Sony Reviews

As a user of the KB-11 keyboard I looked forward to using the KB-100. I was very pleased with the contruction and the size but less so with the decreased functionality. Where I could use keyboard commands almost exclusively on the KB-11 I now have to use the stylus for "OK", "Done", "Cancel", and almost every other command. I am sure that Sony will eventually offer an updated driver that will permit combination keys to activate these commends but in the meantime I am forced to keep a stylus in hand.

The other negative factor is the location of the shift key but we humans will adapt to that.

Previously, I used the Palm portable keyboard for the Palm III and V handhelds. I really liked the feel of those keyboards, but I moved on when I outgrew my older PDA. I travel a lot, and I avoid carrying a laptop whenever possible; so, a portable PDA keyboard is essential for my journeys. After upgrading to a Sony Clie TG-50 handheld, I bought the KB-100 keyboard to compliment it. So, you ask, how did the two keyboards stack up? Well, I have to give the nod to the Palm keyboard for keyboard size. The Palm's size is equivalent to a laptop keyboard, while the Sony's, in spite of being advertised as "full size," is in fact a bit smaller. I suspect for most folks that wouldn't be a major concern, but I have large hands, and I've found that my typing speed has slowed somewhat as compared to the Palm unit. In terms of deploying the keyboard, the Sony wins hands down--it's simpler and faster, with fewer moving parts. Another plus is that the Sony keyboard will also charge your handheld while docked. One more minus: the shift key on the right side of the Sony is quite small, and slowed down my typing speed until I grew used to it. To sum up, the Sony is a well-designed portable keyboard that makes some compromises in keyboard layout, but is nonetheless quite a useful product. My recommendation is that if you have big hands and plan to write the great American novel on your PDA, you'll likely be happier with a Palm PDA/keyboard setup. If, however, you mainly plan to work on shorter documents, the Sony should get the nod.

The clie keyboard with my nx60 (or my nx70 and my sj22) really rounds out the product. The keyboard is of excellent quality and feel. With the keyboard I truly have a top notch laptop replacement. Clies are great but such accessories put them over the top!!

Extremely happy with this product that I bought summer of 2001.Have had no technical issues.The wife loves it for it's point and record ease.Playback is excellent.Some fun special effects.Audio is very clear.Hold it in one hand and a beer in the other.

My son just bought this camera a short while ago and he just can't stop admiring it...Neither can his friends. This camcorder comes with plenty of features including steadyshot, 560x digital zoom and 20x optical zoom. Even though the battery it comes with is for two hours only, it suits him just fine. He has taken many shots and loved them all. The effects are neat:sephia, pastel, negative art, black&white, solarize, mosaic, slim, stretch. The sephia is my favorite and reminds me what old movies looked like. There are also many fades to choose from. Sony really has put a lot of work into this camera. I really suggest you buy it if your looking for a high-quality, moderatly priced camcorder.

I bought this camcorder to replace a Canon 8mm that was over 8 years old. My Canon camcorder stopped recording sound and finally stopped working. Canon would not repair it because it was an old model. My family has several Sony electronics products and none of them have had any problems. That says enough for me about Sony quality. About the camcorder...I like the video quality produced by the Sony Hi8 TRV98. It is a little better than the standard 8mm picture produced by my old Canon camcorder. I know Hi8 is not as good as the 500+ line resolution of Digital 8. However, the Hi8 400+ line picture quality is great. The pictures are sharp with excellent color. This is a great camera for the price if you do not plan on "going digital" to load videos to your computer. I like the large 3.5 inch LCD screen, Lithium Ion battery and the S-video out. ....

Once again, Sony has produced a superb Hi8 camcorder miles above competition in features and image quality. The CCDTRV88 is a fantastic addition to the handy cam line. While I'm not dissapointed with my ...... purchase (... price), I was a little chagrined when my friend showed me his 2000 (last year's) model Sony Hi8 Handycam that he bought at ... for .... Perhaps to encourage users to switch to digital, Sony has begun to streamline their Hi8 line of camcorders. While optics are just as good as last year's models, a few useful features for advanced users (who will most likely be buying the CCDTRV88/98 models) have been mysteriously omitted from the new 2001 models. The first glaring fault is the absence of stereo sound. Come on, Sony. ALL sony Hi8 camcorders have had stereo sound since their coming into being five years or so ago. While, admittedly, in general use you don't really need it, it was a nice touch. My next gripe is closely related, and that is the lack of an external mic input. This is a serious flaw, and as a user who was looking forward to taking advantage of the near cd sound quality capabilities of Hi8 tape, I found it put a damper on my plans to tape record local jazz groups, as the built in mic, while decent, just cannot deliver the clarity and response that a good external microphone can. Fortunatly, the S-Video output is still present (whew!) but the full size A/V analog out has been replaced with a special 1/8" "mini a/v" output, which I believe yields slightly poorer output quality for those who do not have the ability to utilize S-video. I've also found the pause and fastforward/rewind images when viewing on a television are full of noise. This is a crying shame, Sony. The 2000 model's pause image (and even fastforward/rewind!) were completely free of video noise. Smaller perks that were not as crucial as the above but still were nice included the LED screen located on the outside of the LCD viewscreen that displayed time remaining, battery life, and how time was left for the battery to charge; Sony has also removed the LANC interface which would make the product more useful when using it with an editing controller or even more importantly a Sony analog to firewire converter or a Dazzle Hollywood DV Bridge analog to firewire converter, as it lets the computer take control of the hardware and makes life easier for the editor. You must now also pay a premium for the use of a remote, only avaliable on the highest level models.

Don't get me wrong - I've done a lot of complaining here but the CCDTRV88 is still a really good product. If I were you, I'd save about 50 dollars and buy the CCDTRV68 as it is ABSOLUTELY IDENTICAL save for the smaller LCD screen. But if you can live with a smaller screen, it will save you 90 minutes or more on your battery life. Better still, if you can still find them, buy one of last year's models. I found the image quality to be virtually identical (although the CCD's resolution might have been upped a bit on this year's models), and they were more feature rich, with features present on them that are now only avaliable on the digital models. Plus, they're cheaper!

In conclusion, the CCDTRV88 is a great product, but I just wish Sony hadn't streamlined it so much, as it has hampered avid camcorder users like me who are on a very tight budget.

This camcorder is great for any level and a bargain for the features and quality you get. The camcorder is very compact and very manageable under any conditions. A teacher told me once the picture quality of these hi8 camcorders is broadcast quality and he wasn't kidding!! The zero-lux feature enables a picture in total darkness. Great!! The zoom feature is nice and crisp, the digital zoom realm gets a little questionable for my taste. The menu provides lots of options and effects to play with. My family has a blast with this and I truely believe that Sony makes the best for the dollar in this camcorder catagory!! You won't be disappointed with this one!

just like other SONY camcorders, TRV88 meets my expectation with the price and quality. the only thing I am only 90% satisfied is the size. I also ordered the leather bag from SONY. Quality is superb! I love SONY!

This is the second camcorder I've owned so I suppose I'm not a video expert but I've been very impressed with the ease of use and the quality of this video camera. It's light and compact but has great features, a good video screen, internal speakers and mic that both work well, and an interesting night-vision system that works suprisingly well (though I'm not sure what you'd want to do with it). All in all I'm very pleased with the camera.

Start with the amazing 2 and 1/2 inch LCD viewfinder,Nightshot, digital image stabilization, Hi8-XR - the standard SONY fare (ALL excellent and proven). Add Super LaserLink Wireless Transmitter and you have a winner. Have you ever been frustrated by connecting proper video and audio cables from the back of your TV and VCR to your camcorder? Have you had to go back and switch cables when you connected audio to video and vice versa? No more frustrations with super laser link which provides cable free communication to your TV/VCR. You can record in widescreen, you can record in 0 lux lighting and playback in stereo. Your battery life is an amazing 16 hours!

The only reason for not buying this camera - the rate at which SONY comes up with these great products, you will be drooling at a better model next year!

I have used this camera for about 100 hours now. I have used and figured out 99% of the special features.

Pros: Many special effects such as: infrared, black and white, cartoon like effect, and a couple others. It also has 16:9 recording but distorts the picture when recording. It has an excellent playback speaker when watching videos you have already taken on the 2.5 " LCD screen. It also has about 5 digital effects such as slow shutter or flashing pictures. The photo option lets you create a slide show easily and allows you to use the fade features such as overlap really easily. The battery that came with the camera lasts me about 1.8 hours using the LCD screen and about 2 hours using the black and white viewfinder. This is a surprise, because I thought it would only last an hour with the LCD screen. This camera also lets you record TV just like a VCR which is a nice feature if you like to edit videos. I also like the feature that lets you put words on the screen as you record. The stereo sound recording on this camera is great. The LCD screen is also crystal clear and is easily big enough to see what your recording.

Cons: Grainy picture in low light condition. However, if you use the light on the camera, it drastically improves the grainy picture. The zoom gets really pixely at anything zoomed in more than about 180 times. The camera is larger and heavier than the new digital ones. The manual focus can also be tough to work but it isn't too bad.

This is an excellent camera. I would recommend it over the digital ones just because you get a lot more features for your money and the quality of the picture isn't all that different.

This camcorder was introduced in 1999, which was in essence the "high water" mark year of the Sony analog camcorder line. Digital -- which had been introduced by Sony years earlier -- took over the "top of the line" position the following year, which led Sony to simultaneously begin "cheapening" the Hi8 analog machines (in an attempt to drive the "bells and whistles crowd" to the more profitable digital camcorders). This meant stereo sound disappeared from the Hi8s in 2000, as did flying erase heads, digital special effects and photo mode.

Being the Hi8 line leader the previous year -- before that cheapening began -- the TRV87 is therefore Sony consumer analog video at its best, crammed with every feature Sony ever put into that format. It's all here -- the Hi8XR format (440 lines of vertical resolution, which in side to side comparison with DV's 500 lines is almost impossible to differentiate), LCD viewing, digital special effects, on-board lighting, Super Nightshot, photo mode, full titling, a wide range of pre-programmed exposure modes, Laserlink...it goes on and on. Yes, granted, the chassis is that classic "handful" TRV size, so this Sony isn't quite as cute and sexy as those teeny current DV palmcorders - but it provides video that is just as good, and costs a lot, lot less. This machine is destined to be a classic, in the same category as the infamous Sony TR101 (their first serious Hi8 machine from almost a decade earlier).

I purchased this Sony camcorder assuming that it is the best non-digital available. Picture quality is poor. My old VHS full tape Samsung camcorder delivers a much better picture quality. I complained to a Sony authorized center in Michigan, with no hope. I'm so sad for the non-repeatable moments (graduation party and two trips) that I captured using this poor quality camcorder. I wrote an email to Sony's customer service, and did not receive a response yet.

The camera has a sharp LCD, nice features, excellent sound recordingand night shot.

What is wrong with the door mechanism??? I have had mine serviced (and payed for labor) TWICE for the same problem. two weeks after th second repair it stopped loading the tape again. Everything else still works, but what good is it to not be able to record or view tapes on it. I stoped throwing money at SONY, for this product. Next one I buy will be a different brand.

I purchased this camera shortly after it appeared on the market. It has served me very well. It is easy to operate, and stands up well to rough and tumble use. I have used it on ocean beaches[sand], in hot air balloons[sometimes hard landings] in private planes[vibrations],taping summer event[extreme heat] and it works just fine. I have owned Sony products in the past and found them to be a wonderful consumer product.

As a point of reference, I have used apx. 150 full tape in this camcorder with perfect results.

This camcorder is no longer available, but if you can find a good clean used one , I say "go for it'.

I've had this TRV66 for 3 years, but the problem started occuring 1 year after I bought it. It was doing great until the switch started messing up. I found out only after my batteries keep draining even after I switched the camera off. Finally, I noticed that when I turn the camera off by switching it to the "Off" position, the VTR lights come on instead. The only way I could really turn it off was to remove the battery. So, when I want to switch it off, I had to remove the battery every time so that it won't get drained. Looks like it is a common problem from the reviews that I've read. Another annoying problem is when I am recording for a while, it keeps going to stand-by mode automatically. So I had to keep an eye on the viewfinder to make sure it doesn't stop recording. I wonder if Sony could fix this problem.

In 1992, I bought a Sony CCD FX-510 8mm stereo camcorder. By February 2000, we had worn the old camera out, after working around the world! If you want to keep playing 8mm tapes, you either have to replace your 8mm camcorder, or buy a 8mm deck. The camcorders are cheaper than a deck! I bought the Sony CCD-TRV66 because it could play my stereo 8mm tapes from my old camera. A digital Sony camcorder would do this, but at more $. The best surprise was that playback on the new HI-8 camcorder seemed to deliver higher resolution on the old Video 8 tapes. This might be due to the filtering on the Hi-8 camcorder. The TRV-66 has image stabilization, nightshot, Hi-8 resolution, stereo sound, lots of digital features and a color flip out screen. All of this is still less than I paid in 1992 for the CCD FX-510. After 8 years, Sony kept continuity on operational features; the basic functions of their camcorders is the same. Kudos for great design. I plan to wear out this camera, too!

Had this camera for a couple years now and have never had a problem. Can't ask for any more features. The battery still holds a charge for over 4hrs of use. The image quality is great and the audio pickup(stereo) works fabulously. Only complaint would be the Camera/off/VTR switch, but not for the same reason as the others listed. I just don't like the location of it and it can be a little bit of a hassle getting it to the off position. But I've never had a problem with it not turning the camera off or the light on.

Botton line: Easy, simple to use and connect to a TV or to a computer for emailing video (with the right computer hardware).