Thank you for the post. I have one of these cameras and couldn't remember how to play on my TV. With your help, I am finally watching old films of my 21 year old daughter when she was a baby!
Hi, and thanks for making this great video! If you didn't already know, Hi8 XR and Video 8XR offered their resolution advantage by recording video in the area occupied by the soundtrack. When the camcorder was recording in a loud environment, the XR advantage was reduced or went away. This is certainly a high end Hi8 camcorder, although there were higher end models, such as the 3CCD VX1/VX3 or V5000/V6000 with 2/3'' sensors. However, they now suffer from bad caps at a high rate! I'm currently trying to locate very rare Sony TRV300, which is a Hi8 XR model from the previous year. Its standout feature is that is has a swing-out LCD, and full manual exposure controls, so basically a special version of the TR3200. It's the only Hi8 camcorder to offer both these features...and very hard to find!!
I know that this is an old video (and you may have figured it out) but for the part of cleaning the CRT viewfinder - unscrew the little bolt and release the black piece, then use soft brush and blow some air there until you find it's clear. That's the way it was supposed to be cleaned - everything is in the User Manual :)
There's a screw under a lever on the bottom of the black part of the viewfinder. Take that out and the release lever will be useable. My Video8 camcorder was the same way. Go to 15:41 and you can see it come in and out of the video frame.
Very good video. I had also a Canon hi8 camcorder but I sold it. I remember I used metal coating tapes that helped raise the quality of video and sound even more
I just got a CCD-TRV66 on eBay for $20 with free shipping. The only description was "Used, for parts". So if it works, it'll be a great deal, and if it's dead, at least it comes with an NP-F550 InfoLithium battery and a carrying bag!
***** The TRV66 arrived today. At first it had an error code, but after ejecting and reinserting the tape. now it's working fine. The only differences between it and the TRV87 that I can find is that the TRV87 adds Super NightShot and Super LaserLink, the playback controls no longer light up in VTR mode (they're just printed on), and it claims up to 16 hours of battery life with the optional NP-F960 battery, instead of 15 hours with the NP-F950.
@@vwestlife Thanks for posting this.. I got the TRV87 the other day and so was wondering what it had compared to this unit.. Still might grab a TRV66 also if the price is right :)
I just picked up this camera in near-mint condition for $50 from a local facebook seller. Looks like the battery is dead on it but I'm able to record on it. It's a huge step up from the other camera I got this year a CCD-TR100. The recording quality on this thing is way, way better, and everything else seems to knock it out of the park. Very too to see another fellow Canadian following this old tech stuff as well! Loved the Presidents Choice commercial from almost a decade ago :) I'm not sure if you're familiar with domesday project or vhs-decode, but this camera is compatible with that type of digitization stuff so I'm going to see how it plays out with my old family videos from the 90s!
How to clean the viewfinder (this is how it works on my DCR-TRV520, which has the same style viewfinder): The piece that you tried to push at 16:03 is actually the viewfinder release. Use a small flathead screwdriver to remove the screw right above that piece. Then push it just like you tried to in the video, and turn the black part of the viewfinder in the direction of the arrow that says "release." The black part (which contains the viewfinder lens) should slide off and reveal the CRT display.
2:35 I agree that 8mm tape camcorders are way overpriced. I just got a sony CCD-TRV68 for $140, plus $25 shipping, that's terrifying, but I at least had the guarantee of it working. Also, 12:25 I find that strange, because I have a Hi8 camcorder from 2002, the sony CCD-TRV68, and no matter what tape it is, it records in Hi8, and only records in Video8 in the LP speed. 15:57 your supposed to remove that screw at the bottom of the view finder, and then you can pull the release lever that's being blocked by the screw,cans then you can clean your viewfinder.
Wow, the video quality looks awesome for a Hi8 unit, and there is hardly any tape noise, at least compared to your Digital8 camera. It's definitely a good camera for your videos.
The photo feature is interesting- a couple of my camcorders use a MMS card, but my digital 8 version of this model takes photos by making a still shot on the tape. I hadn't seen that before. And its actually pretty neat; a good way of getting a still shot for use in editing that still runs like video signal. Tbh, these camcorders that take photos are on par with contemporary digicams if you're into that (like i am). And as for video 8 in digital 8, i just use video 8 on my digital 8.
For analog tapes recorded in the true 16:9 mode, will a Digital8 camcorder be able to play them in 16:9 mode? That is, if I was to import an analog tape recorded in 16:9 with a Digital8 camcorder, would the DV profile sent to the computer indicate 16:9 video (therefore, making the computer display it in 16:9)? I know that my Digital8 camcorder can do that with an externally-input analog signal.
I used to have a Sony CCD-TRV77 camcorder for several years, and I used it for many UA-cam videos back in early 2010. It didn't have the built in halogen light, instead it had an accessory shoe, and I think it came with a fancier remote control that would allow you to play video in half speed or backwards. These are excellent camcorders, the video quality is great. However, part of the reason why they are as good as Digital8 is because Sony never used the full potential of the Digital8 system. The MiniDV camcorders were equipped with much better image sensors and better signal processing (for example, they have a digital filter to remove noise coming from the head drum).
Hmm, I never noticed the fact that this doesn't have an accessory shoe. I would have been surprised that it didn't lol. Although my TRV350 doesn't have one, either. That's unfortunate about the Digital8 format. Makes no sense to me either because I would have thought Sony would have pushed the format to it's full capabilities like they did with Video8 and Hi8. But they didn't even release a prosumer Digital8 camcorder. Too bad I guess. Digital8 would have been a killer prosumer video format. Or if they made an HD version of it like HDV.
I don't think Sony was honestly interested in the Digital8 format. After all, Sony was one of the inventors of the MiniDV format and brought out the first all digital MiniDV camcorder in 1995 (Sony DCR-VX1000) long before the first Digital8 camcorder came out (1999). I have a feeling Digital8 only existed to squeeze some money out of all those consumers who already had a Video8 format camcorder and didn't want to get used to a totally new format. All Sony really did was equipping their existing Hi8 camcorders with a new head drum that could record the high frequency digital signal on the tape. The fact that the tape runs faster in digital mode shows that they didn't put a whole lot of research and development into the system, otherwisely I'm sure they would have found a way to keep the tape speed the same. The faster tape speed though is the only advantage Digital8 has over MiniDV, it is much more reliable and Drop Outs won't have too much of an effect, which indeed would qualify the system for professional use. There is a pro version of MiniDV called DVCAM, that is identical to MiniDV except the tape speed is higher to increase reliablility. The information recorded on the Digital8 tape is the same as on MiniDV, so Sony could use all the processing circuitry they already had for their MiniDV camcorders. All just convenient and cheap. Considering that HDV uses just the same old MiniDV tapes I'm sure they could create an HDigital8 system. On there, the better reliability of Digital8 would be even more valuable because the MPEG2 codec used for HDV uses a GOP (Group Of Pictures) compression. So in case of a drop out instead of having one bad or missing frame like on MiniDV, in the worst case you'll (I think) loose 16 frames!
In 2001 and 2002, Sony did have a few high-end Digital8 Handycams with a 1 megapixel image sensor, the same as used in their mid-range MiniDV models. One model (the DCR-TRV840) even had Progressive Scan (but only for taking photos, not video). But when Sony redesigned the Hi8/Digital8 Handycams in 2003 to make them smaller and lighter, the high-end Digital8 models were cancelled, probably because they didn't sell that well. And it's interesting that the Hi8 and Digital8 formats both lasted equally as long -- until 2007 -- although by that time, the Hi8 models had been downgraded far below XR quality, just to make the Digital8 models look much better in comparison.
DrCassette Fair enough. I didn't know Sony was one of the inventors of MiniDV. Although I've never found an official source saying so, I would imagine another advantage Digital8 has over MiniDV is the wider tape, which would be more resistant to wear.
vwestlife Yes, the first couple of Digital8 camcorders were quite good, but for example Sony never brought out a unit with 3CCD system or anything like that.
I was honestly kind of surprised to see that when you switched to LP, the picture got slightly softer...it doesn't do that on my HD camcorder, but it does on analog I guess.
***** LP mode doesn't effect digital video nearly as much as analog. It's about the equivalent of switching from the highest recording quality mode to the next one down on a solid-state camcorder. Yep, it will work just fine. Sony doesn't recommend the practice because Video8 tape isn't manufactured to as high of a standard as Hi8 tape (and so is more susceptible to dropouts), but it will work just fine. I've considered using that tape for my D8 camcorders, since quality would be the same as if I was using a Hi8 tape.
I have this very same sony camcorder ccd-trv66.Bought it brand new,there's still little qwerks i'm wondering but you that release i've wondered if it could be for a separate attachment?maybe to switch eye piece,or exstend distance for night vision?
I don't know what to do, I bought a Sony CCD-TRV99 Hi8 XR camcorder, and a tape ruined it. It was working perfectly with the old home movie it came with, but when I tried to put in a new old stock Sony Video8 in it, the video was all grainy and the color was messed up. I don't know if buying a pack of Maxell or Sony Hi8 tapes would fix this, as the video use to be clean before this happened. I heard a lot of bad reviews for head cleaning tapes, so I'm kind of scared it will make it worse. Also I can't find 99% rubbing alcohol anywhere in stores, if I even attempt to open the camera up. I really don't know what to do right now, I'm poor and I have been asking around for people who still have a sealed Hi8 tape on hand. I need some tips for cleaning the video heads, as I'm not good at fixing stuff, plus a repair manual would be nice to have if it exists. The person who sold the camera to me for 50 dollars, said it worked fine but the blank Sony Video8 tape ruined the picture. I did try to record onto the home movie tape, but it still looked bad. :'(
If playback quality is bad as well now, then the heads are probably just clogged. You can get a Sony 8mm cleaning cassette for under $20 on eBay. Don't try to clean the heads manually - they're too small and delicate. If playback is still good and just recording is bad, then the recording circuitry probably failed. Just an FYI, 99% IPA doesn't exist on the retail market - 91% is the stuff to use.
I'm looking for a good cleaning tape now, since I know nothing about repairing stuff. I think that Sony tape was no good, so it caused the video distortion. It will not play back anything in good quality, so I'm going to ask around for a Video8 cleaning tape. I would buy a tape online, but I don't have an eBay account and don't have enough on my credit card. So I will search for a Sony brand cleaning tape you mentioned, then search for a sealed Hi8 tape. Almost everyone in my area has never heard of Video8 or Hi8, as they all used VHS-C back then. I've tried a VHS-C camcorder, but it was on it's way out and chewing tapes along with poor video.
@@themaritimegirl I found out what tape I was using, I watched a video by ''12voltvids'' and he was going over bad Sony tapes. I don't know why Sony out of all the brands, that's kind of ironic since the camcorder is a Sony. He strictly recommends Fuji and Maxell tapes, so I guess I will get one of those. Also about the head cleaner, does it have to be the one marketed for camcorders? Sony made one for computers apparently, which look very identical. I made sure I typed in ''8mm cleaning tape'' on eBay, and I'm seeing a bunch of those ones. A friend is letting me buy the two tapes with his account, one for cleaning and other for recording on. I told him I would pay him back, which I'm still looking for cheaper tapes right now.
Hi, I'm looking for a LCD screen replacement for this camera but I can't find anything (and I mean, for a model like this one it's pretty obvious) but anyway, does anyone know where I could find it? I'd really appreciate... thx
Hello. Great video! I bought mine new and over the years had bought other cameras. It had served me well though. Recently I had a problem with the door not staying closed when I tried to play a tape. Do you have any advice to try and fix it? I'm sure its just something simple...well i hope it is. Thanks.
This is the first time I know of camcorders that have remotes. Nice frog you have there. I noticed that when you made those videos on the video tape camcorders, the background noise (which I thought was from a computer all this time) is not heard. I'm guessing it might be the sound from your digital camcorder.
Just the way they were designed. I think the 16:9 mode uses the extra pixels on the CCD that are normally dedicated to handling the image stabilization.
Interesting video. Is this really the best '99 model? I had the TRV77E and if the numbering scheme corresponds to the features one would think it's higher end. Unfortunately completely ruined that poor thing when i tried to swap in the head drum from my 69e since it had better video. Turned out they were incompatible and I completely messed up the mechanism taking it apart, at first it beeped without doing anything else but eventually stopped turning on all together. Still kick myself for this even though I have a DCR-TRV840, but that thing is incompatible with any of my equipment since I'm in Europe and since it's NTSC it's only 720x480 rather than 720x576
I agree with you about the image quality of your Hi8 camcorder versus the Digital8, the image does seem cleaner and sharper to me at least, also you don't have to listen to that annoying whining noise of the motor. But I do hear a lot of handling noise when you move the camcorder about.
Lachlant1984 I assume you're talking about the the image quality, rather than the handling noise. :P Indeed, it does actually have a better image sensor; 1/4" compared to 1/6" on my Digital8 camcorders.
Yes I was. But microphone placement is also a factor when considering handling noise, also the kind of material the casing is made of and other things like that.
Hello i just bought my first Hi8 camcorder a TRV95E and i like it too much but a bit too grainy in low light tbh (from the sensor not the tape because i did a test capturing through s-video to my digital 8 camera then firewire to my pc) For curiosity you applied a denoise filter or not? Anyways i can adjust the exposure control to make the image a bit more darker but with less grain because all of those Hi8 cameras tried to see very well with a lot of details in low light but at the cost of appliyng a bit too much noise or "grain" to the footage.
@@themaritimegirl I was loosing the hope to find a fully working Hi8 XR unit in a PAL version in my country because here in spain they are VERY rare especially the fully working ones these days and i am very very happy that i just found at a decent price this TRV95E with even their remote and a bag from sony. Is a model from 1998 so is those cameras that can see through the clothes.
i know this video was made years ago, but what capture device did you use to get the footage off the cam? im trying a better one because the one i have has poor video quality.
I played the Hi8 recording in a Digital8 camcorder, connected to my computer via FireWire. I made a whole video about it here: ua-cam.com/video/zpfmHChEqHY/v-deo.html
Lovely video, love how passionate you are about this little cam! Can you by chance tell me what the difference is between the CCD-TRV66 and the CCD-TRV66E? Thank you very much in advance!
+themaritimeman Thanks for your super quick reply, wow! I was looking for ages for the best Hi8 camcorder that would fit my needs and thanks to your video I found this model and the CCD-TRV87, which are both exactly what I want. Will have an eye on these models in hope to make a good catch!
+themaritimeman Ps. One last question: Do you know which remote controls of which models I can use with the TRV66? There are some sellers who don't have them included so I'd have to buy one extra. :/
+sophiascalpel The TRV66 originally shipped with the Sony RMT-708 remote, and I know the newer RMT-814 will work, too. Other Sony remotes might be compatible, as well.
The camcorder itself has no computer connectivity capability, but if you have a Digital8 camcorder, or a USB or FireWire analog video capture device, then yes, you can transfer the video to a Mac. I have never used Photoshop and didn't even know it could edit video, so I can't help you there.
Sorry to jump all over your case, but the Digital8 camcorder can NOT convert to Mac, only Microsoft Windows, trust me. I have tried to convert to My 2006 Macbook via FireWire. Does not recognize the Camcorder. So I use an RCA Camcorder and convert it to Mac via EasyCap which is a chord that had RCA Jacks on one side and a USB on the other. Great video anyways.
I have one of these camcorder - i am the orignal owner purchased as you know in 1999. with the original batteries in the remote and original battery though haven't used it in ages. think the lithium batteries are dead. watched your video which was great stuff. however you didn't say how to charge the battery.... is there a separate charger i need as i don't seem to have it and can't remember how i did it last time i think i just put the battery inthe recorder and used the power pack to plug in under where the battery goes (rubber cover pulls off and reveals slot for adapter plug to go) it would be really helpful if you wonuldn't mind replying so i know if i have to buy a separate charging unit having just ordered a new lithium battery. also how do you get the clock battery out please. sorry but can't find the instrucation manual anywhere. Carrie (UK)
+SepiaTechnique Yes, it's a charger you plug into the camcorder. The charger is a Sony AC-L10A. The lithium backup battery is hidden behind a little door behind the LCD, above the Display, End Search, and Menu buttons.
Probably a bad battery. It might be reading as Full even though it's old and worn out. Look for replacement batteries made by Ikan or Neewer. You can get them on Amazon.
Lovely video! Made me make the jump into my own Hi8 camcorder. Do you have any idea what the difference between the TRV66 and the TRV66E is? Just NTSC vs PAL?
themaritimeman And do you know anything about the difference between the 80x digital zoom model and the 360x digital zoom besides the obvious one? Thanks!
themaritimeman elektrotanya.com/PREVIEWS/45612216/23432455/camcorder/sony/sony_ccd-trv66e_77e.pdf_1.png here is a manual picture that shows the 80x digital zoom. Probably just region.
Awesome video ! Please use his hi8 camcorder for all your videos !, it's way better than your digital8 camcorder,and the head drum sound is GONE ! Plus the video quality is better and it will do better in low light, since it use a real BIG sensor (1/4" vs 1/6"). Also I've always prefer the "analog" look & feel as the "perfect" look of digital video, but that's just my opinion :-) I've dream to own this camcorde, the european version of it 'TRV-66E', and also, the first gen of D8 camcorder 'TRV-110E'. I've got an handycam TR-640E camcorder, it's an 8mm XR with the original nightshot :-) I could make a review if you want ? As for the viewfinder, mine was also dirty when I got it, don't remember how to clean it, but it was easy, I will look on mine and keep you informed
I have filmed one video with it so far, which will be up in the near future. Response from you guys regarding the video and (especially) audio quality seem to be very positive, so if that's the case then I will indeed consider using this as my primary camcorder. To be honest, I too like the character of analog video, where you get the occasional wavy lines and pops in the sound as a result of a worn spot on the tape, etc. Especially when the video itself is still very good quality as with this unit. A Video8-XR? Cool! Sure, I'd be interested if you ever make a video of it.
Either play the tape in a Digital8 camcorder and connect that to a FireWire port, as I already explained in the video, or use an analog video capture device that plugs into a USB port.
Nice camera. Man sometimes I learn something new from your videos completely unrelated to the video itself. You said carbon zinc batteries never leak? Those are the ones that typically say "heavy duty" on them or something? For some reason I remember those kind leaking that white crap but I haven't had anything that I used non rechargeable AA batteries in in over 10 years so my mind is a bit foggy.
I have the same model but for some reason the handycam won’t turn off even though I already switched it off.. is there a reason why it’s happening? Does someone experienced the same thing?
humm the tessellation on this sort of tech seems to be almost not considered... I believe that if we were to augment the tessellation... the edges of the things being recorded would look smooth... but then tessellation may only be used for graphic card dealing with 3d games and 3ddesign software... hummm
the quality of the edges shown in the videos... so the objects look more even and natural... no tessellation seems to mean that the edges will look serrated...
I think you mean interlacing. Tessellation means something completely different. Yes, this camcorder produces analog NTSC video which has to be deinterlaced for viewing on UA-cam. But this video was deinterlaced, and I see nothing wrong with it.
Hello. I have just inherited one of these, very very nice ciondition,comes complete with remote!, sony charger and power adaptor, Sony shouder strap and hand strap. cables for TV connection etc, all is complete. I would like to sell it, possibly EBAY and would you please be able to help me determine a price? I have no idea how much to ask. It is a beautiful outfit. Thankyou LYN
My dad still uses this camera. He used it to room my baby videos and he still carries the brick around wherever he goes
Thank you for the post. I have one of these cameras and couldn't remember how to play on my TV. With your help, I am finally watching old films of my 21 year old daughter when she was a baby!
Love these old units. Got the TRV87 the other day, it’s basically the same as this one. Also the older TRV65 I own and would never sale either 😊
Hi, and thanks for making this great video! If you didn't already know, Hi8 XR and Video 8XR offered their resolution advantage by recording video in the area occupied by the soundtrack. When the camcorder was recording in a loud environment, the XR advantage was reduced or went away. This is certainly a high end Hi8 camcorder, although there were higher end models, such as the 3CCD VX1/VX3 or V5000/V6000 with 2/3'' sensors. However, they now suffer from bad caps at a high rate! I'm currently trying to locate very rare Sony TRV300, which is a Hi8 XR model from the previous year. Its standout feature is that is has a swing-out LCD, and full manual exposure controls, so basically a special version of the TR3200. It's the only Hi8 camcorder to offer both these features...and very hard to find!!
I know that this is an old video (and you may have figured it out) but for the part of cleaning the CRT viewfinder - unscrew the little bolt and release the black piece, then use soft brush and blow some air there until you find it's clear. That's the way it was supposed to be cleaned - everything is in the User Manual :)
There's a screw under a lever on the bottom of the black part of the viewfinder. Take that out and the release lever will be useable. My Video8 camcorder was the same way. Go to 15:41 and you can see it come in and out of the video frame.
Thanks, I'll take a look at it next time I'm home.
Very good video. I had also a Canon hi8 camcorder but I sold it. I remember I used metal coating tapes that helped raise the quality of video and sound even more
great review I love your delivery and knowledge thankyou
I just got a CCD-TRV66 on eBay for $20 with free shipping. The only description was "Used, for parts". So if it works, it'll be a great deal, and if it's dead, at least it comes with an NP-F550 InfoLithium battery and a carrying bag!
vwestlife Nice, nice. Here's hoping it works!
***** The TRV66 arrived today. At first it had an error code, but after ejecting and reinserting the tape. now it's working fine. The only differences between it and the TRV87 that I can find is that the TRV87 adds Super NightShot and Super LaserLink, the playback controls no longer light up in VTR mode (they're just printed on), and it claims up to 16 hours of battery life with the optional NP-F960 battery, instead of 15 hours with the NP-F950.
@@vwestlife Thanks for posting this.. I got the TRV87 the other day and so was wondering what it had compared to this unit.. Still might grab a TRV66 also if the price is right :)
23rd years of Sony Handycam CCD-TRV66 Hi8mm Camcorder.
I just picked up this camera in near-mint condition for $50 from a local facebook seller. Looks like the battery is dead on it but I'm able to record on it. It's a huge step up from the other camera I got this year a CCD-TR100. The recording quality on this thing is way, way better, and everything else seems to knock it out of the park.
Very too to see another fellow Canadian following this old tech stuff as well! Loved the Presidents Choice commercial from almost a decade ago :)
I'm not sure if you're familiar with domesday project or vhs-decode, but this camera is compatible with that type of digitization stuff so I'm going to see how it plays out with my old family videos from the 90s!
How to clean the viewfinder (this is how it works on my DCR-TRV520, which has the same style viewfinder): The piece that you tried to push at 16:03 is actually the viewfinder release. Use a small flathead screwdriver to remove the screw right above that piece. Then push it just like you tried to in the video, and turn the black part of the viewfinder in the direction of the arrow that says "release." The black part (which contains the viewfinder lens) should slide off and reveal the CRT display.
Mine tape deck wont closed😢
2:35 I agree that 8mm tape camcorders are way overpriced. I just got a sony CCD-TRV68 for $140, plus $25 shipping, that's terrifying, but I at least had the guarantee of it working.
Also, 12:25 I find that strange, because I have a Hi8 camcorder from 2002, the sony CCD-TRV68, and no matter what tape it is, it records in Hi8, and only records in Video8 in the LP speed.
15:57 your supposed to remove that screw at the bottom of the view finder, and then you can pull the release lever that's being blocked by the screw,cans then you can clean your viewfinder.
Wow, the video quality looks awesome for a Hi8 unit, and there is hardly any tape noise, at least compared to your Digital8 camera. It's definitely a good camera for your videos.
The photo feature is interesting- a couple of my camcorders use a MMS card, but my digital 8 version of this model takes photos by making a still shot on the tape. I hadn't seen that before. And its actually pretty neat; a good way of getting a still shot for use in editing that still runs like video signal.
Tbh, these camcorders that take photos are on par with contemporary digicams if you're into that (like i am).
And as for video 8 in digital 8, i just use video 8 on my digital 8.
This was the best review of a camcorder in my opinion. And about 26:03, how do you hook up the camcorder with the TV signals
Thanks for the kind words. I just connected the composite output of my satellite receiver to the composite input of the camcorder.
Hello can you help me please? When I touch 7:53 the bottom “play” my screen is blue and I can’t see the video what happen? (Mode VTR)
If it's not doing anything when you press the Play button, then it sounds like you don't have a tape in it.
Bravo for sony for using the same battery type until today
For analog tapes recorded in the true 16:9 mode, will a Digital8 camcorder be able to play them in 16:9 mode? That is, if I was to import an analog tape recorded in 16:9 with a Digital8 camcorder, would the DV profile sent to the computer indicate 16:9 video (therefore, making the computer display it in 16:9)? I know that my Digital8 camcorder can do that with an externally-input analog signal.
I used to have a Sony CCD-TRV77 camcorder for several years, and I used it for many UA-cam videos back in early 2010. It didn't have the built in halogen light, instead it had an accessory shoe, and I think it came with a fancier remote control that would allow you to play video in half speed or backwards. These are excellent camcorders, the video quality is great. However, part of the reason why they are as good as Digital8 is because Sony never used the full potential of the Digital8 system. The MiniDV camcorders were equipped with much better image sensors and better signal processing (for example, they have a digital filter to remove noise coming from the head drum).
Hmm, I never noticed the fact that this doesn't have an accessory shoe. I would have been surprised that it didn't lol. Although my TRV350 doesn't have one, either.
That's unfortunate about the Digital8 format. Makes no sense to me either because I would have thought Sony would have pushed the format to it's full capabilities like they did with Video8 and Hi8. But they didn't even release a prosumer Digital8 camcorder. Too bad I guess. Digital8 would have been a killer prosumer video format. Or if they made an HD version of it like HDV.
I don't think Sony was honestly interested in the Digital8 format. After all, Sony was one of the inventors of the MiniDV format and brought out the first all digital MiniDV camcorder in 1995 (Sony DCR-VX1000) long before the first Digital8 camcorder came out (1999). I have a feeling Digital8 only existed to squeeze some money out of all those consumers who already had a Video8 format camcorder and didn't want to get used to a totally new format. All Sony really did was equipping their existing Hi8 camcorders with a new head drum that could record the high frequency digital signal on the tape. The fact that the tape runs faster in digital mode shows that they didn't put a whole lot of research and development into the system, otherwisely I'm sure they would have found a way to keep the tape speed the same.
The faster tape speed though is the only advantage Digital8 has over MiniDV, it is much more reliable and Drop Outs won't have too much of an effect, which indeed would qualify the system for professional use. There is a pro version of MiniDV called DVCAM, that is identical to MiniDV except the tape speed is higher to increase reliablility.
The information recorded on the Digital8 tape is the same as on MiniDV, so Sony could use all the processing circuitry they already had for their MiniDV camcorders. All just convenient and cheap.
Considering that HDV uses just the same old MiniDV tapes I'm sure they could create an HDigital8 system. On there, the better reliability of Digital8 would be even more valuable because the MPEG2 codec used for HDV uses a GOP (Group Of Pictures) compression. So in case of a drop out instead of having one bad or missing frame like on MiniDV, in the worst case you'll (I think) loose 16 frames!
In 2001 and 2002, Sony did have a few high-end Digital8 Handycams with a 1 megapixel image sensor, the same as used in their mid-range MiniDV models. One model (the DCR-TRV840) even had Progressive Scan (but only for taking photos, not video). But when Sony redesigned the Hi8/Digital8 Handycams in 2003 to make them smaller and lighter, the high-end Digital8 models were cancelled, probably because they didn't sell that well.
And it's interesting that the Hi8 and Digital8 formats both lasted equally as long -- until 2007 -- although by that time, the Hi8 models had been downgraded far below XR quality, just to make the Digital8 models look much better in comparison.
DrCassette Fair enough. I didn't know Sony was one of the inventors of MiniDV. Although I've never found an official source saying so, I would imagine another advantage Digital8 has over MiniDV is the wider tape, which would be more resistant to wear.
vwestlife
Yes, the first couple of Digital8 camcorders were quite good, but for example Sony never brought out a unit with 3CCD system or anything like that.
Hi...
Since you have the sony brochure for this TVR 66, turn to page 25 if you wish to clean the view finder.
I was honestly kind of surprised to see that when you switched to LP, the picture got slightly softer...it doesn't do that on my HD camcorder, but it does on analog I guess.
I am genuinely curious now, would a D8 camcorder record fine on a standard Video8 tape?
***** LP mode doesn't effect digital video nearly as much as analog. It's about the equivalent of switching from the highest recording quality mode to the next one down on a solid-state camcorder.
Yep, it will work just fine. Sony doesn't recommend the practice because Video8 tape isn't manufactured to as high of a standard as Hi8 tape (and so is more susceptible to dropouts), but it will work just fine. I've considered using that tape for my D8 camcorders, since quality would be the same as if I was using a Hi8 tape.
Have you seen the price of HI8 tapes at Walmart and Walgreen's?I couldn't believe the prices,36 dollars and keeps going up.
good work my friend
I have this very same sony camcorder ccd-trv66.Bought it brand new,there's still little qwerks i'm wondering but you that release i've wondered if it could be for a separate attachment?maybe to switch eye piece,or exstend distance for night vision?
just snagged one for $105! can’t wait to shoot with it!!!
Teşekkür ederim faydasını gördüm :)
Is this the same frame as the DCR-TRV103? (Digital8) It looks a lot similar.
I just bought a CCD TRV69E for £27 on eBay hope it works bit of a gamble as not a lot of info with it
I don't know what to do, I bought a Sony CCD-TRV99 Hi8 XR camcorder, and a tape ruined it. It was working perfectly with the old home movie it came with, but when I tried to put in a new old stock Sony Video8 in it, the video was all grainy and the color was messed up. I don't know if buying a pack of Maxell or Sony Hi8 tapes would fix this, as the video use to be clean before this happened. I heard a lot of bad reviews for head cleaning tapes, so I'm kind of scared it will make it worse. Also I can't find 99% rubbing alcohol anywhere in stores, if I even attempt to open the camera up. I really don't know what to do right now, I'm poor and I have been asking around for people who still have a sealed Hi8 tape on hand. I need some tips for cleaning the video heads, as I'm not good at fixing stuff, plus a repair manual would be nice to have if it exists. The person who sold the camera to me for 50 dollars, said it worked fine but the blank Sony Video8 tape ruined the picture. I did try to record onto the home movie tape, but it still looked bad. :'(
If playback quality is bad as well now, then the heads are probably just clogged. You can get a Sony 8mm cleaning cassette for under $20 on eBay. Don't try to clean the heads manually - they're too small and delicate.
If playback is still good and just recording is bad, then the recording circuitry probably failed.
Just an FYI, 99% IPA doesn't exist on the retail market - 91% is the stuff to use.
I'm looking for a good cleaning tape now, since I know nothing about repairing stuff. I think that Sony tape was no good, so it caused the video distortion. It will not play back anything in good quality, so I'm going to ask around for a Video8 cleaning tape. I would buy a tape online, but I don't have an eBay account and don't have enough on my credit card. So I will search for a Sony brand cleaning tape you mentioned, then search for a sealed Hi8 tape. Almost everyone in my area has never heard of Video8 or Hi8, as they all used VHS-C back then. I've tried a VHS-C camcorder, but it was on it's way out and chewing tapes along with poor video.
@@themaritimegirl I found out what tape I was using, I watched a video by ''12voltvids'' and he was going over bad Sony tapes. I don't know why Sony out of all the brands, that's kind of ironic since the camcorder is a Sony. He strictly recommends Fuji and Maxell tapes, so I guess I will get one of those. Also about the head cleaner, does it have to be the one marketed for camcorders? Sony made one for computers apparently, which look very identical. I made sure I typed in ''8mm cleaning tape'' on eBay, and I'm seeing a bunch of those ones. A friend is letting me buy the two tapes with his account, one for cleaning and other for recording on. I told him I would pay him back, which I'm still looking for cheaper tapes right now.
Hi, I'm looking for a LCD screen replacement for this camera but I can't find anything (and I mean, for a model like this one it's pretty obvious) but anyway, does anyone know where I could find it? I'd really appreciate... thx
Hello. Great video! I bought mine new and over the years had bought other cameras. It had served me well though. Recently I had a problem with the door not staying closed when I tried to play a tape. Do you have any advice to try and fix it? I'm sure its just something simple...well i hope it is. Thanks.
This is the first time I know of camcorders that have remotes. Nice frog you have there.
I noticed that when you made those videos on the video tape camcorders, the background noise (which I thought was from a computer all this time) is not heard. I'm guessing it might be the sound from your digital camcorder.
It is from the camcorder. I said that in the video..
***** Oh, okay.
Any reason steadyshot doesn't work with 16x9full? I want to use mine for a project and want both features.
Just the way they were designed. I think the 16:9 mode uses the extra pixels on the CCD that are normally dedicated to handling the image stabilization.
Hello, can you record while looking at the screen or is the screen only used to watch the video once it has been recorded?
you can use the flip-out screen to record video.
Interesting video. Is this really the best '99 model? I had the TRV77E and if the numbering scheme corresponds to the features one would think it's higher end.
Unfortunately completely ruined that poor thing when i tried to swap in the head drum from my 69e since it had better video. Turned out they were incompatible and I completely messed up the mechanism taking it apart, at first it beeped without doing anything else but eventually stopped turning on all together. Still kick myself for this even though I have a DCR-TRV840, but that thing is incompatible with any of my equipment since I'm in Europe and since it's NTSC it's only 720x480 rather than 720x576
Go tapeless with the clearclick device, you dont need a drum head.
I agree with you about the image quality of your Hi8 camcorder versus the Digital8, the image does seem cleaner and sharper to me at least, also you don't have to listen to that annoying whining noise of the motor. But I do hear a lot of handling noise when you move the camcorder about.
Yeah, I noticed that too, which is too bad. Although maybe I was just fumbling a lot getting used to handling it.
It could be that your Hi8 camcorder has better optics in it than the Digital8 camcorder has.
Lachlant1984 I assume you're talking about the the image quality, rather than the handling noise. :P Indeed, it does actually have a better image sensor; 1/4" compared to 1/6" on my Digital8 camcorders.
Yes I was. But microphone placement is also a factor when considering handling noise, also the kind of material the casing is made of and other things like that.
Hello i just bought my first Hi8 camcorder a TRV95E and i like it too much but a bit too grainy in low light tbh (from the sensor not the tape because i did a test capturing through s-video to my digital 8 camera then firewire to my pc)
For curiosity you applied a denoise filter or not?
Anyways i can adjust the exposure control to make the image a bit more darker but with less grain because all of those Hi8 cameras tried to see very well with a lot of details in low light but at the cost of appliyng a bit too much noise or "grain" to the footage.
@@Joscraft_05 No filtering was applied aside from deinterlacing.
@@themaritimegirl I see. Probably because of the heavy compression i see in this video most of the noise is hidden.
@@themaritimegirl I was loosing the hope to find a fully working Hi8 XR unit in a PAL version in my country because here in spain they are VERY rare especially the fully working ones these days and i am very very happy that i just found at a decent price this TRV95E with even their remote and a bag from sony.
Is a model from 1998 so is those cameras that can see through the clothes.
I have one of these and it works great but the flash light no longer works, is there a way to fix it?
The bulb is replaceable. I believe the replacement bulb number and how to replace it is in the manual.
@@themaritimegirl Thanks for the info!
I was able to find one for only $10 on ebay. Thanks agian
i know this video was made years ago, but what capture device did you use to get the footage off the cam? im trying a better one because the one i have has poor video quality.
I played the Hi8 recording in a Digital8 camcorder, connected to my computer via FireWire.
I made a whole video about it here:
ua-cam.com/video/zpfmHChEqHY/v-deo.html
Lovely video, love how passionate you are about this little cam! Can you by chance tell me what the difference is between the CCD-TRV66 and the CCD-TRV66E? Thank you very much in advance!
+sophiascalpel Thanks! The E is the European version, which uses the PAL television standard.
+themaritimeman Thanks for your super quick reply, wow!
I was looking for ages for the best Hi8 camcorder that would fit my needs and thanks to your video I found this model and the CCD-TRV87, which are both exactly what I want. Will have an eye on these models in hope to make a good catch!
+themaritimeman Ps. One last question: Do you know which remote controls of which models I can use with the TRV66? There are some sellers who don't have them included so I'd have to buy one extra. :/
+sophiascalpel The TRV66 originally shipped with the Sony RMT-708 remote, and I know the newer RMT-814 will work, too. Other Sony remotes might be compatible, as well.
+themaritimeman Awesome! Thanks alot!!
I have a sony digital mavica mvc-fd85 and two analog camcorders
Can you record video and have the video from the cam transferred into a MacBook file to edit the video on photoshop ?
The camcorder itself has no computer connectivity capability, but if you have a Digital8 camcorder, or a USB or FireWire analog video capture device, then yes, you can transfer the video to a Mac.
I have never used Photoshop and didn't even know it could edit video, so I can't help you there.
Sorry to jump all over your case, but the Digital8 camcorder can NOT convert to Mac, only Microsoft Windows, trust me. I have tried to convert to My 2006 Macbook via FireWire. Does not recognize the Camcorder. So I use an RCA Camcorder and convert it to Mac via EasyCap which is a chord that had RCA Jacks on one side and a USB on the other. Great video anyways.
I found mine but the screen is gray
I have one of these camcorder - i am the orignal owner purchased as you know in 1999. with the original batteries in the remote and original battery though haven't used it in ages. think the lithium batteries are dead. watched your video which was great stuff. however you didn't say how to charge the battery.... is there a separate charger i need as i don't seem to have it and can't remember how i did it last time i think i just put the battery inthe recorder and used the power pack to plug in under where the battery goes (rubber cover pulls off and reveals slot for adapter plug to go) it would be really helpful if you wonuldn't mind replying so i know if i have to buy a separate charging unit having just ordered a new lithium battery. also how do you get the clock battery out please. sorry but can't find the instrucation manual anywhere. Carrie (UK)
+SepiaTechnique Yes, it's a charger you plug into the camcorder. The charger is a Sony AC-L10A.
The lithium backup battery is hidden behind a little door behind the LCD, above the Display, End Search, and Menu buttons.
bless you for that new battery installed and works good as new. thank you.
hi, ,mine won't turn on even though I had it charged full, but it works when it's connected with charger. Do you have any idea on this?
Probably a bad battery. It might be reading as Full even though it's old and worn out.
Look for replacement batteries made by Ikan or Neewer. You can get them on Amazon.
Update:42 dollars and climbing.
Mine tape deck wont closed😢
Where does that Sony AA Batteries was made?
***** Japan.
***** Nice! I like the Japanese Batteries. =)
What is the difference between « 80x » and « 360x »? Because I have the 80x and I want to know it’s good or not good……?
It's just the maximum possible zoom level. But both of those refer to digital zoom, and digital zoom is crap, so it doesn't matter.
@@themaritimegirl oh okay ! thank you
Hello
Nice Video 👍🏻
My view finder does not show any color, it's just black and white. How can I fix that?
It's a black and white viewfinder.
@@themaritimegirl oh, I thought that is was something with the setting. Thanks 🙏
THANK YOU I LOVE İT
Lovely video! Made me make the jump into my own Hi8 camcorder. Do you have any idea what the difference between the TRV66 and the TRV66E is? Just NTSC vs PAL?
Thanks! Yep, the 'E' version of any Sony product is PAL instead of NTSC.
themaritimeman And do you know anything about the difference between the 80x digital zoom model and the 360x digital zoom besides the obvious one? Thanks!
I'm not sure what you mean. There's only one version of the camcorder, and it has 360x digital zoom.
themaritimeman elektrotanya.com/PREVIEWS/45612216/23432455/camcorder/sony/sony_ccd-trv66e_77e.pdf_1.png here is a manual picture that shows the 80x digital zoom. Probably just region.
That's the TRV77 - it says it right under the picture.
I just ordered one and it’s in shipping but it didn’t come with a charger, does anyone know what charger it uses?
Sony AC-L10A or AC-L15A.
Awesome video ! Please use his hi8 camcorder for all your videos !, it's way better than your digital8 camcorder,and the head drum sound is GONE ! Plus the video quality is better and it will do better in low light, since it use a real BIG sensor (1/4" vs 1/6"). Also I've always prefer the "analog" look & feel as the "perfect" look of digital video, but that's just my opinion :-)
I've dream to own this camcorde, the european version of it 'TRV-66E', and also, the first gen of D8 camcorder 'TRV-110E'.
I've got an handycam TR-640E camcorder, it's an 8mm XR with the original nightshot :-) I could make a review if you want ?
As for the viewfinder, mine was also dirty when I got it, don't remember how to clean it, but it was easy, I will look on mine and keep you informed
I have filmed one video with it so far, which will be up in the near future. Response from you guys regarding the video and (especially) audio quality seem to be very positive, so if that's the case then I will indeed consider using this as my primary camcorder.
To be honest, I too like the character of analog video, where you get the occasional wavy lines and pops in the sound as a result of a worn spot on the tape, etc. Especially when the video itself is still very good quality as with this unit.
A Video8-XR? Cool! Sure, I'd be interested if you ever make a video of it.
hello how do i convert the videos to my macbook?
Either play the tape in a Digital8 camcorder and connect that to a FireWire port, as I already explained in the video, or use an analog video capture device that plugs into a USB port.
Nice camera. Man sometimes I learn something new from your videos completely unrelated to the video itself. You said carbon zinc batteries never leak? Those are the ones that typically say "heavy duty" on them or something? For some reason I remember those kind leaking that white crap but I haven't had anything that I used non rechargeable AA batteries in in over 10 years so my mind is a bit foggy.
Right, Heavy Duty or Super Heavy Duty. They can occasionally leak, but it's very unlikely compared to alkaline batteries.
***** it really is a nice candyham one of the best I have seen so far from that era
I have the same model but for some reason the handycam won’t turn off even though I already switched it off.. is there a reason why it’s happening?
Does someone experienced the same thing?
@themaritimegirl
The internal switch might be broken. You might be able to bypass it by moving the lock switch to the "Lock" position.
I got one from 1996
humm the tessellation on this sort of tech seems to be almost not considered... I believe that if we were to augment the tessellation... the edges of the things being recorded would look smooth... but then tessellation may only be used for graphic card dealing with 3d games and 3ddesign software... hummm
What are you even talking about?
the quality of the edges shown in the videos... so the objects look more even and natural... no tessellation seems to mean that the edges will look serrated...
I think you mean interlacing. Tessellation means something completely different. Yes, this camcorder produces analog NTSC video which has to be deinterlaced for viewing on UA-cam. But this video was deinterlaced, and I see nothing wrong with it.
ok interlacing then... hum but now the question is... how to do it... do you have a link for me to learn this??
How to deinterlace video? Just about every video editing program does it automatically when you render the video.
26:18
Hello. I have just inherited one of these, very very nice ciondition,comes complete with remote!, sony charger and power adaptor, Sony shouder strap and hand strap. cables for TV connection etc, all is complete. I would like to sell it, possibly EBAY and would you please be able to help me determine a price? I have no idea how much to ask. It is a beautiful outfit.
Thankyou
LYN
gazza954 Look at completed listings on eBay.
make a "how to capture hi8 to mac" video, using usb videocapture adapter with no driver installation , capture from a camcorder hehehe
No I like to do things that are actually possible.
themaritimeman what do u mean? Really need your help
So... you're not trolling? You asked me to make a video about something impossible, then added "hehehe" at the end. That usually spells trolling.
themaritimeman whattt why u think like that. 100% not trolling. "Hehehe"
The only thing you can do is try and find the driver for it online. There's no way to make a piece of computer hardware work without a driver.