Sony TRV520 D8 Camcorder

20 May 2005 9:14 AM

Martin van derPoel

I bought a Sony TRV520 camera in 2001.
After 3 months the keys on top of the camera would not work correctly every
now and then.
When the camera was 11 months old I reported the problem to the Sony centre.
The switches were replaced.
During the following 15 months the switches were replaced several more tmes.
Also the Videohead failed when the camera was about 12 months old.
When the camera was 2.5 years old the videohead and switches failed again.
I complained to Sony about the poor quality of the unit and they replaced it
with a new one of the same model.
after something like 6 months the switches filed again on the new unit and
they were replaced by Sony.
The second camera is now 1.5 years old and the keys have gone again.
I am now buying a Panasonic NV-GS400.

For the last 3 years I have been looking on the web for people complaining
about the quality of the switches on this particular camera and I failed to
find any complaints.

Recently I spoke to a friend that has a TRV 130 or so of the same vintage
and that one had the switches replaced several times as well. but not under
waranty like mine as it manifested itself after the waranaty period $$$$.

I just wanted to share this information with the others so somebody might do
a search and find this information.

PS I have lots of Sony equipment at my place as I always liked their stuff
in the past

Another story is the Sony model DRU-510A I bought early 2004 failed to write
the newer disks within 6 months of purchase due to the firmware being out of
date, it also had trouble writing on anything but the most expensive disks..
I told Sony that the firmware was out of date and the drive did not
recognise the new 8x dvd media. They acknowledged this but 7 months later
there is still no new firmwasr update on their website. (1.1A is the latest
one).
I bought a few months back a Pioneer 108, and what a beauty that is.
It works much better than the Sony and there are regular updates to the
firmware so it keeps working.

Regards to any that might find this information usful.

Martin van der Poel.

20 May 2005 2:36 PM

C.J.Patten

OMG, what are you doing to that poor camera to make it fail like that?!

Never heard of such problems with an x20 (120, 320, 520, 720) series
camera... still using two of them (320, 720) for the last 4 years with not a
squeak out of them. They've been used for a lot of aviation filming - we
take them up in sport planes and hang out the window with them. They still
work great.

Seriously though, what kind of environment are you shooting in? Heat?
Humidity? Vibration? Dirty power in your area? Any of those can kill a
camera. I plug all my gear into hefty, commercial grade surge protectors or
line-conditioners. These are NOT dime-store "power bars" - which do nothing.

Either I've just been lucky with the units I've used or there's something
else going on here.

If you want a good camera, stick with Sony, look at the x10 and x20 series
(though I understand you're soured on them) or a used TRV900 if you have the
money. (pro-level camera)

C.

Show quoteHide quote

"Martin van derPoel" <martin***@arach.net.au> wrote in message
news:428da8cc@funnel.arach.net.au...
>I bought a Sony TRV520 camera in 2001.
> After 3 months the keys on top of the camera would not work correctly
> every now and then.
> When the camera was 11 months old I reported the problem to the Sony
> centre. The switches were replaced.
> During the following 15 months the switches were replaced several more
> tmes. Also the Videohead failed when the camera was about 12 months old.
> When the camera was 2.5 years old the videohead and switches failed again.
> I complained to Sony about the poor quality of the unit and they replaced
> it with a new one of the same model.
> after something like 6 months the switches filed again on the new unit and
> they were replaced by Sony.
> The second camera is now 1.5 years old and the keys have gone again.
> I am now buying a Panasonic NV-GS400.
>
> For the last 3 years I have been looking on the web for people complaining
> about the quality of the switches on this particular camera and I failed
> to find any complaints.
>
> Recently I spoke to a friend that has a TRV 130 or so of the same vintage
> and that one had the switches replaced several times as well. but not
> under waranty like mine as it manifested itself after the waranaty period
> $$$$.
>
> I just wanted to share this information with the others so somebody might
> do a search and find this information.
>
> PS I have lots of Sony equipment at my place as I always liked their stuff
> in the past
>
> Another story is the Sony model DRU-510A I bought early 2004 failed to
> write the newer disks within 6 months of purchase due to the firmware
> being out of date, it also had trouble writing on anything but the most
> expensive disks..
> I told Sony that the firmware was out of date and the drive did not
> recognise the new 8x dvd media. They acknowledged this but 7 months later
> there is still no new firmwasr update on their website. (1.1A is the
> latest one).
> I bought a few months back a Pioneer 108, and what a beauty that is.
> It works much better than the Sony and there are regular updates to the
> firmware so it keeps working.
>
>
> Regards to any that might find this information usful.
>
> Martin van der Poel.
>
>

26 May 2005 9:56 PM

Dave R knows who

"Martin van derPoel" <martin***@arach.net.au> wrote in message
news:428da8cc@funnel.arach.net.au...
>I bought a Sony TRV520 camera in 2001.

I've also had this same model for about four years and the first one I had
lasted one week before it failed to eject a tape. At the time I worked close
to the Irvine tech facility and while I waited they fixed it. Since then not
one problem until around xmas time the vtr/camera switch on the back
starting having trouble and the camera will turn off until you wiggle it a
little. I'm not sure how this happened but this thing has been through it
all so I'm not too surprised. Sorry to hear you had so much trouble with the
buttons (you called them switches?) on top.

26 May 2005 10:10 PM

Dave R knows who

Anyone know how this camera stands up video quality-wise against the TVR900?
I'm thinking of replacing it only becasue I want to start using the miniDV
format and I really wanted something almost pocket sized (and the little
prob with the tvr switch). But I'm reading here the quality is crap on the
new little guys. Maybe I'll just continue with the 520 and the D8 tapes if
this was a good one.

26 May 2005 10:35 PM

Paul Rubin

"Dave R knows who" <kilbyfan@spamnotAOL.com> writes:
> Anyone know how this camera stands up video quality-wise against the TVR900?

Not in the same league.

> I'm thinking of replacing it only becasue I want to start using the miniDV
> format and I really wanted something almost pocket sized (and the little
> prob with the tvr switch). But I'm reading here the quality is crap on the
> new little guys. Maybe I'll just continue with the 520 and the D8 tapes if
> this was a good one.

The 520 video will be just about the same as, or maybe a little bit
better than, a typical consumer miniDV camera made today. The TRV900
will be considerably better than either of those.

26 May 2005 11:12 PM

Dave R knows who

Show quote Hide quote

"Paul Rubin" <http://phr.cx@NOSPAM.invalid> wrote in message
news:7x8y21ty3f.fsf@ruckus.brouhaha.com...
> "Dave R knows who" <kilbyfan@spamnotAOL.com> writes:
>> Anyone know how this camera stands up video quality-wise against the
>> TVR900?
>
> Not in the same league.
>
>> I'm thinking of replacing it only becasue I want to start using the
>> miniDV
>> format and I really wanted something almost pocket sized (and the little
>> prob with the tvr switch). But I'm reading here the quality is crap on
>> the
>> new little guys. Maybe I'll just continue with the 520 and the D8 tapes
>> if
>> this was a good one.
>
> The 520 video will be just about the same as, or maybe a little bit
> better than, a typical consumer miniDV camera made today. The TRV900
> will be considerably better than either of those.

Great info. The 520 has always been good enough quality for me so I guess I
can go to the store and buy just about anything and be quite happy.

30 May 2005 1:04 PM

Martin van derPoel

I am picking up a Panasonic GS400 this coming Wednesday.
I let you know how it compares to the Sony.

By the way, I was always happy with the picture quality of the 520 when I
transferred it to VHS tape after a PC edit.
When I stared making Video CD's I made the CVD version (352x576 pixels Pal)
and it still looked OK.
Now I put the vision on DVD and I find that the amount of noise in the
darker areas of the picture shows up too much in the finished product.

I have seen footage of a recent model consumer Canon and it was much better
noise wise than my Sony 520.

Regards,

Martin

Show quoteHide quote

"Dave R knows who" <kilbyfan@spamnotAOL.com> wrote in message
news:tPrle.2227$W51.16121@typhoon.sonic.net...
> Anyone know how this camera stands up video quality-wise against the
> TVR900? I'm thinking of replacing it only becasue I want to start using
> the miniDV format and I really wanted something almost pocket sized (and
> the little prob with the tvr switch). But I'm reading here the quality is
> crap on the new little guys. Maybe I'll just continue with the 520 and the
> D8 tapes if this was a good one.
>

2 Jun 2005 1:48 PM

Martin van derPoel

Hi I have just purchased a panasonic GS400.
This afternoon I ran some tests just before sunset (not very bright light)
The panasonic has a slightly sharper picture, considerably less noise
especially when the amount of light goes down.
The Sony TRV520 can do with less light and still has a bright picture but
there is a lot of noise in it.
With the Sony set to wide angle in 16:9 mode it has about 3/4 of the view of
the Panasonic in the same mode, meaning the panasonic has a wider angle
lens.

If anyone is interested and has a mailbox big enough, I can sent the
comparison clip in Mpeg 720x576 6500 bitrate (about 120 mb) by Email.

If anyone knows of an other way to transfer the file feel free to ask me,
(bittorrent maybe?)

Regards,

Martin

Show quoteHide quote

"Dave R knows who" <kilbyfan@spamnotAOL.com> wrote in message
news:tPrle.2227$W51.16121@typhoon.sonic.net...
> Anyone know how this camera stands up video quality-wise against the
> TVR900? I'm thinking of replacing it only becasue I want to start using
> the miniDV format and I really wanted something almost pocket sized (and
> the little prob with the tvr switch). But I'm reading here the quality is
> crap on the new little guys. Maybe I'll just continue with the 520 and the
> D8 tapes if this was a good one.
>