RCA CC4251 manual

camcorder user's guide CC425 1[...]

Cautions CA UTION : T o pre vent electric shock, match wide blade of plug to wide slot, fully insert. A TTENTION: Pour éviter les chocs électriques, introduire la lame la plus large de la f iche dans la borne correspondante de la prise et pousser jusqu au fond. T o reduce risk of injury , charge only rechargeable batteries recom- mended by the ma[...]

1 Safety Information .............................. i First Time Operation • Assistance ....................................... 3 • Unpack the Camcorder and Accessories ................................. 3 • Attach the Adapter/Charger ............ 4 • Adjust the Handstrap, Remove Lens Cap, and Attach It to Handstrap .........................[...]

2 Date/T ime Displa y • Set the T ime and Da te ................... 18 • Record T ime and Date, AU TO Date, Auto TITLE , or Date ......... 19 • Charg e the Built-in Clock Battery ....................................... 19 Recording • Use the V iewf inder ................... 20-21 • Adjust V iewf inder for Con venient V iewing ............[...]

First-Time Oper a tion 3 1. Unpack the camcorder and accessories. • Save the packing materials and box in case you ever need to ship or store your camcorder . • The items sho wn below are packed with your camcorder . If any are missing or appear damaged, contact your dealer immediately . This section describes the steps necessary to set up your[...]

4 First-Time Oper a tion POWER CHARGE 3. Adjust the handstrap, r emove lens cap, and attach it to the handstrap. 2. Attach the adapter/charger . DC OUTPUT Jack DC Cable Adapter/ Charger T o A C 120V , 50/60 Hz DC IN 9.6V Jack 1. Open the handstrap, insert your hand, and adjust the handstrap to fit your hand. Lens Cap on Handstrap POWER CHARGE Since[...]

First-Time Oper a tion 5 5. T urn on the camcorder . CAMERA/OFF/VCR Switch (continued on next page) • Press and hold the small button on the CAMERA/OFF/VCR switch while sliding it to CAMERA . The camcorder enters record- pause. • The position of this switch tells the camcorder whether you want to record ( CAMERA) , turn the 4. Insert a tape. po[...]

6 First-Time Oper a tion • Grasp the viewfinder and rotate it horizontally . • Pull the viewfinder out from the camcorder and rotate the eyepiece into a comfortable viewing position. Caution: Pulling on the eye- piece might damage the eyepiece or camcorder . • T urn the eyepiece focus control to adjust the focus of the viewfinder for your vis[...]

First-Time Oper a tion 7 8. Play back what you have r ecor ded. • Press the REC/P A USE button to pause recording. • Press and hold the small button while you set the CAMERA/OFF/ VCR switch to VCR . • Press REW/REVIEW to rewind the tape. • Press PLA Y to pla y back the tape. • Press STOP/EJECT w hen y ou are finished playing back the tape[...]

8 First-Time Oper a tion BRIGHT Control 11. Re view camcorder’ s operating controls. PLA Y Button REW (Rewind)/ REVIEW Button (Also – Button) F .FWD (F ast Forward) Button (Also + Button) CAMERA/ OFF/VCR Switch DISPLA Y Button D A TE/TIME Button TITLER Button RESET Button STOP/EJECT Button VIDEO, A UDIO and RF DC OUT Jacks (Located Behind Small[...]

First-Time Oper a tion 9 11. Re view camcorder’ s operating controls. (continued) Eyepiece Focus Control Attach Adapter/ Charger’ s DC Cord Here Shoulder Strap Attachment Ring Shoulder Strap Attachment Ring Attach Rechargeable Battery Here REC/P A USE Button Handstrap with Lens Cap Holder V iewfinder Cassette Door (Press her e to close.) W and [...]

10 P ower Y our Camcorder Use the Adapter/Charger to P ower Y our Camcorder The adapter/charger a ttaches to the camcorder and lets you po wer y our camcorder directly from standard household power . The adapter/char ger operates on 120 volts, 50/60 Hz, and can be used to po wer the camcorder or recharge the battery . Attach Adapter/Charger 1. Atta[...]

P ower Y our Camcorder 11 Use the Battery to Po wer Y our Camcorder Charge the Battery The battery must be charged before it can be used the f irst time. Initial charging will take approximately two hours. The camcorder’ s operating time depends on how often you turn the po wer on and of f and how much you use zoom and pause. Conserve battery po [...]

12 P ower Y our Camcorder Rechargeable Battery Hold Battery Flush and Slide Down BA TTERY EJECT Button CAMERA/ OFF/VCR Switch Attach the Charged Battery If the DC cable is attached to the camcorder , remove it before attaching the battery . 1. Align the reference arrow on the battery to the arrow on the back of the camcorder . 2. Hold the battery f[...]

P ower Y our Camcorder 13 Battery Level Indicator The battery level indicator appears in the viewfinder and shows you the amount of po wer in the r echargeable battery . Notes: When recording using the rechar ge- able battery , the battery lev el indicator flashes to warn you of low battery power even if you do not have the battery level indicator [...]

14 P ower Y our Camcorder Battery Storage • Store the battery at normal room temperature. • Lead acid batteries dischar ge if not used. Recharge the battery at least once ever six months or you may not be able to recharge it. Use the Battery to P ower Y our Camcorder (continued) Battery Care • Y our battery will provide better service and lon[...]

P ower Y our Camcorder 15 Use the RCA Optional Car Cord Adapter The optional DCC096 car cord shown on page 41 allows you to power your camcorder from the cigarette lighter socket of a car , truck, or R V . It con verts 12-volts to a 9.6-volt output. Note: Consult the installation and operating instructions enclosed with the DCC096 for complete oper[...]

16 V ideocassettes Make sure you select good quality tapes for your camcorder . Use of poor quality tapes or tapes that have been damaged or mishandled can contaminate the video heads, resulting in a snowy picture or no picture at all during playback. Because there is no control over the type of tape purchased or rented by consumers, head cleaning [...]

17 V ideocassettes Caution: Insert the cassette only one way with the tape wheel facing up and the tape windows facing out. The cassette should slide easily into the holder . Gently push the cassette down until it locks into place. Cassette Care and Storage • When you are finished with a cassette, re wind it, remove it from the camcorder , and la[...]

Date and Time Display 18 Set the Time and Date Y ou must set the correct date and time before it can be displayed and recorded on your tapes. The b uilt-in clock cell must be charged as described on the ne xt pag e. 1. Attach a power supply to the camcorder . 2. Press and hold the small button on the CAMERA/OFF/VCR switch while you set it to CAMERA[...]

Date and Time Display 19 V iewfinder Displays AU TO Date Display AU TO Title Display Date and Time Display 11/18/1998 11/18/1998 No Display T o Select the Display to Record 1. Repeatedly press DA TE/TIME to select the display you want to record. • Date and Time Displa y: The date and time are displayed and recorded. • AUTO Date: The date is aut[...]

20 Recording Eyepiece Focus Control Eyepiece F ocus Control The eyepiece focus control lets you set the focus of the viewfinder for your vision. If you wear eyeglasses, you probably can operate the camcorder without them. It is easiest to set the correct focus by focusing on one of the vie wfinder’ s on- screen displays. Look through the Cautions[...]

21 Recording Cautions: Do not pull on the eyepiece. Do not force the eyepiece to rotate completely around. This might damage the viewfinder and/or the camcorder . T ilt Adjustment Use the V iewfinder (continued) BRIGHT Control The brightness of the viewfinder can be adjusted by rotating the BRIGHT control. This does not aff ect the pictur e being r[...]

22 Recording V iewf inder Displays AE:60 (A uto Exposure) Shutter Speed Press the DISPLA Y button to display the shutter speed selected by the camcorder . Battery Level Indicator ( ) Press the DISPLA Y button to display the amount of time left on the recharg eable battery . Details ar e on page 13. INDEX Indicator Press the DISPLA Y button to displ[...]

23 Recording T ape Counter ( 0000M ) with Memory Stop Press the DISPLA Y button to display the tape counter . The tape counter helps locate segments of tape. • Whenever the tape counter is displayed, the memory-stop feature turns on. • Details ar e on page 28. T ape W arnings ( T APE , NO T APE , and T APE END ) • T APE flashes when you try t[...]

24 Recording REW/REVIEW Button Zoom Buttons ( T and W ) DISPLA Y Button The DISPLA Y button lets you remo ve the battery level, tape counter with memory stop, tape speed, remaining-tape, index, shutter speed, and zoom indicators from the vie wfinder . • Press DISPLA Y to remove the indicators. • Press DISPLA Y again to display the indicators. D[...]

25 Recording A uto Shot™ Featur e The camcorder automatically adjusts shutter speed, light, focus, white balance, and iris according to the recording conditions. Camera Edit F eature The camera edit feature allows you to position the tape when the camcorder is in record-pause. Press and hold the small button while you set the CAMERA/OFF/ VCR swit[...]

26 Recording T ape-Remaining Display The tape-remaining display shows the amount of recording or playback time left on the tape in the camcorder . T ape-Remaining Display in V iewfinder • Press DISPLA Y to display the tape- remaining indicator in the viewf inder . • The camcorder takes approximately ten seconds when you first start playing or r[...]

27 Recording Zoom Buttons ( T and W ) Zooming Y ou can zoom in and out for close ups or wide-angle shots by pressing one of the zoom buttons on the camcor der . Use the Zoom Buttons ( T and W ) 1. T o zoom in or out from wide angle to 32 times, press zoom b utton T or W . • T o move the lens in the telephoto (close-up) direction, press T . • T [...]

28 Recording T ape Counter The tape counter acts as a handy reference to help you locate tape segments. The memory-stop feature helps locate a certain point on the tape. When the tape counter appears, memory stop is automatically turned on. Use the Memory-Stop F eature 1. Place the camcorder in record-pause. Make sure the displays appear in the vie[...]

29 Recording Recording Tips • T ry to make sure indoor scenes are well-lit. This improv es picture quality and color reproduction. • Do not move the camcorder rapidly from side-to-side while recording. A steady , gradual “pan” avoids blurring and “jitter”. • Use the viewfinder to make sure the camcorder is level while recording so tha[...]

30 Recording Titler The camcorder’ s built-in titler stores a title in memory . Y ou can display and record the created title at any time. The built-in character re gister contains over 45 dif ferent characters for creating your titles. The title can contain up to 32 characters on tw o lines. CAMERA/OFF/ VCR Switch TITLER Button – Button (Also [...]

31 Recording Titler (continued) T o Create a Title 1. Attach a power source to the camcorder . Press and hold the small button on the CAMERA/OFF/VCR switch while you set it to CAMERA . 2. Press TITLER to display the titler graphics in the vie wfinder . A flashing cursor appears. 3. Press EDIT -AD V to move the flashing cursor to the place you want [...]

32 Recording Titler (continued) Record a Title on a T ape in the Camcorder 1. Attach a power source to the camcorder . Press and hold the small button on the CAMERA/OFF/VCR switch while you slide it to CAMERA . 2. Locate the place on the tape where you want to record the title. Note: If you record a title on a prerecorded tape, the audio and video [...]

33 Playback • Grasp the viewfinder and rotate it horizontally . Pull the viewf inder out from the camcorder and rotate the eyepiece into a comfortable viewing position Caution: Pulling on the eyepiece might cause damage to the eyepiece or camcorder . • T urn the eyepiece focus control to adjust the focus of the vie wfinder for your vision. • [...]

34 Playback REC/P A USE Button Caution: Pause is designed for momentary interruptions and should not be used for an extended period of time. If the camcorder remains in pause for more than five minutes, it enters the stop mode and turns off to prev ent excessiv e tape wear . Playback F eatur es STOP/ EJECT Button REW / REVIEW Button CAMERA/ OFF/VCR[...]

35 Playback Playback F eatures (continued) During playback, streaks might appear in the playback picture. Press either TRACKING button to move the streaks up or down and out of the picture. • During stop-action playback, pressing one tracking button might reduce picture “jitter” (picture bouncing up and down). Some “jitter” is normal. TRA[...]

36 Playback Playback on TV (or VCR) with A udio/V ideo Inputs T o connect your camcorder to a TV monitor (or VCR) with audio and video inputs, you need an optional audio/video cable, such as VH83 shown on page 43 . If your TV is already connected to a VCR, attach the camcorder to the VCR and watch what the camcorder is recording or playing on the T[...]

37 Playback Playback Operation and How to Copy T apes on the VCR 1. A. Camcorder connected directly to TV : T ur n on the TV and tune it to the video input channel. B. Camcorder connected to VCR that is already connected to TV : T urn on VCR and place it in the “line” or “camera mode”. (If your VCR does not hav e a “line” or “camera m[...]

38 Playback Playback on a TV W ithout A udio/Video Inputs T o connect your camcorder to a TV without audio/video inputs, you need an optional CRF95 RF output adapter and an optional coaxial RF cable, such as VH82 or VH90 shown on pa ge 43. If your TV has audio and video inputs (or is connected to a VCR), r efer to pag es 36-37 . Installation 1. Dis[...]

39 Playback Playback Operation 1. Set the CH3/CH4 switch on the RF output adapter to channel CH3 or CH4 . 2. T urn on the TV , and tune it to the same channel you selected with the RF output adapter’ s CH3/CH4 switc h. 3. Press and hold the small button on the CAMERA/OFF/VCR switch while you slide it to VCR. 4. Press PLA Y on the camcorder . • [...]

40 Attach the Shoulder Strap The camcorder’ s shoulder strap is designed to let you carry the camcorder from your shoulder and – when you are ready to shoot – bring the camcorder to shooting position in one quick movement. T o Attach the Shoulder Strap 1. Unfasten one end of the shoulder strap from the buckle. Make sure you leave the buckle o[...]

41 Optional Accessories W e in vite you to take a look at some great ideas for sparking creati vity and adding to the fun of using your VHS camcorder . The following pa ges hav e a selection of accessories to help make your memorable moments look and sound e ven better . These accessories are designed to make the process of recording and watching y[...]

42 Optional Accessories Cautions: Before using a tripod, make sure it is stable enough to hold the camcorder without falling ov er . Do not transport the camcorder attached to the tripod. When attaching your camcorder to a tripod, be careful not to force the tripod screw into the camcorder’ s tripod mounting hole . The tripod screw should not pro[...]

43 Optional Accessories VH54 Cable T ransf ormer CRF95 RF Output Adapter This RF output adapter is used with a coaxial RF cable, such as VH82 or VH90, to connect your camcorder to a standard TV (one without audio/video inputs) for playback. If your antenna cable is the flat twin-lead type attached by two scre ws, you need a 300-to-75 ohm transforme[...]

44 Optional Accessories Remove the Lens Hood The lens hood can be removed so you can attach optional accessories, such as wide- angle lens, lens extenders, or lens filter kits. T o Attach an Accessory Lens 2. T urn the lens cap and hood counterclockwise with the palm of your hand to remove them. Caution: Do not grasp the end of the lens hood. 3. T [...]

45 Accessory Order F orm Order Form for Camcorder Model CC4251 Description Part No. Price Qty . T otal Deluxe T ripod AC093 $ 59.95 Soft Camcorder Case AC202 $ 49.95 Y -Adapter AH25 $ 2.95 A C Adapter/Charger (100-240V) CPS014 $219.95 RF Output Adapter CRF95 $ 69.95 Car Cord Adapter DCC096 $ 49.95 Rechargeab le Ba ttery (Extended) EP096FL $ 79.95 R[...]

46 Accessory Order F orm ® r r s TM Charge your order on your VISA,MasterCard, or Discover Card by filling in below USE YOUR CREDIT CARD IMPORTANT: Copy complete account number from your VISA card IMPORTANT: Copy complete account number from your MasterCard Expiration date: Expiration date: Copy Number above your name on MasterCard AUTHORIZED SIGN[...]

47 Accessory Order F orm T o or der accessories, contact y our local Dealer . If a dealer is not nearby , you can also follow the directions belo w to order by telephone or direct-by-mail. United States and Canada Orders T o place your order by phone, ha ve your V isa, MasterCard, or Discover card r eady and call the toll-free number listed belo w [...]

48 T r oub le Checks If you’ re having trouble with your camcorder , you probably can cor rect the problem yourself. Before you take your camcorder to an Authorized RCA Camcorder Service Center or call a service person, use the chart belo w . Find the problem and try the adjustment(s) that is listed to the right. If service should be necessary , [...]

49 T roub le Checks • Subject was too far from camcorder . • T ape-counter displayed. Whene ver the tape counter appears, the camcorder stops rewinding (or fast forwarding) when the counter reads 0000M . Press REW/REVIEW or F .FWD a gain to continue re winding or fast forw arding or press DISPLA Y to remov e the tape counter from the vie wfinde[...]

50 T r oub le Checks T itle is recorded on tape Date and/or time are incorrect • Title is r ecorded whenever it appears in the viewf inder . Press the TITLER button to remo ve the title from the vie wfinder . See page 32. • Date or time might need to be set See page 18. • Clock lithium cell battery might need recharging. See page 19. T rouble[...]

51 Car e and Maintenance Clean the Camcorder T o clean the camcorder’ s exterior , remove any po wer source connected to the camcorder and gently wipe it with a clean soft cloth. Caution: Use of strong cleaning products, such as those containing alcohol or benzine, might damage the camcorder . Caution: Do not touch the lens with your fing ers. Th[...]

52 Car e and Maintenance Proper Car e and Storage • K eep dust and grit from entering the camcorder’ s cassette door . Dust and grit are abrasive and cause excessive wear to both the camcorder’ s recording/playback heads and cassettes. • Always place the lens cap back on the camcorder when it is not in use. • Before handling your camcorde[...]

53 Specifications Information to User This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pur suant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio freq[...]

54 Customer Assistance and Service Y ou can reach Thomson at the follo wing n umber: 800-283-6503 (T oll free inside U.S.A.) Our toll-free Camcorder number operates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., CST Monday – Friday for U.S. customers only Thomson provides a toll-free telephone number to help you with any problems you may encounter with your camcorder . [...]

55 Limited W arranty What your warranty covers: • Any defect in materials or workmanship. For ho w long after your purchase: • 90 days for labor charges. • One year for parts. The warranty period for rental units begins with the first rental or 45 days from date of shipment to the rental firm, whichever comes first. What we will do: During th[...]

56 Limited W arranty • Evidence of purchase date, such as a bill of sale, to verify your unit’ s warranty eligibility . • A brief note describing your camcorder’ s pr oblem. • Y our name, address and phone number . Return transportation, storage, handling, and insurance costs are your sole responsibility . W e accept no liability in case [...]

57 Index A Accessories included 3 optional 41 order form 45 Adapter/charg er accessory 3 charging battery 11 using 4, 10 AE focus indicators 22, 25 Assistance 1, 3 Assistance, customer 54 A UDIO and VIDEO jacks 8, 36, 38 Auto focus 25 Auto shot feature 25 B Battery 3 attaching and removing 12 care 14 charging 11 le vel indicator 13, 22 safety preca[...]

58 Index E EDIT -AD V button 8, 30, 31 Electronic indexing 26 Erase protection 16 Eyepiece focus control 9, 20, 33 F F .FWD (fast forward) button 8, 18, 25, 28, 30, 34 Fast-forwarding indicator 22 First time operation 3 H Handstrap 9 Head cleaning 16 I Important safety information i INDEX indicator 22, 26 Indicators AE focus 22, 25 battery lev el 1[...]

59 Index Powering your camcorder using adapter/charger 10 using battery 11 using optional car cord adapter 15 Problem solving 48 Product registration i Q Quick re view feature 24 R REC indicator 6, 22 REC/P A USE button 6, 9, 22, 32, 34, 37, 39 Record-pause indicator 6, 22 Recording speed 16 Recording tips 29 Registration i RESET button 28 Reset sw[...]

60 Index U Unpack camcorder and accessories 3 V VIDEO and A UDIO jacks 8, 36, 38 V ideo cassettes 16 V iewf inder 9, 20, 21 adjust for viewing 20 displays 22, 23 eyepiece focus control 20 playback 33 V isual searching 34 W W arnings i W arnings, tape 23 Z Zoom buttons 9, 25, 27 ZOOM indicator 23, 27 Zoom level indicator 23, 27 Zooming 27[...]

10330 N Meridian Str eet Indianapolis, IN 46290 © 1998 Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc . T r ademark(s) ® Registered Marca(s) Registrada(s) Printed in Japan TOCOM QR19426[...]