HARDWARE
The Gist: Analog Meets Digital In Printer-powered Videocam
$1,299
You don't have to give up Hi8 when you go digital. With Sony's DCR-TRV830 you get the best of both worlds: You can record digitally on Hi8 and play back your library of analog Hi8 and 8-mm treasures.
Like other Digital 8 cameras, this one records video with a resolution of 520 lines (to Hi8's 400), supports IEEE 1394 connectivity, features multiple effects and shooting modes (including low-light), and has a lens augmented by a digital zoom of up to 500X. But beyond the usual fare, the camera doubles as a 1-megapixel still shooter capable of storing photos on tape or on a Sony Memory Stick.
The real bonus is a small hot shoe-mounted printer that can churn out recorded stills or video frames. The onboard printer allows for 254 dpi printing of images 3½ by 2¼ inches or smaller (including sticker size). You can spit out a photo or frame from the tape or the Memory Stick.
Another plus: numerous input/output options. Video can be transferred through S-video and composite connections, or output wirelessly to a distance of 26 feet using the LaserLink infrared system. A USB port handles Memory Stick images and clips, and you can I/O video digitally via the IEEE 1394 port, dubbed iLink (aka FireWire). Unfortunately, you can't use the Memory Stick in the IEEE 1394 port.
This camera won't replace a full-fledged digital still model, but its functionality comes in handy. For example, you can take any photo and combine it with your videos, as either a simple overlay or a bluescreen-type replacement. You can also transfer to the Memory Stick existing frames of video or taped stills, including short clips stored in MPEG format. I find this option more useful than storing directly on tape, where you can't randomly access the photos, delete individual ones, or easily transfer them onto a PC. Memory Stick storage avoids these problems.
Ultimately, though, if your need to put photo to paper is nonexistent, or more complex, check out the TRV730, which is essentially the same camera without the printer at a lower price.
Sony: www.sony.com.
STREET CRED
airFX
Twisted Metal: Black
Sony DCR-TRV830
Extensis
Intoxicating Minds: How Drugs Work, by Ciaran Regan
Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures
Serials 2000
ReadMe
Music
The Mummy Congress, by Heather Pringle
2ner and 2nerxmitter
SunPal
Just Outta Beta
Sniper Scope
Balthaser:Fx
Contributors
