On 25 Jul 2001 01:45:49 -0700, Paul Rubin wrote:

>Does anyone here actually have a PC9? Can you tell me what the
>"Special A/V connector" is?
>
>I'm trying to find out for sure whether the PC9 is capable of
>recording from an external analog video source, the way the PC5 could.
>The online spec sheets do NOT give that impression, but Blazer67 said
>here that it could, based on page 88 of the manual. However, s/he had
>just gotten the camera and it didn't sound like s/he'd actually tried
>that. So I still feel a little uncertain.
>
>Blazer67, are you still around? Have you tried recording from an
>external analog source through the S-video connector and did it work?
>
>Any other impressions or remarks about the camera now that you've had
>it a while? Anyone else with anything to say about this camera?
>
>My main interest is in a very small/light camera for travel video.
>But I'd also like to use it to digitally archive some of my analog 8mm
>tapes.
>
>I'd hate to buy a PC9 and then find it didn't do part of what I bought
>it for :(.

All sony Mini-DV camcorders for the US (except for the
VX-700/1000) had/has analogue input ability (and recently,
analogue pass-through ability), so this is not a problem.
Buy from a dealer that takes returns gracefully, if you are
not sure... The "special AV connector" is a 4-connector
mini-jack for a 4-connector mini-plug to three-RCA cord
(supplied). The picture-quality of the PC9/PC5/TRV17/TRV11
is very good for a one-chipper, but it suffers the limitations
of one-chippers in color saturation, in reduced
detail in high and low tone areas in the picture, in having
somewhat reduced sharpness, in having a slightly
"busier"-looking picture, and in having less low-light range
compared with a good 3-chip camera (TRV900, and better...),
but the PC5/9 is wonderfully compact and light, and a good
compromise for travel (I hate the touch-screen menus,
though...! ;-).