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DCR-HC32E/HC33E/HC39E/HC42E/HC43E 2-584-907-13(1)
DCR-HC32E/HC33E/HC39E/HC42E/HC43E 2-584-907-13(1)
Printed in Japan
Printed on 100% recycled paper using
VOC (Volatile Organic Compound)-free
vegetable oil based ink.
© 2005 Sony Corporation
Digital Video Camera Recorder
Operating Guide
DCR-HC32E/HC33E/
HC39E/HC42E/HC43E
2-584-907-
13 (1)
Using the Menu
Dubbing/Editing
Using a Computer
Troubleshooting
Additional Information
34
57
68
80
102
Getting Started
Recording/
Playback
7
18


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2
DCR-HC32E/HC33E/HC39E/HC42E/HC43E 2-584-907-13(1)
Read this first
Before operating the unit, please read this
manual thoroughly, and retain it for future
reference.
WARNING
To prevent fire or shock hazard,
do not expose the unit to rain or
moisture.
FOR CUSTOMERS IN THE
UNITED KINGDOM
NOTICE ON THE SUPPLIED AC
ADAPTOR
A moulded plug complying with BS1363 is
fitted to this equipment for your safety and
convenience.
Should the fuse in the plug supplied need to be
replaced, a fuse of the same rating as the supplied
one and approved by ASTA or BSI to BS1362
(i.e., marked with
or
mark) must be used.
If the plug supplied with this equipment has a
detachable fuse cover, be sure to attach the fuse
cover after you change the fuse. Never use the
plug without the fuse cover. If you should lose
the fuse cover, please contact your nearest Sony
service station.
FOR CUSTOMERS IN EUROPE
ATTENTION
The electromagnetic fields at the specific
frequencies may influence the picture and sound
of this camcorder.
This product has been tested and found compliant
with the limits set out in the EMC Directive for
using connection cables shorter than 3 meters
(9.8 feet).
Notice
If static electricity or electromagnetism causes
data transfer to discontinue midway (fail), restart
the application or disconnect and connect the
communication cable (USB, etc.) again.
Disposal of Old Electrical
& Electronic Equipment
(Applicable in the
European Union and
other European countries
with separate collection
systems)
This symbol on the product or on its packaging
indicates that this product shall not be treated as
household waste. Instead it shall be handed over
to the applicable collection point for the recycling
of electrical and electronic equipment. By
ensuring this product is disposed of correctly, you
will help prevent potential negative consequences
for the environment and human health, which
could otherwise be caused by inappropriate
waste handling of this product. The recycling of
materials will help to conserve natural resources.
For more detailed information about recycling of
this product, please contact your local city office,
your household waste disposal service or the shop
where you purchased the product.
Applicable Accessories: "Memory Stick Duo"
and Remote Commander
Notes on use
Your camcorder is supplied with two
kinds of operations guides.
­ "Operating Guide" (This manual)
­ "First Step Guide" for using the supplied
software (stored on the supplied CD-
ROM)
On the types of recording media you
can use in your camcorder
· A mini DV cassette marked with
(mini DV cassettes with Cassette Memory
are incompatible) (p. 103).
· "Memory Stick Duo" marked with
,
(p. 104).


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3
DCR-HC32E/HC33E/HC39E/HC42E/HC43E 2-584-907-13(1)
On using the camcorder
· Do not hold the camcorder by the
following parts.
Viewfinder
LCD panel
Battery pack
· Before connecting your camcorder to
another device with a USB or i.LINK
cable, be sure to insert the connector
plug in the proper direction. If you insert
the connector plug forcibly in the wrong
direction, the terminal may be damaged,
or this may cause a malfunction of your
camcorder.
On the menu items, LCD panel,
viewfinder, and lens
· A menu item that is grayed out is not
available under the current recording or
playback conditions.
· The LCD screen and the viewfinder 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 appear
constantly on the LCD screen and the
viewfinder. These points are normal
results of the manufacturing process and
do not affect the recording in any way.
· Exposing the LCD screen, the viewfinder,
or the lens to direct sunlight for long
periods of time may cause malfunctions.
· Do not aim at the sun. Doing so might
cause your camcorder to malfunction.
Take pictures of the sun only in low light
conditions, such as at dusk.
On recording
· Before starting to record, test the
recording function to make sure the
picture and sound are recorded without
any problems.
· Compensation for the contents of
recordings cannot be provided, even if
recording or playback is not possible
due to a malfunction of the camcorder,
storage media, etc.
· TV color systems differ depending on
the countries/regions. To view your
recordings on a TV, you need a PAL
system-based TV.
· Television programs, films, video tapes,
and other materials may be copyrighted.
Unauthorized recording of such materials
may be contrary to the copyright laws.
On this manual
· The images of the LCD screen and
the viewfinder used in this manual for
illustration purposes are captured using
a digital still camera, and therefore may
appear different.
· The on-screen displays in each local
language are used for illustrating the
operating procedures. Change the screen
language before using your camcorder if
necessary (p. 14).
· The illustrations used on this manual are
based on the model DCR-HC42E.
About the Carl Zeiss lens
Your camcorder is equipped with a Carl
Zeiss lens, which was developed jointly
by Carl Zeiss, in Germany, and Sony
Corporation, and produces superior images.
It adopts the MTF* measurement system
for video cameras and offers a quality
typical of a Carl Zeiss lens.
* MTF stands for Modulation Transfer Function.
The number value indicates the amount of light
from a subject coming into the lens.


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DCR-HC32E/HC33E/HC39E/HC42E/HC43E 2-584-907-11(1)
Table of Contents
Getting Started
Step 1: Checking supplied items ...............................................................7
Step 2: Charging the battery pack .............................................................8
Step 3: Turning the power on and holding your camcorder firmly ...........12
Step 4: Adjusting the LCD panel and viewfinder .....................................13
Step 5: Using the touch panel .................................................................14
Changing the language setting .....................................................................14
Checking the screen indicators (Display guide) ...........................................14
Step 6: Setting the date and time ............................................................15
Step 7: Inserting a tape or a "Memory Stick Duo"....................................16
Step 8: Selecting the aspect ratio (16:9 or 4:3) of the recording picture
(DCR-HC39E/HC42E/HC43E) ......................................................17
Recording/Playback
Recording/Playback with ease (Easy Handycam)...................................18
Recording................................................................................................20
Playback..................................................................................................21
Functions used for recording/playback, etc. ............................................22
Recording
To use zoom
To record in dark places (NightShot plus)
To adjust the exposure for backlit subjects
To adjust the focus for an off center subject (SPOT FOCUS)
To fix the exposure for the selected subject (Flexible spot meter)
To record in mirror mode
To use a tripod
Playback
To play back the images in sequence
To use PB zoom
Recording/playback
To check the remaining battery (Battery Info)
To turn off the operation confirmation beep
To use special effects
To initialize the settings
Other part names and functions
Indicators displayed during recording/playback.......................................26


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DCR-HC32E/HC33E/HC39E/HC42E/HC43E 2-584-907-11(1)
Continued
Searching for the starting point ...............................................................29
Searching for the last scene of the most recent recording
(END SEARCH)..............................................................................................29
Searching manually (EDIT SEARCH).............................................................29
Reviewing the most recently recorded scenes (Rec review).........................29
Remote Commander ...............................................................................30
Searching quickly for a desired scene (Zero set memory)............................30
Searching for a scene by date of recording (Date search) ...........................31
Playing the picture on a TV .....................................................................32
Using the Menu
Using the menu items ............................................................34
Menu items..............................................................................................36
CAMERA SET menu ..........................................................................38
Settings to adjust your camcorder to the recording conditions (EXPOSURE/
WHITE BAL./STEADYSHOT, etc.)
MEMORY SET menu.........................................................................43
Settings for the "Memory Stick Duo" (QUALITY/IMAGE SIZE/BURST/ALL
ERASE/NEW FOLDER, etc.)
PICT.APPLI. menu............................................................................46
Special effects on pictures or additional functions on recording/playback
(PICT. EFFECT/SLIDE SHOW/INT.REC-STL, etc.)
EDIT/PLAY menu .............................................................................50
Settings for editing or playing back in various modes (VAR.SPD PB/END
SEARCH, etc.)
STANDARD SET menu ....................................................................51
Settings while recording on a tape or other basic settings (REC MODE/
MULTI-SOUND/LCD/VF SET/DISP OUTPUT/USB, etc.)
TIME/LANGU. menu.........................................................................54
(CLOCK SET/WORLD TIME/LANGUAGE)
Customizing Personal Menu....................................................................55
Dubbing/Editing
Connecting to a VCR or TV .....................................................................57
Dubbing to other recording devices.........................................................58
Recording pictures from a VCR or TV
(DCR-HC32E/HC33E/HC42E/HC43E) ..........................................59
Dubbing pictures from a tape to a "Memory Stick Duo"...........................60
Dubbing sound to a recorded tape ..........................................................61
Deleting recorded pictures from the "Memory Stick Duo"........................63