3-087-447-14 (1)
Digital
Camcorder
Operating Instructions
Before operating the unit, please read this manual thoroughly,
and retain it for future reference.
Owner’s Record
The model and serial numbers are located on the bottom. Record the
serial number in the space provided below. Refer to these numbers
whenever you call upon your Sony dealer regarding this product.
Model No. DSR-PD170
Model No. AC-
Serial No.
Serial No.
DSR-PD170
©2003 Sony Corporation
Welcome!
Congratulations on your purchase of this Sony Digital camcorder.
With your Digital camcorder, you can capture life’s precious moments with superior picture and
sound quality. Your Digital camcorder is loaded with advanced features, but at the same time it is
very easy to use. You will soon be producing home video that you can enjoy for years to come.
For the customers in the U.S.A.
WARNING
If you have any questions about this product, you
may call:
Sony Customer Information Center 1-800-686-
To prevent fire or shock hazard, do
not expose the unit to rain or
moisture.
SONY (7669)
The number below is for the FCC related matters
only.
Regulatory Information
Declaration of Conformity
Trade Name:
Model No.:
Responsible Party:
Address:
SONY
DSR-PD170
Sony Electronics Inc.
16450 W. Bernardo Dr,
San Diego, CA 92127
U.S.A
Telephone No.:
858-942-2230
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause
harmful interference, and (2)this device must
accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired operation.
This symbol is intended to alert the
user to the presence of uninsulated
“dangerous voltage” within the
product’s enclosure that may be of
sufficient magnitude to constitute a
risk of electric shock to persons.
CAUTION
You are cautioned that any changes or modifications
not expressly approved in this manual could void your
authority to operate this equipment.
This symbol is intended to alert the
user to the presence of important
operating and maintenance
(servicing) instructions in the
literature accompanying the
appliance.
Notes:
• This equipment has been tested and found to comply
with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant 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
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. However, there
is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television reception,
which can be determined by turning the equipment
off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following
measures:
Notice
If static electricity or electromagnetism causes
data transfer to discontinue midway (fail),
restart the application or disconnect and
connect the i.LINK cable again.
For customers in the U.S.A and
CANADA
RECYCLING LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES
Lithium-Ion batteries are recyclable.
You can help preserve our
environment by returning your
used rechargeable batteries to the
collection and recycling location
nearest you.
— Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
—
Increase the separation between the equipment and
receiver.
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit
different from that to which the receiver is
connected.
—
— Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV
technician for help.
For more information regarding recycling of
rechargeable batteries, call toll free 1-800-822-8837, or
visit http://www.rbrc.org/.
The supplied interface cable must be used with the
equipment in order to comply with the limits for a
digital device pursuant to Subpart B of Part 15 of FCC
Rules.
• This product contains mercury. Disposal of this
procuct may be regulated if sold in the United States.
For disposal or recycling information, please contact
your local authorities or the Electronics Industries
Alliance (http://www.eiae.org).
Caution: Do not handle damaged or leaking Lithium-
Ion batteries.
3
Table of contents
Quick Start Guide ............................................... 5
Editing
Dubbing a tape .................................................. 73
Dubbing only desired scenes
Getting Started
Using this manual............................................... 7
Checking supplied accessories ......................... 9
Step 1 Installing the microphone ................... 10
Step 2 Preparing the power supply .............. 11
Step 3 Setting the date and time .................... 16
Step 4 Inserting a cassette ............................... 17
– Digital program editing ............................. 75
Using with an analog video unit and a PC
– Signal convert function .............................. 81
Recording video or TV programs .................. 82
Audio dubbing .................................................. 86
Setting time values ........................................... 90
Superimposing a title ....................................... 95
Making your own titles.................................... 99
Labeling a cassette .......................................... 101
Erasing the cassette memory data ................ 103
Recording – Basics
Recording a picture .......................................... 18
Shooting backlit subjects (BACK
LIGHT) .......................................... 25
Spot light .............................................. 26
Customizing Your Camcorder
Checking the recording – END SEARCH /
EDITSEARCH / Rec Review ....................... 27
Changing the menu settings ......................... 105
“Memory Stick” Operations
Playback – Basics
Using a “Memory Stick” – introduction...... 113
Recording still images on a “Memory Stick”
– Memory Photo recording ........................ 118
Superimposing a still image in a “Memory
Stick” on a moving picture
– MEMORY MIX .......................................... 121
Recording an image from a tape as a still
image ............................................................. 124
Copying still images from a tape
– Photo save .................................................. 127
Viewing a still picture
– Memory Photo playback.......................... 129
Copying an image recorded on a “Memory
Stick” to tapes ............................................... 132
Playing back images continuously
Playing back a tape ........................................... 28
Viewing the recording on TV ......................... 33
Advanced Recording Operations
Recording a still image on a tape
– Tape Photo recording ................................. 34
Shooting with all the pixels
– PROG. SCAN............................................... 35
Using the guide frame ..................................... 36
Using the wide mode ....................................... 37
Using the fader function .................................. 38
Using special effects – Digital effect .............. 40
Shooting with manual adjustment ................. 43
Adjusting the white balance ........................... 51
Adjusting the recording level manually
– SLIDE SHOW ............................................ 134
Preventing accidental erasure
– Image protection ....................................... 135
Deleting images .............................................. 136
Writing a print mark – Print mark ............... 139
– Sound recording level ................................ 53
Connecting an optional external
microphone ..................................................... 55
Presetting the adjustment for picture quality
– Custom preset ............................................. 57
Focusing manually ........................................... 59
Interval recording ............................................. 60
Frame by frame recording – Cut recording .. 62
Superimposing the date and time on a picture
.......................................................................... 63
Marking an Index ............................................. 64
Additional Information
Compatibility of DVCAM and DV
formats........................................................... 140
Usable cassettes............................................... 142
About i.LINK................................................... 144
Troubleshooting .............................................. 146
Self-diagnosis display .................................... 152
Warning indicators and messages ............... 153
Using your camcorder abroad ...................... 155
Maintenance information and precautions .. 156
Specifications ................................................... 161
Advanced Playback Operations
Searching for a recording by index – Index
search ............................................................... 65
Searching the boundaries of recorded tape by
title – Title search ........................................... 67
Searching a recording by date
Quick Reference
– Date search................................................... 68
Searching for a photo – Photo search/Photo
scan .................................................................. 70
Playing back a tape with digital effects ......... 72
Identifying the parts and controls ................ 162
Quick Function Guide.................................... 173
Index ................................................................. 174
4
5
6
— Getting Started —
Using this manual
As you read through this manual, buttons and settings on your camcorder are shown in
capital letters.
e.g. Set the POWER switch to CAMERA.
When you carry out an operation, you can hear a beep or a melody sound to indicate
that the operation is being carried out.
Note on cassette memory
Your camcorder is based on the DVCAM/DV format. We recommend that you use a
tape with cassette memory
.
The functions which require different operations depending on whether or not the tape
has cassette memory are:
•Searching the end point of the recording – end search (p. 27, 31)
•Searching a recording by index – index search (p. 65)
•Searching a recording by date – date search (p. 68)
•Searching for a photo – photo search (p. 70)
The functions you can operate only with cassette memory are:
•Searching the boundaries of recorded tape by title – title search (p. 67)
•Superimposing a title (p. 95)
•Making your own titles (p. 99)
•Labeling a cassette (p. 101)
For details, see page 142.
You see this mark in the introduction of the features that are operated only with
cassette memory.
Tapes with cassette memory are marked with
(Cassette Memory).
7
Using this manual
Note on TV color systems
TV color systems differ by country or region.
To view your recordings on a TV, you need an NTSC system-based TV.
Copyright precautions
Television programs, films, video tapes, and other materials may be copyrighted.
Unauthorized recording of such materials may be contrary to the provision of the
copyright laws.
Precautions on camcorder care
Lens and LCD screen/finder
•The LCD screen and the finder are manufactured using extremely high-precision
technology, so over 99.99% of the pixels are operational for effective use.
However, there may be some tiny black points and/or bright points (white, red,
blue or green in color) that constantly appear on the LCD screen and the finder.
These points are normal in the manufacturing process and do not affect the
recording in any way.
•Do not directly shoot the sun. Doing so might cause your camcorder to malfunction.
Take pictures of the sun in low light conditions such as dusk.
•Do not let your camcorder get wet. Keep your camcorder away from rain and sea
water. Letting your camcorder get wet may cause your camcorder to malfunction.
Sometimes this malfunction cannot be repaired [a].
•Never leave your camcorder exposed to temperatures above 60 °C (140 °F), such as in
a car parked in the sun or under direct sunlight [b].
•Be careful when placing the camera near a window or outdoors. Exposing the LCD
screen, the finder or the lens to direct sunlight for long periods may cause
malfunctions [c].
[a]
[b]
[c]
Contents of the recording cannot be compensated if recording or playback is not made due to a
malfunction of the camcorder, video tape, etc.
8
Checking supplied accessories
Make sure that the following accessories are supplied with your camcorder.
1
2
5
9
3
4
7
0
8
qa
1 Wireless Remote Commander (1)
6 Shoulder strap (1) (p. 166)
7 Hood with a lens cap (1) (p. 165)
8 LSF-S58 lens hood (1) (p. 168)
9 Hood cap (1) (p. 169)
(p. 170)
2 AC-L15A/L15B AC Adaptor (1), Power
cord (1) (p. 12)
3 NP-F570 rechargeable battery pack (1)
(p. 11, 12)
0 VCL-HG0758 wide conversion lens (1)
(p.168), Carrying pouch (1)
4 Size AA (R6) battery for Remote
Commander (2) (p. 171)
qa Microphone (1) (p. 10), Wind screen (1)
(p. 10)
5 A/V connecting cable (1) (p. 33, 73)
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