Digital Video Camera Video you can edit on your computer

By using the digital video camera, you will have video clips that you can edit on your newer computers with iMovie software.

Tapes:

You will need a blank video tape cassette. If there is not one included, you will need a Mini DV tape. They are very small cassettes costing about $10 a piece. Except for being smaller, the camera works just about like any other video camera.

Loading:

1. To load the cassette;
2. Turn the camera over, and slide the "Open/Eject" button.
3. Gently pull the cassette door sideways.
4. In a couple of seconds, the cassette housing will pop up and open by itself (do not open it).
5. Now you can pull the cassette out and/or place a new tape in the slot. It should only fit one way. Follow the direction arrow on the cassette. Do not force anything.
6. With the cassette in, carefully push the small housing closed.
7. The housing will then drop back into the camera by itself.
8. Then, you can close the cassette door.

Charging:

You will need to make sure that the camera battery is charged. You can see the battery indicator in the window on the left side of the camera. To charge the battery:

1. Have the battery attached to the back of the camera.
2. Plug the charger into a power outlet.
3. Plug the other cable into the matching connection on the right side of the camera.
4. Turn the "Power" knob to "CHG"
5. It will begin charging.

Once you've got your blank cassette loaded and battery charged, your ready to start recording video.

1. Turn the "Power" knob on the right/rear corner (where your thumb should be) so it is pointing towards "Camera Mode"
2. Either look through the eye piece viewfinder or open up the LCD screen on the left side of the camera to view your subject.
3. Press the "Record" button with your thumb (right behind the power control) to begin recording. You will here a beep and see REC in the view finder.
4. Press the "Record" button again to stop recording, you will hear two beeps and you will see STBY in the view finder.

To view the footage you have taken;

1. Turn the "Power" knob to "VCR"
2. On top of the camera you will see the same buttons lit up as you have on your VCR (play, stop, rev, ff, etc.) and they work the same way. View your footage on the flip out LCD screen.

Playing Back on TV/ Recording to VHS:

1. You should be able to play it back on the TV by connecting the cable from the camcorder directly to the TV or your VCR (recording it onto a VHS cassette).
2. Plug the "L" shaped end of the RCA cable (the end with only one end) into the camera's yellow "Audio/Video" hole on the right side of the camera. (under plastic cover).
3. Plug the other end (three RCA plugs, red, white, yellow) into the TV or VCR audio and video plugs. (match the colors).
4. In VCR mode, play the video footage, have the TV set to "line in"

The best thing about using a digital camcorder is that you can transfer the footage and do editing on your computer. You will need:

A newer computer with a Firewire port A Firewire cable (4 to 6 pin) iMovie software installed on your computer.

Visit iMovie for what to do next.