The wife bought a toy, a JVC GF-DV500

digitalwanderer · Apr 1, 2003, 01:24 AM

Which is some form of digital camera or recorder or something, I'm still reading the manual and trying to figure out how to work it.

Anyone know anything about this thing? It's caught me sort of by surprise and I ain't gonna have time to research/play with it for an hour or two....

eyeguy616 · Apr 1, 2003, 01:30 AM

Wow, that's one sweet digi-cam! Wish I had... that......

Sorry, I can't give any instructions besides find and press the on switch after turning the dial to camera and then pressing the shutter button so you can take a picture and then look at the LCD to review your shot and.....

sorry...
~eyeguy616

digitalwanderer · Apr 1, 2003, 01:47 AM

Yeah, it is sort of a gumby-proof camera...I just feel so rushed that taking the time to bother to skim thru the manual seems like it would take FOREVER so I just went ahead and fiddled with it.

I got it to do a live video feed thru it's USB connection, but I ain't figured out snapshots yet. (There are a LOT of buttons!

) Ah well, the wife is off tomorrow so the planet should slow down a little for me by then.

I was just sort of curious if anyone knew if it was a good one or not, I really don't know nothing about 'em. (Other than I like JVC stuff too.)

eyeguy616 · Apr 1, 2003, 02:09 AM

Anyway, it is a pretty sweet cam, but seems a little pricey for my taste. From the little picture it looks like the cam uses Secure Disk Flash cards. These things are a little larger than a stamp, so be careful with 'em (just leave the one that came with it in the camera, no real need to take it out since you can directly hook the whole thing up to a comp) The pixel resolution (1.3mp or 1600x1200/1280x960) will take some good 4x6's or even 5x7's, anything larger might look pixelated unless you have some good software (Paint Shop Pro if you want to dress it up without breaking the bank, Irfanview [free!] if you just want to resize). It's big feature seems to be taking video (

) so that should be your main focus. Flip to the section on movie recording in the manual if there is a section, if not there's usually a dial of some kind or maybe a slider that switches the camera to the different mode. You'll really have to devote an evening to it to figure it out, and then use it like mad for the next few days so you get comfortable using it, cause you'll be wanting to take video/pictures of your kids' mishaps so you can embarass them later on

.

Parents always get the last laugh, so you should be no exception.

~eyeguy616

digitalwanderer · Apr 1, 2003, 02:29 AM

Good advice, I plan to follow it. I got to look at the memory card and almost fainted at how damned tiny it is, it makes a stamp look BIG!

It came with an 8MB and the wife picked up a 64MB along with it. (Did I ever mention just how lucky I got in the wife department or how amazing of a woman I fell in love with? It's REALLY cool!

)

shuki · Apr 1, 2003, 08:33 AM

I'm almost ashamed to say it.... but since we're all family here... We bought this one about 10 months ago to put home videos on CD. Well.... it never has been hooked up to pc yet

We've got some tapes filled up but just not even started the whole digitize it thing yet...

digi, once you get it sorted, post up for me/us man

while I don't have USB I do have firewire.

edit - but ours takes crap still images! definitely stick with regular digital camera for stills!!!

eyeguy616 · Apr 1, 2003, 08:41 PM

Well, from what I can see in the little picture shuki, it doesn't seem to have any sort of flash card slot or symbol, so stills are stored on tape (which is bad) and it doesn't have as high a pixel count. If anything you need some sort of DVR like software to record digitally on the 'puter since the cam records to tape. I don't know what to recommend, so google it and see what you get. Although, on second look I think it uses MiniDV tapes (am I right?), in which case real digital data IS stored on the tape, in MPEG2 files I think.
By contrast, digi's cam can record straight to Secure Disk (or MultiMedia) flash cards, so no tape to mess with unless he needs it (I think...?).

I don't have a digi-camcorder, just a normal digi-camera that can't take video. It's an old-ass Olympus D-600L (camera defaults to '97!!), but it's still a good camera even by today's standards (1.3mp). My only gripe is that it's limited to using 8mb Smartmedia cards, which suck in more ways than one.
~eyeguy616

edit: poop, I can't link to it directly.... just click the link, click on the go button, and then look in the dropdown box for D-600L....

digitalwanderer · Apr 1, 2003, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by eyeguy616
I don't have a digi-camcorder, just a normal digi-camera that can't take video. It's an old-ass Olympus D-600L (camera defaults to '97!!), but it's still a good camera even by today's standards (1.3mp). My only gripe is that it's limited to using 8mb Smartmedia cards, which suck in more ways than one.

Well my digicorder's still image resolution is probably about the same as your olympus...it's a 1.3mp too. I do have the option of switching from tape to memcard, but I can only use the memcard for stills or I can download clips from the tape into it in some compressed format. (Probably just divX under a different name.

) I haven't played with that much, I'm just having fun trying to figure it all out.

I found out what I missed the first time, the "menu wheel". I tiny recessed wheel that's easier to find with the finger than eye, and when you push it in it calls up a menu on the display screen that you use the wheel to scroll and click on with....WAY COOL!!!! There are like a BAZILLION options!!!!

Oh, and after mucking about a bit with their proprietary software bundle I figured out how to just directly access the camera thru explorer. It shows up as a removable drive when I plug the cord in and have the camera set to "play" mode, and I can just shift the picts from the mem card to my hard drive....storing them and emptying the camera in one easy step.

VERY schweeeeet!

Mine came with the 8MB card too, but I popped the 64MB in last night and it looks like I have about 80 picts in their 1600x1200 format per card. Next is some battery life experiments and picking up a few spares. (I'll rant about the battery next....I REALLY like it! A smart lithion-ion with an on-board charger that you can also use to run the camera.

)

dipstick · Apr 1, 2003, 10:12 PM

I bought a JVC DVL520 not to long ago and absolutely love it. Not as as good as yours but the controls still sound the same. It's very easy to use so you'll get used it in no time. The quality is very good even on mine, I can only imagine how good yours is. JVC cams are pretty good

eyeguy616 · Apr 1, 2003, 10:15 PM

Actually, mine came with a 4meg card, it only supports up to 8megs on one card. I bought six of them, but two have since died (I tried getting those last few shot when the batteries were dying and kept trying to turn on the camera.... kills cards when you do that.

) and they're way too brittle (like almost cracker or wafer brittle). Eight megs at a time really bites as it can only take about twenty-four to thirty pictures at medium quality (which is pretty good quality for 4x6's) or about eighty at low (which is too small for good prints, like maybe 2x3 or something

).
Pretty cool how your cam can convert video from the tape to the card, digi. It'll come in handy later.

You know what I mean.

~eyeguy616

shuki · Apr 2, 2003, 08:03 AM

well after being inspired here, I decided to fnally give hooking mine up to the pc a try. Hooked up firewire and winXP just came up auto with windows movie maker. converted tape to digital in a flash and now have it on me hdd

too cool!

kinetic · Apr 4, 2003, 09:50 PM

How's the battery life Digi?

digitalwanderer · Apr 4, 2003, 10:21 PM

I don't know. I know it goes at least an hour with the big flip-out view finder with barely denting it's power meter....I haven't run it all the way down yet. I LOVE it's "plug it in and forget it" recharge system that lets it top itself off!

Lithium-ion roxors!

Aspect · Apr 4, 2003, 10:45 PM

What a great wife

digitalwanderer · Apr 4, 2003, 10:49 PM

Yes indeed, I am lucky as hell to have found her and doubly so for her being able to tolerate me. I really love me wife and try like hell not to take her for granted.

Apr 1, 2003, 01:24 AM	#1
digitalwanderer Colour Commentator Join Date: May 2002 Location: Highland, IN USA Posts: 5,619 Rep Power: 0	The wife bought a toy, a JVC GF-DV500 Which is some form of digital camera or recorder or something, I'm still reading the manual and trying to figure out how to work it. Anyone know anything about this thing? It's caught me sort of by surprise and I ain't gonna have time to research/play with it for an hour or two.... __________________ WTF is up with the sigs?

Apr 1, 2003, 01:47 AM	Thread Starter #3
digitalwanderer Colour Commentator Join Date: May 2002 Location: Highland, IN USA Posts: 5,619 Rep Power: 0	ROFLMFAO~~~~ Yeah, it is sort of a gumby-proof camera...I just feel so rushed that taking the time to bother to skim thru the manual seems like it would take FOREVER so I just went ahead and fiddled with it. I got it to do a live video feed thru it's USB connection, but I ain't figured out snapshots yet. (There are a LOT of buttons! ) Ah well, the wife is off tomorrow so the planet should slow down a little for me by then. I was just sort of curious if anyone knew if it was a good one or not, I really don't know nothing about 'em. (Other than I like JVC stuff too.) __________________ WTF is up with the sigs?

Apr 1, 2003, 02:09 AM	#4
eyeguy616 ZZzzzzzzzzzz........... Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 324 Rep Power: 0	I just couldn't resist... Anyway, it is a pretty sweet cam, but seems a little pricey for my taste. From the little picture it looks like the cam uses Secure Disk Flash cards. These things are a little larger than a stamp, so be careful with 'em (just leave the one that came with it in the camera, no real need to take it out since you can directly hook the whole thing up to a comp) The pixel resolution (1.3mp or 1600x1200/1280x960) will take some good 4x6's or even 5x7's, anything larger might look pixelated unless you have some good software (Paint Shop Pro if you want to dress it up without breaking the bank, Irfanview [free!] if you just want to resize). It's big feature seems to be taking video ( ) so that should be your main focus. Flip to the section on movie recording in the manual if there is a section, if not there's usually a dial of some kind or maybe a slider that switches the camera to the different mode. You'll really have to devote an evening to it to figure it out, and then use it like mad for the next few days so you get comfortable using it, cause you'll be wanting to take video/pictures of your kids' mishaps so you can embarass them later on . Parents always get the last laugh, so you should be no exception. ~eyeguy616

Apr 1, 2003, 02:29 AM	Thread Starter #5
digitalwanderer Colour Commentator Join Date: May 2002 Location: Highland, IN USA Posts: 5,619 Rep Power: 0	Thanks! Good advice, I plan to follow it. I got to look at the memory card and almost fainted at how damned tiny it is, it makes a stamp look BIG! It came with an 8MB and the wife picked up a 64MB along with it. (Did I ever mention just how lucky I got in the wife department or how amazing of a woman I fell in love with? It's REALLY cool! ) __________________ WTF is up with the sigs?

Apr 1, 2003, 08:41 PM	#7
eyeguy616 ZZzzzzzzzzzz........... Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 324 Rep Power: 0	Well, from what I can see in the little picture shuki, it doesn't seem to have any sort of flash card slot or symbol, so stills are stored on tape (which is bad) and it doesn't have as high a pixel count. If anything you need some sort of DVR like software to record digitally on the 'puter since the cam records to tape. I don't know what to recommend, so google it and see what you get. Although, on second look I think it uses MiniDV tapes (am I right?), in which case real digital data IS stored on the tape, in MPEG2 files I think. By contrast, digi's cam can record straight to Secure Disk (or MultiMedia) flash cards, so no tape to mess with unless he needs it (I think...?). I don't have a digi-camcorder, just a normal digi-camera that can't take video. It's an old-ass Olympus D-600L (camera defaults to '97!!), but it's still a good camera even by today's standards (1.3mp). My only gripe is that it's limited to using 8mb Smartmedia cards, which suck in more ways than one. ~eyeguy616 edit: poop, I can't link to it directly.... just click the link, click on the go button, and then look in the dropdown box for D-600L.... Last edited by eyeguy616; Apr 1, 2003 at 08:49 PM.

Apr 1, 2003, 01:30 AM	#2
eyeguy616 ZZzzzzzzzzzz........... Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 324 Rep Power: 0	Wow, that's one sweet digi-cam! Wish I had... that...... Sorry, I can't give any instructions besides find and press the on switch after turning the dial to camera and then pressing the shutter button so you can take a picture and then look at the LCD to review your shot and..... sorry... ~eyeguy616

Apr 1, 2003, 08:33 AM	#6
shuki DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: in the hidden place Posts: 1,975 Rep Power: 0	I'm almost ashamed to say it.... but since we're all family here... We bought this one about 10 months ago to put home videos on CD. Well.... it never has been hooked up to pc yet We've got some tapes filled up but just not even started the whole digitize it thing yet... digi, once you get it sorted, post up for me/us man while I don't have USB I do have firewire. edit - but ours takes crap still images! definitely stick with regular digital camera for stills!!!

Apr 1, 2003, 10:12 PM	#9
dipstick HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: USA Posts: 3,609 Rep Power: 71 System Specs	I bought a JVC DVL520 not to long ago and absolutely love it. Not as as good as yours but the controls still sound the same. It's very easy to use so you'll get used it in no time. The quality is very good even on mine, I can only imagine how good yours is. JVC cams are pretty good

Apr 1, 2003, 10:15 PM	#10
eyeguy616 ZZzzzzzzzzzz........... Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 324 Rep Power: 0	Actually, mine came with a 4meg card, it only supports up to 8megs on one card. I bought six of them, but two have since died (I tried getting those last few shot when the batteries were dying and kept trying to turn on the camera.... kills cards when you do that. ) and they're way too brittle (like almost cracker or wafer brittle). Eight megs at a time really bites as it can only take about twenty-four to thirty pictures at medium quality (which is pretty good quality for 4x6's) or about eighty at low (which is too small for good prints, like maybe 2x3 or something ). Pretty cool how your cam can convert video from the tape to the card, digi. It'll come in handy later. You know what I mean. ~eyeguy616

Apr 2, 2003, 08:03 AM	#11
shuki DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: in the hidden place Posts: 1,975 Rep Power: 0	well after being inspired here, I decided to fnally give hooking mine up to the pc a try. Hooked up firewire and winXP just came up auto with windows movie maker. converted tape to digital in a flash and now have it on me hdd too cool!

Apr 4, 2003, 09:50 PM	#12
kinetic DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Manchester England Posts: 2,559 Rep Power: 0	How's the battery life Digi?

Apr 4, 2003, 10:21 PM	Thread Starter #13
digitalwanderer Colour Commentator Join Date: May 2002 Location: Highland, IN USA Posts: 5,619 Rep Power: 0	Ridiculous. I don't know. I know it goes at least an hour with the big flip-out view finder with barely denting it's power meter....I haven't run it all the way down yet. I LOVE it's "plug it in and forget it" recharge system that lets it top itself off! Lithium-ion roxors! __________________ WTF is up with the sigs?

Apr 4, 2003, 10:45 PM	#14
Aspect "Amusing Comment Here" Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Birmingham UK Posts: 232 Rep Power: 0	What a great wife __________________

Apr 4, 2003, 10:49 PM	Thread Starter #15
digitalwanderer Colour Commentator Join Date: May 2002 Location: Highland, IN USA Posts: 5,619 Rep Power: 0	Yup! Yes indeed, I am lucky as hell to have found her and doubly so for her being able to tolerate me. I really love me wife and try like hell not to take her for granted. __________________ WTF is up with the sigs?