Picking apart a very clever camcorder 

"Sludge factor" is a great term I hadn't heard before. Nice video too.

Critique of capitalism slipped into extremely in-depth review of obscure 90s a/v tech = content that is weirdly specifically tailored for me

I'm so glad I found this channel. Amazing work.

i miss clever designs, everything is so lazy now hidden in sub menus behind a touch screen with no tactile feedback.

6:00 I've noticed that Sony was always really great about having controls with different tactile feel... (at least in the age before slab screen interfaces which have none at all..) If you look at the wired remotes for any of their Minidisc player, you can see what i mean. tons of controls on it, but some slide, some push in, some rotate, one on the end, some along the side, some with pips. It's very easy to tell without looking at it, which control you're touching. Their car stereos from the 80s were similar in this regard. This is one of the things i also loved about the earlier "classic" iPods... sure, the play/next/previous controls are... unknown based on orientation of the ipod in your pocket, but you always know that the round wheel part will adjust volume... clockwise and counterclockwise. :D

Incredible how much genius engineering has gone into such a old camcorder. And latest models are put into shame by some of the functionality. I'm surprised I could learn so much from such old tech. Absolutely great video!

Thank you so much for having closed captions! I'm deaf and the channels that don't have them after community captions were killed is staggering. I appreciate it and it lets me continue to enjoy your videos!

Man this makes my engineer heart hurt because it’s so true. “Hey I made this cool thing…” Yeah-and it makes us more money because you can ship more faster, right? “Weeeelllllllll…”

Your passion for industrial design is contagious, the things you love are extremely thoughtful, extra, and delightful

I love the Goodwill sticker on that camcorder. I think it really adds to the aesthetic of vintage video equipment. Thanks for the great video, and keep up the good work!

Thank you so much for this! These are the kind of little elegant design and user-experience elements that I have always loved considering, and looking for when buying a tool. In that era I think Sony often (though not always, as you point out) did a really excellent job of that, far better than most other electronics brands. I still carry a bit of a shine for them to this day on that basis, even though once it came to software designed by Sony the wheels came almost completely off.

Who needs filters to look 90s when you have one of these. I NEED ONE SO BAD!

Lock meaning off is an interesting phenomenon. Dunno how related it is, but in older stills cameras there was a lock feature for the shutter because it was all mechanical, but this naming stuck with a lot of newer cameras with electronic shutters like my Minolta 700si where the switch says “Lock/On”.

Doing engineering in an entirely different market segment; our customers aren't exactly consumers but (at some phase) still people who need to work with our products often. Gonna keep the little automatic control door in mind, and push for things like that just because it's the right thing to do. If ever, perish the thought, the company I work for decides it doesn't want that door even if there's no good reason not to build it, it might be time for me to move on.

I'm making another comment here, because I just remembered that I had a camera that I went through exactly this with. To me and what I wanted - form, function, and STYLE, It was leagues ahead of any other consumer digital camera. I remember looking up digital camera reviews and seeing this one was coming out soon, so I had time to get really excited and be the first to own something like this. It felt solid to hold, kinda walkman-like with metal pieces and a cool sliding mechanism to cover the lens, which also turned it on, none of the other cameras this small had a 3x zoom lens. And the quality of the photos was way above the others, with a little mentioned macro ability that wasn't like "oh you wanna take a photo close up?" no, it was like "oh you want to read the letters of a penny?". It was so freakin badass I can't believe I just threw it out when it broke. At the time I didn't know it would be as good as it was - because as I'd get new digital cameras, sure they'd have more megapixels but they all lacked the other qualities this camera had all in one package, and worst, they removed the buttons and added a heinous touchscreen. Anyway to make you read to the end, it was called the Sony DSC-T1 and I bet it would make for a great video.

As someone making modern products in a different area, your description of design issues and management economics made so much sense.

This was a great video. Really loving what you're doing on this platform

Dude, I love the hypothetical scenarios you come up with. haha

I love your examples for spontaneous recording recording - tiger escapes, truck crashes, helicopters going down. At this point we might as well play drinking games with them or play bingo. ♥️

It's those little but smart design choices that make a product like this so satisfying to use, like the detented exposure wheel to distinguish itself from the focus wheel. Also, yay 60 fps! :) Really makes the demo footage feel authentically analog, and gives off those warm and fuzzies. The 80s Quantel Paintbox-esque pillarbox border is a nice touch too. Very well thought out video.

Damn I missed this in my feed. It's refreshing to hear somebody talk about something their so knowledgeable and passionate about.

Sludge factor was my nickname in college. Keep up the good work bro.

What a well designed camcorder. Great video! I agree with your "sludge" comment.

Kind of reminds me how with Fujifilm you get the same sensor in the X-E4 entry level tiny mirrorless camera as the X-T4, the big boy pro level APS-C camera. The differences boil down to the body most of the time with the higher end having multiple storage slots, weather sealing, faster/easier access to physical dials for manual settings, etc. I haven't upgraded in a while since my use case doesn't require, but my backup body for my X-H1 is just an X-T30 instead of an X-T2 or X-T3. Yes, the X-T30 has higher resolution and lacks a few features, but the IBIS among other features of the X-H1 (I LOVE top mount lcd's for settings/info) make it my main Fuji camera. If you look at other brands, for the most part you're not getting the same sensor in the entry level model as the top end model. You wouldn't have people like me, and actual pro's, that opt to carry the mid-range, or even an "entry" level body for emergencies or certain situations. Olympus was also fairly good with updating the firmware to add in features for their cameras long after their release. The E-M5 MK.II is a great example. It was solid on release, but over the course of upgrades after it gained more and more features from the higher end E-M1 MK.II. My pocket camera is an E-M5 MK.II, it's only 16mp but it's a great camera that takes great photos. Taken and processed correctly you can still get fairly large prints that look great even with the lowly E-M5 MK.II.

The moment you opened that manual controls pull-out, I was full of delight. That's a really nice touch and it's a real shame that such features would be ignored on a spec sheet when someone was comparing available products and their prices. Connections going through hinges sound like a nightmare to make reliable and I bet the prototyping and testing bill for getting that right was huge. Kinda want to try making some (beyond the one power wire in my flip-up battery bay lids). Great work as always, please keep up with these videos as you always have something interesting to show us all!

I appreciate your appreciation of the efforts of the designers and engineers, who’s names are now lost to us, that cared enough about this product to make it great.

Fantastic design. Always loved 90s Sony gear controls, the variously shaped buttons, the sliders, jog dials and little flaps hiding extra buttons. WE NEED THE FLAPS. BRING BACK THE FLAPS

What an astute and thorough analysis!

I am a new subscriber to your channel since getting your videos recommended to me and I liked your content enough to subscribe

Great content as always, keep up the good work!

So glad I found this channel.

I have two old handycams and I love them both. Still working great.

Sony always has at least one product in every category that does this. Just very well thought out ergonomics, clever use of tech along with slightly higher quality plastic than most. I had a cassette deck that had the same kind of attention to detail. It wasn't the top of the line at the time, though it was probably the top of their not explicitly audiophile line. I used to call it the NASA deck because of the light show when it turned on. But it had a VCA for controlling level. So you could do very precise level adjustment of overall level and each channel. In 0.1 dB increments! It also had a fade in/out feature with duration. Auto level of course, and like a Nakamichi you could adjust bias level and frequency and save it. Even the metering had settings for ballistics and hold. That was all crammed in a standard looking grey and silver plastic fascia with membrane buttons circa 1985. I bought it for $20 at a flea market to tinker with and it ended up being my main deck for years until it died. Also a lot of Sony laptops and other gear I've encountered has these minor masterpieces. I wonder if it's some kind of initiation for new industrial designers? Design us the perfect version of X with off the shelf parts. Nothing custom beyond the standard moldwork.

Brilliant analysis! It often feels like this sort of user-focused industrial design is a lost art; perhaps because when it's done right, only the people looking for it will notice it.

That popout panel is brilliant! Camcorders usually solved this problem by having tactile pips on those extra buttons, but those have a learning curve to them, and they really went the extra mile with this to make it accessible from the get go.

Its a amazing the camera is still working and the caps inside have not leaked their guts over the circuits boards.

I also like the position and visual feedback of the power button, how it lights up when ON and towards the back (you can see at the end of the video). Most other camcorders had their power switch on the side, so you couldn't see it unless rotating the whole camera.

Wait, you mean the profit motive doesn't drive innovation?? 🤔

You are like alternative universe technology connections ... love both your channels equally!

If you ever want to talk Kamen Rider let me know.

I bought that camera in 1994 and still have it. I used to shoot a lot of footage walking around and the steady shot did a great job. The footage is easy to watch, the shaking isn't too distracting. When I do the same thing with my Cannon Vixia, the shaking makes me dizzy to the point of being unwatchable. .

Couple weeks as a subscriber and still super glad the Technology Connections post brought me here. I'll be honest, I'm still not sure what I find so appealing about these kind of videos (TC or this), but dissecting old technology maybe feels calming like meditation?

Another reason companies had tons of very similar models is to aid large retailers so they’d have a unique product not susceptible to price matching policies. Apple did this in the mid-late 90’s with the Performa line. The 6360 might be exclusive to Sears, the 6320 to Circuit City, etc. The only difference might be a slightly different software package, a slightly faster CD-ROM drive, but slightly smaller hard drive, etc.

Being poor and buying a TV eight years ago: A wall of expensive TVs. A wall of clones. One had exact image as an expensive one at 1/5th the price. Still have it and it hasn't aged badly, and it just works. No features. I felt like I was victorious over the sludge that day. Edit: thanks for the term, finally able to put words on why I like this no brand trash tv

The TR500's power switch and record button is really interesting because it highlights a problem with consumer feedback. I'm certain they got complaints from users that they couldn't find the red record button. First time users don't typically know that you have to unlock the camera before you can record. The TR500's system gives those users something to complain about: "I can't find the record button." That complaint doesn't vocalize the underlying problem: the user doesn't know how to operate the camera. The always visible record button like on your TR400 eliminates that specific complaint, but it doesn't really address the underlying problem. Fewer people will admit, "I don't know how to work the camera" or "I can't figure out the camera", so always visible record buttons generate fewer complaints overall even though new users will struggle more because they can't figure out _why_ the record button won't work. Listening to what the user is saying literally can be misleading. Identifying the underlying problem is more important. In this case, the lock switch could be given a clear housing so you could always see the record button, but you could only access it when the camera was unlocked. That would hint to new users what they need to do to be able to record: slide the lock switch into standby so they can physically get to the record button.

This is a cool video. Love the ergonomics of this Cam. I prefer to use SVHSC so I wonder if JVC ever made something close to this in ergonomics.

thank you so much for this very good video !

Holy moly, my parents had that camera back in the day. Haven't seen one in a very, very long time.

Reacently i have repaired one of those video 8 camcorders , replaced 12 bad electrolitic caps, works reliebly now

I agree with a lot regarding the "sludge factor". I think that the "sludge factor" is essentially the most universal universality. Literally you could get any two TVs of the same size today, and apart from the logo, they will be pretty much the same. Why? Because there is literally nothing much you can do to distinguish between the two of them; a 60" TV is a 60" TV. I'm only thirty and I remember when TVs were distinguishable by more than just cosmetic features. A Sony Trinitron was a wealth of difference from a Panasonic. The user interface (if you can even use that term for analog CRTs) was a wealth of difference. And different brands tried to distinguish themselves from the competition. Some were intentionally basic to the core, and some were intentionally designed to be as advanced as possible for really nitpicky users who wanted either the cream of crop in terms of quality. That or to be able to fiddle around with everything, pretending or aspiring to be "professional". I feel that digital consumer electronics and time have levelled the playing field as regards what exactly is on offer. Manufacturers kind of already know what the general consumer wants, and only that seems to be on offer. I can't tell whether everything has a manual option or everything is automatic, but digital is so samey that I don't know what I'm getting in an LG that I'm not getting in a Samsung. Plus the designs are the height of sameness that again, I don't know what the difference is between any two different manufacturers' products. In fact, I don't think I even know what the difference is between last year's Samsung and next year's. Surely I don't understand something, because I don't understand why there are different manufacturers today if everything is just so same.

I have never seen a sony with that switch before. That is excellent, I would much prefer that to the one they've used before and since on the consumer prosumer gear.

I was having a hi 8 Handycam and viewfinder was having a tilt angle of 180 degrees. I haven't used that feature but it was fun to see the image rotates automatically when viewfinder faces front. That was first selfie camera may be 🙄

I bought a Sony CCD-TRV37 camcorder off eBay to transfer my 8mm videos to my computer (about a month ago). I really like it (I originally had a Hitatchi VM-H855LA that had some more effects functions, and had sold it by 2007, then later bought a JVC camcorder that I don't know what I did with). Even bought a NP-F750 equivalent battery, which gives 520 minutes of runtime. (The NP-F330 that it came with, gives 120 minutes of runtime). The 2025 clock battery was dead, so I found that a 2032 battery fits in the space, even if the 2032 is slightly wider. I already have a Sony 4K HD camcorder, but I'm thinking of using the Sony TRV37 camcorder this October on vacation to finish using my 8mm tapes.

Candyham

Great video as always. I wish I had found your channel years ago. I love your old software videos too, do you have any plans to do any more of those?

the way you talk about cognitive load in this is fantastic - SUPER important concept! alright, so what's your favorite kamen rider series! let's get to the good stuff! joking, of course (but also curious, if you do indeed have one!). i really dig black and ex-aid - ridiculously awesome designs on the latter!

honestly that cluster looks more manageable than modern DSLR video dials

Nice choice of focus prop there. A little older than the camcorder, but the spirit matches ;)

I appreciate the rant on Capitalism, or at least the honest commentary on it's pressure to only worry about profit.

I have the tr700 and I guess it’s a more advanced version, it’s got a movable color viewfinder, and steadyshot, and a few more bits. It’s almost identical to your tr400

Yay new vid!

It's like the comparison between VW Golf 7 and Golf 8. Golf 7 has very intuitive buttons and menus, the Golf 8 has almost no buttons, a 5 layer menu to control something like heated seats and overall sludge design. Just for the sake of cool modern design..

Does the Hi8 or 8mm tape quality differ from the later sony handycam models?

Im not talking crap on people that take their time putting out content on YT, but I love how you can put out quality videos on a rather regular basis. Well made and the kinda content Im excited to see on my notifications. I watch RU-vid to get my nerd fix. Not so much the pranks, funny cats and reaction videos. (Not ever) 😂

Great overview of the TR500! I bought mine new, way back when, and it doesn't have many hours on it, but it seems that, when I playback a Hi 8 or regular 8 tape from the camera, the audio sounds a little a little scratchy. The same tapes sound fine on my TRV730 camera. Could it be that I need to clean the audio heads or the video heads? Where can I find a how to video to do that? Thanks.

Hi does anyone know how to get the audio output to work on this camera during playback?

In fact it was a Flex-cable on the part of the engineers. Badum tss. Also big ups for mentioning the idea of cognitive cycles. Its real. Interface ergonomics have a cost. The good ones don't take too many instructions per clock 🧠 .

Those cameras from back then are waay cooler and waay more appealing,nowadays it’s just nothing more then a boring lens or lenses on a smartphone, and no longer will you stand out from the rest, i miss those exclusive days from the past , the fucking 90’s were awesome.

Honestly the whole video I was wondering how you could get so many camcorders in such perfect conditions (also aesthetically speaking, they look perfect) without selling a kidney. I am really stunned! Also, I personally like the "plastic blob" design, especially when they used that deep black color. I don't know how this look was perceived at the time these things were sold, but to me it is just so clean, "squary" but not too much, really elegant and classy. Plus I think the Sony design was really distinctive, you just glance at this black shape and you immediately know what you are looking at. I don't know I really like these objects.

0:13 where'd you get the palm-strap? because I have a TR200 and there's no palm strap that came with mine

That is somewhat reminiscent of Techmoan's videos on professional Walkman's.

Hey, do you know where I can buy this camera ? Thanks!

90’s commodity design that’s just good enough to be useable but bad enough to make you buy a shinier one when shareholders “need” more bonuses!

There are huge differences between the Sony camcorders. My absolute favourite was the DCR-TRV-320. It played back Super8, HI8 and Digital8. It had pass through video digitisation and a FireWire output. It would digitise the analogue tapes and whatever input source and throw them out directly via FireWire. And do the same for the digital tapes. It's an absolute powerhouse and a Swiss Army knife if you want to transfer analogue media to digital. They still fetch mad money on eBay, sometimes over €300. NEVER buy the follow up models. Sony deleted digitisation and playback of analogue tapes and the CCDs ALL die. If you want an old Sony camcorder, that's the one to get.

I have a tr-880, very similar to the tr-400, and I'm very confused why Sony chose to use NiMH batteries for a newer camcorder than the 500. Did they reserve the infolithium only for the higher end models initially?

I had several similar rooms. the image quality was decent. but I discovered a little trick that made the image quality very good. instead of hi8 MP cassettes, I used Hi8 ME. these offered the best quality with very beautiful colors and fine details much better than in the MP version. the second trick was to deactivate image stabilization, that is, "steady shot", turned off. it consumes a lot of the image quality because it is electronic and not optical.

Having had a lot of Handycams, this one looks pretty great especially considering its from 1993. Many of Sonys later models lack the color view finder (but ofcourse bet on the LCD screen instead). The record button mechanism I dont recall seeing on any of the models I've had either, usually quite a lot newer than this one. I've have a Canon Hi8 camera which sports its too, though. (UC-X20Hi). Pretty cool. Does a PAL version of the TR500 not exist?

I actually helped sony with both the stuck shutter & stuck iris problems they had. It was because the coatings were able to absorb moisture and oil. So they'd always lockup after a little while. The solution was to use either absorbers nearby, or using coatings that didn't absorb. They literally made my changes the next day. And then I never saw the problem again. I started as a video tech back in 1992, so most, but not all 92+ models didn't stick shut. Except for the econo cameras that didn't get the fix.

4:40 my panasonic nv-a1 does this too!

I can't believe I watched a 17 minute review of a 27 year old camcorder and enjoyed it.

Is there a way to output the audio from the camera?

is that a powermac g4 i'm spotting on the right of the shot

High school grad gift - My Sony CCD-V3 Handycam, with BW viewfinder for only $999 from an appliance store! Better than the V1 (because you could PLAY BACK the video). :)

Usability on this camera has extra points

Cool indeed

1993 to 2000 was basically the Handycam golden era

Yay!

I really love this camera. I've honestly watched this video 4-5 times now. How much youtibe ad cents do you gotta get before you give me this camera in exchange lol

I got this same camcorder mines don't have sound it have a good picture but no audio

Love me some Vitalstatistix

how do i find these omg 🥺🥺

So I have this camera and I managed to slide what seems to be a charging dock onto the bottom of it (it slid in easily and fit perfectly, the dock is labeled dk500 btw) But now I have no earthly idea how the heck to get it off. There is no latch, button, or lever on the camera or this small dock piece to speak of. Since this is the only video I've really found on this camera I thought I'd see if leaving a comment would solve this problem.

Calling Hi-8 popular lol good one

Is there a MiniDV camera like this?

Thoroughly enjoyed the political-economic analysis at the end there :D I find this '90s styling strangely beautiful, though. Guess it's polarising, much like '70s stuff. Really nice intuitive control scheme though. Always hated those homogenous dials.

How do you access the menu

hi, i dont know if you still read these comments. But i just got this camera handed down to me from my grandpa. Im trying to see if it works, but when i turn it on and put it in camera mode, i get no image in my viewfinder, just info. Even out of standby. It has no tape inside it, it might be that, but i was hust curious if you knew something about it.

Can it be recorded onto a PC? Or is it limited to Tape?

I subbed cuz Technology Connections said so lol ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Alright I’m down. Nice video!