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Hitachi VMH855LA User's Manual

1. E26 HITACHI Basic Techniques The batteries are in place and charged the date and time are set and you are familiar with the controls its time to make a recording Basic recording is easy and simple Hooking up the camcorder to your TV is not complicated but give yourself plenty of time to ensure connections are correct This section guides you through basic recording and playback Practice the basic techniques of recording and playback on some thing unimportant such as traffic or a short four of your backyard Once familiar with how the machine works you can move to the more sophisticated features with less stress Let s get started VIM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM HS55LA E27 Making a Basic Recording The Hitachi VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA uses PROGRAM AE auto exposure that automatically selects fhe optimum shutter speed either 1 60 1 120 1 180 1 250 1 880 1 500 1 750 1 1000 1 1500 1 2000 or 1 4000 of a second The iris adjusts automatically in response to the shutter speed Information for VM H955LA Use the AE dial to 4 select the exposure that suits the subject condition For details see Using the PROGRAM AE Dial on page 44 Eye cup Diopter Control Start Stop Button Connect the camcorder to a power source See pages p16 p19 Open the LCD monitor and insert a cassette Inserting and Removing Cassettes p20 If you want to view the picture being recorded on th
2. automatically disappear 0 03 32 cad a Close the LCD monitor then press the PLAY but l ton to play back the tape The picture appears in VOL the viewfinder Note You cannot hear the playback sound when playing back your video with the Viewfinder 5 Press the STOP button when you have finished E32 HITACHI Using Still To view a still picture during playback press the Start Stop Press the Start Stop button again to resume playback If you leave the camcorder in play pause mode for more than 5 minutes the camcorder automatically stops the cassette to pre vent damage to the tape You can view a still pic ture with less noise on the LCD monitor Clear Still Note The stili picture will have several noise bars in the viewfinder and on the TV but this does not indicate a fault Using Forward and Reverse Search Note if you are freezing a picture with the LCD monitor closed then you will not be able to view a still picture with less noise when you open the moniter Start Stop Button When looking for a particular point in your videotape use the F FWD button and REW REVIEW button to find the spot quickly When the LCD monitor is closed Press the FFWD button during playback to play the tape forward at approximately 9 times normal speed Press the PLAY button to return to normal playback Press and hold the F FWD button during fast forward to visually scan the tape at 19 times the normal
3. Fi Press and hold the A V DUB button then press PLAY This places the camcorder A V DUB pause mode II disappears replaced by A V DUB H Press the start stop button on the camcorder or START STOP PAUSE on the remote control The audio video dubbing starts When the lin ear time counter reaches 0 00 00M the cam corder stops automatically recording only the portion of the tape that you selected Note if the camcorder is in AV DUB pause or STILL mode for more than 5 minutes the cam corder stops automatically to protect the tape Note When the audio video dubbed portion is played back noise may appear at the end of the dubbed portion E63 Using the Active Light only for VM H855LA aes OO TOTO Ee Use the active light if you wish to shoot objects in dark places When the LIGHT switch is set fo AUTO the active light turns on automatically when the camcorder is pointed at objects in a dark place and turns off when it is pointed at objects in a bright place CAUTION Since the power consumption of the active light is high the camcorder operating time will decrease even with a fully charged battery Note if there is no cassette in the camcorder or if a recording prevented cassette Is inserted with the active light switch set to AUTO the light will automatically go out after 5 minutes CAUTION Turn the active light on only when you need if otherwise the operating time of the b
4. CAM Setting the switch to OFF will close the door 2 Infrared Receiver The area where infrared signals from the wireless remote are received Aim the remote control to this area for best results 3 Record Indicator This indicator flashes when the camcorder is recording 4 Active Light Switch for VM H855LA VM H955LA When this switch is set to AUTO the active light turns on or off automatically according to the brightness of the object When switch is set to ON the active light turns on Set the switch to OFF to turn the light off manually Using the Active Light p64 5 Microphone Sensitive to sounds coming from the direction in which the camera is pointed 6 Active Light for VM H855LA VM H955LA When the CAM OFF VIDEO switch is in the CAM position the active light is turned on and off automatically or manually depending on the posi tion of the Light switch Turn the active light off after use Using the Active Light p64 Note The active light will not turn on when the CAM OFF VIDEO switch Is set to VIDEO E10 Se 8 91011 12 13 14 r f j 16 17 181920 Note If there is no cassette in the camcorder or if a recording prevented cassette is inserted with the active light switch set to AUTO the light will automatically go out after 5 minutes 7 CAM OFF VIDEO Power Switch This switch turns the camcorder on and off Set the switch to CAM for camera recording and to VIDEO f
5. To VIDEO OUT To AUDIO IN Yellow White To VIDEO IN Yellow Audio Video Output Cable a Y e Ee provided For VM H755LA VM H855LA When using the provided 20 pin S cable PAL60 Button To AUDIO IN White Audio Video Output Cable provided To S VIDEO Black To AUDIO OUT White To Audio Video Output Jack To VIDEO IN 1 To AUDIO IN L R Yellow White Red S VIDEO Audio Video Output Cable Black provided To Audio Video Output Jack E40 HITACHI Connect the camcorder to TV as shown in the Note Connect the camcorder to a TV monitor figure which has a vertical syne adjustment circuitry Turn the TV on and select the TV video input o for oe ana which CH EEDE Set the TV to the PAL60 mode locked mto ihe i P mode Refer to the TV Set the CAM OFEF VIDEO switch of the cam n manual for details on how to set the corder to VIDEO Note This camcorder cannot record using the 4 Press the PAL60 button PAL amp O system Note A black and white picture will appear on amp Press the PLAY button of the camcorder If you the LDC monitor when playing back tape with press the DATE DISP button at this time the PAL6O system PAL60 will appear in the viewfinder or on the Note The PAL60 button is effective durin
6. only from the type of power source indicated on the marking label If you are not sure of the type of power supply to your home consult your video dealer or local power company For video products intended to operate from battery power or other sources refer to the operating instructions 6 Overloading Do not overload wall outlets and extension cords as this can result in a risk of fire or electric shock Overloaded AC outlets and extension cords are dangerous and so are frayed power cords damaged or cracked wire insulation and broken plugs They may result in a shock or fire hazard Periodically examine the cord and have it replaced by your service technician if appearance indicates damage or deteriorated insu lation E4 7 Power Cord Protection Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them paying particular attention to cords at plugs convenience receptacles and the point where they exit from the appliance 8 Ventilation Slots and openings in the cabinet are pro vided for ventilation to ensure reliable operation of the video product and to protect it from overheating These openings must not be blocked or covered The openings should never be blocked by placing the video product on a bed sofa rug or other similar sur face This video product should never be placed near or over a radi ator or heat register This video product s
7. 280 min 360 min VM EVF ee ain aia 730 min H8SSLA LCD 110min 240 min 250 min 520 min VM EVE 10min 30min 320min 20min H9SSLA TCD 10min 20min Amin 510 min VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA Typical Recording EVF when using the viewfinder LCD when using the LCD monitor Battery VM VM VM VM Camcorder BPL13 BPL27 BPL30 BPL60 VM EVF 90min 200 min 420 min ESSSLA ICD 70 min 150 min 170 min 380 min 190 min E min f 140 min 160 min 180 min 190 min 40min 130 min 140 min 290 min 160 min 180 min 400 min 120 min 130 min 280 pi 190 min 420 min 330 min VM H855LA Mcp VM EVF 70min H9SSLA LCD 60min Notes on the Battery itis recommended that the battery always be left in the discharged state when not in use and charged before you use f Avoid storing a fully charged battery and do not store it in a place where the temperature is high this will damage the battery Do noi operate the battery at temperature below 14 F 10 C or above 113 F 45 C At extremely low temperatures operation time decreases while at high temperature the battery may be dam aged Do not atach a hot battery to the camcorder Allow if to cool 60 min ed min THERE ARE NO USER SERVIC
8. To AUDIO IN White To S VIDEO IN Black Audio Video Output Cable provided To AUDIO OUT White Edit Remote Control optional D 20 pin S Cable provided T ee laa To AUDIO IN L R White Red To VIDEO IN Yellow S VIDEO Black Edit Remote Control optional To Audio Video Audio Video Output Cable provided Output Jack E60 HITACHI oa Ra 1 Connect the edit remote control to the cam corder and then connect the audio video out put cable as illustrated above Note for VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA if your VCR has two sfereo AUDIO IN jacks con nect the audio plug to the lefl channel AUDIO IN Jack Note for VM H755LA VM H855LA Some VCRs have an VIDEO IN jack Connect the provid ed 20 pin S cable instead of the yellow VIDEO plug as illustrated Notes for VM H955LA Connect either right or left audio plug into your VCR if it has only one AUDIO IN jack Some VCRs have an S VIDEO iN jack Connect the black S VIDEO plug to ihe VCR instead of the yellow VIDEO plug if you use a generally available audio video cable in place of the provided Audio Video outout cable with the con nection shown above unplug the provided cable from the Audio Video output jack of the camcorder os Insert a recorded tape into the camcorder Set the CAM OFF VIDEO switch of the cam corder to VIDEO Turn the reco
9. toward the body of the camcorder To re record To prevent recording me R 4 Push the cassette door which is embossed PUSH until it clicks into place The cam corder automatically closes Note The camcorder will automatically close the top of the cassette compartment Do not press the door down or you may damage your camcorder E20 HITACHI LCD Monitor When using the LCD monitor during recording and playback you can adjust the brightness of lis screen and the angle of the moniter Opening the LCD Monitor 1 Press the OPEN button to open the LCD moni tor Note Opening or closing the LCD monitor switches the picture to appear on the LCD monitor or in the viewfinder nn Viewed from Side Ifthe LCD monitor is turned 90 so that it faces OPEN Button Adjusting the Brightness of the LCD Screen Note Even when ine picture on the LCD monl tor is adjusted the recorded video will not change q Load the battery Camcorder Power Sources p19 Press the red button on the CAM OFF VIDEO switch as you slide it to CAM the same direction as the lens when the camera signal is being recorded during recording recording pause instant review editing A V dubbing or A V dubbing pause the image on the monitor screen will become a mirror image and the viewfinder will turn on The on screen display on the LCD monitor will also be as i
10. 00 E14 HITACHI Loading Clock and Remote Control Batteries sss Clock Battery Remote Control Batteries Install the battery to prevent misplacing it The remote control requires two AA batteries 1 Pull out the battery holder using such as coins 1 Slide the cover in the direction of the arrow to remove it 7 Insert the battery with the terminal facing up P Marking 3 Fully insert the battery holder into the cam y Install batteries corder Be careful to install with correct polarity WARNING KEEP THE BATTERY AWAY FROM CHILDREN AND PETS 0 g p IF SWALLOWED CONSULT A PHYSICIAN IMMEDIATELY FOR EMERGENCY TREATMENT Note Replace the battery with 3V micro lithium cells such as Maxell CR2025 or its equivalent Note Dispose of battery safely in accordance with local laws Do not dispose ofin fire Note Do not short circuit the battery Cautions on the batteries Note Do not take apart the battery Do not use the old and new batteries at the same time Donotmix batteries of different types 3 Re attach the cover to the remote control Note Do not hold the battery with the metalic weezer i 2 Do not short take apart or dispose of batteries Note Do not recharge ine battery throwing them into aes POTERIT Note Keep the battery in a dark cool dry When liquid leaks wipe it off completely and then place i insert new batteries VM E555LA
11. 1 PROG 2 PROG 3 PROG 4 E58 HITACHI Programming the Remote Control for the VCR It is necessary to program the edit remote control code to match the VCR before starting editing REVERSE PROGRAM FORWARO s a ramon t x 2 3 1 Turn the VCR on 2 Aim the remote control at the infrared receiver on the VCR and press the YCR SET button on the remote control and hold it then press the button corresponding to the VCR s maker code For example if you have a RCA VCR press the VCR SET button and hold it then press the DIS PLAY button To check whether the remote control code matches that of your VCR or not point the remote control at the infrared receiver on the VCR and press the VCR SET button and hold it If the remote control code has been set the VCR channel is counted up automatically Note Your VCR should have an infrared remote control Note If the channel on the VCR does not change with the above operation you need to switch the remote control code of your VCR Refer to the VCR s instruction manual If the channel stil does not change after you have changed the VCR s remote control code the edit remote control cannot operate your VCR VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA VCR Brands Press VCR SET and This Button Hitachi REVERSE Sony PROGRAM Panasonic
12. 46 Activating Digital Effects Recording 47 Using Digital Fade ssssesesserrrurenrerrserrnserersenns 48 Using the Electronic Image Stabilizer 50 Using Quick Ed eee danke catatonia deseo 50 Attaching the Optional Wide or Tele Converter LenS iia cer eon 50 Date SCA Oki csdoecdic hee ania Oo USING MENIONY ecni nrnna tana 51 Using the Wireless Remote Control T 52 Creating and Recording a Title sesser 52 Selecting Stored Title Prememo 53 Creating a TG secesssisardeedlavsseisascasdeqataseanacs 54 Recording Title on a Tape in the CamiCOROGT aene ees eer OS Recording a Title while Transferring a TAOS cata r E I aiina 55 Dubbing from the Camcorder to a VCR 56 Simple Programmable Edit c eeeeeeeee 58 Programming the Remote Control PORTA VCR marane er ee ene IGT AON sees oroesi eir iyi eiiiai 60 Using Audio Video Dubbing ere 63 Using the Active Light only for VM H855LA VM H955LA 64 Demonstration Mode sessssserrrenrererrenresrrerenes 64 General Maintenance Cleaning the Camcorder Heads asese 65 Cleaning the Lens and Picture Tube of the Electronic Viewfinder ccccccccsen 65 Periodic Maintenance ccccceccscnertecenereees 66 Troubleshooting erarnan aedis 66 Specifications s ssserrrererrerernnrerernnerenerrrranerens 68 Accessories Add Exci tement P EAE E 70 HITACHI Components and Accessories sss Getting Started This section guides you through the ini
13. FORWARD Toshiba IN Mitsubishi COPY START Sanyo i OUT Sharp ka NEC gt JVC gt gt Akai A V DUB Gold Star a PHILIPS li RCA DISPLAY Zenith COUNTER RESET Magnavox TITLE ON OFF Note The remote control code is held in memory until it is changed or the batteries are replaced Note Point the remote control straight at the VCR s infrared receiver for operation Note Use the remote control indoors When the infrared receivers of the VCR and cam corder are exposed to direct sunlight or strong artificial light the remote control may not oper ate correctly Nofe The remote contro cannot be oper ated if there is an obstacle between the remote control and infrared receiver Note When the edit remote control is con nected fo the camcorder the buttons marked in the figure above perform the same operations as those of the other remote control provided E59 Especially be careful of this during dubbing o Operation a You can select up to four different scenes or segments to be copied at one time Note If sunlight or strong artificial light strikes the camcorder s infrared receiver the edifing operation may not be possible For VM ESS5LA VM H755LA VM H855LA To AUDIO OUT White To VIDEO OUT Yellow To AUDIO IN L White To VIDEO IN Yellow Audio Video Output Cable provided Output Jack
14. a black screen or closes into the center to a black screen 7 appears in the upper left corner of the viewfinder or LCD monitor Fade Out Mosaic fade Fades in from a picture in mosaic or fades out to a picture in mosaic MOS F appears in the upper left corner of the viewfinder or LCD monitor Note The subject image immediately before fading in or out will be compressed in the horizontal direc tion and narrow Fade Out cf as es Art fade Fades in from or fades out to a picture with the feel of an oil painting ART F appears in the upper left corner of the viewfinder or LCD monitor Fade Out E48 HITACHI Zoom fade Fades in while zooming from a white screen or fades out while zooming to a white screen E73 appears in the upper left corner of the viewfinder or LCD monitor Black and white fade Fades in from a black and white screen or fades out to a black and white screen B W appears in the upper left corner of the viewfinder or LCD monitor Fade Out Fading In Use the FADE button to select a fade option before recording Press the Start Stop button to start recording fade begins automatically Fading Out 1 While recording with the camcorder use the FADE button to select a fade option Press the Start Stop button to stop recording the fade begins automatically and REC flashes until the fade ends Note When facing out be sure to walt until the pause
15. bright too faint or TV set has VIR circuit Turn if off during playback change Date search function does not operate Side the CAM OFF VIDEO switch to VIDEO Insert the clock battery set the date and time then start recording entered Do not remove the clock battery after recording Do not eject the recorded cassette Leave it in the camcorder BATTERY CONDITION Symptom Check Point amp Correction The 7 indication in the electronic viewfinder or Try another battery or charge the battery on the LCD monitor flashes to indicate battery is dis charged The battery level indicator I appears differently This does not indicate a fault it is because the on the LCD monitor and in the viewfinder power consumed by the LCD monitor and viewfinder is different NO OPERATION IS ACCEPTED Symptom Check Point amp Correction tPoweris tuned on but ne button operations are Remove the power source and the ciock batteryr pn accepted And after about one minute the display in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor will be reset Then set the information again TAPE DISPLAY li Symptom Check Point amp Correction TAPE appears in the viewfinder or on the LCD monl Have you moved the camcorder or cassette froma itor cold place to a warm place so that its temperature changed abruptly if the temperature has changed remov
16. cable to the AUDIO IN and VIDEO IN jacks of your VCR Note for VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA if your VCR has two stereo AUDIO IN jacks connect the audio plug to the left channel AUDIO IN jack Note for VM H755LA VM H855LA Some VCRs have an S VIDEO IN Jack Connect the provid ed 20 pin S cable instead of the yellow VIDEO plug as Illustrated Notes for VM H955LA Connect either right or left audio plug into your VCR if it has only one AUDIO IN jack Some VCRs have an VIDEO IN jack Connect the black S VIDEO plug tothe VCR instead of the yellow VIDEO plug if you use a generally availabie audio video cable in place of the provided Audio Video outout cable with the connection shown above unplug the provided cable from the Audio Video output jack of the camcorder 2 Connect the other ends of the cable to the AUDIO OUT and VIDEO OUT jacks VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA or to the Audio Video output jack VM H955LA of the camcorder 3 Insert a previously recorded cassette into the camcorder Turn on your VCR and place it in the camcorder input mode consult your VCR manual for details Operate the television as you normally do to see the signal coming from the VCR 5 Hold down the red button on the CAM OFF VIDEO switch while sliding the switch to VIDEO 6 Press the PLAY button to begin playback pi Press the STOP button when finished VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA E35 Connecting fo a T
17. cable of the RF con verter unit to the VHF antenna terminals on the back of the television If the television is set up to connect to a flat antenna lead you need to purchase an antenna adaptor 75 ohm to 300 ohm transformer Connect the adaptor to the 75 ohm coaxial cable of the RF converter unit and connect the free ends of the adaptor to the VHF antenna terminals at the back of you tele vision E38 Camcorder To Audio Video Output Jack Antenna Adaptor 300 ohm to 75 ohm not supplied consult your nearest dealer if you need this 4 Connect the RF converter unit cable to the Audio Video Output jack of your camcorder Turn your television on and select channel 3 channel 4 if channel 3 is a channel used in your area Select the CH3 or CH4 on the RF converter unit matching the channel selected on your tele vision Insert the previously recorded cassette into the camcorder 8 Hold down the red button on the CAM OFF VIDEO switch while sliding the switch to VIDEO 9 Press the PLAY button to begin playback 10 Press the STOP button when finished Note The RF converter unit cannot be used during multi playback PAL60 output HITACHI Video Effects in Playback Mode aaveen The digital signal processor DSP in this camcorder allows you to add special effects to playback pic tures Use this feature during tape dubbing etc fo create a tape with a more artistic impression T
18. eira iaei Eaei Ena iE 15 Clock Battery i rn ceeds aaie 15 Remote Control Batteries cccsccessceeseceecees 15 Charging the Battery ccccseeccsceseseneeeeees 16 Removing the Battery Pack a17 Reference of Charged tevek aF Charging Time esssseserressersrrererrens i Operating TIME ssssersserrnrrreerrurenerirrernerenerrers 17 Checking the Battery s Charge ssassn 18 Camcorder Power SOUICES cccccssesscceseees 19 Using Battery PaCK ssessssessrrrerrreerraereannenre 19 Using the AC Adaptor ccccccssccecsserecenereees 19 Using a Cat Battery ac iec tea ye aendecs 19 Inserting and Removing Cassettes nase 20 Inserting a CaSSette cccccccccseccreseereeseres 20 Removing a Cassette ccccsecceceseeseessers 20 Protecting Recorded Material ccc0 20 LECO MONTO ae he cederet nu dee badd dete 21 Opening the LCD Monitor cccseeceee 21 Adjusting the Brightness of the ECD SOLOS cs than aeaee r e 21 Range in which the LCD Monitor can be PROVED oereide ayei ee EE 21 Range in which the LCD Monitor can b moved orn ae eae ce sat asir a aiiis 21 Active SCreeN esssersrsuriresreetrerrrreererarernnareransee 22 Adjusting the Electronic Viewfinder 22 Eyepiece Adjustment cccssccessssesesnees 22 Adjusting the Hand Strap sassercecrerne 23 Attaching the Shoulder Strapaese 23 Remaining Tape cat sti saci aA A 24 Using the Linear Time Counter nascesse 24 Display in Viewfinder or on LCD MONRNON nenas ctea
19. indicator ID is visible inthe viewfinder eee oron the LCD monitor before attempting to put the camcorder into the record mode again FADE Button VIMI ES55LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA E49 Using the Electronic Image Stabilizer wanes The electronic image stabilizer EIS corrects slight shaking of the image being recorded and is effective in the following situations While you zoom to a distant subject While you approach a small subject While you walk around While you record from inside a moving vehicle Press the EIS button The ElSicon appears in the upper left corner of the viewfinder or LCD monitor gt Press the Start Stop button to start recording When EIS is engaged the viewfinder or LCD monitor image shakes with a slight delay Note EIS may not function if you use a wide or tele converter lens Note It is recommended that you do not use the E S function when using atripod TNS sensor 0 EIS Button would detect vibrations from the tripod in which case the picture would be blurred eee es is engaged in the vicinity of the zoom range with ZOOM dis played in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor when moved from the wide angle end the image size will change but this is normal When the EIS function is engaged the pic ture becomes rough When the EIS function is engaged the angle of view at the wide angle end becomes narrower A Using Quick Edit Us
20. ing a poorly lit subject such as in a dim room etc The entire image will be recorded brighter GAIN UP will appear in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor SPOTL IGHT GAIN UP HITACHI Adjusting Playback Pictures Turn the dial to adjust the finer details of playback pictures when viewing playback pictures on TV screen or dubbing recorded scenes Turn the PROGRAM AE dial in the direction of the arrow to select the playback mode O Play back most pictures in this position Luminance hard m Luminance soft Note if the PROGRAM AE dialis setto or B in the camera mode the image being re corded will not change Note When you play back tape with the AE dialsetto amp PT SL Be or 3 it willbe played back in the normal mode Note During playback no mode display will appear in the viewfinder on the LCD monitor or on the connected TV VIM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA E45 Digital Effects Recording ss The digital processor in this camcorder allows you to record picture and add special effects 16x9 recording mode a negative image negative positive mode 400 times digital zoom feature with instant zoom a symmetric image obtained by placing a mirror at the center of the screen half mirror mode an image in mosaic mosaic mode and an oll painting look art mode Note The half mirror recording and mosaic recording functions cannot be used with digital zoom inst
21. is parallel with the camcorder If you were to close the monitor while it faces the same direction as the lens or it is diagonal it could damage the LCD monitor Do not disassemble the LCD monitor as this might cause a malfunction When opening the LCD monitor be careful that no water droplets adhere the monitor screen and that no water or dust enters the camcorder through the gap as it could cause a d E21 Active Screen eee The camcorder automatically brightens the backlight of the LCD monitor when you are recording a bright subject outdoors so that the LCD screen is easy to see Note When you record a bright subject outdoors the camcorder operating time will be less than when recording indoors Note Even if you record outdoors the LCD monitor backlight may not brighten if you are aiming at a dark subject Note While the battery charge indicator Is flashing the Active Screen function will not operate Adjusting the Electronic Viewfinder The electronic viewfinder adjusts simply by piv oting it to a position where it is comfortable and CAUTION Beck eaten t May easy to see through Place the viewfinder back in PO NOt hold the unit by the electronic viewlinder its original position before storing the camcorder in NST COINS Cate COU egos E o its case or carrying the camera recorder around to avoid damaging the viewfinder or camcorder To replace the viewfinder retract the eye cup stem or turn over the eye c
22. of your video product safety is a major factor in the design of every instrurnent But safety is your responsibility too This page lists important information that will help to assure your enjoyment and proper use of a Video camcorder and accessory equipment Please read it carefully before operating your video product and keep it in a handy place for future reference INSTALLATION 1 Read and Follow Instructions All the safety and operating instructions should be read before the video product is operated Follow all operating and use instructions 2 Retain Instructions The safety and operating instruc tions should be retained for future reference 3 Heed Warnings Comply with all warnings on the video product and in the operating instructions 4 Polarized Plug This video product is equipped with a polarized alternating current line plug a plug having one blade wider than the other This plug will fit into the power outlet only one way This is safety feature If you are unable to insert the plug fully into the outlet try reversing the plug If the plug should still fail to fit contact your electrician to replace your obsolete outlet To prevent electric shock do not use this polarized plug with an extension cord recep tacle or other outlet unless the blades can be fully inserted without blade exposure If you need an extension use a polarized cord 5 Power Sources This video product should be operated
23. rain or water d lf the video product does not operate normally by following the operating instructions Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions Improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the video product to its normal operation e ifthe video product has been dropped or the cabinet has been damaged When the video product exhibits a distinct change in perform ance this indicates a need for service hy 419 Replacement Parts When replacement parts are required have the service technician verify that the replacements he uses have the same safety characteristics as the original parts Use of replacements specified by the video product manufacturer can prevent fire electric shock or other hazards 20 Safety Check Upon completion of any service or repairs to this video product ask the service technician to perform safety checks recommended by the manufacturer to deter mine that the video product is in safe operating condition 21 Heat The product should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators heat registers stoves or other products including arnplifiers that produce heat VIV ES55LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA ES Before You Begin Any problems that occur as a result of any of the following conditions will not be covered by our warranty Be careful that no wate
24. review even if you have manually When the active light is on do not allow water to drop on the When the active lig jecting the light to im ight ht is on avoid sub pacts or sharp vibra tions Do not allow the cooling vents to become blocked Also do not cover the active light with paper or other objects since the air flow will be interrupted resulting in possible overheating hazard Never use the active light in the vicinity of explosive or highly inflammable materials After using the active light cool the light section sufficiently before storing the cam corder in the case turned on the light The lamp can only be replaced by a ser vice engineer If the lamp has blown con sul your nearest service center Note The active light will not turn on when the CAM OFF VIDEO switch is set to VIDEO Demonstration Mode This camcorder is equipped with a demonstration mode If you leave the powered camcorder for 10 minutes without a cassette inserted when the date has not been set or the clock battery is dead the camcorder demonsiration mode will start To cancel the demonstration mode Disconnect power from camcorder and reconnect it Insert a cassette If you do not want the camcorder to enter the demonstration mode set the date beforehand E64 HITACHI General Maintenance Cleaning the Camcorder Heads sss Dirt can accumulate on the video heads on the camcor
25. the LCD moni tor Opening the LCD Monitor p21 Press the EJECT button 60 EJECT will appear on the LCD monitor and the cassette Note If TAPE flashes in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor remove the cassette and check thot the tape is not damaged is not slack or no dust adheres to it etc After making sure that there is no abnormality reinsert the cassette If TAPE reappears see Trouble door will open automatically Caution Do not touch the cassette door when a cassette is being loaded or unloaded If your shooting on page 67 Note if ihe tape is near the winding end it may take longer fo load if finger Is caught by the metal section of holder it could be cut Note Cassette cannot be Inserted or elected unless the LCD monitor is open Open the moniter until it is at right angles to the cam Removing a Cassette Press the EJECT button 66 EJECT will appear on the LCD monitor and the cassette door will operrautomatically Remove the cassettes Protecting Recorded Material Protect 8mm cassettes from accidental erasure by sliding the tab on the side of the cassette toward the opposite side until the tab is completely visible Slide the tab in the opposite direction until the tab disappears to record on the cassette again Place the cassette in the cassette holder so that the transparent window faces away from the body of the camcorder and the sprockets
26. 955LA Automatic title recording 100X zoom ratio Video effects 400X digital zoom with instant zoom gt Multi playback PAL60 conversion E Types of differences __VM ESS55A VM H755LA VM H855LA l VM H955LA System Hil HiB HiH Audio monaural monaural monaural stereo LCD monitor size 2 5 inch 2 5 inch 3 0 inch 3 5 inch r E F iran l Active light No Yes Yes Program AE Auto ___Auto Auto Mode select This instruction manual shows the illustrations for the VM H955LA With this camcorder you can view the picture being recorded or the playback picture whether on the LCD monitor or in the viewfinder Opening or closing the LCD monitor switches the picture to appear on the LCD monitor or in the viewfinder The following text describes the operation as suming that the viewfinder is used as a major monitor device VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA E7 ERRES Table of Contents 2 Important Information ssseserssrerireererrenererenre 2 For Your Safely eroieriari inni rnini 2 Important Safeguards essesrererrerereererrerers 4 Before YOU Be Gin ccccsccsessensessneneessaserees 6 Read This PSE ern opterei taeda E a E AEAEE 6 POO COG ici enra e ira 7 Getting Started Components and AcCESSOMIES cceceeeeeteeeeee 9 identifying COntrOlS s sessesseerrsserirrurueerenrrenns 10 Loading Clock and Remote Control Bateries
27. Be sure fo insert the clock battery before creating a title Although a title can be created without the clock battery inserted it will disappear when the battery providing power to the camcorder is removed q Connect the camcorder to a power source pA Hold down the red button on the CAM OFF VIDEO switch and slide it to either CAM or VIDEO 3 Press the TITLE ON OFF button on the remote control and a flashing cursor appears in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor Note f a stored title appears press the PLAY button to display the screen for creating a title Use the STOP button to place the cursor where you wish to begin your title 5 Use the F FWD and REW buttons to select the first character of your title Once you ve selected a character press the STOP button to set it steps 5 and 6 E54 8 When you complete your title press the TITLE ON OFF button on the remote control to store the title in memory and remove the title graphics from the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor Note As long as the correct current time can be displayed the title is held in memory Characters available for your title ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP QRS TU Correcting Errors 1 Press the TITLE ON OFF button on the remote control Use the STOP button to select the character to be corrected Use the F FWD and REW buttons to correct the character Press the TITLE ON OFF button on the remote
28. EABLE PARTS INSIDE THE BATTERY OR AC ADAPTOR THROWING THE BATTERY INTO FIRE OR EXPOSING IT TO EXCESSIVE HEAT ABOVE 140 F 60 C ae MAY GAUSEINSURY SHORTING THE BATTERY S TERMINAL INCREASES RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRICAL SHOCK E17 Checking the Battery s Charge es A battery charge indicator is located on the upper tight corner of fhe viewfinder or LCD moni tor One of six symbols displays when the battery is used Note The battery charge indicator does not appear when the camcorder is powered by the AC adaptor Full 0 55 00 ram et This flashing symbol indi kh 4 Y M 7 cates a battery nearly out of Fo ge A power Use an alternative power source or charge the battery before continuing to use the camcorder Knowing Remaining Battery Power Time lf you use the VM BPL3O lithium ion battery optional to power the camcorder you can find ing out how much camcorder operating time remains with the battery The VM BPL30 measures the battery consumption calculates the remaining battery time and displays it in minutes in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor Since the camcorder power consumption varies according to how frequently autofocusing or zooming is used the displayed time may decrease or increase several minutes at a time or may not change for some time Note The remaining battery time will appear 10 15 seconds after the CAM OFF VIDEO s
29. F VIDEO switch and slide it to either CAM or VIDEO 3 Press the TITLE ON OFF button on the remote control A flashing cursor will appear in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor and the camcorder will enter the title creating mode Creating a Title on next page 4 Press the PLAY button HAPPY BIRTHDAY will appear You can choose the desired language of the dis played title by pressing the PLAY button as in the following order t Title creation mode Spanish VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA Use the FFWD or REW button to select a desired title Stored titles Prememo available lt English gt lt French gt HAPPY BIRTHDAY BON ANNIVERSAIRE MERRY CHRISTMAS JOYEUX NOEL CONGRATULATIONS FELICITATIONS THE SUPERSTAR SUPERSTAR VACATION FUN VACANCES THANKSGIVING THANKSGIVING HAPPY EASTER JOYEUSES PAQUES ANNIVERSARY ANNIVERSAIRE HAPPY NEW YEAR BONNE ANNEE lt Spanish gt FELIZ CUMPLEANOS FELICIDADES EL PROTAGONISTA FELIZ NAVIDAD VACACIONES ANIVERSARIO FELIZ ANO NUEVO SEMANA SANTA FIESTA 6 After you have selected the title press the TITLE ON OFF button The selected title will be stored in memory and then disappear E53 Creating a Title A title contains two lines of up to 16 characters per line The camcorder contains 79 different characters for creating a title Note
30. HITACHI Instruction Manual EJ Fi fl 8mm Video Camcorder FEY Video Camcorder VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA VM H955LA HITACHI HOME ELECTRONICS HITACHI HSC CANADA INC AMERICA INC 6740 Campobello Road 1855 Dornoch Court Mississauga Ontario L5N 2L8 San Diego California 92173 CANADA Tel 619 661 3441 Tel 905 821 4545 Thank you for buying a Hitachi product Please take time to become familiar with the manual and how it is set up Keep it handy for future reference QR30891 Hitachi Ltd 1999 Printed in Japan KK H N Important Information For Your Safety The CAM OFF VIDEO switch turns the camcorder on and off leaving the date time feature unaffec ted If the unit is to be left unattended for a long period of time turn the camcorder off and close the lens door F EXPOSE THIS UNIT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE WARNING TO PREVENT FIRE OR SHOCK HAZARD DO NOT ies p mats m 4 WARNING TO PREVENT FIRE OR SHOCK HAZARD USE THE REC OMMENDED ACCESSORIES ONLY The camcorderand AG adaptor have the follow ing caution marks h CAUTION identifications of gadila ee RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN This symbol warns the user that unin sulated voltage within the unit may have sufficient magnitude to cause electrical shock Therefore it is danger ous to make any kind of contact with any inside part of this unit This symbol alert
31. JE mb 0 To AC Outlet Charging will start within five seconds During charging the CHARGE indicator of the cam corder will flash or light to give you a reference of the charged level Note If the CHARGE indicator flashes once every two seconds the battery could be defective Note The CHARGE indicator will not light at all when the AC adaptor is defective Note You can use the battery before It is com pletely charged Note When charging is complete the CHARGE indicator on the camcorder will light IF the fully charged battery is removed and then reattached the camcorder will again enter the charge mode and the CHARGE indi cator will flash It will take a few minutes for the camcorder to enter the charge complete status Note Charging at low temperatures will decrease charge capacity _ After charging is complete disconnect the AC adaptor DC plug from the camcorder 6 Disconnect the AC plug from the AC outlet 7 Detach the battery from the camcorder Note Always remove the battery from the camcorder after use Note Charging is not done when the CAM OFF VIDEO switch of the camcorder is set fo CAM or VIDEO However if recording pause continues for more than 5 minutes in the CAM mode the camcorder will automatically turn off after which charging will start Note if the DC plug Is disconnected when the battery is attached and the CAM OFF VIDEO switch is set fo CAM or VIDEO the camcorder will tu
32. M H955LA E69 Rico Fach a Accessories Add Excitement We know that once you discover how much your Hitachi VM E amp 55LA VM H758LA VM H855LA VM HY55LA can add to your life you will want to use these accessories for even more excitement Converter lenses and car cords are just a few of the matching accessories available to you from Hitachi Hitachi takes you to wherever your imagination leads Available Accessories T aea an S a a aT ee PARTS NO APPEARANCE PURPOSE PARTS NO APPEARANCE PURPOSE CASSETTE TAPE RE CONVERTER UNIT To connect l i your cam _ VM cordertoa P6 1208RG l RF86A R television with RF antenna connector CAR BATTERY CORD DC CORD De power SVA50 shooting unit CC80A camcorder for mounting KIT me f it camcorder using cigarette lighter socket ae Rechargeable Rechargeabie VM BPL13 Li ion battery BPI Li lon battery 1350MAh belied 2700mAN Type Type Rechargeable Rechargeable VM BPL30 Li ion battery 7 Li ion battery 3000MAN YMBER 6000mAR Type Type FILTER KIT VM FL60K Filters for spe cial effects Filters and lens pieces for ND VM FL46K fiter and MC protector a i CONVERSION EDIT REMOTE LENS SET Add on lenses CONTROL pela ae VM for telephoto VM dubbing on a CLI2ZTW 1 4 amp wide RM20EDA tape in any VCR angle 0 7 which can viewing resp
33. VM H755LA VM H855LA VM HS55LA E15 The first step Is to set the battery for charging To charge the battery attach if to the camcorder and connect the VM ACESA AC adaptor Charge the battery at a temperature range of 50 F 10 C 86 F 80 C to prevent damage to the battery Note This camcorder operates with a lithium ion battery such as VM BPL13 VM BPL27 VM BPL30 VM BPL6O Note We cannot be responsible for any malfunctions of the camcorder which occur when you use bot tery packs other than those specified CHARGE Indicator Charge the battery on a flat surface this Is free of vibration Make sure the CAM OFF VCR switch is set to OFF position VIDEO OFF CAM 2 Attach the battery pack to the camcorder Align the bottom of the battery with mark on the camcorder so that the battery fits into the grooves Then slide the battery down ward as illustrated N Mark gt Note Always attach a battery only by the pro cedure described here Attaching a battery forcibly could damage ft 3 Plug the AC adaptor power cord into an AC outlet Make sure that the wide blade fits into the wide slot If it doesn t fit try reversing it If the blades still do not fit fully into the outlet either contact an electrician to replace your obsolete outlet or use a polarized cord or outlet access ory Connect the AC adaptor DC plug to the DC IN jack of the camcorder E16 To DCIN Jack A
34. ant zoom or image stabilizer function Each time the EFFECTS button is pressed the recording mode is switched f 6x9 a NEGPOS 16X9 Mode Negative Positive Mode X400 Digital Zoom Mode 4 Normal Mode Art Mode Mosaic Mode Half mirror Mode E46 HITACHI Activating Digital Effects Recording 1 Place the camcorder in the record pause mode 2 Press the EFFECTS button to select the digital effects record mode you want 16x9 16x9 Mode The picture format can be switched from 4 3 the picture format of an ordinary TV set to 16x9 The top and bottom of the picture in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor become black bars Normal Mode 16X9 Mode NEGPOS Negative Positive Mode The image in the viewfinder or on the LCD moni tor will become negative Normal Mode Negative Positive Mode ZM 2 x400 Digital Zoom Mode Slide and hold the power zoom control to the T side until you reach your desired magnification rsa H r ORDA M Od Saaai Zoom Mode This function can magnify an image up to 400 times when instant zoom is used at the same time MIRROR Half mirror Mode The image in the viewfinder or on the LCD moni tor will change to a symmetric image on the left and right obtained by placing a mirror at the center of the screen Note This function cannot be used with digital zoom instant zoom or image stabilizer function Note The subject image w
35. attery charge indicator Cm may not match the remaining battery time display in minutes in this case refer to the remaining time display when using the camcorder To display the correct remaining battery time on camcorder Fully charge the battery before use Turn the camcorder on and leave it pointing at a still subject for about 30 seconds Do not move the camcorder during this time If display does not change some time open and close the LCD monitor while you are using the camcorder HITACHI Camcorder Power Sources SSC You can use the charged battery pack AC adaptor provided or car battery cord optional to power the camcorder After use be sure fo remove the power supply Using Battery Pack Attach the charged battery pack to the cam corder See pages 16 and 17 for attachment and charging of battery pack Using the AC Adaptor Please ensure that the CAM OFF VIDEO switch is in the OFF position whenever attaching or detaching any power supply ie battery AC adaptor etc To DC IN Jack 1 Plug the AC adaptor power cord into an AC outlet Make sure that the wide blade fits into the wide slot If it doesn t fit try reversing it If you still cannot make fit the blades fully into the outlet either contact an electrician to replace your obsolete outlet or use a polarized cord or outlet accessory P Connect the DC plug of the AC adaptor to the DC IN jack of the camcorder Us
36. attery pack is shortened due to the power consumption of the active light Active Lig LIGHT Switch active light when carrying as this could cause a malfunction S CAM OFF VIDEO Switch 3 After use set the LIGHT switch to OFF or set the CAM OFF VIDEO switch of the camcorder to OFF position CAUTIONS lt During operation and or after use of the active light the front surface and lamp of the light will be very hot To avoid burns or hair damage do not touch them with your hand Make sure that a fully charged battery pack is attached Set the CAM OFF VIDEO switch to CAM and then set the LIGHT switch to AUTO when required Note When the LIGHT switch is set to ON the active light will turn on whenever you make a recording LW CAUTION Do not hold the Unit Dy Te pcan Note If the LIGHT switch is set to AUTO the active light may not turn on immediately Note if tne active light turns on for more than 5 minutes with the light switch set fo AUTO or ON when the camcorder is in the record pause mode the camcorder and light will automatically turn off In such a case turn the camcorder on again Note If the LIGHT switch is set to AUTO and the camcorder is pointed at a white subject with high reflectivity in a dark place from a short dis tance the active light may turn on or off In this case set the LIGHT switch to ON Note The active light will turn off during quick edit or
37. bject 1 5 times regardless of zooming engaged by the power zoom Tand W controls Press the INST ZOOM button I ZOOM appears at the left of the viewfinder or LCD moni tor and the picture is magnified 1 5 times Note To return to the original zoom position press the INST ZOOM button so that I ZOOM disappears from the viewfinder or LCD monitor Note This instant zoom has certain limitations and may degrade at extreme magnification and amplify camcorder s movement Using Macro This function allows you to shoot subjects as close as 3 8 inches 1cm Press and hold the power zoom control W The camera focuses on the subject automatically Check your lighting as it tends to be insufficient when filming close up VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA INST ZOOM Button i gt A b ul ih E31 You can view recorded pictures on the LCD monitor immediately after recording Note Make sure that PAL60 does not appear in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor If it is displayed no color will appear in the played back picture Muli Playback p40 Information for VM H955LA Use the AE dial to adjust the finer details of playback pictures Using PROGRAM AE Dial p44 PLAY Button REW REVIEW Button FFWD Button STOP Button Open the LCD monitor and then adjust the angle of the monitor Opening the LCD Monitor p21 p Hold down the red
38. button on the CAM OFF VIDEO switch while sliding the switch to VIDEO 3 Press the REW REVIEW button to rewind the tape For fast forwarding the tape press F FWD Press the PLAY button and play back the tape To adjust the volume press the FOCUS VOL control buttons When either button is pressed the volume adjustment display will appear on the LCD monitor for about 5 seconds Press amp to increase the volume or press W to decrease it After 5 seconds the adjustment display will FOCUS VOL Control Buttons ssena FE IOC OSE TAS SOURAVOIUMG OfAAS GOUP prenas corder when you play back a recording by connecting the camcorder to your TV If the volume of the camcorder is set to maximum the played back picture may be distorted Make sure that the volume is not set to maxi mum during recording as it could distort the played back picture Note When the LCD monitor is turned on and left as it is the monitor becomes warm but this does not indicate a fault Note When the CAM OFF VIDEO switch is set to CAM or VIDEO the LCD monitor is turned on and off automatically when the LCD monitor is opened and closed Note it is recommended that you close the LCD monitor to save the battery power when playing back a picture on aTV without viewing it Note Only the playback sound is heard The sound being recorded is not heard Note No sound is heard when the LCD monitor is closed To Play Back a Tape with the Viewfinder
39. control to store the corrected title in memory HITACHI Recording Title on a Tape in the Camcorder 1 Hold down the red button on the CAM OFF VIDEO switch while sliding the switch to CAM 2 Locate the point of the tape where you wish to record the title Using Quick Edit p50 Press the TITLE ON OFF button on the remote control Use the PLAY button to select the title the title you have created or the existing title in cam corder you have memorized on page 53 you wish to record 5 Press the Start Stop button to start recording the title 6 Press the TITLE ON OFF button on the remote control to stop recording the title The title graphics disappear from the viewfinder or LCD monitor and the camcorder can record nor mally Recording a Title while Transferring a Tape 1 Connect the camcorder to the VCR p56 2 Press the TITLE ON OFF button on the remote control to turn title on Use the PLAY button to select the title from memory 4 Press the TITLE ON OFF button to turn title off 5 Turn on the VCR and set it to record Hold down the red button on the CAM OFF VIDEO switch while sliding the switch to VIDEO Press PLAY on the camcorder Note Create and store your titie before an event you plan to record Just press the TITLE ON OFF button on the remote control to super impose the tite over the scene as you record ff This method avoids erasing previously recorded material which will happen when you r
40. ction when you use the camcorder s wire function in strong light such as direct sunlight or less remote control very bright artificial ighting Note Clear a direct path from the wireless remote control to the infrared receiver The wireless remote control won t work if an ob stacie blocks the infrared rays Creating and Recording a Title The titling function allows you to select one of nine titles stored in camcorder memory or create a new title and record it You can choose from three languages to display the stored titles English French and Spanish Select or create a title and personalize your recordings while at the same time keeping a permanent visual record of what is contained on a tape When creating and recording a title use the TITLE ON OFF button on the remote control When cre ating a title in the CAM mode the DATE DISP button of the camcorder can be used instead of the TITLE ON OFF button on the remote control QO TITLE should be displayed in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor at this time STOF Button REW Button TITLE ON OFF Button E52 E FWD Button HITACHI Selecting Stored Title Prememo Note Be sure to insert the clock battery before selecting a title Although a title can be chosen without the clock battery inserted if will disap pear when the battery providing power to the camcorder is removed q Connect the camcorder to a power source Hold down the red button on the CAM OF
41. de the center of Gxeexereeye Objects with little difference the viewfinder or LCD moni tor Objects at different distances in light reflection such as a white wall Rapidly moving objects in the center of the view finder or LCD monitor Brightly lit objects such as a neon light objects lit by spot light etc Dark objects Objects behind water Note ae the aos i you ee the pe oan Oe aroase eeaeee ATO focus with subiects that are 3 3 feet sa i dusty glass 100 cm away from the lens and further away to infinity With the W zoom control you can use the auto focus with subjects 3 8 inches icm away from tne lens and further away to infinity VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA E29 Using Manual Focus ee Press the FOCUS VOL control buttons simul taneously FOCUS displays in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor You can adjust the focus manually Use the power zoom T control to zoom up com pletely to your subject If you don t use the T control to zoom to the picture you want the pic ture may fall out of focus when actual recording starts Press the FOCUS VOL control A far or near button until the subject is in focus Use the power zoom W control to zoom back to the picture you desire Note To return to auto focus press the FOCUS VOL control buttons and the FOCUS disap pears from the viewfinder or LCD monitor FOCUS VOL Control Buttons Using
42. der causing the playback picture to become blurred or appear as if video information is lost This often means that the video heads are dirty Use a video head cleaner such as a dry type head cleaning tape to clean the heads If after cleaning the heads the picture does not clear up consult your nearest dealer or VCR service center for professional head cleaning Cleaning the Lens and Picture Tube of the Electronic Viewfinder ons The lens of the electronic viewfinder can be user cleaned if dust dirt or other foreign matter adheres to it 1 Pull out the eye cup to the Turn the eye cup 3 Clean the picture tube face position where a mark can counterclockwise until it and lens To prevent be seen up to a half where stops then pull it out to scratching use a soft non it is pulled out all the remove abrasive cloth swab or way The side with the lens cleaning paper mark should be up Face the rib up as shown Turn the eye cup clock above and push the eye wise until it stops then cup in until it stops push it in all the way VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA E65 Perio dic M ainten Ol a ON AEREE ERER EEEE ER E E A precision electromechanical device the Hitachi VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H9S55LA requires maintenance after a period of normal use We expect that no maintenance other than head cleaning will be required during the period of warranty unless the camcorder is used eit
43. e LCD monitor leave the monitor open If you want to view the picture in the viewfinder close the LCD monitor Note Pull out the eye cup all the way when using the viewfinder 3 Press the red button on the CAM OFF VIDEO switch as you slide it to CAM The lens door will open automatically II appears in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor and the camcorder is now ready to record en When you are ready to record press the Start Stop button REC appears and the camcorder records or the picture you see in the REC viewfinder or on the LCD monitor To stop recording press the Start Stop button and REC disappears from the viewfinder or LCD monitor replaced by II This places the camcorder in standby After recording slide the CAM OFF VIDEO corder Note If the LCD monitor is opened or closed the monitor picture is switched between the viewfinder and LCD monitor during recording the on screen display will disappear for about one second It ls recommended that you do not switch the picture during recording as the date or title superimposed in the picture being recorded will disappear for about one second Note if the LCD monitor is opened or closed during recording several white stripes may appear in the picture but this does not indi cate a fault However these stripes are record ed with the picture so it is recommended that you do not close or open the LCD monitor dur ing record
44. e and time and create a title Creating and Recording a Title p52 12 BATTERY Release Lever Releases the battery attached to camcorder 13 Charge Indicator When the battery is being charged this indicator will flash or light to show the charged level as a ref erence Charging the Battery p16 14 Electronic Viewfinder 15 Diopter Control To use the electronic viewfinder pull the eye cup all the way and then turn this control for your opti mum focus adjustment Eyepiece Adjustment p22 16 PROGRAM AE Dial only for VM H955LA Use this dial to select the exposure that suits the subject condition Turn the dial to select the desired recording mode you can record scenes with the exposure according to the mode Using the PRO GRAM AE Dial p44 During playback this dial can also be used to adjust the finer details of playback pictures See page 45 for details VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA 17 Power Supply Attachment Section Attach the battery here Charging the Battery p16 18 AUDIO VIDEO Output Jacks Behind the jack cover Use this jack to connect the camcorder to a VCR or television Playing Back Your Recording p34 36 Dubbing from the camcorder to a VCR p56 Connect the yellow plug of the audio video cable to the yellow jack VIDEO OUT and the white plug to the white jack AUDIO OUT 19 DC IN Jack Plug in the AC adaptor he
45. e quick edit to search for the end of previously REW REVIEW Button recorded material find a particular spot on your tape begin editing or record new material While the camera is in record pause mode hold down F FWD Button gt ee the FFWD REW REVIEW or PLAY button and i visually search the tape Release the button and the camcorder stops the tape at the exact position you selected Note If the F FWD or REW REVIEW button is pressed for quick edit noise will appear in the viewfiner on the LCD monitor or on the con nected TV Attaching the Optional Wide or Tele Converter Lens lt Screw the lens into the threads on the camcorder lens assembly Note If ihe tele conversion lens optional is attached over the lens the four corners of the image will be missing in the wide angle pos ition Use zoom in the telephoto position E50 HITACHI The date search function memorizes the start and end positions of recordings you made on a specific day so you can easily locate those positions later as long as the cassette is left in the camcorder Note Be sure that the date and time are set q Attach a power source and slide the CAM Note If you have ejected the cassette this OFF VIDEO switch to VIDEO function will not operate with that cassette Press the DATE DISP button the DISPLAY When a cassette is inserted and the recording is started the position is identified as the record ing start position on that da
46. e the cassette and set tne CAM OFF VIDEO switch fo OFF then wail for about one hour Remove the cassette and then try to reinsert remove it several times If the indication is stii shown in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor use a cleaning tape to clean the heads and replace the cassette VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM HS55LA E67 Bed Specifications General Specifications Power requirements Power consumption Dimensions OB Weight Operating temperature Storage temperature 411 16 Wx 4 1 16 Hx 7 1 8 D 7 2V DC VM E555LA 3 4W when recording LCD monitor OFF 4 3W when recording LCD monitor ON VM H755LA 3 5W when recording LCD monitor OFF 4 6W when recording LCD monitor ON VM H855LA 3 8W when recording LCD monitor OFF 5 0W when recording LCD monitor ON VM H955LA 4 1W when recording LCD monitor OFF 5 1W when recording LCD monitor ON 118 5 mm x 102 5 mm x 181 mm VM E555LA 1 87 lbs approx 850g without battery pack and cassette VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA 1 94 Ibs approx 880g without battery pack and cassette 32 F 104 F 0 C 40 C 4 F 140 F 20 C 60 C Video Recorder Specifications Format Record playback Video signal Tape speed Video output Audio output Fast forward rewind time Camera Specifications Scanning Required minimum illumination Pickup device Lens Lens diameter E68 8mm Two video r
47. ecord playback heads EIA standard NTSC color 14 3 mm sec 1 0 Vp p 75 ohm 7 8 dBs 316mVrms Less than 8 minutes with P6 120 cassette 525 lines 60 fields 30 frames 0 5 lux 1 4 C CD F1 6 3 8 4 88 mm 22 1 power zoom lens with auto focus and auto iris functions 46mm HITACHI For U S A only HITACHI 0 To locate an authorized HITACHI service facility in the continental U S A DIAL TOLL FREE 7 days a week 24 hours a day E00 HLVACKL 1 800 448 2244 Hitachi Home Electronics America Inc Hitachi has made every effort to assure you hours of trouble free operation from your unit However should you require Service a network of Hitachi Authorized Service Facilities has been establi ished in all 50 states and Puerto facility will provide you with convenient and expedient assistance Our service Hotline operator will direct you to the Hitachi Authorized Service Facility nearest you Just present proof of purchase and or delivery receipts to the Hitachi Authorized Service Facility and service will be rendered in accordance with the terms of the limited warranty as stated on your warranty card or operating guide Should you have any questions regarding in warranty service operation or technical assistance please contact Hitachi Home Electronics America Inc 1855 Dornoch Court San Diego California 92173 Te 619 661 3441 VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA V
48. ecord a tile on a previously recorded tape 6 Press the TITLE ON OFF button on the remote control at the point on the tape where you wish to record the title Press the TITLE ON OFF button on the remote control again to stop recording the title Note Recording the fitle during tape transfer will erase a portion of your recorded material VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA E55 Dubbing from the Camcorder to d VCR seresa Connect the camcorder to a VCR to copy your or a friend s home 8mm recordings fo VHS For VM E55SLA VM H755LA VM H855LA Camcorder Play VCR Record To VIDEO OUT ae r RE ERT Y H To VIDEO IN amp To AUDIO IN eee To AUDIO OUT Yellow White a amp White Audio Video Output Cable provided To S VIDEO To AUDIO IN Black White Audio Video Output Cable provided To AUDIO OUT White To Audio Video Output Jack For VM H955LA VCR Record To VIDEO IN L J To AUDIO IN L RY Yellow H White Red A S VIDEO Audio Video Output Cable Black provided To Audio Video Output Jack E56 HITACHI 1 Connect your camcorder to the VCR following Note If the VCR is connected to a television Playing Back Your Recording on Your TV on a
49. een display on the LCD monitor will also be as if reflected on a mirror Note Tilt the LCD monitor in the direction of the camera lens so that it faces up slightly and the Press the START STOP button on the remote con screen may be viewed easily trol and the camcorder will begin recording E42 HITACHI eee R Date Recording ss When the date has been set the camcorder will enter the automatic date recording mode auto matically DATE DISP f f A l KA BE EN Start Stop Butt A CAM OFE VIDEO Switch Press the red button on the CAM OFF VIDEO Note When OTITLE is displayed in the view switch as you slide it to CAM finder or on the LCD monitor the title cannot Press the DATE DISP button to specify the be turned on or off using the remote control date display you want to record Date Date Recording The camcorder records the date with the picture AUTO and Date Automatic Date Jai pee PEE COEeS ME QALE WIINTOE picture Recording This option records the date automatically once a day at the beginning of recording for 10 sec onds 417 57 20900 No Display No Date Recording a SaS The camcorder does not record the date Note The camcorder records the same date i when the cassette is replaced you select QAUTO and date display ee eee again Date and Time Date and Time the recording is less than 10 seconds long Recording Note If the date chang
50. eiedalabedivaaeess 24 Switching the Display cccesscseeseecsers 2D Setting the Date and TIME ssessceccereen 26 Basic Techniques Making a Basic Recording cccceeceerss 28 Using Instant REVIOW c cccccccccssceerseeserecsers 28 Using Auto FOCUS e essserserreeresssrnersurirersorensra 29 Using Manual Focus asssseersrerrrrereerrererereers 30 Using the Power ZOOM eesesssrerereensrrererrresrs 30 Using the Digital ZOOM csscccssserecerrees 30 Using the INST ZOOM instant Zoom BEE EE eae eric tanh iy cs cers cheer E dite 31 Using Macra orea tacos e oieee itita ian 31 E8 Playback ecen tie aie Gielen 32 EISHAG Stl aradr a aoe Using Forward and Reverse Search 33 Playing Back Your Recording n Your TN aeiaaeeo 34 Connecting to a Television with a VCR Attache adii oora r a a 34 Connecting to a Television with Audio In and Video In Jacks sessen 36 Connecting to a Television without Audio In and Video In Jacks wee 38 Video Effects in Playback Mode 005 39 Multi PI AY Dd Gaus cavvaesenetystvixcsicnccn stasse ileus AO Advanced Techniques Changing the Angle of the LCD Monitor when Recording eessssrsrrrrsrsrssrersrreerrernsenenne 42 Date Recording ssessesssrerseesenrecornsnennrnrrennere 43 Using the PROGRAM AE Dial only for VM HI55 LAJ erriren ar iia 44 Recording by Selecting Recording 5106 6 IEEE TTA 44 Adjusting Playback Pictures sesser 45 Digital Effects Recording cceccceeereees
51. elevision with Audio In and Video In Jacks z For VM ESS5LA VM H755LA VM H855LA oe To VIDEO OUT X lt 4 tt a uA a Yell To VIDEOIN a To AUDIOIN ene To AUDIO OUT Yellow White White A es White Audio Video Output Cable provided To S VIDEO To AUDIO IN Black White Audio Video Output Cable provided To AUDIO OUT ete To Audio Video Output Jack 20 pin S Cable provided For VM H955LA To VIDEO IN Q E To AUDIO IN L R Yellow G White Red Audio Video Output Cable provided S VIDEO Black To Audio Video Output Jack E36 HITACHI STOP Button CAM OFF VIDEO Switch PLAY Button 1 Connect the provided audio video output cable 2 Connect the other ends of the cable to the to the AUDIO IN and VIDEO IN jacks of your AUDIO OUT and VIDEO OUT jacks VM television E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA or to the Note for VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA Audio Video output jack VM H955LA of the lf your television has two stereo AUDIO IN camcorder jacks connect the audio plug to the lefi chan Insert a previously recorded cassette into the nel AUDIO IN Jack camcorder Note for VM H755LA VM H855LA Some tele Turn on your television and set to the cam vision nave an VIDEO IN jack Connect the provided 20 pin 5 cabie
52. es while recording The camcorder records the date and time with continues over 10 seconds the new date is ihe picture all the time recorded forabouttOseconds the nex tme mmm nmam you make a recording OTINTLE and Date Automatic Title and Date Recording This option records the date and selected title or 117 LBA created title see Creating and Recording a Title p52 automatically once a day at the 3 Press the Start Stop button beginning of recording for 10 seconds Recording will start Note When QAUTO and date display is selected the date disappears about 10 sec onds after recoding is started OTITLE Note When QOTITLE and date display is L oe j selected the tie and date disappear about 10 seconds after recoding is stored HAPPY BIRTHDAY VM ES555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA E43 Using the PROGRAM AE Dial only for VM H955LA messa This camcorder can easily set the shutter speed and aperture to sult the subject condition recording situation or purpose as well as adjusting all of these according to the subject brightness conventional program AE Turn the PROGRAM AE dial to select the recording mode according to the subject to be recorded and the recording conditions During playback turn the dial to adjust the finer details of playback pictures Recording by Selecting Recording Mode PROGRAM AE Dial Turn the PROGRAM AE dial during recording pause to se
53. excessive force and uneven sur faces may cause the appliance and cart combination to overturn HITACHI 42 Outdoor Antenna Grounding ifan outside antenna or cable system is connected to the video product be sure the antenna or cable system is grounded so as to provide some protection against voltage surges and built up static charges Section 810 of the National Electrical Code ANSI NFPA No 70 pro vides information with respect to proper grounding of the mast and supporting structure grounding of the lead in wire to an antenna dis charge unit size of grounding conductors location of antenna dis charge unit connection to grounding electrodes and requirements for the grounding electrode See example below EXAMPLE OF ANTENNA GROUNDING ANTENNA 7 LEAD IN WIRE fe eR OUND CLAMP L ANTENNA DISCHARGE UNIT NEC SECTION 810 20 pe TS GROUNDING CONDUCTORS En p Se Cee NEC SECTION 810 21 gt lt Bere GROUND CLAMPS ELECTRIC SERVICE EQUIPMENT POWER SERVICE GROUNDING ELECTRODE SYSTEM INEC ART 250 PART H NEC NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE 43 Power Lines An outside antenna system should not be located in the vicinity of overhead power lines or other electric light or power circuits or where it can fall into such power lines or circuits When installing an outside antenna system extreme care should be taken to keep from touching or approaching such power lines or circuits as c
54. f reflected on a mirror If the LCD monitor is closed with the screen facing to the side the mirror image will change to a normal image when the LCD monitor has been closed about 45 also the viewfinder will turn off or VIDEO CAM OFE VIDEO Switch Cautions on LCD Monitor Screen Use the brightness control buttons to adjust the brightness of the LCD screen When either but ton is pressed the brightness control display will appear on the LCD monitor for about 5 sec onds Press A to increase brightness or W to decrease it After 5 seconds the adjustment dis Range in which the LCD Monitor can be moved Viewed from Top VM ES55LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA Do not touch the LCD screen with your fingers as the screen could get dirty and the picture will not be seen clearly If the LCD screen becomes dirty use a soft cloth to wipe off the dirt If the camcorder is used in a cold place and becomes too cold the LCD screen will be dim for a while after the power is turned on When the temperature inside the camcorder rises the brightness of the picture will become normal Do not hold by the LCD monitor as this could cause a malfunction Open the LCD monitor by 90 before changing its direction If you were to attempt to invert its direction before opening it completely it could cause a malfunction The LCD monitor cannot be closed if it is tilted Close the LCD monitor after making sure it
55. g play LCD monitor back only Note Depending on the state of the tape Q 21 22M recorded the PAL60 button may not operate normally Note The RF converter unit cannot be used during muli playback PAL60 output Note The PAL60 mode will be released when the camcorder is turned off 6 When playback is finished set the CAM OFEF VIDEO switch to OFF position VIVI ES55LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA E41 Advanced Techniques The Hitachi VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H9S5LA offers a diverse group of features that add interest and excitement to your video Adding fades to smooth transitions creates video with a pro fessional look As you learn and practice with these features think of situations that they might fit in and add a special touch Changing the Angle of the LCD Monitor when Recording sea ee You can change the angle of the LCD monitor so that the picture on the LCD screen can be monitored from different positions See LCD Monitor p21 for the range in which you can change the angle of the LCD monitor Note You need the remote control to operate the camcorder Recording an Image of Yourself while Monitoring the LCD Screen Open the LCD monitor Opening the LCD Monitor p21 Turn the LCD monitor so the monitor screen faces the same direction as the lens Note When you record an image of yourself the image displayed on the LCD monitor will become a miror image The on scr
56. he video effect modes during playback include 16x9 Art and Sepia EFFECTS Button Each time the EFFECTS button is pressed in the playback or play pause mode the playback mode will switch as follows 16x9 ART 16X9 Mode Art Mode Activating Video Effects Playback Press the red button on the CAM OFF VIDEO SEPIA Sepia Mode The entire picture will be sepia switch as you slide it to VIDEO 2 Play the tape or set the camcorder to the play pause mode Press the EFFECTS button to select the video effect playback mode 16x9 16x9 Mode The top and bottom of the picture will be black bars Normal Mode 16X9 Mode ART Art Mode The entire picture will take on the look of an oil painting Normal Mode Art Mode VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA Sepia Mode 38 Normal Mode Note To switch the mode or return to the nor mal picture during tape dubbing temporarily ovo StOPthe dubbing canc press tae EFEECTS BUtOR jenn Note When tape stops the normal picture will be restored E39 Multi Playback essa This camcorder can convert an NISC recorded tape into PAL60 format signal PAL60 is a special output signal format with which a PAL TY can be used fo view a tape recorded on an NTSC recorder Connecting to a PAL Television For VM ES55LA VM H755LA VM H855LA l CCAR A ae e
57. her heavily or seldom Defective parts are covered by the warranty Normal maintenance is the responsibility of the owner Consult your dealer or local VCR service center for recommendations regarding normal main tenance based on your use patterns location and the age of the camcorder Se eee ee eee eee ee ee ee ee A AEE A ate ee ae Troubleshooting aeee Sluality is very important at Hitachi We inspect and check every camcorder carefully at the factory under the most rigid quality control and inspection systems If problems develop please check the fol lowing possible solutions before inquiring about professional service INSERTING OR REMOVING THE CASSETTE Cassette holder cannot be opened when you press Connect the power source the EJECT button Cassette cannot be inserted into cassette compart Load cassette in direction indicated by arrow on ment cassette Cassette window must be toward outside be a CAMERA RECORDING Symptom Check Point amp Correction Picture does not appear in the viewfinder or on the Slide the CAM OFF VIDEO switch to CAM LCD monitor ey oie ee ce a ee ea ee ee a a eee The camcorder cannot go into the recording mode Check the record protect tab on the cassette See even when the Start Stop button is pressed page 20 for details Slide the CAM OFF VIDEO switch to CAM Picture is out of focus Make sure that FOCUS does not appear
58. hould not be placed in a builtirrinstallation such as bookcase or rack untess proper vente lation is provided or the video product manufacturer s instructions have been followed G Attachments Do not use attachments unless recommended by the video product manufacturer as they may cause hazards Caution Maintain electrical safety Powerline operated equipment or accessories connected to this unit should bear the UL listing mark or CSA certification mark on the accessory itself and should not have been modified so as to defeat the safety features This will help avoid any potential hazard from electric shock or fire If in doubt contact qualified service personnel 10 Water and Moisture Do not use this video product near water for example near a bath tub wash bowl kitchen sink or laundry tub in a wet basement or near a swimming pool and the like 11 Accessories Do not place this video product on an un stable cart stand tripod bracket or table The video product may fall causing serious injury to a child or adult and serious damage to the appliance Use only with a cart stand tripod bracket or table recommended by the manufacturer or sold with the video product Any mounting of the product should follow the manufacturer s instructions and should use a mounting accessory recommended by the manufacturer 11A An appliance and cart combination should be moved with care Quick stops
59. ill be compressed In the horizontal direction and narrow slightly VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA Half mirror Mode Normal Mode MOSAIC Mosaic Mode The image in the viewfinder or on the LCD moni tor will be in mosaic Note This function cannot be used with digital zoom instant zoom or image stabilizer function Note The subject image will be compressed in the horizontal direction and narrow slightly fF eh p Aon EES 4 seni gf ae to Mosaic Mode m Normal Mode ART Art Mode The image in the viewfinder or on the LCD moni tor will take on the look of an oil painting Normal Mode Art Mode 3 Press the Start Stop button to start recording To release digital effects recording repeat edly press the EFFECTS button in the record pause mode until the normal mode is E47 sat U si n g Di g ital F a a AEAEE EERS Use the fade feature to add a professional touch to your recordings Use the FADE button to select one of the six fade options Note lf you press the EFFECTS button after setting the fade function the fade function will be released After setting the digital effect mode reset the fade function White fade Fades in from a white screen or fades out to a white screen gf appears in the upper left corner of the viewfinder or LCD monitor wa pade Outan Wipe fade The picture opens gradually from the center of
60. in the Auto focus does not operate viewfinder or on the LCD monitor If it is displayed press FOCUS VOL control buttons to erase it Auto Focus does not operate if a special effects fil ter is attached or the objects shown on page 29 are being recorded The created tite does not appear Insert the clock battery then create a Title F TT Do not remove the clock battery after creating a title When the stored title pbrememo Is displayed in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor press the PLAY button E66 HITACHI PLAYBACK OF PRERECORDED CASSETTE Symptom Check Point amp Correction The PLAY button cannot be engaged Setthe CAM OFF VIDEO switch to VIDEO No picture appears on television screen when The Set the television to the camcorder channel 3 or 4 PLAY button Is pressed TV is connected tothe cam depending upon the selected channel in the RF corder by using RF converter unit channel select switch of RF converter unit i Interference on playback picture TV is connected When you see the playback picture on your TV to the camcorder by using RF converter unit adjust fine tuning knob on television set to obtain best picture Picture bends at the top of TV screen TV receiver is of older type It needs to be modified to work properly with camcorder Tape is damaged Try another cassette Color of your TV screen is too
61. ing Note TAPE flashes in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor when the tab on the side of the cassette is completely visible Note TAPE END flashes in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor when about 3 minutes or less remain of the tape cassette Note if the camcorder is left in record pause mode for more than 5 minutes the camcorder turns off automatically To restart it press the Start Stop button and the camera returns to record pause mode Using Instant ReVieW sees Use this feature to view the last few seconds of the tape you shot Set the camcorder to record pause mode and tap the REW REVIEW button The last few sec onds of the tape play back in reverse and then in normal playback mode Note Sound is heard from the speaker during normal playback The camera plays back to the spot where you paused and returns to record pause mode standby Press the Start Stop button to resume recording E28 REW REVIEW Button Start Stop Button HITACHI aeeoea ERA Using Auto Focus ssssessse The camcorder focuses the subject in the center of the viewfinder or LCD monitor automatically unless the manual focus is engaged If FOCUS appears in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor manual focus is engaged Press the FOCUS VOL control buttons simultaneously to return to auto focus Good Not good The auto focus will not work under the following conditions and you must focus manually Objects outsi
62. ing a Car Battery AC Adaptor JE gt O To AC Outlet Note The AC adaptor can be used around the world An AC plug adaptor is required in some forelgn countries If you need one purchase it at your Hitachi distributor EE O AC Plug Adaptor AC 200 240V not supplied The camcorder can be powered with a car battery by using an optional car battery cord Hitachi VM o CC80A to plug the camcorder into the car s cigarette lighter socket Please ensure that the CAM OFF VIDEO switch is in the OFF position whenever attaching or detaching any power supply ie battery AC adaptor efc Se Z DC Plug N To DC IN Jack Car Battery Cord DC Cord optional gt Plug the car battery cord into the car s cigarette lighter socket 2 Connect one end of the DC cord optional to the DC IN jack of the camcorder Connect the other end of the DC cord to the DC OUTPUT of the VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA To cigarette lighter socket car battery cord Note Only use the car battery cord with cars having 12 24 volts negative ground system Note You cannot use the car battery cord to charge a battery E19 iInsertin g and Removin g Ca SSE OS AORE A power source must be connected before inserting or removing cassettes Once connected cas settes can be inserted or removed whether the CAM OFF VIDEO switch Is on or off Inserting a Cassette Press the OPEN button to open
63. instead of the yellow VIDEO plug as illustrated Notes for VM H955LA Connect elther right or left audio plug info corder input mode consult your television manual for details 5 Hold down the red button on the CAM OFF VIDEO switch while sliding the switch to your television if it has only one AUDIO IN VIDEO jack 6 Press the PLAY button to begin playback Some televisions have an S VIDEO IN jack Connect the black S VIDEO plug fo the tele 7 Press the STOP button when finished vision Instead of the yellow VIDEO plug ff you use a generally available audio video cable in place of the provided Audio Video output cabie with the connection shown above unplug the provided cable from the Audio Video outout lack of The carncorder VIV E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA E37 Connecting to a Television without Audio In and Video In Jacks UHF Antenna VHE Antenna UHFIIN ag IN 75 ohm L j peee RF Converter Unit optional RF Channel Select Switch 1 Disconnect the VHF antenna leads from the back of the television Leave the UHF antenna leads connected 2 Connect the VHF antenna lead to ANT IN of the RF converter unit If the cable on the VHF antenna lead is flat you need to purchase an antenna adaptor 300 ohm to 75 ohm trans former Connect the antenna adaptor to the VHF antenna lead and slide the adaptor on to the ANT IN terminal 3 Connect the 75 ohm coaxial
64. lizer Button EIS corrects slight shaking of an image Using the Electronic Image Stabilizer p50 HITACHI 32 PAL60 Button Multi Playback Use this button when connecting the camcorder to a PAL TV which handles PAL60 mode signal and has vertical sync adjustment circuitry for 60Hz Notes Make sure PAL60 is not displayed when connecting the camcorder to an NTSC TV for playback or monitoring the playback picture on the camcorder s LCD monitor If PALO is displayed in the above cases no color will appear in the picture The PAL6G button is effective during play back only See TV instruction manual for detalls about setting of PAL6O mode Depending on the state of the tape re corded the PAL60 button may not operate normally Tape recorded on PAL system cannot be The PAL6G mode will be released when the camcorder is turned off 33 Audio Video Output Jack Behind the jack cover For VM E555LA Use this jack to connect the cam corder to a television Connecting to a Television without Audio In and Video In Jacks p38 For VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA Use this jack to connect the camcorder to a VCR or tele vision Playing Back Your Recording on Your TV p34 36 38 Dubbing from the Camcorder to a VCR p56 VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H355LA 34 Start Stop Button When the CAM OFF VIDEO switch is in CAM press this button to start recording Whe
65. n pressed a second time the camera pauses During playback use this button to stop the tape temporarily Pressing a second time resumes nor mal playback 35 Hand Strap Refer to page 23 36 Clock Battery Compartment Pull the battery holder and install the clock battery provided See Loading Clock and Remote Control Batteries on page 15 37 Power Zoom Control Use this to zoom automatically Using the Power Zoan p30 a nS 38 INST ZOOM Instant Zoom Button Use this button to magnify the image being re corded 1 5 times 39 Tripod Mounting Threaded Socket Use this threaded socket to mount the camcorder to a tripod E13 40 Recorder s Remote Control The shaded buttons on the remote control have the same functions as the corresponding buttons on the camcorder 41 TITLE ON OFF Button only on the remote control Use this button to create and record titles for your tapes Creating and Recording a Title p52 42 A V DUB Button only on the remote control Use this button to record new audio and video over existing audio and video 43 DISPLAY Button Use this button to select the viewfinder or LCD monitor and TV display Display in Viewfinder or on LCD Monitor p24 This button can be used instead of the DATE DISP button on the cam corder in the VIDEO mode 44 COUNTER RESET Button only on the remote control Use this button to reset the linear time counter to 0 00
66. n to bring the subject into focus When man ual focus has been engaged FOCUS will appear in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor When you are viewing playback pictures on the LCD monitor with the CAM OFF VIDEO switch set to VIDEO these buttons can be used to control the volume of the built in speaker Playback p32 E12 BR ae 35 36 37 38 28 DATE DISP Button When the CAM OFF VIDEO switch is set to CAM this button can be used as the DATE or DIS PLAY button set the date and time and select the date display you want to record Setting the Date and Time p26 and Date Recording p43 In the VIDEO mode the DATE DISP button is used as the DISPLAY button Display in Viewfinder or on LCD Monitor p24 Note Be sure to insert the clock battery before setting the date and time or creating a title 29 EFFECTS Button Use this button to digitally process the image you are going to record or the playback image During recording you can select among six modes 16x9 negative positive X400 digital zoom half mizror mosaic or art Digital Effects Recording p46 During playback you can select among three modes 16x9 art or sepia Video Effects in Playback Mode p39 30 FADE Button The FADE button features six modes white fade wipe fade mosaic fade art fade zoom fade and black and white fade Using Digital Fade p48 31 EIS Electronic Image Stabi
67. nd the VCR TYV selector is set fo VCR you can page 34 monitor the tape being dubbed Turn on your VCR and place it in the camcorder Note Reduce the volume of the camcorder as low as possible during dubbing Otherwise the played back pictures could be distorted Note During muhi playback PAL60 output dubbing may not be possible with some VCRs input mode consult your VCR manual for details Operate the television as you normally do to see the signal coming from the VCR 3 Hold down the red button of the CAM OFF VIDEO switch while you slide the switch to VIDEO Insert the recorded tape in the camcorder and a blank tape into the VCR Set the VCR to record Play the tape from the camcorder while record ing on the VCR VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM HS55LA E57 Simple Programmable Edit Edit remote control is optional accessory Simple programmable edit allows you to program your camcorder to select the scenes you want fo copy from a pre recorded tape Use the edit remote control optional to easily copy scenes from a recorded tape in the camcorder playback machine onto a blank tape in a table top VCR which handles infrared remote signals recording machine Note Only the VM RM20EDA edit remote contro optional can be used with this camcorder Note Some VCRs cannot be operated by the edit remote control optional Start End Start End Start End Start End point point point point point point point point PROG
68. nterference that may cause undesired operation i Note This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules These limits are designed to provide reasonable pro tection against harmful interference in a residential installation This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions may cause harmful interference to radio communications However there is no guarantee that inter ference will not occur in a particular installation If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on the user is encouraged to try to correct by one or more of the following measures ji l l Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is con nected Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for help Caution to the user Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacture could void the user s authority to operate the equipment Note to CATV system installer This reminder is provided to call the CATV system installer s attention to Article 820 40 of the NEC that provide
69. ond to the remote control ete SH To place an order for any of these items call our toll free number 1 800 995 4500 E70 HITACHI To Order in the United States By Phone To place an order by phone have your VISA MASTERCARD or DISCOVER card ready and call the toll free number 8 00AM 6 00PM East Coast Time workdays In Canada Please use Canadian order 1 800 995 4500 form in French version of this manual Page 71 FOR AUTHORIZED HITACHI SERVICE FACILITY IN CANADA Please consult the following telephone number Montreal 514 956 9882 Toronto 905 821 4545 Vancouver 604 214 0777 VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA E71
70. ontact with them might be fatal Installing an outdoor antenna can be hazardous and should be left to a professional antenna installer USE 44 Cleaning Unplug this video product from the wall outlet before cleaning Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners Use a damp cloth for cleanin 15 Object and Liquid Entry Never push objects of any kind into this video product through openings as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short out parts that could result in a fire or electric shock Never spul liquid of any kind on the video product 16 Lightning For added protection for this video product during a lightning storm or when it is left unattended and unused for long periods of time unplug it from the wall outlet and disconnect the antenna or cabie system This will prevent darnage to the video product due to lightning and power line surges SERVICE 417 Servicing Do not attempt to service this video product yourself as opening or removing covers may expose you to dangerous voltage or other hazards Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel 18 Conditions Requiring Service Unplug this video product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following conditions a When the power supply cord or plug is damaged b If liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the video product c lf the video product has been exposed to
71. or playback Hold down the small red button as you slide the switch to CAM or VIDEO You do not need to hold down the red button to slide the switch to OFF 8 FFWD Button Use this button to fast forward tapes or for visual search During visual search the camcorder fast forwards at approximately 9 times normal play back speed During fast forward press and hold this button to visually scan the tape forward at 19 times the normal playback speed Using Forward and Reverse Search p33 Also use this button to set date and time and create a title Creating and Recording a Title p52 9 PLAY Button Use to play back recorded tapes and create a title Creating and Recording a Title p52 10 REW REVIEW Button Use this button to fast rewind tapes or for visual search During visual search the camcorder rewinds at approximately 7 times normal playback speed During rewind press and hold this button to visually scan the tape backwards at 17 times the normal playback speed Using Forward and Reverse Search p33 Also use this button to set date and time and create a title Creating and HITACHI 18 Behind the cover SO j VIDEO AUDIO Output Output Jack Jack Recording a Title p52 Furthermore use this button to review the last few seconds of the tape you are recording 11 STOP Button Use this button to stop playback fast forward or reverse Also use this button to set dat
72. order and start recording or playback 10 seconds later the remaining tape will be displayed When the cassette is ejected the display will disappear 66 is displayed for 10 seconds after the tape starts to run Note The tape remaining display appears 10 seconds after the tape starts fo run Note When the remaining tape time becomes less than about three minutes TAPE END flashes in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor f AE 120 0 00 00 AE 120 1 27 08 Bouse 2 Ke E ba t k TAPE END Using the Linear Time Counter The linear time counter displays the tape run in hours minutes and seconds helping you to keep track of how long you ve been filming or time you have left to film before running out of tape Turn the camcorder on to display the linear time counter The linear time counter keeps track from when you load a cassette into the camcorder and clears to 0 00 00 when the cassette is ejected ee EE Display in Viewfinder or on LCD Monitor When you are using the camcorder the selected functions and time counter will appear in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor If the characters and icons displayed during recording and playback bother you press the DATE DISP button on the camcorder to erase them Example of display during recording Example of display during playback AE 250 oo i E a 7 REC Even if the shutter speed AE 250 etc If
73. ower from camcorder and reconnect i or insert a cassette Make sure that the current time is displayed correctly before you start filming F FWD Button REW REVIEW Button Sy RK es STOP Button DATE DISP Button Start Stop Button 1 Load the battery Camcorder Power Sources Correcting the Date and Time p19 1 Press the DATE DISP button while pressing Press the red button on the CAM OFF VIDEO the STOP button The flashing cursor appears at switch as you slide it to CAM the month Press the DATE DISP but ton and look into the viewfinder or LCD monitor The date and time should appear in the lower right with the 1 flashing 4 Pressing the FFWD button gives you higher numbers while the REW REVIEW button gives you lower numbers Select the right 1175 388 month and press STOP but ton Use the F FWD REW REVIEW and STOP buttons to select the proper day year hour minute and AM or PM 5 After setting the AM PM press the DATE DISP but ton The display changes and the internal clock starts a Note After the date and 117 8 8000 tme are set AUTO d appears and the camcorder enters the auto matic date recording mode See Date Recording on page 43 gt PA Move to where you need to make the correction with the STOP button and use the F FWD and REW REVIEW to correct Press the DATE DISP button to set the cor 1e rected date and time we 12 00AM 7 171999
74. play Power on Linear time Linear time counter Date search No display counter with memory function When a recorded tape is in the camcorder dur Note The linear time counter with the memory ing the VIDEO mode SEARCH appears in feature and SEARCH in the viewfinder or on the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor See the LCD monitor can also be displayed on the connected television Note If the LCD monitor is opened or closed the picture is switched during playback the on screen display in the picture will disappear for about one second and then reappear again pene vows J tucloWiee 1Wo lt 1 aet ta ee See Using Memory on page 51 VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA E25 w 3 Fa S ettin g the D a te and Ti TVD a eee Take the time to set the date and time now The date and time can be recorded on your tapes to act as a handy reference when viewing them later Use the following procedure to set up the display for the current date and time Note Be sure to insert the clock battery before setting the date and time Although the date and time can be set without the clock battery inserted they will disappear when the battery providing power to the camcorder is removed Note if you leave the powered camcorder for 10 minutes without a cassette inserted when the date has not been set or the clock battery is dead the camcorder dernonstration mode will start To cancel the demonstration mode disconnect p
75. playback speed Releasing F PWD returns the camcorder to fast forward Press the REW REVIEW button during play back to play the tape backwards at approxi mately 7 times normal speed Press the PLAY button to return to normal playback Press and hold the REW REVIEW button dur ing fast rewind to visually scan the tape back wards at 17 times the normal playback speed Releasing REW REVIEW returns the cam __cordertofastrewind 7 Note When you engage is FWD buton or REW REVIEW button the picture will have some interference or noise in the viewfinder This is normal during search mode VM ES55LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA When the LCD monitor is open Clear Search You can view pictures with less noise on the LCD monitor during forward or reverse search Press the F FWD button during playback to play the tape forward at 6 times normal play speed Press the PLAY button to resume nor mal playback Press and hold the F FWD button during fast forward to visually scan the tape at 17 times the normal playback speed Releasing F FWD returns the camcorder to fast forward Press the REW REVIEW button during play back to play the tape in reverse at 4 times nor mal speed Press the PLAY button to resume normal playback Press and hold the REW REVIEW button dur wards at 15 times the normal playback speed Releasing REW REVIEW returns the cam corder to fast rewind Note If you are using forward or reverse sea
76. r dust or sand enters the camcorder and all accessories W When you shoot at a scene which contains an extremely bright object such as the sun or a light source a bright vertical bar may appear in the picture Your camcorder is functioning properly but the solid state pickup device C C D usually causes this as an inherent characteristic Try to avoid shooting an excessive bright object di rectly a Read This First To guide you we ve included An Important Information section containing important cautions for your family s safety as well as instruction for getting your video cam corder ready to use Please read and under stand this section thoroughly before moving on A Getting Started section to familiarize your self with the controls and prepare you for recording A Basic Techniques section to allow you to use your video camcorder quickly and confi dently before advancing to the more sophisti cated features of the Hitachi VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA Advanced Techniques to help you with some of the exciting sophisticated features of the Hitachi VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA We hope you will take the time to learn about these functions since they have been designed for you You can use the video camcorder without reading this sec tion A General Maintenance section to help keep your purchase in good repair EG E M Be s
77. rch with the LCD monitor closed then you will not be able to view pictures with less noise when you open the monitor Note Several noise bars will appear on the TV screen during forward or reverse search Note A noiseless picture will not appear during high speed search even if the LCD monitor is open Note Noise may flow during high speed search in low temperature conditions E33 ing fast rewind to visually scan the tape back saree ta aso E Playing Back Your Recording on Your TV ws Depending on the setup of your video equipment you connect the camcorder in one of the 3 methods explained below Connecting to a Television with a VCR Attached For VM ES5SLA VM H755LA VM H855LA DE To VIDEO OUT To VIDEOIN To AUDIO IN Yellow Pre AO oUr Audio Video Output Cable provided For VM H755LA VM H855LA When using the provided 20 pin S cable To S VIDEO Black To AUDIO IN White Audio Video Output Cable provided To AUDIO OUT To Audio Video Output Jack To VIDEO IN To AUDIO IN L RY Yellow White Red S VIDEO Audio Video Output Cable Black provided To Audio Video Output Jack E34 HITACHI CAM OFF VIDEO Switch PLAY Button 1 Connect the provided audio video output
78. rding VCR on and select line input A Press the PROGRAM button of the remote con trol The program display appears in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor PROG 1 0 00 02 IN SS5niS5 OUR Grerie Note If your VCR is connected to a TV the pro gram display will also appear on the TV screen 5 Press the gt button and use the gt or 44 but ment you want to copy Press and then Il to set the camcorder to the play pause mode The liner time counter counts when searching for the starting point Use the FORWARD and REVERSE buttons in the play or pause mode to fine adjust the tape position Press FORWARD and hold it the tape is played while the button is held Press REVERSE and hold it for reverse play VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA 6 Press the IN button to store the counter reading When you press the IN button OUT flashes in the program display PROG 1 0 16 13 AN 0 15 13 UT Press the gt gt button to search for the end of the segment you want to copy Press gt and then H to set the camcorder to the play pause mode Use the FORWARD or REVERSE button as required to fine adjust the tape position 8 Press the OUT button to store the counter read ing at the end of the scene PROG 2 6 20 15 N oH Continue programming as described above until you have entered up to four different seg ments 1 Load a blank tape then set the VCR to the record pause mode 1 Point the remote cont
79. rding or playback of a cassette Press REW REVIEW Button STOP Button the COUNTER RESET button on the remote E FWD Button control at the point to which you wish to return The linear time counter clears to 0 00 00 y Press the STOP button to stop playback or press the start stop button recording and set the CAM OFF VIDEO switch to VIDEO Press the DISPLAY button on the remote control so the linear time counter with memory is dis played as shown in the figure 4 Press the REW REVIEW button and the tape stops at approximately where you reset the lin ear time counter This feature works in F FWD as well Linear time counter with memory AE 120 0 25 16h aa VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA E517 ginning of the most T Using the Wireless Remote Control eeeeeenesessa Use the wireless remote control fo operate the camcorder from a distance The PLAY FFWD REW STOP PAUSE START STOP and ZOOM buttons on the wireless remote contro operate the functions of fhe corresponding buttons on the camcorder Aim the wireless remote control at the infrared receiver of the camcorder infrared receiver Approx 16 feet ae Note Use ihe wireless remote control within the Note The remote control code of this cam range of the infrared receiver of the cam corder is Hitachi code VCR2 If you have a VCR corder shown above with the same code your Hitachi VCR may mal Note The wireless remote control may not fun
80. re to charge a battery or power the camcorder from AC outlet In addition connect the optional car battery cord to this jack in which case you will need a DC cord optional 20 Shoulder Strap Slots Attach the shoulder strap here 21 OPEN Button Push this button to open the LCD monitor 22 Bright Control Buttons Use this to adjust the brightness of the LCD moni tor screen Adjusting the Brightness of the LCD Screen p21 23 LCD Monitor You can view the pictures as they are being re corded and play them back immediately after recording on the LCD screen LCD Monitor p21 E11 24 Cassetie Holder A power source must be connected to the cam corder before a cassette can be inserted or removed 25 EJECT Button Press this button to open the cassette holder A power source must be connected before cassettes can be inserted or removed though the CAM OFF VIDEO switch may be set to OFF Inserting and Removing Cassettes p20 Note The EJECT button is inoperable unless the LCD monitor ls completely open 26 Speaker You can listen to the recorded sound Note No sound is heard when the LCD monitor is closed 27 FOCUS VOL volume Control Buttons When the CAM OFF VIDEO switch is set to CAM these buttons will be the focus control but tons Press them simultaneously to select manual or automatic focusing To control focus manually Using Manual Focus p30 press the A or butto
81. rn off once but Then automatically turn on again Note that the battery will discharge if the camcorder is left as is HITACHI AC Adaptor Removing the Battery Pack Slide the BATTERY release lever in the direction of the arrow and hold it then slide the battery to the upper side and remove BATTERY Release Lever Reference of Charged Level You can know the approximate charge level of bat tery by observing how the CHARGE indicator of camcorder flashes or lights Charge level CHARGE indicator Flashes once at approx one second intervals 0 50 charge Flashes twice at approx one 50 75 charge second intervals More than 75 charge Full charge Flashes three times at approx one second intervals Steady light VM VM VM BPL27 BPL30 BPL6O 90min 20min amn Charging Time eS Battery VM Full charge 170 min 175 charge 100 min Operating Time The camcorderoperating time depends on how often you turn power on off and use start stop and zoom Continuous Recording EVF when using the viewfinder LCD when using the LCD monitor Battery VM VM VM VM Camcorder BPL13 BPL27 BPL30 BPL6O a VM EVE 160min 330 min 370 min 760 min ESSSLA LCD 120 min 260 min 290 min 630 min VM EVF 160 min 330 min 1370 min ein H755LA LCD 20min 250 min
82. rol at the receiver on the VCR and press the COPY START button to start simple programmable edit The camcorder automatically searches for the beginning of the first segment and starts playback The recording VCR automatically starts recording After recording the first segment the cam corder automatically searches for the begin ning of the next segment and resumes play back The recording VCR is automatically released from the record pause mode and It continues recording and pausing until all the programmed segments are edited Continued on next page E61 12 When simple programmable edit is finished the camcorder will enter the stop mode and the VCR will enter the record pause mode Note If you make a mistake during program ming start again from the beginning or press the COUNTER RESET button to return to the pre vious steps one by one and enter the correct program data Note After the simple programmable edit Is finished the programmed data is erased if you want to continue editing other segments repeat steps 5 12 Note Most VCRs recording machine may be released from the record pause mode if it continues for more than five minutes Note The dubbing start and end positions may slightly drift from the specified positions when certain VCRs are used as law as possible during dubbing Otherwise the played back pictures could be distorted E62 To End Programmable Simple Edit Press the PROGRAM b
83. s guidelines for proper grounding and in par ticular specifies that the cable ground shall be connected to the grounding system of the building as close to the point of cable entry as practical Notes This unit uses 8mm video format cassettes Itrecords and plays back in the SP mode 14 3 mm sec Jt cannot record and play back in the LP mode 7 2 mm sec VM H955LA uses a Hi Fi stereo sound system When a tape recorded by this camcorder is played by a conventional 8mm camcorder monaural sound is output When a tape recorded by a conventional 8mm camcorder is played this machine monaural sound is output MOISTU RE Avoid operating your camcorder immediately after moving it from a cold place to a warm humid place Give the camcorder 2 to 3 hours to stabilize in the ambient conditions of the surroundings before inserting a cassette When moved from a cold place to a warm humid place moisture may condense on the head drum inside the machine This moisture could cause the tape to stick to the headwheel and damage the headwheel or tape When a small amount of moisture is sensed TAPE flashes in the viewfinder or on the LCD moni l tor Remove the cassette and set the CAM OFF VIDEO switch to OFF then wait for about one hour VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA E3 IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS in addition to the careful attention devoted to quality standards in the manufacture
84. s the user that import ant literature concerning the operation and maintenance of this unit has been included Therefore it should be read carefully to avoid any problems Precautions WARNING Many television programs and films are copyrighted In certain circumstances copy right law may apply to private in home video taping of copyrighted materials This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES 003 The liquid ee 1 display LCD panel is made by highly precise technology More than 99 99 of its picture elements pixels are effective but some less than 0 01 may appear as colored bright dots This does not indicate a fault as the LCD panel stretches the limits of current technology E2 CAUTION TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL WARNING TO PREVENT FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK MATCH WIDE BLADE OF PLUG TO WIDE SLOT AND FULLY INSERT PLUG Information for VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA This camcorder can use EI and FRE video cas settes It automatically determines the loaded cas sette is E or HiH and records and plays it back correctly HITACHI Warning This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules Operation is subject to the following two conditions 1 This device may not cause harmful interference and 2 this device must accept any interference received including i
85. t the dial to the desired recording mode by aligning it with the mark Note The dial will not work when the CAM OFF VIDEO switch of the camcorder is set to VIDEO Note When the dial is set to or 8 record ing will be done inthe full auto mode Q Full Auto Mode In this mode the camcorder automatically adjusts the shutter speed and aperture according to the subject bright ness Therefore use this mode for standard recording The shutter speed will appear in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor lt S Sports Mode Select this mode when record ing rapidly moving subjects such as golf or tennis swings etc The subject will be clearly recorded without blurring SPORTS will appear in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor PT Portrait Mode Select this mode when record ing a subject portrait standing out from a blurred background PORTRAIT will appear in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor AE 500 SPORTS PORTRAIT E44 sL Spotlight Mode Select this mode when the con trast ratio of subject is high and the highlighted section area is relatively small SPOTLIGHT will appear in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor ac Backlight compensation mode Select this mode when record ing the subject against a light source brighter than the sub ject BLC will appear in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor i Gain up mode Select this mode when record
86. the Power Zoom ee The power zoom W control widens the picture moving the subject farther away while the power zoom T control brings the subject closer narrowing the picture If ZOOM appears at the left of the viewfinder or LCD monitor the digital zoom function shown below has been engaged AE 120 0 00 55 Eni The zoom speed varies depending on how the power zoom control lever is moved the more the lever is moved the higher than zoom speed will be Zoom position When the power zoom control is operated the zoom position is displayed in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor for about 5 seconds and then disappears The zoom position is displayed in 10 steps CENE Sere He Using the Digital Zoom The digital zoom increases the magnification of the power zoom by 4 5 times You must place the subject you wish fo magnify at the center of the viewfinder or LCD monitor Slide and hold the power zoom control to the T side until you find the picture you want You con trol the zoom with the power zoom T and W con trols When ZOOM is not displayed in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor normal zoom functions resume Note This digital zoom has certain limitations and may degrade at extreme magnification and amplify camcorder s movement E30 HITACHI Using the INST ZOOM Instant Zoom Button sss The instant zoom feature activates the digital zoom to magnify the su
87. the time counter etc is displayed during 0 05 28 0 05 28 ac ZOOM image stabilizer icon etc are being playback it will also appear on the connected displayed only the title and date time will be TV screen If the tape is dubbed as is the recorded on tape counter will also be recorded with dubbed image Switch off the display to avoid this E24 HITACHI Switching the Display CAM mode Press the DATE DISP button on the camcorder to switch the display E 250 0 05 28 A AE 250 0 05 28 BC Ai My BULI sd BIE 11782000 OIE n S SIE 17 572055 Date Time Auto Date Auto Title Recording Mode Recording Mode Recording Mode AE 250 0 05 28 AE 250 0 05 28 EJ ac S aio Kam l L eli Oli UE 14 5 2000 No Display Date Recording Mode Note When the date and time appear on the LCD monitor you cannot erase them by pressing the DIS PLAY button on the remote control If you want to erase the on screen display press the DATE DISP put ton on the camcorder Note in the CAM mode you can turn the time counter memory on or off by pressing the DISPLAY put ton on the remote control Using Memory p51 When the camcorder is connected to a TV you can turn the on screen display on or off by pressing the DISPLAY button on the remote control VIDEO mode Press the DATE DISP button on the camcorder or DISPLAY button on the remote con trol to switch the dis
88. tial preparation of the cam corder None of these processes are complex Set aside some time relax and familiarize yourself with this quality instrument Enjoy getting to know all about your Hitachi 8mm camcorder The more comfortable and familiar you are with the machine and its features The more you can make it do for you Let s get started If is crucial that you read and understand all the safety instructions before you begin If you haven t read the safety instructions yet please fake the time to do so now Check that you have all the following components and accessories before proceeding 1 Q N A Ue w W Optional RF Converter Unit If you wish to connect this camcorder to a tele vision that does not have audio video input jacks you will need to use the optional RF converter unit model VM RF86A R 20 pin S cable only for VM H755LA VM Battery pack AC adaptor Shoulder strap Battery for date title Remote control Batteries for remote control Audio Video output cable 1 Cable for VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA 2 Cable for VM H955LA H855LA VM BPL13 VM ACE5A Part No TS14621 WARNING Kep this battery away from en T Part No HL11045 VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA Eg Identifying Controls sess 1 Lens Door The door will automatically open when the CAM OFF VIDEO switch is set to
89. up Eyepiece Adjustment To use the electronic viewfinder grasp the knobs on both sides of the eye cup stem and pull the eye cup all the way then turn the diopter control for your optimum focus adjustment Since the eye cup has already been pulled out at the factory in present condition only adjustment of the diopter control is necessary Note Be sure fo pull out the eye cup ali the way so that you can see the sublec in the viewfinder clearly Note Hold the knobs on both sides of the eye cup stem fo pull out the eye cup Note The eye cup stem can be retracted when the camcorder is being carried Diopter Control Eye Cup E22 HITACHI Adjustment the Hand Strap Adjust the hand strap to best fit your hand Note After adjustment close the hand strap s pad securely Attaching the Shoulder Strap ess Thread the ends of the provided shoulder strap through the slots at the back of the camcorder and thread through the shoulder straps buckles Note Make sure that the straps are securely fastened before using the shoulder strap to carry the camcorder fay Shoulder Strap VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA E23 Remaining Tape The tape remaining display shows the remaining tape that can be used for recording and playback using seven dashes This feature is handy when recording since if lets you know how long you can record on the loaded tape Insert a cassette into the camc
90. ure not to leave the camcorder in a place where the temperature exceeds 140 F 60 C or the pickup device may be damaged Dangerous includes Inside a car with the windows closed and in direct sunshine Near heating appliances E Do not leave the viewfinder lens and the liquid crystal display LCD screen facing sunlight for a prolonged period or the phosphorescent sur face of the cathode ray tube and the LCD panel may be damaged We want this manual to be as helpful as possible so it includes two easy ways to find the infor mation you need A quick index for the information you use most often this page A detailed table of contents directing you to spe cific information quickly page 8 Get to know your video camcorder by using this manual and get to know Hitachi We appreciate your business Quick Index Charging the BOttery ccc cccceceececsecseenesie 16 Setting the Date and TIME neenu 26 Making a Basic Recording EER Pavan 28 Zooming E T AELE E a NE NE E A E cteniee 32 Using the Wireless Remote COntol acra 52 Dubbing from Camcorder to VCR ween 56 HITACHI Aaaeeeaa Features meni Easy to use Digital effect Color liquid crystal display LCD monitor with Stable pix Electronic Image Stabilization EIS speaker Fade in fade out Active screen Instant zoom Perfect power Lithium ion battery Recorded date search Active light for VM H855LA VM H
91. utton to remove the pro gram display from the viewfinder or LCD monitor Then press the stop button on the recording VCR to set it to the stop mode Note if fhe CAM OFF VIDEO switch of the camcorder is set fo OFF or CAM when the recording VCR is in the record pause mode the VCR enters the record made _ _Wofe Reduce the volume of the comearcler nnn HITACHI Using Audio Video Dubbing Use audio video dubbing fo record audio and video from the camcorder s built in microphone and camera onto a previously recorded tape in the camcorder A V DUB Button REW Button PLAY Button SI F FWD Button STOP Button 1 Hold down the red button on the CAM OFF VIDEO switch while sliding the switch to VIDEO Insert a previously recorded tape in the cam corder 3 Use the wireless remote control and press the PLAY button Use the PLAY F FWD and REW buttons to find the place where you want to stop dubbing Press the START STOP PAUSE but ton Display the linear time counter with memory Using Memory p51 Press the COUNTER RESET button to set the linear time counter to 0 00 00M Use the REW and PLAY buttons to find where you wish to start dubbing Press the START STOP PAUSE button G Place the CAM OFF VIDEO switch to CAM position The record pause indicator II appears and the camcorder is ready to record VM E555LA VM H755LA VM H855LA VM H955LA A DISPLAY Button COUNTER RESET Button
92. witch is set to CAM if will not appear in the VIDEO position Note When the remaining time decreases fo 5 minutes or less the time display will disappear We recommend that you replace the battery earlier Note If you connect the VM BPL30 battery with the remaining battery time of 5 minutes or less the time will not be displayed Note If the correct remaining time does not appear use up the battery attached to the camcorder and then fully charge i Note if you repeat charging and discharging the battery before using if up the correct remaining time may not be displayed Note If ine battery is used at low temperatures the actual operating time with battery will be substantially different from the displayed time and the correc time may not appear Note if ine battery which has been used at iow temperature is subsequently used at nor mal temperature display of remaining battery time will be incorect For display of correct remaining time fully charge the battery E18 Note The remaining battery time will not appear when you are recording an image of yourself or the LCD monitor is put back to cam corder with its screen facing to the side Note if you eject and reinsert cassette after the battery is discharged power will shut off midway and ihe camcorder will stop When the battery is discharged immediately remove it from the camcorder and charge it again Note When the VM BPL30 battery is used the b
93. y Note If the clock battery is not inserted ine button on the remote control to display SEARCH in the viewfinder or on the LCD monitor date search function does not operate when SEARCH the battery providing the power to the cam aera corder is removed Note When the cassette was recorded by another camcorder the date search function does noi operate Note The date search function is released Press the REW REVIEW button to search for when you press the STOP button during date the start position from which you last made a search mode recording or the F FWD button to recording end Note If the recorded time is less than 30 sec position 44 SEARCH will appear while the onds the date search function may not oper start position is being searched for SEARCH ate normally pb while the end position is being searched for When the required position is located the cam corder enters the stop mode and SEARCH disappears from the viewfinder or LCD moni tor Using Memory ee gL The linear time counter memory stops a rewinding tape at approximately 0 00 00M This feature helps in locating a specific point in the tape to which you wish fo return An example might be that you have recorded some tape that you have already watched you continue recording but do not care fo watch the tape you recorded earlier The memory feature returns you to the begin recent recording 1 Start reco

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