TV tuner and could have recorded programs off the air.
Though the number of video "lines" recorded is seemingly identical to that of VHS machines, I am still quite impressed by the picture quality. The still images produced when the VCR was paused are also quite impressive. Even high end VHS machines would have had a great deal of trouble producing clean stills such as those.
Since posting this video I have learned that Kodak (!!!) produced some Video8 equipment. Less surprisingly, Hitachi was also onboard as a maker of Video8 equipment and kept with it until the early days of Digital8.
The earliest version of this video description was typed using free wi-fi at a Bob Evans' restaurant. I don't know why I'm telling you that. I guess I found it amusing at the time.
Tags: uxwbill sony video8 camcorder vcr, EV-A80 CCD-TR91 Handycam overview demonstration
![АЛАУДИНОВ у Скабеевой: эти их ВСУ нас НЕ ДОГОНЯТ 😁 [Пародия]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/an0anqU4WGQ/mqdefault.jpg)
you'd have to admit; even for being 20 years old, the Audio and Video Quality of that HandyCam is Suprisingly Good!
Just saw Techmoan's new video on his channel about the Video8 format. Noticed he also used your "Trojan Horse" remark/reference at around 4:10ish. Great video & thank you for the information.
Man, the insides look like my old Mitsubishi S-VHS VCR and I remember when I had to press all sorts of switches on that thing to get the program schedule to record the show properly. It certainly served its purpose very well until the day the heads died on it and eventually replaced with my DVD recorder I currently have.
Thanks for the presentation! The picture quality that this equipment still delivers today is amazing. There were a lot of stand-alone Video 8/Hi 8 VCRs built by Sony over the years. They are actually quite rare and high prized on ebay (at least here in Germany).
It's interesting that with recording on a 90s camera you immediately get this 90s vibe from the video. It's kind of like virtual time travel. :)
I like the meausred pace of delivery. Bill also lucked out to get that camcorder in cherry condition....my stuff to rebuild usually needs a tornado to get it clean...the Realistic DX-150 I just repaired and uploaded was the exception, for sure...love your vids, Bill...I learn alot
Very impressive camera Bill....one to put on my ever growing lists of toys to buy! :) Great video, thanks!
I love the way you talk, strong and steady
I recently got a Hi8/VHS recorder, the Sony SLV-T2000. It was only 3 euro at a church market. While the VHS needs some service, the Hi8 Video8 part is working perfectly. Fully working units go for atleast 100x as expensive on eBay worldwide, but mostly above that.
***** I did get it to work at one point, when I messed around inside I got it to eject the tape they put in. Then I inserted a different unimportant tape, got it to play for a bit, but when ejecting it went back to just making noise. Now it does that whatever I do, like it did before. I'd imagine with some new grease it might just work fine again, or indeed something needs to be replaced.
This vcr and the camera on the sticker was a home shopping network bundle. Possibly exclusive. I remember my mom ordering this while it was airing live. You could not get this anywhere and never knew of any other video 8 players other than this one. I used this for years as a player since it was easier than hooking up the newer cameras to the TV. Just wish I could hook it up to my modern TVs so I can watch all my old video 8s.
These were offered for sale in many places, though probably not always as a package deal. A few other companies did manufacture Video8 VCRs, or put their names on them.
You can hook this up to a modern TV in at least two ways: RF and composite.
Not bad quality video at all for youtube near the end in fact a lot better than most of today's mobile cell phone camera uploads you get now.
Cell phone cameras suck when used in portrait mode
That is a great presentation.
I'm surprised to see how good those videos look from today's perspective. I used to own two different Sony Handycams at the time (CCD-F330E and CCD-FX310), Video 8 both of them obviously, but still, somehow I was expecting to see something more VHS-y today. Anyway, when it comes to low-end home video, VIdeo 8 was way better. Just look at those still frames, I wanna see you do that with a low end VHS machine :-D
This is just amazing piece of information, Thank u so much for sharing this video. I wish I could get these type of things here. u r so lucky.
I have the Sony TR910 ntsc, 15x optical zoom, 16X9 mode with s-video No original remote or adapter ( 3rd party charger avec two batteries, however) I purchased it for peanuts considering its general operational condition ; but the cosmetics are rough. This kit is exceptionally nice in all ways. Way to go!
Lovely Handycam and Video8 VCR!
Well done Bill, Another fine video:)
George.
For a second there, I thought your wind chimes were playing the NBC jingle! I *really* need a vacation. lol
Bob Evans' wi-fi, eh? I used their wi-fi once. It was so slow, it took me two hours to watch The Price is Right!
Sony kept the RF modulator DC output jack on their Hi8 camcorders all the way through 2004.
Kodak also made Video8 VCRs. They were actually the first to introduce the format to North America, a year before Sony did.
Nice find! I found a video 8 recorder once, but it would eat tapes if I tried to rewind because a gear inside had broken. It played Hi-8 tapes perfectly even tho it wasn't a hi-8 machine. I noticed one you have and the one I found (I don't have it anymore) both thread the tape the same way a Beta does. ! I've also seen a VHS that thread tapes that way as well, and I swear I've seen a Beta that threads the tape the same way a VHS does.
My dad bought a Sony VHS VCR in the mid 90s and I always wondered why only one of the dots in the colon blinked. I never paid enough attention to it though to notice that. It's still there and I will have to check it out.
Around 2000 a school I went to had a Hi8 VCR, and even 2 Sears Betamax VCRs in the A/V room. None of that stuff was really used though.
I'm surprised you leave that camera out there all the time. You never know when someone might come by and take what's lion around.
I find it interesting how the earlier Video 8 decks such as this one used a similar U-loading mechanism to that of Beta decks, but by the later Video 8 machines, they switched to the VHS-like M-loading type. All camcorders (that I know of) also used the M-loading mechanism as it was a more compact design.
now that is a pretty sweet VCR. i know they used 8mm video extensively for in-flight movies too. that lasted for quite a long time.
Another great feature that the Sony CCD Handycam had was the lens could go into a macro mode that was better than a jewelers lens.
I actually saw a Video8 VCR for sale at a local CHKD thrift shop last week. I was a bit tempted to get it, but decided against it because I already have too much stuff in the way of electronics.
I got a CCD-TRV-91 for a dollar at Hamfest last year, and it was in terrible shape. I think it had been in a flood at some point since all the buttons were crusty and stuck, but it did work. It would only play back video though.
Bill, I think you're the only person I've ever known other than myself who knows what an RF modulator is. I still have one I use occasionally on an old TV that lacks RCA jacks. Funnily, the TV is an RCA.
I love the Video8 VCR. I always wanted to get a MiniDV one but the cost has stopped me.
These old camcorders were an impressive beast when they worked properly. They would put a lot of modern cameras to shame when it comes to features. Seems Sony really did their best to give their customers a camera with a more " professional " feature set.
Thanks for this Bill, really enjoyed it, I didn't realise you were using a dv camera there, thought you had some hd one :o)
Very nice! I have to get a stereo player, i found 200+ unopened prerecorded Video8 tapes at goodwill for $20.
sweet VCR. love the Sony style colors and shit.
very interesting machine there uxwbill and awesome demostration as well and oh yeah nice snow..I do love seeing snow since we have nothing but rain down here lol
Btw congrats on finally fixing that light it sure took ya long enough haha j/k
That VCR reminds me a DVR for a TV.
I'm sitting in my room one night (maybe a month or two ago) and I look over at my sony tt-2000/sl-2000 betamax and I notice only one of the colons on the digital clock are blinking. I watch it for a little while and the other one starts blinking. It's funny you would mention that little feature in your video seeing how I just noticed it. My machine (portable player/recorder/camera) is from the late '70's or early 80's. I guess it's an old feature.
I managed to nab a fully working Memorex model 801 8mm Hi-Fi Stereo VCR (a.k.a. Optimus model 801) for $3 from a thrift store that I've lucked out at on many occasions (I had also recently scored a fully working, near mint Denon AVR-4802, complete with remote and manual, for $10 from the same place).
Quite a compact deck originally sold from Radio Shack stores. It also seems to have been made in Korea by Samsung, though the transport used is an awful lot like a Sony (it may very well be a Sony transport built into a Samsung chassis, surrounded by Samsung circuits).
I did have to spend an extra $10 to procure the correct replacement remote control from eBay.
But, all in all, I believe I got a good deal.
Interesting how there is no switching noise while paused. I suppose I shouldn't be shocked as the heads aren't rapidly switching on a still frame (or rather, they don't entirely need to), but on my TRV22 from 1997, there is head switching noise no matter what.
Also, on the 8mm VCR clip, funny how that tape path seems vaguely reminiscent of the U shape of another much earlier tape format Sony had fun with (and indeed, the TV station at the local college still has one).
That was really cool to see how the tape looked inside the player, I was never quite sure how that worked. Do full size tapes usually operate in the same way in a VCR?
Hitachi was the other big producer of 8mm VCRs and cameras. They were never popular because of their sky high costs. The later Hi-8/D8 camcorders do a better job of playback too. The record-only nature of the 1st Handycam was to keep size down, Sony used the same tactic with the BetaMovie camcorders. It was lousy because you couldn't playback recording in the field, which was a pretty handy thing to have. The half colon clock thing is nothing new either, every 80s and 90s Sony device has it.
Sort of wish we had one of the Video8 players. We have loads of Video8 tapes from our old 1995 Video8 Handicam. Unfortunately, loading tapes on it is sort of a crapshoot. You have to literally smack it to get it to hopefully load a tape instead of spitting it back out. Sometimes your lucky and it works. Other times, it will play the tape for awhile and then just stop playing and eject the tape.
Sucks, because I want to digitize some old tapes from my childhood. One of those would make life easy
I thought it may be, it's hard to mistake that case. My wife had one from 2006. She paid about $800 brand new. She also just replaced it earlier this year, just because she wanted something to run Windows 8. Still worked just fine, although the fan sounded like a jet taking off.
Im glad you sorted the bulb, cooking items get scared in the dark ha ha :-)
Ahh the "C" style tape wrap pattern, typical for most betamax machines, some would say better than "M" wrap but ive seen bad versions of both.
I allways enjoy your videos bill, allways something ive never seen before with a mix of madness (brothers :-)) and witty intellegent/interesting commentry, your car repair videos are just a must to watch :-)
Can i have my money now, ha ha :-)
VHS Rewinders, and the people who race them! Tape Racers
what are your thoughts of sony's (proprietary) minidiscs? i thought they were great. even had a minidisc deck in my car (the DIN sized deck-- wish i still had the car and the player)
forgive me if you've previously discussed them.
SonicWALL and Comcast, eh? This must be new! I tried "poking around" their network with my laptop about four years ago (no netbook for me then!) and found they used AT&T with some filtering. It even showed up as "attwifi" in my network connections. A speedtest showed they had the same 3m down/512k up plan I have now, and I could also access the internal IP of their modem. I doubt I'll be using their wifi again, though. Last time I visited BE, the food was pretty bad. At least the pie was good!
Can be brocken Capacitors replaced? I got a 1988 S-VHS Camcorder labeld as "Grundig" but made by Sony or Panasonic, from the Dump with bag, Cassette,Power Supply and Cables.
oh, it's a Hi8 also, got my hands on it yesterday by pure chance while looking into the pile of dead/outdated electronics :)
I've heard you reply to other comments but I didn't quite understand. Do you like windows 7, and sense it would probably run on it pretty good you could use it for a trial computer or a work shop computer. I don't know what you think though.
Thanks for the vid!
A little off topic of the video, but is that a Dell E310 in the backround?
Nice finds. I remember my friends' Playstation had that kind of RF modulator too.
What model Dell Dimension is that in the background?
Also do you know of a good source of service literature for old VCRs?
on some old vhs tapes at the end their was a white screen with a tone that would go on for aminnut and the safter the white screan it would go black and about 5 minnuts later it would make a electronic noise if you can can you pleeze tell me what this is thanks.
Will there be any more computer videos soon?
got a similar sony camcorder, a bit newer maybe ('94-'95), still works perfectly but batteries are dead so it works only from the ac adaptor
Warap
There is a folk selling me a Handycam CCD f330 in a very cheap price. Im not sure if buy it or not. I want the video camera for skate filming and homemade films
I have an RF modulator. I thought most people knew what that was. I need it to connect my games to my tv. I guess I'm just old school. I had a question. How can I take things I have on vhs and put them on youtube? I have so much footage from the past several decades on tape. Commercials. Award shows. And everything else. Please help me
I kinda have mixed views on Linux. But I have used it extensively in the past.
I wasn't able to find the service manual for my '88 Ferguson Videostar FV21R, but it is a european unit so...
I noticed that Maxxarcade's Zenith VRD200 is very similar. Unfortunately I couldn't find the manual for that either.
just got an estate auction sony video 8 player and camcorder but no tape to test. what tape would you recommend? thanks.
If you google search "Sony Gesamtprogramm 1988" the page should come up within the first few results, at least it does on this side of the Atlantic :)
Beta vcrs DO have an audio control head
Hey uxwbill. How possible would it be to find something like a Sony CCD-TR91 Handycam & EV-A80 Video8 VCR on ebay? :)
How do you charge this camera?
were can i get a charger from?
That RF mod could be used on some 1st gen PlayStation 1's
Theoretically you could even use a Handycam to play back recorded shows and movies when on the go. Not exactly practical, but hey, what other device could do that back then in that size? :)
Awhere uou get the video 8 vcr i need one?
Hi Bill, What an excellent video, and so informative, you seem to be an electronic wizard! ..Can I ask you a question please? I have an old Sony CCD TR55E Handycam, I bought from new. Now I want to transfer my tapes to DVD, and seem to have lost sound output playing tapes to TV/Recorder. Tried running tape cleaner, no success. Any thoughts please, would be appreciated.
John.
Hi Bill, Thanks for taking the time to reply to my question. I think you are right that I should try to obtain a later model. I shall ferret around the second hand shops, and see what i can find. Many thanks for your superb info.
John.
Attention first commenter's..I am here in regard to you're brave efforts in leaving a first comment but have to regretfully inform you of the fact that spot was taken by the owner of the video therefore rewinding you back into the last commentor spot..thanks and have a splendid day first commenter's
Those old cameras are always "nifty." I see that you still have taht dell Optiplex 745
I wished I can do the same to my Canon E440 which required two batteries...Ni-Cd battery and a coin shaped battery both are dead...
Wow the footage from that carmara looks dated but that is mostly because of the tracking lines.
*****
I'm not saying it souden't look dated or that I'm surprised. What I'm trying to say is this is one of the cases in which you can see how far technolgy has come.
I miss Bob Evans' breakfast sausages and biscuits. Weird as it's not that great a restaurant otherwise.
Hey bill can we get a roach palace update !!!
Believe it or not, Bill isn't at home, please leave a message at the beep...
funny i still get analog cable from cable company here.
Even today Sony has not found the manual to scan. If not, i just couldn't find it. www.sony.com/electronics/support/results?query=EV-A80
I don't think these sold particularly well and that probably doesn't help matters.
Get rid of the clutter, it will make you feel better.
I OWN ONE!
not even the twiddle of a comical mustache? :P
my dad would lay an egg If he hat that
OMG....Bubba Cola.....I remember drinking that stuff years ago....it was just awful!