4-209-890-11(1)
DCR-SR15E/SR20E/SX15E/
SX20E/SX20EK
Digital Video Camera Recorder
Operating Guide
2010 Sony Corporation
treated as household waste.
ATTENTION
On certain batteries this symbol might
be used in combination with a chemical
symbol. The chemical symbols for mercury
(Hg) or lead (Pb) are added if the battery
contains more than 0.0005% mercury or
0.004% lead.
By ensuring these batteries are disposed of
correctly, you will help prevent potentially
negative consequences for the environment
and human health which could otherwise
be caused by inappropriate waste handling
of the battery. The recycling of the materials
will help to conserve natural resources.
In case of products that for safety,
performance or data integrity reasons
require a permanent connection with an
incorporated battery, this battery should
be replaced by qualified service staff only.
To ensure that the battery will be treated
properly, hand over the product at end-of-
life to the applicable collection point for
the recycling of electrical and electronic
equipment.
For all other batteries, please view the
section on how to remove the battery from
the product safely. Hand the battery over
to the applicable collection point for the
recycling of waste batteries.
The electromagnetic fields at the specific
frequencies may influence the picture and
sound of this unit.
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 Civic Office, your household
waste disposal service or the shop where
you purchased the product.
For more detailed information about
recycling of this product or battery, please
contact your local Civic Office, your
household waste disposal service or the
shop where you purchased the product.
Notice for customers in the United
Kingdom
A moulded plug complying with BS 1363 is
fitted to this equipment for your safety and
convenience.
Disposal of waste batteries
(applicable in the European
Union and other European
countries with separate
collection systems)
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 BS 1362, (i.e., marked with an or
mark) must be used.
This symbol on the battery or on the
packaging indicates that the battery
provided with this product shall not be
If the plug supplied with this equipment has
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3
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.
LCD screen
Supplied items
The numbers in ( ) are the supplied
quantity.
Battery pack
AC Adaptor (1)
Power cord (Mains lead) (1)
A/V connecting cable (1)
USB cable (1)
Rechargeable battery pack NP-FV30 (1)
CD-ROM “Handycam” Application
The camcorder is not dustproofed, dripproofed
or waterproofed. See “Precautions” (p. 59).
Software (1)
Menu items, LCD panel, and lens
“PMB” (software, including “PMB Help”)
“Handycam” Handbook (PDF)
A menu item that is grayed out is not available
under the current recording or playback
conditions.
“Operating Guide” (This manual) (1)
The LCD screen is 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. These points are normal results of
the manufacturing process and do not affect the
recording in any way.
For DCR-SX20EK only*
Memory card (4GB)**
* Confirm the model name on the packing box.
** When measuring media capacity, 1 GB equals
1 billion bytes, a portion of which is used
for system management and/or application
files. The capacity that a user can use is
approximately 3.83 GB.
with this camcorder.
Using the camcorder
Black points
White, red, blue or green points
Exposing the LCD screen or the lens to direct
sunlight for long periods of time may cause
malfunctions.
Do not hold the camcorder by the following
parts, and also do not hold the camcorder by
the jack covers.
Do not aim at the sun. Doing so might cause
your camcorder to malfunction. Take images
of the sun only in low light conditions, such as
at dusk.
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4
About changing the language setting
Notes on battery pack/AC Adaptor
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. 15).
Be sure to remove the battery pack or the AC
Adaptor after turning off the camcorder.
Disconnect the AC Adaptor from the
camcorder, holding both the camcorder and the
DC plug.
Recording
Note on the camcorder/battery pack
temperature
When you use a memory card with your
camcorder for the first time, formatting the
recommended for stable operation.
All data recorded on the memory card will
be deleted when it is formatted, and cannot
be recovered. Save important data to your
computer, etc., beforehand.
Before starting to record, test the recording
function to make sure that the image 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.
When the temperature of the camcorder
or battery pack becomes extremely high or
extremely low, you may not be able to record
or play back on the camcorder, due to the
protection features of the camcorder being
activated in such situations. In this case, an
indicator appears on the LCD screen.
When the camcorder is connected to a
computer or accessories
Do not try to format the recording media of the
camcorder using a computer. If you do so, your
camcorder may not operate correctly.
TV color systems differ depending on the
country/region. 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 copyright laws.
When connecting your camcorder to another
device with a cable, be sure to insert the
connector plug in the correct way. Pushing the
plug forcibly into the terminal will damage the
terminal and may result in a malfunction of
your camcorder.
If you cannot record/play back images,
perform [MEDIA FORMAT]
Note on playback
Images recorded on your camcorder may not
play correctly on other devices.
Conversely, images recorded on other devices
may not play correctly on this camcorder.
Movies recorded on SD memory cards
cannot be played on A/V equipment of other
manufacturers.
If you repeat recording/deleting images for
a long time, fragmentation of data occurs on
the recording media. Images cannot be saved
or recorded. In such a case, save your images
on some type of external media first, and then
perform [MEDIA FORMAT] by selecting
(MENU) [Show others] [MEDIA
FORMAT] (under
category) the desired medium (DCR-SR15E/
[MANAGE MEDIA]
Save all your recorded image data
To prevent your image data from being lost,
save all your recorded images on external media
periodically. It is recommended that you save
the image data on a disc such as a DVD-R using
your computer. Also, you can save your image
data using a VCR or a DVD/HDD recorder,
etc. (p. 42).
SR20E) [YES] [YES]
.
Notes on optional accessories
We recommend using genuine Sony accessories.
Availability of such products is subject to
country/region.
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Eject the memory card when the access lamp
Remove the battery pack or AC Adaptor from
the camcorder, or subject the camcorder to
shock or vibration when the POWER lamp
flashing
When using a shoulder belt (sold separately), do
not crash the camcorder against an object.
Do not use your camcorder in very loud areas
(DCR-SR15E/SR20E).
About images, illustrations, and screen
displays of this manual
The example images used in this manual for
illustration purposes are captured using a
digital still camera, and therefore may appear
different from images and screen indicators that
actually appear on your camcorder. And, the
illustrations of your camcorder and its screen
indication are exaggerated or simplified for
understandability.
In this manual, the internal hard disk (DCR-
SR15E/SR20E) of your camcorder and memory
card are called “recording media.”
On the drop sensor (DCR-SR15E/SR20E)
To protect the internal hard disk from shock
by dropping, the camcorder has a drop sensor
function. When a drop occurs, or under a non-
gravity condition, the block noise made when
this function is activated by the camcorder may
also be recorded. If the drop sensor catches a
drop repeatedly, recording/playback may be
stopped.
Design and specifications of your camcorder
and accessories are subject to change without
notice.
Confirm the model name of your
camcorder
The model name is shown in this manual when
there is a difference in specification between
models. Confirm the model name on the
bottom of your camcorder.
Note on using the camcorder at high
altitudes (DCR-SR15E/SR20E)
Do not turn on the camcorder in a low-pressure
area, where the altitude is more than 5,000
meters (16,000 feet). Doing so may damage the
internal hard disk drive of your camcorder.
The main differences in specification of this
series are as follows.
Recording Capacity USB
media
of internal jack
recording
media
DCR-
Internal
hard
disk +
memory
card
80 GB
Output
SR15E
only
DCR-
SR20E
Input/
output
DCR-
SX15E
Memory
card
Output
only
DCR-
SX20E
Input/
output
Notes on use
Do not do any of the following, otherwise, the
recording media may be damaged, recorded
images may be impossible to play back or may
be lost, or other malfunctions could occur.
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6
Operation flow
Getting started (p. 10)
Prepare the power source and recording media.
Recording movies and photos (p. 20)
Changing the recording mode
Expected recording time (MEDIA INFO)
Playing movies and photos
Saving images
Deleting movies and photos (p. 30)
If you delete the image data that has been saved on your computer
or a disc, you can record new images on the free media space
again.
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Table of contents
Read this first. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Operation flow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Step 1: Charging the battery pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Charging the battery pack abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Step 2: Turning the power on, and setting the date and time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Using the Multi-selector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Changing the language setting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Step 3: Preparing the recording media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
To check the recording media settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
to memory card (DCR-SR15E/SR20E) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Recording. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Playback on the camcorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Playing images on a TV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Deleting movies and photos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Preparing a computer (Windows) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
When using a Macintosh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Starting PMB (Picture Motion Browser). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Creating a disc with one touch (One Touch Disc Burn) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Importing movies and photos to a computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Creating a disc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Copying a disc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Editing movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Capturing photos from a movie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Saving images in external media (DIRECT COPY). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Creating a disc with a DVD writer, recorder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
GB
8
Using menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Getting detailed information from the “Handycam”Handbook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Recording time of movies/number of recordable photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Precautions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Screen indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Parts and controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
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9
Getting started
Step 1: Charging the battery pack
DCR-SR15E/SR20E
DC IN jack
Battery pack
CHG (charge) lamp
Power cord
(Mains lead)
DC plug
AC Adaptor
To the wall outlet
(wall socket)
DCR-SX15E/SX20E
CHG (charge) lamp
Battery pack
DC IN jack
Power cord
(Mains lead)
DC plug
AC Adaptor
To the wall outlet
(wall socket)
You can charge the “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack (V series) after attaching it to your
camcorder.
1G0B
Notes
You cannot attach any “InfoLITHIUM” battery pack other than the V series to your camcorder.
Turn off your camcorder by closing the LCD screen.
1
Attach the battery pack by sliding it in the direction of the arrow until it
clicks.
2
Connect the AC Adaptor and the power cord (mains lead) to your
camcorder and the wall outlet (wall socket).
Align the mark on the DC plug with that on the DC IN jack.
The CHG (charge) lamp lights up and charging starts. The CHG (charge) lamp turns off
when the battery pack is fully charged.
3
When the battery is charged, disconnect the AC Adaptor from the DC IN
jack of your camcorder.
4
Tips
When your camcorder is on, you can check the approximate amount of remaining battery power with the
remaining battery indicator at the upper left on the LCD screen.
Charging time
Approximate time (min.) required when you fully charge a fully discharged battery pack.
Battery pack
Charging time
NP-FV30 (supplied) 115
NP-FV50
NP-FV70
NP-FV100
155
195
390
Times measured with the camcorder at 25 C (77 °F).
10 C to 30 C (50 °F to 86 °F) is recommended.
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11
To remove the battery pack
Close the LCD screen. Slide the BATT (battery) release lever () and remove the battery
pack ().
To use a wall outlet (wall socket) as a power source
attached, the battery pack is not discharged.
Charging the battery pack abroad
You can charge the battery pack in any countries/regions using the AC Adaptor supplied with
your camcorder within the AC 100 V - 240 V, 50 Hz/60 Hz range.
Notes
Do not use an electronic voltage transformer.
Notes on the battery pack
When you remove the battery pack or disconnect the AC Adaptor, close the LCD screen and make sure
The CHG (charge) lamp flashes during charging under the following conditions:
The battery pack is not attached correctly.
The battery pack is damaged.
The temperature of the battery pack is low.
Remove the battery pack from your camcorder and put it in a warm place.
The temperature of the battery pack is high.
Remove the battery pack from your camcorder and put it in a cool place.
In the default setting, the power turns off automatically if you leave your camcorder without any
operation for about 5 minutes, to save battery power ([A.SHUT OFF]).
Notes on the AC Adaptor
Use the nearby wall outlet (wall socket) when using the AC Adaptor. Disconnect the AC Adaptor from
the wall outlet (wall socket) immediately if any malfunction occurs while using your camcorder.
Do not use the AC Adaptor placed in a narrow space, such as between a wall and furniture.
Do not short-circuit the DC plug of the AC Adaptor or battery terminal with any metallic objects. This
may cause a malfunction.
1G2B
Step 2: Turning the power on, and setting the
date and time
Open the LCD screen of your camcorder.
1
Your camcorder turns on.
POWER lamp
Select the desired geographical area by selecting
/
with / of the
2
multi-selector, keep pressing the center of the multi-selector until the
desired geographical area is turned on a light.
Multi-selector
To set the date and time again, operate the multi-selector to select
(MENU) [Show
others] [CLOCK/ LANG] (under
item is not on the screen, select
[GENERAL SET] category) [CLOCK SET]. When an
until the item appears.
/
Select [NEXT] with of the multi-selector, then press the center of the
multi-selector.
3
4
Select setting of [SUMMERTIME] with / of the multi-selector, and press
the center of the multi-selector.
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13
If you set [SUMMERTIME] to [ON], the clock advances 1 hour.
Select [NEXT] with of the multi-selector, then press the center of the
multi-selector.
5
6
Set the date and time by repeating the procedure bellow.
Highlight the desired item with / of the multi-selector.
Select the setting value with / of the multi selector, and press the center of the
multi-selector.
Select [NEXT]
of the multi-selector.
with of the multi-selector, then press the center
7
The clock starts.
Notes
The date and time do not appear during recording, but they are automatically recorded on the recording
media, and can be displayed during playback. To display the date and time, select (MENU)
[Show others] [PLAYBACK SET] (under
TIME]
You can turn off the operation beeps by selecting
[PLAYBACK] category) [DATA CODE] [DATE/
.
(MENU) [Show others] [SOUND/DISP
SET] (under
[GENERAL SET] category) [BEEP] [OFF]
.
To turn off the power
Close the LCD screen. The POWER lamp flashes for a few seconds and the power is turned
off.
1G4B
Using the Multi-selector
Multi-selector
Select a button by placing an orange frame over it using /// of the multi-selector.
Press the center of the multi-selector to confirm your selection.
Changing the language setting
You can change the on-screen displays to show messages in a specified language.
Select
(MENU) [Show others] [CLOCK/ LANG] (under [GENERAL SET]
category) [ LANGUAGE SET] a desired language
.
GB
15
Step 3: Preparing the recording media
The recording media that can be used differs depending on your camcorder. The following
icons are displayed on the screen of your camcorder.
DCR-SX15E/SX20E:
Memory card
DCR-SR15E/SR20E:
*
Internal hard disk
Memory card
* In the default setting, both movies and photos are recorded on this recording media. You can perform
recording, playback and editing operations on the selected medium.
Multi-selector
Select with /// and press the button in the center of the multi-selector to confirm your selection.
Tips
Selecting the recording media for movies (DCR-SR15E/SR20E)
Select
(MENU) [Show others] [MEDIA SETTINGS] (under
[MANAGE MEDIA] category) [MOVIE MEDIA SET].
The [MOVIE MEDIA SET] screen appears.
Select the desired recording media.
Select [YES]
.
The recording medium is changed.
1G6B
Selecting the recording media for photos (DCR-SR15E/SR20E)
Select
(MENU) [Show others] [MEDIA SETTINGS] (under
[MANAGE MEDIA] category) [PHOTO MEDIA SET].
The [PHOTO MEDIA SET] screen appears.
Select the desired recording media.
Select [YES]
.
The recording medium is changed.
To check the recording media settings
When recording in movie recording mode or photo recording mode, the recording media
icon is displayed in the top right corner of the screen.
Recording media icon
The icon displayed on the LCD screen varies depending on the camcorder you use.
Inserting a memory card
Notes
Set the recording medium to [MEMORY CARD] to record movies and/or photos on memory card
(DCR-SR15E/SR20E).
Types of memory card that can be used with your camcorder
Only “Memory Stick PRO Duo” media, “Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo” media, SD memory cards (Class
2 or faster), SDHC memory cards (Class 2 or faster) and SDXC memory cards (Class 2 or faster) can be
used with this camcorder. Operation with all memory cards is not assured.
“Memory Stick PRO Duo” media of up to 32 GB and SD memory cards of up to 64 GB have been tested
and proven to operate with your camcorder.
For recording movies on “Memory Stick PRO Duo” media, it is recommended that you use “Memory
Stick PRO Duo” media of 512 MB or larger.
In this manual, “Memory Stick PRO Duo” media and “Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo” media are called
“Memory Stick PRO Duo” media and SD memory cards, SDHC memory cards and SDXC memory cards
are called SD memory cards.
Notes
MultiMediaCard cannot be used.
Images recorded on SDXC memory cards cannot be played back or imported on non-exFAT*-compatible
computers, AV components, etc., connected to this camcorder by USB cable. Check that the connected devices
are compatible with exFAT beforehand. If you connect a device that is not compatible with exFAT, the screen
for initialization may appear. Never execute initialization, otherwise all recorded contents will be lost.
* exFAT is the file system used in SDXC memory cards.
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17
Size of memory cards that can be used with your camcorder
Only “Memory Stick Duo” media that is about a half the size of the standard “Memory Stick” media, and
standard-sized SD memory cards can be used.
Do not attach a label, etc., to a memory card or memory card adaptor. Doing so may cause a malfunction.
Open the cover, orient the memory card’s notched corner as shown in the
illustration, and insert into the memory card slot until it clicks.
Close the cover after inserting the memory card.
Access lamp
Note direction of notched corner.
The [Create a new Image Database File.] screen may appear if you insert a new memory
card. In that case, select [YES]. If you record only photos on the memory card, select
[NO].
Confirm the direction of the memory card. If you forcibly insert the memory card in the wrong
direction, the memory card, memory card slot, or image data may be damaged.
Notes
If [Failed to create a new Image Database File. It may be possible that there is not enough free space.]
is displayed, initialize the memory card by selecting
(MENU) [Show others] [MEDIA
FORMAT] (under
[YES] [YES]
[MANAGE MEDIA] category) [MEMORY CARD] (DCR-SR15E/SR20E)
.
To eject the memory card
Open the cover and lightly push the memory card in once.
Do not open the cover during recording.
When inserting or ejecting the memory card, be careful so that the memory card does not pop out and
drop.
1G8B
Recording/Playback
Recording
In the default setting, movies are recorded on the following recording media.
DCR-SX15E/SX20E: Memory card
DCR-SR15E/SR20E: Internal hard disk
Tips
To open the lens cover
Slide the LENS COVER switch to open.
Tips
When you finish recording or when you play back images, close the lens cover.
Fasten the grip belt.
1
DCR-SR15E/SR20E
DCR-SX15E/SX20E
2G0B
Open the LCD screen of your camcorder.
2
Your camcorder turns on.
You can switch recording modes by pressing MODE. Press MODE until the desired mode icon
appears.
MODE button
(Movie): When
recording a movie
Recording movies
Press START/STOP to start recording.
START/STOP button
[STBY] [REC]
To stop recording, press START/STOP again.
GB
21
The icons and indicators on the LCD panel will be displayed for about 3 seconds, then disappear after
turning on your camcorder or switching the recording (movie/photo)/playback modes. To display the
icons and indicators again, press the multi-selector.
about 3sec
after
Notes
If you close the LCD screen while recording movies, the camcorder stops recording.
The maximum continuous recordable time of movies is about 13 hours.
When a movie file exceeds 2 GB, the next movie file is created automatically.
It will take several seconds until you can start recording after you turn on the camcorder. You cannot
operate your camcorder during this time.
The following states will be indicated if data is still being written onto the recording media after recording
has finished. During this time, do not apply shock or vibration to the camcorder, or remove the battery or
AC Adaptor.
The media icon in the upper right of the LCD screen is flashing
Tips
When a face is detected, a white frame appears and the image quality around the face is optimized
automatically ([FACE DETECTION]).
You can capture photos from recorded movies (DCR-SR15E/SR20E/SX20E).
You can check the recordable time, estimated remaining capacity, etc., by selecting
[Show others] [MEDIA INFO] (under [MANAGE MEDIA] category).
(MENU)
The LCD screen of your camcorder can display recording images across the entire screen (full pixel
display). However, this may cause slight trimming of the top, bottom, right and left edges of images when
played back on a TV which is not compatible with full pixel display. In this case, set [GUIDEFRAME] to
[ON], and record images using the outer frame displayed on the screen as a guide.
[ STEADYSHOT] is set to [ON] in the default setting.
To adjust the angle of the LCD panel, first open the LCD panel 90 degrees to the camcorder (), and
then adjust the angle ().
90 degrees (max.)
90 degrees to
the camcorder
180 degrees (max.)
2G2B
Data code during recording
The recording date, time and condition are recorded automatically on the recording media.
They are not displayed during recording. However, you can check them as [DATA CODE]
during playback. To display them, select
(MENU) [Show others] [PLAYBACK
SET] (under
[PLAYBACK] category) a desired setting
.
Shooting photos
In the default setting, photos are recorded on the following recording media.
DCR-SX15E/SX20E: Memory card
DCR-SR15E/SR20E: Internal hard disk
Tips
Press MODE until the (Photo) icon appears.
The LCD screen display switches for photo recording mode, and the screen aspect ratio
becomes 4:3.
(Photo): When
shooting a photo
GB
23
Playback
on the camcorder
In the default setting, movies and photos that are recorded on the following recording media
are played.
DCR-SX15E/SX20E: Memory card
DCR-SR15E/SR20E: Internal hard disk
Tips
Open the LCD screen of your camcorder.
1
2
Your camcorder turns on.
Press
(VIEW IMAGES).
The VISUAL INDEX screen appears after some seconds.
Select the (Movie) () a desired movie () to play back a movie.
Select the (Photo) () a desired photo () to view a photo.
3
Movies are displayed and sorted by recording date.
To MENU screen
/
/
: Displays movies recorded on the previous/next date.
: Displays the previous/next movie.
Returns to the recording screen.
GB
25
appears with the movie or photo that was most recently played or recorded. If you select the
movie or photo with , you can continue playback from the previous time. ( appears on the
photo recorded on a memory card.)
Playing movies
Your camcorder starts playing the selected movie.
Volume adjustment
Previous
Next
OPTION
To stop
To fast-forward
To pause/play
To fast-reverse
Tips
When playback from the selected movie reaches the last movie, the screen returns to the VISUAL INDEX
screen.
Select
As you repeat selecting
/
during pause to play back movies slowly.
during playback, movies are played as fast as about 5 times
/
about 10 times about 30 times about 60 times.
You can display the VISUAL INDEX by selecting
(MENU) [Show others] [VISUAL
INDEX] (under
[PLAYBACK] category).
The recording date, time, and shooting conditions are recorded automatically during recording. This
information is not displayed during recording, but you can display it during playback by selecting
(MENU) [Show others] [PLAYBACK SET] (under
CODE] a desired setting
[PLAYBACK] category) [DATA
.
To adjust the sound volume of movies
While playing back movies, select adjust with
/
.
You can also adjust the sound volume by using
/
in the OPTION MENU.
2G6B
Viewing photos
Your camcorder displays the selected photo.
Previous
To start/stop slide show
Next
OPTION
To the VISUAL
INDEX screen
Tips
When viewing photos recorded on a memory card,
(playback folder) appears on the screen.
GB
27
Playing images on a TV
Connect your camcorder to the input jack of a TV or VCR using the A/V connecting cable
(supplied). Connect your camcorder to the wall outlet (wall socket) using the supplied AC
devices to be connected.
TVs
VCRs
(Red)
AUDIO
(White)
IN
VIDEO
(Yellow)
Signal flow
A/V OUT jack
Set the input selector of the TV to the input your camcorder will be
connected to.
For details, refer to the instruction manuals supplied with the TV.
Connect your camcorder to a TV with the A/V connecting cable (supplied).
Connect your camcorder to the input jack of the TV.
Play back movies and photos on your camcorder (p. 25).
To set the aspect ratio according to the connected TV (16:9/4:3)
Select
(MENU) [Show others] [OUTPUT SETTINGS] (under [GENERAL
SET] category) [TV TYPE] [16:9] or [4:3]
.
When connecting to your TV via a VCR
Connect your camcorder to the LINE IN input on the VCR using the A/V connecting cable.
Set the input selector on the VCR to LINE (VIDEO 1, VIDEO 2, etc.).
2G8B
When your TV is monaural (When your TV has only one audio input jack)
Connect the yellow plug of the A/V connecting cable to the video input jack and connect the
white (left channel) or red (right channel) plug to the audio input jack of your TV or VCR.
If your TV/VCR has a 21-pin adaptor (EUROCONNECTOR)
Use a 21-pin adaptor (sold separately) to view playback pictures.
TV/VCR
Notes
When you set [TV TYPE] to [4:3], the image quality may deteriorate. Also, when the recorded image’s
aspect ratio switches between 16:9 (wide) and 4:3, the image may jitter.
On some 4:3 TVs, the photos recorded in 4:3 aspect ratio may not be displayed full screen. This is not a
malfunction.
When you play back an image recorded in 16:9 (wide) aspect ratio on a 4:3 TV not compatible with the
16:9 (wide) signal, set [TV TYPE] to [4:3].
Tips
To check information (counter, etc.) on the screen of the monitor, select
others] [OUTPUT SETTINGS] (under [GENERAL SET] category) [DISP OUTPUT] [V-
OUT/PANEL]
(MENU) [Show
.
GB
29
Making good use of your camcorder
Deleting movies and
photos
You can free media space by deleting
movies and photos from recording media.
2
3
To delete movies, select
DELETE] [ DELETE].
[
To delete photos, select [ DELETE]
DELETE].
[
Select and display the mark
on the movies or photos to be
deleted.
Notes
You cannot restore images once they are
deleted. Save important movies and photos in
advance.
Do not remove the battery pack or the AC
Adaptor from your camcorder while deleting
the images. It may damage the recording media.
Do not eject memory card while deleting
images from the memory card.
Press LIGHT when a thumbnail is selected
to confirm the image. Select
return to the previous screen.
to
You cannot delete protected movies and photos.
Undo the protection of the movies and photos
to delete them, before you try to delete them.
If the deleted movie is included in the Playlist,
the movie added to the Playlist is deleted also
from the Playlist.
4
Select
[YES]
.
To delete all movies/photos at one time
In step 2, select [ DELETE]
Tips
[
DELETE ALL] [YES] [YES]
You can delete an image on the playback screen
from
OPTION MENU.
.
To delete all images recorded in the recording
media, and recover all the recordable space of
the media, format the media.
To delete all photos at one time, select
DELETE] [ DELETE ALL] [YES]
[YES]
[
.
Reduced-size images which enable you to view
many images at the same time on an index
screen are called “thumbnails.”
To delete all the movies/photos
recorded on the same day at one time
Notes
1
Select
(MENU) [Show
You cannot delete photos on memory card by
recording date.
others] [DELETE] (under
[EDIT] category).
3G0B
In step 2, select [ DELETE]
[
DELETE by date].
To delete all photos on the same day at one
time, select [ DELETE] [ DELETE
by date].
Select
date of the desired movies/photos, then
select
/
to select the recording
.
Press LIGHT when thumbnail is selected
to confirm the image. Select
return to the previous screen.
to
Select [YES]
.
GB
31
Saving movies and photos with a computer
Preparing a computer
(Windows)
Others
USB port (this must be provided as standard,
You can perform following operations using
“PMB (Picture Motion Browser).”
Importing images to a computer
Viewing and editing imported images
Creating a disc
Uploading movies and photos to websites
To save movies and photos using a
computer, install “PMB” from the supplied
CD-ROM beforehand.
Hi-Speed USB (USB 2.0 compatible)), DVD
burner (CD-ROM drive is necessary for
installation)
*1 Standard installation is required. Operation is
not assured if the OS has been upgraded or in a
multi-boot environment.
*2 64-bit editions and Starter (Edition) are not
supported. Windows Image Mastering API
(IMAPI) Ver.2.0 or newer is required to use disc
creation function, etc.
*3 Starter (Edition) is not supported.
*4 Faster processor is recommended.
Notes
Do not format the media of your camcorder
from a computer. Your camcorder may not
operate correctly.
You can create discs using 12 cm discs of
following type with “PMB.”
Notes
Operation with all computer environments is
not assured.
DVD-R/DVD+R/DVD+R DL: Unrewritable
DVD-RW/DVD+RW: Rewritable
When using a Macintosh
The supplied software “PMB” is not
supported by Macintosh computers. To
import the movies and photos to the
computer, please contact Apple Inc..
Step 1 Checking the computer
system
OS*1
Microsoft Windows XP SP3*2/Windows Vista
SP2*3/Windows 7
Step 2 Installing the supplied
software “PMB”
CPU*4
Intel Pentium III 1 GHz or faster
Application
Install “PMB” before connecting your
camcorder to a computer.
DirectX 9.0c or later (This product is based
on DirectX technology. It is necessary to have
DirectX installed.)
Notes
If a version of “PMB” under 5.0.00 has been
installed on your computer, you can start all
applications from “PMB Launcher” by installing
“PMB” from the supplied CD-ROM. Double-
click the “PMB Launcher” short-cut icon on the
computer screen to start “PMB Launcher.”
If a version of “PMB” under 5.0.00 has been
installed on your computer, you may be unable
to use some functions of those “PMB”.
Memory
256 MB or more
Other system requirements for OS should
be met.
Hard disk
Disk volume required for installation:
Approximately 500 MB (5 GB or more may
be necessary when creating DVD discs.)
Display
Minimum 1,024 dots × 768 dots
3G2B
Confirm that your camcorder is
not connected to the computer.
Turn on your camcorder, then
connect the camcorder to the
computer using the supplied USB
cable.
Turn on the computer.
Log on as an Administrator for
installation.
Close all applications running on the
computer before installing the software.
Place the supplied CD-ROM in the
disc drive of your computer.
The [USB SELECT] screen appears on
the camcorder screen automatically.
The installation screen appears.
If the screen does not appear, click
[Start] [Computer] (in Windows
XP, [My Computer]), then double-click
[SONYPMB (E:)] (CD-ROM)*.
* Drive names (such as (E:)) may vary
depending on the computer.
Select the one of the media types
displayed on the screen to make
the computer recognize your
camcorder.
[
USB CONNECT]: Internal hard
disk (DCR-SR15E/SR20E)
Click [Install].
[
USB CONNECT]: Memory card
The displayed recording media differ
depending on the model.
If the [USB SELECT] screen does not
appear, select
(MENU) [Show
others] [USB CONNECT] (under
[OTHERS] category).
Click [Continue] on the computer
screen.
Select the country or region.
Select the language for the
application to be installed, then
proceed to the next screen.
Follow the on-screen instructions
to install the software.
Depending on the computer, you may
need to install third party software. If
the installation screen appears, follow
the instructions to install the required
software.
Restart the computer if required to
complete the installation.
Read the terms of the license
agreement carefully. If you agree
to the terms, change to , and
then click [Next] [Install].
GB
33
Connect the camcorder to the computer
during the installation.
To disconnect your camcorder from the
computer
When the installation is completed,
following icons will appear.
Remove the CD-ROM from your
computer.
Click the
icon at the bottom right of the
desktop of the computer [Safely remove
USB Mass Storage Device].
Select [END] [YES] on the camcorder
screen.
Disconnect the USB cable.
: Starts “PMB.”
: Displays “PMB Help.”
: Displays “PMB Launcher.” “PMB
Launcher” enables you to start “PMB”
or other software, or to open web sites.
Other icons may appear.
No icon may appear depending on the
installation procedure.
Notes
Access from the computer using the supplied
software “PMB.” Do not modify the files or
folders on the camcorder from the computer.
The image files may be destroyed or may not be
played back.
When importing a long movie or edited image,
use the supplied software “PMB.” If you use any
other software, images may not be imported
properly.
Notes
To create discs or use other functions on
Windows XP, Image Mastering API v2.0 for
Windows XP should be installed. If Image
Mastering API v2.0 for Windows XP has not
been installed yet, select it from required
programs on the installation screen and install
it following the procedures displayed. (The
computer must be connected to the internet
for the installation.) You may install Image
Mastering API v2.0 for Windows XP in
response to the message displayed when you try
to start those functions.
Operation is not guaranteed, if you perform the
above operation.
When you delete image files, follow the steps
camcorder directly from the computer.
Do not copy the files on the recording
media from the computer. Operation is not
guaranteed.
3G4B
Starting PMB (Picture
Motion Browser)
Creating a disc with
one touch
(One Touch Disc Burn)
Double-click the “PMB” short-cut icon on
the computer screen.
Movies and photos recorded on your
camcorder that have not yet been saved
with One Touch Disc Burn function can be
saved on a disc automatically.
not start “PMB.”
Connect your camcorder to the wall outlet (wall
socket) using the AC Adaptor supplied for this
operation (p. 12).
With One Touch Disc Burn function on your
camcorder, you can save movies and photos
recorded on the internal recording media only
(DCR-SR15E/SR20E).
Notes
If the icon is not displayed on the computer
screen, click [Start] [All Programs] [
PMB] to start “PMB.”
You can view, edit, or create discs of movies
and photos using “PMB.”
1
2
Turn on your computer, and place
an unused disc on the DVD drive.
use.
If any other software than “PMB” starts
automatically, shut it down.
Reading “PMB Help”
For details on how to use “PMB,” read the
“PMB Help.” Double-click the “PMB Help”
short-cut icon on the computer screen to
open the “PMB Help.”
Turn on your camcorder, then
connect the camcorder to the
computer using the supplied USB
cable.
Notes
If the icon is not displayed on the computer
screen, click [Start] [All Programs]
[PMB] [PMB Help]. You can also open the
“PMB Help” from [Help] of “PMB.”
GB
35
Importing movies and
photos to a computer
Movies and photos recorded on your
camcorder can be imported to a computer.
Turn on the computer beforehand.
3
4
Select [DISC BURN].
Notes
Connect your camcorder to the wall outlet (wall
socket) using the supplied AC Adaptor for this
operation (p. 12).
1
Turn on your camcorder, then
connect the camcorder to the
computer using the supplied USB
cable.
Follow the instructions on the
computer screen.
Notes
Movies and photos are not saved on the
computer when you perform One Touch Disc
Burn.
The [USB SELECT] screen appears on
the camcorder screen.
2
Select the recording media that
contains the images you want to
save on the camcorder screen.
[
USB CONNECT]: Internal hard
disk
[
USB CONNECT]: Memory card
The displayed recording media differ
depending on the model.
If the [USB SELECT] screen does not
appear, select
(MENU) [Show
others] [USB CONNECT] (under
[OTHERS] category).
The [Import] window appears on the
computer screen.
3G6B
Creating a disc
You can create a disc by selecting movies
previously imported to your computer
(p. 36).
3
Click [Import].
1
Turn on your computer, and place
an unused disc on the DVD drive.
use.
If any other software than “PMB” starts
automatically, shut it down.
2
3
Movies and photos are imported to
your computer.
When the operation is completed, the
“PMB” screen appears.
Click [Calendar] or [Index] on
the left side in the window, and
select the folder or date, then
select the movies.
To select plural movies, hold the Ctrl key
down and click thumbnails.
4
At the top of the window, click
[Create DVD-Video Format
Discs (STD)].
The window used to select movies
appears.
To add movies to the previously selected
ones, select the movies in the main
window and drag and drop onto the
window for selecting movies.
GB
37
Capturing photos from a movie
You can save a frame of a movie as a
photo file.
5
Follow the instructions on the
screen to create a disc.
It may take a long time to create a disc.
Double-click the movie to be edited on
“PMB,” then click [Show Edit Palette]
on the right side of the screen [Save
details.
Copying a disc
You can copy a recorded disc to another
disc using “Video Disc Copier.”
Click [Start] [All Programs]
[PMB] [PMB Launcher] [Disc
creation] [Video Disc Copier] to start
the software. See “Video Disc Copier”
help on the operation.
Editing movies
You can cut out only necessary parts
from a movie and save it as another file.
Double-click the movie to be edited on
“PMB,” then click [Show Edit Palette]
on the right side of the screen [Trim
Video], or select the [Manipulate] menu
[Edit] [Trim Video]. See “PMB
3G8B
Saving images with an external device
Saving images in
external media
Tips
You can also import images recorded on
external media using the supplied software
“PMB.”
(DIRECT COPY)
You can save movies and photos on external
media (USB storage device), such as an
external hard disk drive. You can also play
1
Connect the AC Adaptor and the
power cord (mains lead) to the
DC IN jack of your camcorder and
the wall outlet (wall socket).
back images on the camcorder or another
playback device.
2
If the external media has the AC
power cable, connect it to the
wall outlet (wall socket).
Notes
For this operation, you need the USB Adaptor
Cable VMC-UAM1 (sold separately).
The USB Adaptor Cable VMC-UAM1 may not
be available in some countries/regions.
You cannot use the following devices as an
external media.
media with a capacity exceeding 2 TB
ordinary disc drive such as CD or DVD drive
media connected via USB hub
3
4
Connect the USB Adaptor Cable
to the external media.
Connect the USB Adaptor Cable
to the (USB) jack of your
camcorder.
media with built-in USB hub
card reader
You may not be able to use external media with
a code function.
When the [Create a new Image
Database File.] screen appears, select
[YES].
FAT file system is available for your camcorder.
If the external media was formatted to NTFS
file system, etc., format the external media on
your camcorder before use. The format screen
appears when the external media is connected
to your camcorder. The format screen may
appear even in the case of media utilizing the
FAT file system.
USB Adaptor Cable
(sold separately)
Operation is not assured with every connectable
device.
Connect your camcorder to the wall outlet (wall
socket) using the supplied AC adaptor (p. 12).
Refer to the instruction manual supplied with
the external media.
Refer to the Sony support page for your
country/region for details on external media
that can be used.
GB
39
To save desired movies and photos
5
6
Select [Copy.] on the camcorder
screen.
You can also save images recorded on
memory cards.
DCR-SR15E/SR20E:
Notes
Movies and photos in the internal
recording media of the camcorder that
have not yet been saved on to external
media can be saved.
DCR-SX15E/SX20E:
Movies and photos that have not yet
been saved on to external media can
You cannot search or copy photos recorded on
memory card by recording date.
Select [Play without copying.] in step 5
above.
The VISUAL INDEX screen of the
external media is displayed.
Select
(MENU) [Show others]
be saved.
[MOVIE DUB] (when selecting
movies)/[PHOTO COPY] (when
selecting photos).
Follow the on-screen instructions to
select the recording media (DCR-
SR15E/SR20E) and image selection
methods.
This screen will appear only when there
are newly recorded images.
After the operation is completed,
select
on the camcorder
screen.
When you selected [DUB by select],
select the image to be saved.
Notes
appears.
The number of scenes you can save on the
external media are as follows.
Movies: 9,999 movies
Photos: 9,999 frames × 899 folders
The number of scenes may be smaller
depending on the type of images recorded.
When you selected [DUB by date], select
the date of the images to be dubbed with
/
, then select
and go
to step .
When connecting an external media
The images saved in the external media
are displayed on the LCD screen. The
movie display and photo display buttons
on the VISUAL INDEX screen change as
illustrated below.
Remaining external media capacity
Press LIGHT when thumbnail is selected
to confirm the image. Select
return to the previous screen.
to
By selecting date, you can search for
images by date.
Select
[YES]
on the
camcorder screen.
You can make menu settings of the external
media such as deleting images. Select
(MENU) [Show others] on the
VISUAL INDEX screen.
4G0B
To play back images in the external
media on the camcorder
Select [Play without copying.] in step 5
above.
The VISUAL INDEX screen of the
external media is displayed.
You can also view images on a TV
connected to your camcorder (p. 28).
Notes
The Date Index of photos cannot be displayed.
If your camcorder does not recognize the
external media, try the following operations.
Reconnect the USB Adaptor Cable to your
camcorder
If the external media has the AC power cable,
connect it to the wall outlet (wall socket)
To finish the external media connection
Select
screen of the external media.
Disconnect the USB Adaptor Cable.
on the VISUAL INDEX
GB
41
Creating a disc with a
DVD writer, recorder
Creating a disc with the dedicated
DVD writer, DVDirect Express
Turn on your camcorder, and
connect the DVD writer to the
(USB) jack of your camcorder with
the USB cable of the DVD writer.
You can create a disc or play back the
images on a created disc by using the
dedicated DVD writer, DVDirect Express
(sold separately).
Refer also to the instruction manual
supplied with the DVD writer.
Insert an unused disc into the
DVD writer, and close the disc
tray.
Notes
The [DISC BURN] screen appears on
the screen.
Connect your camcorder to the wall outlet (wall
socket) using the supplied AC Adaptor for this
operation (p. 12).
Only unused discs of the following types can
be used:
Press
(DISC BURN) on the DVD
writer.
12cm DVD-R
12cm DVD+R
Movies recorded on internal recording
media and not yet saved on any other
discs will be recorded to the disc
(DCR-SR15E/SR20E).
The device does not support two-layered discs.
DVDirect Express is referred to as “DVD
writer” in this section.
Movies not yet saved on any other discs
will be recorded to the disc (DCR-
SX15E/SX20E).
Connect the AC Adaptor and the
power cord (mains lead) to the
DC IN jack of your camcorder
and the wall outlet (wall socket)
(p. 12).
Repeat steps 3 and 4 when the
total memory size of movies to
be burnt exceeds that of the disc.
Select
[END] [EJECT
DISC] on the screen.
Remove the disc after the operation is
completed.
4G2B
To play back a disc on the DVD writer
Select
on the screen, then
disconnect the USB cable.
To customize a disc with DISC BURN
OPTION
Perform this operation in the following
cases:
Connect the AC Adaptor and the power
cord (mains lead) to the DC IN jack of
your camcorder and the wall outlet (wall
socket) (p. 12).
Turn on your camcorder, and connect
the DVD writer to the (USB) jack of
your camcorder with the USB cable of
When dubbing a desired image
When creating multiple copies of the same
disc
When dubbing images in the memory card
(DCR-SR15E/SR20E)
Select [DISC BURN OPTION] on the
screen in step 4.
Select the recording media containing
the movie(s) you want to save (DCR-
SR15E/SR20E).
Select the movie you want to burn on
the disc.
the DVD writer.
You can play back movies on the TV
screen by connecting the camcorder to a
TV (p. 28).
Insert a created disc into the DVD
writer.
appears.
The movies on the disc appear as
VISUAL INDEX on the screen.
Press the play button on the DVD writer.
You can also operate by the screen.
Select [END] [EJECT DISC] on the
screen and remove the disc after the
operation is completed.
Remaining Disc capacity
Press LIGHT when thumbnail is selected
to confirm the image. Select
return to the previous screen.
to
Select
and disconnect the USB
cable.
By selecting date, you can search for
images by date.
Notes
Do not do any of the following when creating
a disc.
Turn off the camcorder
Disconnect the USB cable or the AC adaptor
Subject the camcorder to mechanical shock
or vibration
Eject the memory card from the camcorder
Play the created disc to make sure dubbing was
performed correctly before deleting the movies
on your camcorder.
Select
screen.
[YES] on the camcorder
To create another disc of the same
contents, insert a new disc and select
[CREATE SAME DISC].
After the operation is completed, select
[EXIT] [END] on the camcorder
screen.
Disconnect the USB cable from your
camcorder.
If [Failed.] or [DISC BURN failed.] appears on
GB
43
the screen, insert another disc into the DVD
writer and perform the DISC BURN operation
again.
Connect the AC Adaptor and the
power cord (mains lead) to the
DC IN jack of your camcorder
and the wall outlet (wall socket)
(p. 12).
Tips
If the total memory size of movies to be burnt
by the DISC BURN operation exceeds that of
the disc, disc creation stops when the limit is
reached. The last movie on the disc may be
cut off.
Disc creation time to dub movies to the limit
of the disc is about 20 minutes to 60 minutes.
It may take more time depending on the
recording mode or the number of scenes.
If you cannot play back created discs on any
DVD player, connect the camcorder to the
DVD writer, and then play back.
Turn on your camcorder, and
connect a DVD writer, etc. to the
(USB) jack of your camcorder
with the USB cable (supplied).
Creating a disc with a DVD writer,
etc., other than DVDirect Express
You can save movies on a disc by
connecting your camcorder to disc creation
devices, such as a Sony DVD writer other
than DVDirect Express, with the USB
cable. Refer also to the instruction manuals
supplied with the devices to be connected.
The [USB SELECT] screen appears on
Notes
the camcorder screen.
If the [USB SELECT] screen does not
Sony DVD writer may not be available in some
countries/regions.
appear, select
others] [USB CONNECT] (under
[OTHERS] category).
(MENU) [Show
Connect your camcorder to the wall outlet (wall
socket) using the supplied AC Adaptor for this
operation (p. 12).
Select the recording media that
contains the images on the
camcorder screen.
[
USB CONNECT]: Internal hard
disk
[
USB CONNECT]: Memory card
The displayed recording media differ
depending on the model.
4G4B
A/V OUT jack
Record movies on the connected
device.
For details, refer to the instruction
manuals supplied with the device to be
connected.
After the operation is completed,
select [END] [YES] on the
camcorder screen.
Input
VIDEO
Disconnect the USB cable.
(Yellow)
(White)
AUDIO
(Red)
Creating a disc with a recorder, etc.
You can dub images played back on your
camcorder on a disc or video cassette,
by connecting your camcorder to a disc
recorder, a Sony DVD writer, etc., other
than DVDirect Express, with the A/V
connecting cable (supplied). Refer also to
the instruction manuals supplied with the
devices to be connected.
Signal flow
Insert the recording media in the
recording device.
If your recording device has an input
Notes
Connect your camcorder to the wall outlet (wall
socket) using the supplied AC Adaptor for this
operation (p. 12).
Sony DVD writer may not be available in some
countries/regions.
selector, set it to the input mode.
Connect your camcorder to the
recording device (a disc recorder,
etc.) with the A/V connecting
cable (supplied).
Connect your camcorder to the input jacks
of the recording device.
GB
45
Start playback on your
camcorder, and record it on the
recording device.
Refer to the instruction manuals supplied
with your recording device for details.
When dubbing is finished, stop
the recording device, and then
your camcorder.
Notes
Since dubbing is performed via analog data
transfer, the image quality may deteriorate.
To hide the screen indicators (such as a counter,
etc.) on the screen of the monitor device
connected, select
(MENU) [Show
others] [OUTPUT SETTINGS] (under
[GENERAL SET] category) [DISP
OUTPUT] [LCD PANEL] (the default
setting)
To record the date/time or camera settings data,
select (MENU) [Show others]
[PLAYBACK SET] (under [PLAYBACK]
category) [DATA CODE] a desired
.
setting
addition, select
. In
(MENU) [Show
others] [OUTPUT SETTINGS] (under
[GENERAL SET] category) [DISP
OUTPUT] [V-OUT/PANEL]
.
When the screen size of display devices (TV,
etc.) is 4:3, select (MENU) [Show
others] [OUTPUT SETTINGS] (under
[GENERAL SET] category) [TV TYPE]
[4:3]
.
When you connect a monaural device, connect
the yellow plug of the A/V connecting cable
to the video input jack, and the white (left
channel) or the red (right channel) plug to the
audio input jack on the device.
4G6B
Customizing your camcorder
Using menus
Using the menus, you can perform useful functions and change various settings. If you make
good use of menu operations, you can enjoy using your camcorder.
The camcorder has various menu items under each of eight menu categories.
Operating menus
Multi-selector
Select with /// and press the center of the multi-selector to confirm your selection.
An orange frame appears on the selected item.
: To finish setting the menu.
/
/
: The menu list moves from category to category.
: The menu list moves through 4 items at once.
: To return to the MY MENU.
GB
47
Select
.
Select [Show others] on the MY MENU screen.
See the next page for details on MY MENU.
Select the menu item to be changed.
After changing the setting, select
.
To finish setting the menu, select
.
To return to the previous menu screen, select
.
may not be displayed depending on the menu item.
Notes
You may not be able to set some menu items, depending on the recording or playback conditions.
Grayed out menu items or settings are not available.
Tips
Depending on the menu items being changed, your camcorder switches between playback mode and
recording mode (movie/photo).
Using MY MENU
You can use the menu items more easily by registering the menu items you use most often on
MY MENU. You can register 6 menu items on each MY MENU of the MOVIE, PHOTO, and
PLAYBACK.
Example: deleting [FOCUS] and registering [ FADER]
Select
.
Select [MY MENU SETTING].
Select [MOVIE].
Select [FOCUS].
Select
Select [ FADER] (under
When MY MENU is displayed, select
.
[MANUAL SETTINGS] category).
.
4G8B
Repeat the same steps above to register menu items on MY MENU, and enjoy using your
“Handycam.”
Tips
When an external storage device is connected, the exclusive MY MENU appears.
Using the OPTION MENU
The OPTION MENU appears just like the pop-up window that appears when you right-click
the mouse on a computer. When
the OPTION MENU. You select
appear.
is displayed at bottom-right of the screen, you can use
, and the menu items you can change in the context
Menu item
Tab
Select
(OPTION).
Select the desired tab the item to change the setting.
After completing the setting, select
.
Notes
Grayed out menu items or settings are not available.
When the item you want is not on the screen, select another tab. (There may be no tab.)
The tabs and items that appear on the screen depend on the recording/playback status of your camcorder
at the time.
GB
49
Menu lists
(MANUAL SETTINGS) category
SCENE SELECTION .................. Selects an appropriate recording setting according to the type of scene,
such as night view or beach.
FADER.................................... Fades scenes in or out.
WHITE BAL................................. Adjusts the color balance to the brightness of the recording environment.
EXPOSURE ................................. Adjusts the brightness of movies and photos.
FOCUS......................................... Focuses manually.
TELE MACRO............................. Shoots a subject in focus with, the background out of focus.
(SHOOTING SET) category
REC MODE........................... Sets the mode to record movies. When recording fast moving subject, a
high image quality is recommended.
GUIDEFRAME............................ Displays the frame to make sure the subject is horizontal or vertical.
STEADYSHOT...................... Sets the SteadyShot function when recording movies.
AUTO SLW SHUTTR ................ Adjusts the shutter speed automatically.
FACE DETECTION .................... Adjusts the image quality of the face(s) automatically.
AUDIO REC SET
BLT-IN ZOOM MIC.......... Records movies with vivid sound appropriate to the zoom position.
MICREF LEVEL................. Sets the microphone level.
OTHER REC SET
DIGITAL ZOOM......... Sets the maximum zoom level of the digital zoom that exceeds the zoom
level of the optical zoom.
WIDE SELECT............. Sets the horizontal to vertical ratio when recording movies.
(PHOTO SETTINGS) category
SELF-TIMER.......................... Sets the self-timer when your camcorder is in photo recording mode.
IMAGE SIZE.......................... Sets the photo size.
FILE NO. ...................................... Sets how to assign the file number.
(PLAYBACK) category
VIEW IMAGES
DATE INDEX..................... Enables searching for desired images by date.
FILM ROLL.................. Displays and plays the scenes by a certain interval.
FACE.............................. Displays and plays the face scenes.
PLAYLIST..................................... Displays and plays the playlist of movies.
PLAYBACK SET
DATA CODE...................... Displays the detailed recording data during playback.
5G0B
(EDIT) category
DELETE
DELETE........................ Deletes movies.
DELETE ........................ Deletes photos.
PROTECT
PROTECT..................... Protects movies to avoid deleting.
PROTECT..................... Protects photos to avoid deleting.
DIVIDE................................... Divides movies.
PHOTO CAPTURE*1 *2............. Captures photos from desired scenes of movies.
MOVIE DUB*1
DUB by select ................. Selects movies and dub.
DUB by date.................... Dubs all movies of a specified date.
DUB ALL....................... Dubs all saved movies in a playlist.
PHOTO COPY*1
COPY by select ............... Selects photos and copy.
COPY by date.................. Copies all photos of a specified date.
PLAYLIST EDIT
ADD.............................. Adds movies in a playlist.
ADD by date.............. Adds movies recorded on a same day at one time in a playlist.
ERASE ........................... Erases movies from a playlist.
ERASE ALL................... Erases all movies from a playlist.
MOVE............................ Changes the order of movies in a playlist.
(OTHERS) category
USB CONNECT
USB CONNECT*1....... Connects the internal hard disk via USB.
USB CONNECT.......... Connects the memory card via USB.
BATTERY INFO.......................... Displays the battery information.
(MANAGE MEDIA) category
MEDIA SETTINGS*1
MEDIA INFO.............................. Displays information on the recording media, such as free space.
MEDIA FORMAT
HDD*1 ................................ Deletes all data on the internal hard disk.
MEMORY CARD.............. Deletes all data on the memory card.
REPAIR IMG.DB F.
HDD*1 ................................ Repairs the image database file on the internal hard disk (p. 56).
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51
(GENERAL SET) category
SOUND/DISP SET
BEEP ................................... Sets whether the camcorder sounds operation beeps or not.
LCD BRIGHT..................... Adjusts the brightness of the LCD screen.
LCD BL LEVEL.................. Adjusts the backlight of the LCD screen.
LCD COLOR...................... Adjusts the color intensity of the LCD screen.
DISPLAY SET.................... Sets the duration that icons or indicators are displayed on the LCD screen.
OUTPUT SETTINGS
DISP OUTPUT.................. Sets whether the on-screen displays appears on the TV screen or not.
CLOCK/ LANG
AREA SET.......................... Adjusts for a time difference without stopping the clock (p. 13).
POWER SETTINGS
OTHER SETTINGS
DEMO MODE................... Sets whether the demonstration appears or not.
DROP SENSOR*1............. Activates or deactivates the drop sensor.
1
2
*
*
DCR-SR15E/SR20E
DCR-SX20E
5G2B
Getting detailed
information from the
“Handycam”Handbook
The “Handycam” Handbook is a user guide
designed to be read on a computer screen.
The “Handycam” Handbook is intended to
be read when you want to know more about
operating your camcorder.
To view the “Handycam” Handbook,
double-click the short-cut icon on the
computer screen.
1
2
To install the “Handycam”
Handbook on a Windows
computer, place the supplied
CD-ROM in the disc drive of your
computer.
When using a Macintosh, open the [Handbook]
– [GB] folder in the CD-ROM, then copy
[Handbook.pdf].
You need Adobe Reader to read “Handycam”
Handbook. If it is not installed on your
computer, you can download it from the Adobe
Systems web page:
Refer to “PMB Help” for details on the supplied
software “PMB” (p. 35).
On the installation screen
displayed, click [Handbook].
3
Select the desired language
and the model name of your
camcorder, then click [Install].
Install by following the
instructions on the screen.
The model name of your camcorder is
printed on its bottom surface.
GB
53
Additional information
Troubleshooting
If you run into any problems using your
camcorder, follow the steps below.
The camcorder does not operate even
when the power is set to on.
It takes a few seconds for your camcorder to
be ready to shoot after the power is turned on.
This is not a malfunction.
inspect your camcorder.
Disconnect the AC Adaptor from the wall
outlet (wall socket) or remove the battery
pack, then reconnect it after about 1 minute.
If your camcorder still does not work, press
you press RESET, all settings, including the
clock setting, are reset.)
The temperature of your camcorder is
extremely high. Turn off the camcorder and
leave it for a while in a cool place.
The temperature of your camcorder is
extremely low. Leave the camcorder with the
power turned on. If you still cannot operate
your camcorder, turn off the camcorder and
take it to a warm place. Leave the camcorder
there for a while, then turn on the camcorder.
Remove the power source, attach
the power source again after about 1
minute, and turn the camcorder on.
pointed object, and turn the
camcorder on.
If you press RESET, all settings,
including the clock setting, are reset.
Contact your Sony dealer or local
authorized Sony service facility.
Your camcorder may be required to initialize or
change the current internal recording media of
your camcorder, depending on the problem. In
the event of this, the data stored on the internal
recording media will be deleted. Be sure to
save the data on the internal recording media
on other media (backup) before sending your
camcorder for repair. We will not compensate
you for any loss of internal recording media
data.
During repair, we may check a minimum
amount of data stored on the internal recording
media in order to investigate the problem.
However, your Sony dealer will neither copy
nor retain your data.
Your camcorder gets warm.
Your camcorder may become warm during
operation. This is not a malfunction.
The power abruptly turns off.
Turn on the power again.
Pressing START/STOP or PHOTO does not
record images.
Press MODE to display the
(Photo) icons.
(Movie) or
details on the symptoms of your camcorder,
camcorder to a computer.
Your camcorder is recording the image you
have just shot on the recording media. You
cannot make any new recordings during this
period.
The recording media is full. Delete
unnecessary images (p. 30).
Total number of movie scenes or photos has
exceeded the recordable capacity of your
images (p. 30).
The power does not turn on.
Attach a charged battery pack to the
camcorder (p. 10).
Connect the plug of the AC Adaptor to the
wall outlet (wall socket) (p. 12).
5G4B
The recording stops.
C:06:
The temperature of your camcorder is
extremely high/low. Turn off your camcorder
and leave it for a while in a cool/warm place.
The battery pack temperature is high. Change
the battery pack or place it in a cool place.
C:13: / C:32:
“PMB”cannot be installed.
Remove the power source. Reconnect it and
operate your camcorder again.
Check the computer environment or
installation procedure required to install
“PMB” (p. 32).
E::
“PMB”does not work correctly.
Quit “PMB” and restart your computer.
The indicator flashes when the internal hard
disk of your camcorder becomes full. Delete
images on other media..
An error may have occurred with the internal
hard disk of your camcorder.
The camcorder is not recognized by the
computer.
Disconnect devices from the USB jack of the
computer other than the keyboard, mouse,
and your camcorder.
Disconnect the USB cable from the computer
and your camcorder, and restart the computer,
then connect the computer and your
camcorder again in an orderly manner.
Battery power is low.
Self-diagnosis display/Warning
indicators
The battery pack temperature is high. Change
the battery pack or place it in a cool place.
If indicators appear on the LCD screen,
check the following.
If the problem persists even after you
have tried to fix a couple of times, contact
your Sony dealer or local authorized Sony
service facility. In this case, when you
contact them, give them all the numbers of
the error code beginning with C or E.
The temperature of your camcorder is getting
high. Turn off your camcorder and leave it in
a cool place.
The temperature of your camcorder is low.
Make the camcorder warm.
C:04:
The battery pack is not an “InfoLITHIUM”
battery pack V series. Use an “InfoLITHIUM”
battery pack (V series) (p. 10).
Connect the DC plug of the AC Adaptor to
your camcorder securely (p. 10).
The indicator flashes when the memory card
becomes full. Delete unnecessary images
after storing the images on other media.
GB
55
The Image Database File is damaged. Check
the data base file by selecting (MENU)
[Show others] [REPAIR IMG.DB F.]
(under [MANAGE MEDIA] category)
the recording medium (DCR-SR15E/SR20E).
The memory card is damaged. Format the
memory card with your camcorder (p. 51).
Access to the memory card was restricted on
another device.
The camcorder is unsteady. Hold the camcorder
steady with both hands. However, note that
the camera-shake warning indicator does not
disappear.
The drop sensor function is activated. You
may not be able to record nor play back
images.
5G6B
Recording time of
movies/number of
recordable photos
Playing time
Approximate time available when you use a
fully charged battery pack.
Expected time of recording and
playback with each battery pack
DCR-SR15E/SR20E
Recording time
(unit: minute)
Approximate time available when you use a
fully charged battery pack.
Battery pack
NP-FV30
(supplied)
NP-FV50
NP-FV70
NP-FV100
125
DCR-SR15E/SR20E
240
490
980
(unit: minute)
Battery pack
Continuous
recording time
Typical recording
time
DCR-SX15E/SX20E
NP-FV30
(supplied)
95
45
(unit: minute)
145
NP-FV50
NP-FV70
NP-FV100
180
375
745
85
180
355
Battery pack
NP-FV30
(supplied)
NP-FV50
NP-FV70
NP-FV100
280
565
1120
DCR-SX15E/SX20E
(unit: minute)
Typical recording
time
Battery pack
Continuous
recording time
NP-FV30
(supplied)
NP-FV50
NP-FV70
NP-FV100
105
50
Expected recording time of movies
Internal hard disk
200
415
830
95
195
395
DCR-SR15E/SR20E
(unit: minute)
Each recording time is measured when the
REC MODE] is set to SP.
Recording mode
[HQ]
Recording time
1220
[
Typical recording time shows the time when
you repeat recording start/stop, switching the
movie or photo mode, and zooming.
Times measured when using the camcorder at
25 C (77 °F). 10 C to 30 C (50 °F to 86 °F) is
recommended.
The recording and playback time will be
shorter when you use your camcorder in low
temperatures.
[SP]
1750
[LP]
3660
Tips
You can record movies of a maximum of 9,999
scenes.
The maximum continuous recording time of
movies is approximately 13 hours.
Your camcorder uses the VBR (Variable Bit
Rate) format to automatically adjust image
quality to suit the recording scene. This
The recording and playback time will be shorter
depending on the conditions under which you
use your camcorder.
GB
57
technology causes fluctuations in the recording
time of the media. Movies containing quickly
moving and complex images are recorded at
a higher bit-rate, and this reduces the overall
recording time.
Memory card
VGA(0.3M)
512MB
1GB
2GB
4GB
8GB
2800
5700
Memory card
11500
23000
47000
95000
185000
(unit: minute)
HQ
SP
LP
512MB
1GB
6
9
20
16GB
32GB
(5)
(5)
(10)
10
(10)
20
(10)
40
(25)
The indicated number of recordable photos on
a memory card is based on the maximum image
size of your camcorder. The actual number
of recordable photos is displayed on the LCD
screen during recording (p. 63).
The maximum number of recordable photos
on a memory card may vary depending on the
recording conditions.
2GB
25
(25)
40
(25)
85
(55)
4GB
55
(50)
80
(50)
175
(110)
8GB
115
(105)
170
(105)
355
(230)
16GB
32GB
235
340
715
(210)
(210)
(465)
Tips
475
(425)
685
(425)
1435
(930)
You can also use memory card with a capacity
of under 512 MB for recording photos.
The following list shows the average bit-rate, the
recording pixels, and the aspect ratio of each
movie recording mode.
Notes
The recordable time may vary depending on
the recording and subject conditions, [ REC
MODE] (p. 50).
The number in ( ) is the minimum recordable
time.
HQ: Approx. 9Mbps 720 pixels ×
576 pixels/16:9, 4:3
SP: Approx. 6Mbps 720 pixels ×
576 pixels/16:9, 4:3
LP: Approx. 3Mbps 720 pixels ×
576 pixels/16:9, 4:3
The photo recording pixels and the aspect ratio.
Photo recording mode:
Expected number of recordable
photos
640 dots × 480 dots/4:3
640 dots × 360 dots/16:9
Capturing a photo from a movie:
640 dots × 360 dots/16:9
Internal recording media (DCR-SR15E/
SR20E)
You can record the maximum 9,999 photos.
640 dots × 480 dots/4:3
5G8B
Precautions
On use and care
such as by placing anything heavy on it.
Do not use a deformed or damaged battery
pack.
Do not use or store the camcorder and
accessories in the following locations:
Anywhere extremely hot, cold or humid.
Never leave them exposed to temperatures
above 60 C (140 °F), such as under direct
sunlight, near heaters or in a car parked in
the sun. They may malfunction or become
deformed.
Near strong magnetic fields or mechanical
vibration. The camcorder may malfunction.
Near strong radio waves or radiation. The
camcorder may not be able to record properly.
Near AM receivers and video equipment.
Noise may occur.
Keep metal contacts clean.
If the battery electrolytic liquid has leaked:
Consult your local authorized Sony service
facility.
Wash off any liquid that may have contacted
your skin.
If any liquid gets in your eyes, wash with
plenty of water and consult a doctor.
When not using your camcorder for a
long time
To keep your camcorder in optimum state for a
long time, turn it on and let it run by recording
and playing back images about once a month.
Use up the battery pack completely before
storing it.
On a sandy beach or anywhere dusty. If
sand or dust gets in your camcorder, it may
malfunction. Sometimes this malfunction
cannot be repaired.
Near windows or outdoors, where the LCD
screen or the lens may be exposed to direct
sunlight. This damages the inside of the LCD
screen.
Operate your camcorder on DC 6.8 V/7.2 V
(battery pack) or DC 8.4 V (AC Adaptor).
For DC or AC operation, use the accessories
recommended in these operating instructions.
Do not let your camcorder get wet, for example,
from rain or sea water. If your camcorder
gets wet, it may malfunction. Sometimes this
malfunction cannot be repaired.
LCD screen
Do not exert excessive pressure on the LCD
screen, as it may cause damage.
If your camcorder is used in a cold place, a
residual image may appear on the LCD screen.
This is not a malfunction.
While using your camcorder, the back of
the LCD screen may heat up. This is not a
malfunction.
To clean the LCD screen
If fingerprints or dust make the LCD screen
dirty, it is recommended that you use a soft
cloth to clean it. When you use the LCD
Cleaning Kit (sold separately), do not apply the
cleaning liquid directly to the LCD screen. Use
cleaning paper moistened with the liquid.
If any solid object or liquid gets inside the
casing, unplug your camcorder and have it
checked by a Sony dealer before operating it
any further.
Avoid rough handling, disassembling,
modifying, physical shock, or impact such
as hammering, dropping or stepping on the
product. Be particularly careful of the lens.
Keep the camcorder turning off when you are
not using your camcorder.
On handling the casing
If the casing is soiled, clean the camcorder body
with a soft cloth lightly moistened with water,
and then wipe the casing with a dry soft cloth.
Avoid the following to avoid damage to the
finish:
Do not wrap your camcorder with a towel, for
example, and operate it. Doing so might cause
heat to build up inside.
Using chemicals such as thinner, benzine,
alcohol, chemical cloths, repellent, insecticide
and sunscreen
When disconnecting the power cord (mains
lead), pull it by the plug and not the cord (lead).
Do not damage the power cord (mains lead)
GB
59
Handling the camcorder with above
substances on your hands
Leaving the casing in contact with rubber or
vinyl objects for a long period of time
the recovery of your data. Also, when you dispose
of the camcorder, it is recommended that you
destroy the actual body of the camcorder.
About care and storage of the lens
Note on disposal/transfer of memory
card
Wipe the surface of the lens clean with a soft
cloth in the following instances:
When there are fingerprints on the lens
surface
In hot or humid locations
When the lens is exposed to salty air such as
at the seaside
Store in a well-ventilated location subject to
little dirt or dust.
To prevent mold, periodically clean the lens as
described above.
Even if you delete data in the memory card or
format the memory card on your camcorder or
a computer, you may not delete data from the
memory card completely. When you give the
memory card to somebody, it is recommended
that you delete data completely using data
deletion software on a computer. Also, when you
dispose of the memory card, it is recommended
that you destroy the actual body of the memory
card.
On charging the pre-installed
rechargeable battery
Your camcorder has a pre-installed rechargeable
battery to retain the date, time, and other settings
even when the camcorder is turned off. The pre-
installed rechargeable battery is always charged
while your camcorder is connected to the wall
outlet (wall socket) via the AC Adaptor or while
the battery pack is attached. The rechargeable
battery will be fully discharged in about 3 months
if you do not use your camcorder at all. Use
your camcorder after charging the pre-installed
rechargeable battery. However, even if the pre-
installed rechargeable battery is not charged, the
camcorder operation will not be affected as long
as you are not recording the date.
Procedures
Connect your camcorder to a wall outlet (wall
socket) using the supplied AC Adaptor, and leave
it with the LCD screen closed for more than 24
hours.
Note on disposal/transfer of the
camcorder (DCR-SR15E/SR20E)
Even if you delete all movies and still images, or
perform [MEDIA FORMAT], data on the internal
recording media may not be completely erased.
When you transfer the camcorder, it is
recommended that you perform [EMPTY]
6G0B
Specifications
System
LCD screen
Picture: 6.7 cm (2.7 type, aspect ratio 16:9)
Total number of pixels: 230 400 (960 240)
Signal format: PAL color, CCIR standards
Movie recording format:
Video: MPEG-2 PS
General
Audio recording system:
Dolby Digital 2ch
Power requirements: DC 6.8 V/7.2 V (battery
pack) DC 8.4 V (AC Adaptor)
Dolby Digital Stereo Creator
Average power consumption: During camera
recording, using LCD screen at normal
brightness:
Photo file format
: DCF Ver.2.0 Compatible
: Exif Ver.2.21 Compatible
: MPF Baseline Compatible
DCR-SR15E/SR20E: 2.1 W
DCR-SX15E/SX20E: 1.9 W
Recording media (Movie/Photo)
Operating temperature: 0 C to 40 C (32 °F to
Internal hard disk
104 °F)
DCR-SR15E/SR20E: 80 GB
“Memory Stick PRO Duo” media
SD memory card (Class 2 or faster)
Storage temperature: –20 C to + 60 C (-4 °F to
+140 °F)
Dimensions (approx.)
When measuring media capacity, 1 GB equals
1 billion bytes, a portion of which is used for
system management and/or application files.
The capacity that a user can use is below.
DCR-SR15E/SR20E: Approx. 79.3 GB
DCR-SR15E/SR20E
59 mm × 65 mm × 113 mm (2 3/8 in. ×
2 5/8 in. × 4 1/2 in.) (w/h/d) including the
projecting parts
59 mm × 65 mm × 124 mm (2 3/8 in.
× 2 5/8 in. × 5 in.) (w/h/d) including
the projecting parts, and the supplied
rechargeable battery pack attached
DCR-SX15E/SX20E
Image device
2.25 mm (1/8 type) CCD (Charge Coupled
Device)
Gross: Approx. 800 000 pixels
Effective (Movie, 16:9): Approx. 490 000
pixels
54 mm × 55 mm × 113 mm (2 1/4 in. ×
2 1/4 in. × 4 1/2 in.) (w/h/d) including the
projecting parts
54 mm × 55 mm × 124 mm (2 1/4 in.
× 2 1/4 in. × 5 in.) (w/h/d) including
the projecting parts, and the supplied
rechargeable battery pack attached
Effective (Photo, 16:9): Approx. 310 000 pixels
Effective (Photo, 4:3): Approx. 410 000 pixels
Lens
50 (Optical), 1 800 (Digital)
F1.8 ~ F4.7
Focal length:
Mass (approx.)
f=1.8 mm ~ 90 mm (3/32 in. ~ 4 3/8 in.)
When converted to a 35 mm still camera
For movies: 39 mm ~ 1 950 mm (1 9/16 in. ~
76 7/8 in.) (16:9)
For photos: 44 mm ~ 2 200 mm (1 3/4 in. ~
86 5/8 in.) (4:3)
DCR-SR15E/SR20E:
270 g (9 oz) main unit only
310 g (10 oz) including the supplied
rechargeable battery pack
DCR-SX15E/SX20E:
190 g (6 oz) main unit only
240 g (8 oz) including the supplied
rechargeable battery pack and memory card
Color temperature: [AUTO], [ONE PUSH],
[INDOOR] (3 200 K), [OUTDOOR]
(5 800 K)
AC Adaptor AC-L200C/AC-L200D
Minimum illumination
Power requirements: AC 100 V - 240 V,
3 lx (lux) ([AUTO SLW SHUTTR] is set to [ON],
50 Hz/60 Hz
shutter speed 1/25 second)
Current consumption: 0.35 A - 0.18 A
Power consumption: 18 W
Output voltage: DC 8.4 V*
Input/Output connectors
A/V OUT jack: Video/audio output jack
USB jack: mini-AB
Operating temperature: 0 C to 40 C (32 °F to
104 °F)
(DCR-SR15E/SX15E: output only)
Storage temperature: –20 C to + 60 C (-4 °F to
+140 °F)
GB
61
Dimensions (approx.): 48 mm 29 mm 81 mm
(1 15/16 in. × 1 3/16 in. × 3 1/4 in.) (w/h/d)
excluding the projecting parts
On trademarks
“Handycam” and
are
registered trademarks of Sony Corporation.
Mass (approx.): 170 g (6.0 oz) excluding the
“Memory Stick,” “
,” “Memory Stick Duo,”
,” “Memory Stick PRO
,” “Memory
power cord (mains lead)
“
Duo,” “
* See the label on the AC Adaptor for other
specifications.
Stick PRO-HG Duo,”
“
,” “Memory Stick
Rechargeable battery pack NP-FV30
Maximum output voltage: DC 8.4 V
Output voltage: DC 7.2 V
Maximum charge voltage: DC 8.4 V
Maximum charge current: 2.12 A
Micro,” “MagicGate,” “
,”
“MagicGate Memory Stick” and
“MagicGate Memory Stick Duo” are trademarks
or registered trademarks of Sony Corporation.
“InfoLITHIUM” is a trademark of Sony
Corporation.
Capacity
“DVDirect” is a trademark of Sony
Corporation.
Dolby and the double-D symbol are trademarks
of Dolby Laboratories.
typical: 3.6 Wh (500 mAh)
minimum: 3.6 Wh (500 mAh)
Type: Li-ion
Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista, and
DirectX are either registered trademarks or
trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the
United States and/or other countries.
Macintosh and Mac OS are registered
trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and other
countries.
Design and specifications of your camcorder and
accessories are subject to change without notice.
Manufactured under license from Dolby
Laboratories.
Intel, Intel Core, and Pentium are trademarks
or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation
or its subsidiaries in the United States and other
countries.
Adobe, the Adobe logo, and Adobe Acrobat
are either registered trademarks or trademarks
of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United
States and/or other countries.
SDXC and SDHC logo are trademarks of SD-
3C, LLC.
MultiMediaCard is a trademark of
MultiMediaCard Association.
All other product names mentioned herein may
be the trademarks or registered trademarks of
their respective companies. Furthermore, and
are not mentioned in each case in this manual.
6G2B
Quick reference
Screen indicators
Indicator
Meaning
Upper left
Center
Upper right
Estimated recording
remaining time
[00min]
FADER
Drop sensor off
Drop sensor activated
Approximate number of
recordable photos and
recording media
Playback folder of
memory card
9999
9999
Bottom
Upper left
Indicator
Meaning
Current playing movie or
photo/Number of total
recorded movies or photos
MENU button
100/112
Self-timer recording
MICREF LEVEL low
WIDE SELECT
Bottom
BLT-IN ZOOM MIC
Remaining battery
Recording folder of
memory card
Indicator
Meaning
60 min
[FACE DETECTION] set
to [OFF]
Manual focus
VIDEO LIGHT
Return button
SCENE SELECTION
White balance
SteadyShot off
Center
Indicator
Meaning
[STBY]/[REC]
Recording status
Photo size
Slide show set
EXPOSURE
TELE MACRO
Backlight
OPTION button
Warning
Playback mode
VIEW IMAGES button
Slide show button
Data file name
Upper right
Indicator
101-0005
Meaning
Protected image
Index button
Movie mode/photo mode
Recording mode (HQ/
SP/LP)
Recording/playback/
editing media
Counter (hour:minute:
second)
Indicators and their positions are approximate
and may differ from what you actually see.
Some indicators may not appear, depending on
your camcorder model.
0:00:00
GB
63
Parts and controls
Figures in ( ) are reference pages.
DCR-SR15E/SR20E
LCD screen
If you rotate the LCD panel 180 degrees, you
can close the LCD panel with the LCD screen
facing out. This is convenient during playback
operations.
LIGHT button
Press to light up the LIGHT.
Lens
Multi-selector (15)
LENS COVER switch
Built-in microphone
LED VIDEO LIGHT
(VIEW IMAGES) button (25)
DCR-SR15E/SR20E
DCR-SX15E/SX20E
Speaker
DCR-SR15E: output only
Lens
LENS COVER switch
Built-in microphone
LED VIDEO LIGHT
MODE button (21)
(Backlight) button
RESET button
Press RESET using a pointed object.
Press RESET to initialize all the settings
including the clock setting.
6G4B
DCR-SX15E/SX20E
DCR-SR15E/SR20E
Speaker
DCR-SX15E: output only
MODE button (21)
(Backlight) button
RESET button
Press RESET using a pointed object.
Press RESET to initialize all the settings
including the clock setting.
Power zoom lever
PHOTO button (24)
POWER lamp
CHG (charge) lamp (10)
Battery pack (10)
START/STOP button (21)
Hook for a shoulder belt
Access lamp (memory card) (17)
While the lamp is lit or flashing, the
camcorder is reading or writing data.
BATT (battery) release lever (12)
Tripod receptacle
Attach a tripod (sold separately) to the
tripod receptacle using a tripod screw (sold
separately: the length of the screw must be less
than 5.5 mm (7/32 in.)).
Memory card slot (17)
GB
65
DCR-SX15E/SX20E
Power zoom lever
PHOTO button (24)
POWER lamp
START/STOP button (21)
Battery pack (10)
CHG (charge) lamp (10)
Access lamp (memory card) (17)
While the lamp is lit or flashing, the
camcorder is reading or writing data.
BATT (battery) release lever (12)
Tripod receptacle
Attach a tripod (sold separately) to the
tripod receptacle using a tripod screw (sold
separately: the length of the screw must be less
than 5.5 mm (7/32 in.)).
Memory card slot (17)
6G6B
Index
Screen indicators ........................63
Self-diagnosis display.................55
Setting the date and time...........13
Software .......................................32
Specifications ..............................61
Supplied items...............................4
Symbols
L
16:9 ...............................................28
4:3 .................................................28
M
A
Maintenance................................59
MEDIA SETTINGS....................16
Memory card...............................17
“Memory Stick” media...............18
“Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo”
media............................................18
“Memory Stick PRO Duo” media
.......................................................17
Menus.....................................47, 50
MOVIE MEDIA SET .................16
Movies....................................21, 25
A/V connecting cable...........28, 45
Altitude ..........................................6
T
B
Tripod...........................................66
Troubleshooting..........................54
TV.................................................28
Battery pack.................................10
C
Capturing photos from a movie
.......................................................38
Care ..............................................59
Charging the battery pack abroad
.......................................................12
CLOCK SET................................13
Computer.....................................32
Computer system........................32
Copying a disc.............................38
Creating a disc ......................37, 42
U
USB cable...............................42, 44
USB CONNECT...................42, 44
V
O
VBR ..............................................57
VIEW IMAGES ..........................25
VISUAL INDEX .........................25
Operation beeps..........................14
Operation flow..............................7
OPTION MENU ........................49
D
W
P
DATA CODE ..............................14
DATE/TIME................................14
DELETE.......................................30
Disc recorder...............................45
DVDirect Express.......................42
DVD writer............................42, 44
Warning indicators.....................55
Windows......................................32
PHOTO MEDIA SET ................17
Photos ....................................23, 25
Playback.......................................25
PMB (Picture Motion Browser)
.................................................32, 35
Z
Zoom............................................65
E
Editing movies ............................38
External media............................39
R
Recording ....................................21
Recording media.........................16
Recording time of movies/
number of recordable photos....57
F
Fully charged...............................10
Repair...........................................54
H
You will find the menu lists
“Handycam” Handbook.............53
S
I
Saving images in external media
.......................................................39
Install............................................32
Internal hard disk .......................16
GB
67
Additional information on this product and
answers to frequently asked questions can
be found at our Customer Support Website.
Printed in China
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