HISTORY OF THIS HI8 HANDYCAM
My professional and private background is all about electronics, audio and 'The Arts' but NOT really video, film or photography!
Over the years, I seem to have gathered together a bunch of strange camera's (some are odd looking) and it is now time for someone else to PERHAPS make use of this camera for immediate use (*** See below***) OR servicing/spare parts.
I am not a domestic video or photography enthusiast so this Hi8 Handycam is offered as-is (described and tested as best I can with my limited resources)
Actually I have a number of camera's and accessories I am sorting out and testing (if I am able to) ... look for more camera's HERE on my website.
I offer the description below as best I can but this Handycam MAY have a fault(s) or the lens system could be "infested" (I am not a "lens expert" nor optically knowledgeable enough to evaluate the optics completely)
I am not even sure anyone is interested in old video camera's although the other Hi8 camera's I had all seem to find new owners very quickly.
But I am very 'big' on sustainability and if this fits into someone's museum of antiquated video equipment or even as a spare parts 'farm' for other SONY Hi8 Handycam's this would please me greatly.
I have just an "ancient" PANASONIC analog VHS-C camera to checkout, write-up and advertise and I am "sure" that somewhere I have a nice pro shoulder mounting camera (PANASONIC I think) but I am yet to find it - no, it's not digital, Betacam or anything nice like that, pretty sure it was a VHS model but I am yet to find it and check it out (if found)
PLEASE read the description completely and decide if this Handycam may be of interest to you.
There are no returns or refunds offered, this equipment is second hand and offered 'as-is"
SONY VIDEO CAMERA - Handycam
Technology: Digital electronics using Hi8 tape for storage
Model: CCD-TRV24E
Made in Japan
Release to the domestic market in the late 1990's (Yes, it is 'stone age' in the world of video technology)
I found it quite easy to locate user manuals online for this model, for example the SONY support website still has the user manual available for download.
Comes with the hand strap AND carry strap
NO carry case
NO main battery is supplied, missing in action or "thrown out" some time ago (User manual says it uses a NP-33 Li-ION which is a 6V @ 2000mAH battery) Many suppliers have "compatible" NP-33's, it is extremely unlikely you can purchase an original these days.
NO AC power adapter/charging unit is supplied with this Handycam BUT I have found a similar model that DOES run this camera, although it is not the correct model of AC adapter - like the battery, I cannot find an original AC adapter/charger here. According to the user manual, the correct AC power adapter is type AC-V16/V16A/V17 or V17A provides 7.5V @ 1.8A DC output socket and 10V @ 1.1A Charging)
INTERESTING INFORMATION! I did find a SONY AC-V30 charger unit and the special battery DC adaptor! Now while it is NOT recommended for use with this Handycam (according to SONY) the special battery DC adapter DOES fit this Handycam and could be pressed into service to check out this Handycam further, in fact I used it for testing of this Handycam, the DC voltages are the same as the V16 but slightly less current capability - much easier than using jumper leads to connect a battery to the camera! If you would like to see the AC-V30 that I have found, take a look HERE
NO memory backup battery is supplied (a commonly available CR2025 button battery) - the old battery was "dead" and thus removed, waiting for a replacement.
Hi8 tape IS supplied (recorded with what appears to be a "hotch potch" of video and the first 30 seconds of my own recordings (boring!) - the idea is that the tape (of unknown quality) will be good for testing at the very least.
DIMENSIONS:
110mm wide x 210mm front to back and 100mm high
Weight: 950g (without battery)
COSMETIC CONDITION:
CLEAN
NO camera body physical damage at all, but there are some "normal usage" marks, scratches but nothing serious. Both the hand and carry straps are in good condition, not broken.
NO issues noticed with the 'user controls', all switches are undamaged and work. The locking systems such as that used for the front lens and "Standby-Lock" controls work fine.
All ports for microphone, DC etc all look to be clean and undamaged
Battery contacts (both within the lower central area of the battery compartment) look to be in very good condition. I cannot see a third "T" terminal at all. This is great because it allowed me to undertake more thorough testing, unlike the TRV66E I am also offering.
Fold-out LCD screen has no scratches or cracks, looks to be in very good condition BUT see my testing comments below, this LCD screen DOES HAVE AN ISSUE
The viewfinder eyepiece swivels up and down freely and locks into place, as it should.
The lens cover is mechanically activated when the camera is switched to "CAMERA MODE" and the camera has always been stored with the lens closed.
Inside the viewfinder is clean.
I took a very close look "inside" the front lens and I CAN SEE a very small patch of "white fur" I think there is some light baterial mould INSIDE the lens system. I have no idea if this can be cleaned up, certainly not from the outside anyway. Again, see my testing description below for further information about this. The "front-external lens" is clean and I believe unscratched.
TESTING:
Ok, so it's a great looking piece of "old kit" but does it work Russ?
The testing described below was undertaken initially using my own external battery source, connected directly to the battery terminals and then Yeah! I found a SONY AC adapter/charger that will make the task of testing this Handycam much easier by using the DC output from the adaptor. The adapter I used for testing is the V30 and you can see it HERE
These tests are VERY basic (I call it "quick and dirty") but at least you can make a better judgement about the condition of the Handycam based on the tests I have made.
In VTR mode, with the DC source (7.2V) supplied by the V30 adapter, the camera comes alive! It awakens! Beep! and the top transport controls and LCD screen light up.
First thing I noticed was this "rectangle" of "cloudiness" on the LCD screen - perhaps the screen has been physically pushed some time in the past, it looks like either liquid crystal damage OR the backlight is not shining onto the LCD properly (probably the latter me thinks!)
Take a look at one of the photographs to see what I mean ...
While this cloudy rectangular can easily be seen, I can still easily see text and video images on the LCD when the camera is recording and playing a tape - this is why I feel the liquid crystal is not damaged, it's a back light problem.
Next I ejected the Hi8 tape that has been sitting in the camera since the dawn of time! No idea what is on it but I first checked the ejection system of the Hi8 tape inside, which it did nice and smoothly and without any funny noises - nice! I returned the tape to the loaded position (again with no problems) - the camera will be supplied with this tape loaded.
Next I ran the FF and RW controls and saw/heard the tape movement - great. It seemed to be smooth and was without excessive running noise. Interesting thing here ... the timecode (so you can locate sections within a tape) did not indicate with the tape INITIALLY but any recordings I made on this Handycam DID show the timecodes - I am not familiar with these camera's, perhaps they only show timecodes off the tape(s) that were recorded on THIS Handycam ... just something I noticed.
Pushed PLAY - Hallelujah! the LCD screen jumped to life, in full colour. Looked to be a scene from a waiting lounge at an airport, then a table with stuff on it and other miscellaneous bits and pieces (what exciting subject matter!) the picture displayed was nice but I did notice a "tearing" to the video signal running horizontally near the top, most of the time. I have not attempted to clean the drum and in fact just sold an 8mm cleaning tape (don't you hate it when that happens?) so I would suggest a good clean of the drum MAY solve this issue.
So the basic playback looked satisfactory, let's try the recording function ...
Lens protector opens fine (when the lever is moved to the CAMERA position) and I can see the scene in front of the camera displayed on the LCD screen, in colour. Next I used the zoom function and that also works fine, no funny noises and smooth operation.
I recorded just 30 seconds of a scene (our backyard and neighbours trees!) and checked again the optical zoom and looked for problems such as "blooming" - none at all, impressive picture and zoom capabilities!
BUT ... that same issue as with playback ... just below the top of the displayed video is a couple of horizontal lines - not solid but a tearing effect. I remember seeing this on old VHS machines yonks ago - again, a good head/drum clean wouldn't go astray.
I did also record sound (native birds singing!) and the sound is nice and clean on playback, volume controls on the side of the LCD screen work fine.
At this point I was satisfied that the most basic operations of the handycam had been tested and I did not proceed with any further testing, this means I have undertaken no testing of the external video and audio ports, no microphone connected and I didn't play with any of the "fancy features" this camera seems to have.
In summary, although my "testing" is basic, I hope it will give someone a good general guide as to the condition of this Handycam. Of course a camera battery is needed, also a compatible AC charger and the CR2025 button battery for the memory backup too (very common battery - supermarkets have these)
This SONY Hi8 TRV24E Handycam is offered completely "AS-IS" and as described above
Since checking out this SONY TRV24E Handycam I have now sealed it in a plastic package, to maintain the current condition and safely protect it from dust/dirt and airborne contaminants.
