RCA CC4251 - Manual

First-Time Operation 3 1. Unpack the camcorder and accessories. • Save the packing materials and box in case you ever need to ship or store your camcorder. • The items shown below are packed with your camcorder. If any are missing or appear damaged, contact your dealer immediately. This section desc...

4 First-Time Operation POWER CHARGE 3. Adjust the handstrap, remove lens cap, and attachit to the handstrap. 2. Attach the adapter/charger. DCOUTPUTJack DC Cable Adapter/Charger To AC 120V,50/60 Hz DC IN 9.6VJack 1. Open the handstrap, insert your hand, and adjust the handstrap tofit your hand. Lens...

First-Time Operation 5 5. Turn on the camcorder. CAMERA/OFF/VCR Switch (continued on next page) • Press and hold the small button on the CAMERA/OFF/VCR switchwhile sliding it to CAMERA. The camcorder enters record-pause. • The position of this switch tells the camcorder whether you wantto record (CA...

6 First-Time Operation • Grasp the viewfinder and rotate it horizontally. • Pull the viewfinder out from the camcorder and rotate the eyepieceinto a comfortable viewingposition. Caution: Pulling on the eye-piece might damage theeyepiece or camcorder. • Turn the eyepiece focus control to adjust the f...

First-Time Operation 7 8. Play back what you have recorded. • Press the REC/PAUSE button to pause recording. • Press and hold the small button while you set the CAMERA/OFF/VCR switch to VCR. • Press REW/REVIEW to rewind the tape. • Press PLAY to play back the tape. • Press STOP/EJECT when you are fi...

8 First-Time Operation BRIGHTControl 11. Review camcorder’s operating controls. PLAY Button REW (Rewind)/REVIEW Button(Also – Button) F.FWD (Fast Forward)Button(Also + Button) CAMERA/OFF/VCRSwitch DISPLAY Button DATE/TIME Button TITLER Button RESET Button STOP/EJECTButton VIDEO, AUDIO and RF DCOUT J...

First-Time Operation 9 11. Review camcorder’s operating controls. (continued) EyepieceFocusControl Attach Adapter/Charger’s DCCord Here Shoulder StrapAttachment Ring Shoulder StrapAttachment Ring AttachRechargeableBattery Here REC/PAUSEButton Handstrapwith LensCap Holder Viewfinder Cassette Door(Pre...

10 Power Your Camcorder Use the Adapter/Charger to Power Your Camcorder The adapter/charger attaches to the camcorder and lets you power your camcorderdirectly from standard household power. The adapter/charger operates on 120 volts,50/60 Hz, and can be used to power the camcorder or recharge the ba...

Power Your Camcorder 11 Use the Battery to Power Your Camcorder Charge the Battery The battery must be charged before it can be used the first time. Initial charging willtake approximately two hours. The camcorder’s operating time depends on how oftenyou turn the power on and off and how much you us...

12 Power Your Camcorder RechargeableBattery Hold BatteryFlush andSlide Down BATTERYEJECTButton CAMERA/OFF/VCRSwitch Attach the Charged Battery If the DC cable is attached to thecamcorder, remove it before attachingthe battery. 1. Align the reference arrow on the battery to the arrow on the back ofth...

Power Your Camcorder 13 Battery Level Indicator The battery level indicator appears in the viewfinder and shows you the amount ofpower in the rechargeable battery. Notes: When recording using the recharge-able battery, the battery level indicatorflashes to warn you of low battery powereven if you do...

14 Power Your Camcorder Battery Storage • Store the battery at normal room temperature. • Lead acid batteries discharge if not used. Recharge the battery at leastonce ever six months or you may notbe able to recharge it. Use the Battery to Power Your Camcorder (continued) Battery Care • Your battery...

Power Your Camcorder 15 Use the RCA Optional Car Cord Adapter The optional DCC096 car cord shown onpage 41 allows you to power yourcamcorder from the cigarette lightersocket of a car, truck, or RV. It converts12-volts to a 9.6-volt output. Note: Consult the installation and operatinginstructions enc...

16 Videocassettes Make sure you select good quality tapes for your camcorder. Use of poor quality tapesor tapes that have been damaged or mishandled can contaminate the video heads,resulting in a snowy picture or no picture at all during playback. Because there is nocontrol over the type of tape pur...

17 Videocassettes Caution: Insertthe cassette onlyone way with thetape wheel facingup and the tapewindows facingout. The cassetteshould slide easilyinto the holder.Gently push thecassette down untilit locks into place. Cassette Care and Storage • When you are finished with a cassette, rewind it, rem...

Date and Time Display 18 Set the Time and Date You must set the correct date and time before it can be displayed and recorded on yourtapes. The built-in clock cell must be charged as described on the next page. 1. Attach a power supply to the camcorder. 2. Press and hold the small button on the CAME...

Date and Time Display 19 Viewfinder Displays AUTO Date Display AUTO Title Display Date and Time Display 11/18/1998 11/18/1998 No Display To Select the Display to Record 1. Repeatedly press DATE/TIME to select the display you want to record. • Date and Time Display: The date and time are displayedand...

20 Recording Eyepiece FocusControl Eyepiece Focus Control The eyepiece focus control lets you set thefocus of the viewfinder for your vision. Ifyou wear eyeglasses, you probably canoperate the camcorder without them. It is easiest to set the correct focus byfocusing on one of the viewfinder’s on-scr...

21 Recording Cautions: Do not pull on theeyepiece. Do not force the eyepieceto rotate completely around. Thismight damage the viewfinder and/orthe camcorder. Tilt Adjustment Use the Viewfinder (continued) BRIGHT Control The brightness of the viewfinder can beadjusted by rotating the BRIGHT control.T...

22 Recording Viewfinder Displays AE:60 (Auto Exposure) Shutter Speed Press the DISPLAY button to display theshutter speed selected by the camcorder. Battery Level Indicator ( ) Press the DISPLAY button to display theamount of time left on the rechargeablebattery. Details are on page 13. INDEX Indica...

23 Recording Tape Counter (0000M) with MemoryStop Press the DISPLAY button to display thetape counter. The tape counter helpslocate segments of tape. • Whenever the tape counter isdisplayed, the memory-stop featureturns on. • Details are on page 28. Tape Warnings (TAPE, NO TAPE, andTAPE END) • TAPE ...

24 Recording REW/REVIEW Button Zoom Buttons(T and W) DISPLAY Button The DISPLAY button lets you remove thebattery level, tape counter with memorystop, tape speed, remaining-tape, index,shutter speed, and zoom indicators fromthe viewfinder. • Press DISPLAY to remove the indicators. • Press DISPLAY ag...

25 Recording Auto Shot™ Feature The camcorder automatically adjustsshutter speed, light, focus, white balance,and iris according to the recordingconditions. Camera Edit Feature The camera edit feature allows you toposition the tape when the camcorder is inrecord-pause. Press and hold the smallbutton...

26 Recording Tape-Remaining Display The tape-remaining display shows theamount of recording or playback time lefton the tape in the camcorder. Tape-Remaining Display in Viewfinder • Press DISPLAY to display the tape-remaining indicator in the viewfinder. • The camcorder takes approximatelyten second...

27 Recording Zoom Buttons(T and W) Zooming You can zoom in and out for close ups or wide-angle shots by pressing one of the zoombuttons on the camcorder. Use the Zoom Buttons (T and W) 1. To zoom in or out from wide angle to 32 times, press zoom button T or W. • To move the lens in the telephoto (cl...

28 Recording Tape Counter The tape counter acts as a handy reference to help you locate tape segments.The memory-stop feature helps locate a certain point on the tape. When thetape counter appears, memory stop is automatically turned on. Use the Memory-Stop Feature 1. Place the camcorder in record-p...

29 Recording Recording Tips • Try to make sure indoor scenes are well-lit. This improves picture qualityand color reproduction. • Do not move the camcorder rapidly from side-to-side while recording.A steady, gradual “pan” avoidsblurring and “jitter”. • Use the viewfinder to make sure the camcorder i...

30 Recording Titler The camcorder’s built-in titler stores a title in memory. You can display and record thecreated title at any time. The built-in character register contains over 45 different characters for creating yourtitles. The title can contain up to 32 characters on two lines. CAMERA/OFF/VCR...

31 Recording Titler (continued) To Create a Title 1. Attach a power source to the camcorder. Press and hold the smallbutton on the CAMERA/OFF/VCRswitch while you set it to CAMERA. 2. Press TITLER to display the titler graphics in the viewfinder. A flashingcursor appears. 3. Press EDIT-ADV to move th...

32 Recording Titler (continued) Record a Title on a Tape in the Camcorder 1. Attach a power source to the camcorder. Press and hold the smallbutton on the CAMERA/OFF/VCRswitch while you slide it to CAMERA. 2. Locate the place on the tape where you want to record the title. Note: If you record a titl...

33 Playback • Grasp the viewfinder and rotate it horizontally. Pull the viewfinderout from the camcorder and rotatethe eyepiece into a comfortableviewing position Caution: Pulling on the eyepiece might cause damageto the eyepiece or camcorder. • Turn the eyepiece focus control to adjust the focus of...

34 Playback REC/PAUSEButton Caution: Pause is designed formomentary interruptions and shouldnot be used for an extended period oftime. If the camcorder remains inpause for more than five minutes, itenters the stop mode and turns off toprevent excessive tape wear. Playback Features STOP/EJECTButton R...

35 Playback Playback Features (continued) During playback, streaks might appear inthe playback picture. Press eitherTRACKING button to move the streaksup or down and out of the picture. • During stop-action playback, pressing one tracking button might reducepicture “jitter” (picture bouncing upand d...

36 Playback Playback on TV (or VCR) with Audio/Video Inputs To connect your camcorder to a TV monitor (or VCR) with audio and video inputs, youneed an optional audio/video cable, such as VH83 shown on page 43. If your TV isalready connected to a VCR, attach the camcorder to the VCR and watch what th...

37 Playback Playback Operation and How to Copy Tapes on the VCR 1. A. Camcorder connected directly to TV: Turn on the TV and tune it tothe video input channel. B. Camcorder connected to VCR that is already connected to TV: Turnon VCR and place it in the “line”or “camera mode”. (If your VCRdoes not h...

38 Playback Playback on a TV Without Audio/Video Inputs To connect your camcorder to a TV without audio/video inputs, you need anoptional CRF95 RF output adapter and an optional coaxial RF cable, such as VH82or VH90 shown on page 43. If your TV has audio and video inputs (or isconnected to a VCR), r...

39 Playback Playback Operation 1. Set the CH3/CH4 switch on the RF output adapter to channelCH3 or CH4. 2. Turn on the TV, and tune it to the same channel you selected with theRF output adapter’s CH3/CH4 switch. 3. Press and hold the small button on the CAMERA/OFF/VCR switch while youslide it to VCR...

40 Attach the Shoulder Strap The camcorder’s shoulder strap is designed to let you carry the camcorderfrom your shoulder and – when you are ready to shoot – bring thecamcorder to shooting position in one quick movement. To Attach the Shoulder Strap 1. Unfasten one end of the shoulder strap from the ...

41 Optional Accessories We invite you to take a look at some great ideas for sparking creativity and adding tothe fun of using your VHS camcorder. The following pages have a selection ofaccessories to help make your memorable moments look and sound even better. These accessories are designed to make...

42 Optional Accessories Cautions: Before using a tripod, make sureit is stable enough to hold the camcorderwithout falling over. Do not transport thecamcorder attached to the tripod. When attaching your camcorder to a tripod,be careful not to force the tripod screw intothe camcorder’s tripod mountin...

43 Optional Accessories VH54 Cable Transformer CRF95 RF Output Adapter This RF output adapter is used with acoaxial RF cable, such as VH82 or VH90,to connect your camcorder to a standardTV (one without audio/video inputs) forplayback. If your antenna cable is the flattwin-lead type attached by two s...

44 Optional Accessories Remove the Lens Hood The lens hood can be removed so you can attach optional accessories, such as wide-angle lens, lens extenders, or lens filter kits. To Attach an Accessory Lens 2. Turn the lens cap and hood counterclockwise with the palm ofyour hand to remove them. Caution...

45 Accessory Order Form Order Form for Camcorder Model CC4251 Description Part No. Price Qty. Total Deluxe Tripod AC093 $ 59.95 Soft Camcorder Case AC202 $ 49.95 Y-Adapter AH25 $ 2.95 AC Adapter/Charger (100-240V) CPS014 $219.95 RF Output Adapter CRF95 $ 69.95 Car Cord Adapter DCC096 $ 49.95 Recharg...

46 Accessory Order Form ® r r s TM Charge your order on your VISA,MasterCard, or Discover Card by filling in below USE YOUR CREDIT CARD IMPORTANT: Copy complete account number from your VISA card IMPORTANT: Copy complete account number from your MasterCard Expiration date: Expiration date: Copy Numb...

47 Accessory Order Form To order accessories, contact your local Dealer. If a dealer is not nearby, you can also follow the directions below to order bytelephone or direct-by-mail. United States and Canada Orders To place your order by phone, have your Visa, MasterCard, or Discover card readyand cal...

48 Trouble Checks If you’re having trouble with your camcorder, you probably can correct the problemyourself. Before you take your camcorder to an Authorized RCA Camcorder ServiceCenter or call a service person, use the chart below. Find the problem and try theadjustment(s) that is listed to the rig...

49 Trouble Checks • Subject was too far from camcorder. • Tape-counter displayed. Whenever the tape counterappears, the camcorder stops rewinding (or fastforwarding) when the counter reads 0000M. PressREW/REVIEW or F.FWD again to continue rewindingor fast forwarding or press DISPLAY to remove thetap...

50 Trouble Checks Title is recorded ontape Date and/or time areincorrect • Title is recorded whenever it appears in theviewfinder. Press the TITLER button to remove thetitle from the viewfinder. See page 32. • Date or time might need to be set See page 18. • Clock lithium cell battery might need rec...

51 Care and Maintenance Clean the Camcorder To clean the camcorder’s exterior, removeany power source connected to thecamcorder and gently wipe it with a cleansoft cloth. Caution: Use of strong cleaningproducts, such as those containingalcohol or benzine, might damagethe camcorder. Caution: Do not t...

52 Care and Maintenance Proper Care and Storage • Keep dust and grit from entering the camcorder’s cassette door. Dust andgrit are abrasive and cause excessivewear to both the camcorder’srecording/playback heads andcassettes. • Always place the lens cap back on the camcorder when it is not in use. •...

53 Specifications Information to User This equipment has been tested and found tocomply with the limits for a Class B digitaldevice pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.These limits are designed to providereasonable protection against harmfulinterference in a residential installation. Thisequipment ...

54 Customer Assistance and Service You can reach Thomson at the following number: 800-283-6503 (Toll free inside U.S.A.) Our toll-free Camcorder number operates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., CST Monday – Friday for U.S. customers only Thomson provides a toll-free telephonenumber to help you with any proble...

55 Limited Warranty What your warranty covers: • Any defect in materials or workmanship. For how long after your purchase: • 90 days for labor charges. • One year for parts.The warranty period for rental units beginswith the first rental or 45 days from date ofshipment to the rental firm, whicheverc...

56 Limited Warranty • Evidence of purchase date, such as a bill of sale, to verify your unit’swarranty eligibility. • A brief note describing your camcorder’s problem. • Your name, address and phone number. Return transportation, storage, handling, andinsurance costs are your sole responsibility.We ...

57 Index A Accessories included 3optional 41order form 45 Adapter/charger accessory 3charging battery 11using 4, 10 AE focus indicators 22, 25Assistance 1, 3Assistance, customer 54AUDIO and VIDEO jacks 8, 36, 38Auto focus 25Auto shot feature 25 B Battery 3 attaching and removing 12care 14charging 11...

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