AIPTEK PocketDV T290 User manual

If the time arises to throw away your
product, please recycle all the compo-
nents possible. Batteries and recharge-
able batteries are not to be disposed
in your domestic waste! Please recycle
them at your local recycling point.
Together we can help to protect the
environment.
Welcome:
Dear user, thanks for purchasing this product.
Much investment in time and effort has gone into its development, and it is our hope
that it will give you many years of trouble-free service.
Safety Notice:
1. Do not drop, puncture or disassemble the camcorder; otherwise the warranty will be voided.
2. Avoid all contact with water, and dry hands before using.
3. Do not expose the camcorder to high temperature or leave it in direct sunlight. Doing so may
damage the camcorder.
4. Use the camcorder with care. Avoid pressing hard on the camcorder body.
5. For your own safety, avoid using the camcorder when there is a storm or lightning.
6. Do not use batteries of different specications. Doing so may lead to the potential for serious
damage.
7. Remove the battery during long periods between usage, as a deteriorated battery may affect
the functionality of the camcorder.
8. Remove the battery if it shows signs of leaking or distortion.
9. Use only the accessories supplied by the manufacturer.
10. Keep the camcorder out of the reach of infants.
11. Risk of explosion if battery is replaced by an incorrect type.
12. Dispose of used batteries according to the instructions.

1
Parts of the camcorder
1Directional buttons:
Up & Down: Zoom buttons
Left: Flash toggle ( ) button
Right: Mode/Return ( ) button
2Record button
3Menu/OK button
4USB port
5TV-out connector
6SD/MMC card slot
7Quick-view ( ) button
8Power button
9LED indicator
10
LCD panel
11
Focus switch
12
Lens
13
Flash strobe
14
Strap holder
15
Tripod socket
16
Battery compartment
17
Speaker
18
Shutter button
19
Microphone
15
1
2
3
4
5
12
8
7
9
10
6
13
19
18
17
16
14
11

2
Inserting the SD/MMC card (optional)
1. Insert the card in the direction of indication until it reaches the end of
the slot.
2. When using a SD card, the built-in memory will become inaccessible.
3. To remove the SD card, gently push the card until it pops up.
Loading the battery
Note: Upon using the battery for the rst time, you are
recommended to fully discharge and then charge the battery
for 8 hours to ensure its lifecycle.
1. Slide open the battery compartment cover as indicated.
2. Place the accessory Li-Ion battery into the compartment.
Note that the metallic contacts must be aligned with the
contacts in the compartment.
3. Replace the cover.
Charging battery
1. Connect one end of the cable to the USB port of the
camcorder.
2. Plug the AC adapter to a wall outlet, or connect the other end
of the USB cable to the PC that has been powered on.
3. The charge starts. The LED indicates red light during
charging. When the battery is fully charged, the LED light will
go out.
Note: When using a PC to charge the battery, do not power on
the camcorder or the charge will stop.
open
close

3
Turning on the camcorder
Open the LCD panel or press the Power button ( ).
Turning off the camcorder
Close the LCD panel or press the Power button ( ).
Setting Language
Power-on → Press the Mode button → Enter the Setting ( ) mode → Use the Zoom buttons
( ) to select the Language ( ABC ) item → Use the Zoom buttons ( ) to select a suitable
language and press the button to conrm.
Battery Life Indicator
Icon Description
Full battery life
Moderate battery life
Low battery life
Empty battery life
Note: To avoid sudden outage of power supply, you are recommended to replace the battery
when the icon indicates low battery life.

4
Reading LCD indicators
Digital Camcorder mode:
1.1x
Playback thumbnail mode:
Playback full mode:
Video REC mode:
1.1x
Focus mode
Flash mode
Photo resolution
Zoom ratio
Number of pictures/les
SD card inserted
Battery life
Play mode
Recording time
Volume
Current/total recordings
Play mode
Highlight box
NightShot
File type
Video resolution
Zoom ratio
Recording time
Battery life
Focus mode
Recording
NightShot
SD card inserted

5
Recording a video clip
1. Set the focus to an appropriate setting. Normally, you may set the
focus to ( ) for most lming conditions. Select ( ) only for
close-ups.
2. Press the Record button ( ) to start recording.
3. Use the Zoom buttons ( ) to zoom in or zoom out the screen.
4. Press the Record button ( ) again to stop recording.
5. Press the Quick-view button ( ) to view the video just recorded. Press again to return.
Taking a still picture
1. Set the focus to an appropriate setting. Normally, you may set the focus to ( ) for most
lming conditions. Select ( ) only for close-ups.
2. Use the Zoom buttons ( ) to zoom in or zoom out the screen.
3. Press the Shutter button ( ) to take a still picture.
4. Press the Quick-view button ( ) to view the picture just taken. Press again to return.
Playing back your recordings
1. Press the button.
2. Use the Zoom buttons ( ) to select the Playback ( )mode.
3. Press the button to enter.
4. Use the Zoom buttons ( ) to shift between les.
5. Press the button to review/play the le.
Press the Shutter button ( ) to delete les.
Recording a voice clip
1. Press the button.
2. Use the Zoom buttons ( ) to select the Voice ( ) mode.
3. Press the button to conrm.
4. Press the Record button ( ) to start recording.
5. When you are done, press the Record button ( ) again to stop recording.
When entering the Voice mode, the remaining recordable time will be displayed on
the LCD.
50cm ~
30cm ~ 50cm

6
Connecting the camcorder to a TV
Connect your camcorder and TV via the accessory AV cable for real-time display. You can
display your video clips, still pictures, and audio recordings directly on your TV, sharing them
with your friends and family.
Video Audio
AV-Mode
TV
TV
OUT
1. Turn on your TV and switch the TV to AV mode.
The TV system is different across areas. If you need to adjust the TV-out
setting, please refer to page 8 for more information. (Taiwan: NTSC; America:
NTSC; Europe: PAL; China: PAL)
2. Connect the audio and video ends of the AV cable to the TV.
3. Turn on the camcorder.
4. Connect the other end of the AV cable to your camcorder.
Connecting the camcorder to your PC
1. Turn on the camcorder.
2. Connect the camcorder to your computer by the USB cable.
The default is set to “Disk” mode. When connected to a PC, the camcorder will
automatically enter Disk (Removable disk) mode.
If you set the USB Mode to “Menu” mode, the following screen will appear.
Please select the desired connection mode.
If you would like to change the setting, please refer to page 9 for more
information.

7
Mode selection
1. Turn on the camcorder.
2. Press the button.
3. Use the Zoom buttons ( ) to select the desired item.
4. Press the button to conrm.
Basic operation
How to... Action
Move the highlight bar Use the Zoom buttons ( ) to move up or down.
Conrm an item Press the button.
Exit menu/Go back to upper menu Press the Mode/ button (when in sub-menu).
Menu items in Camcorder mode (1)
Power-on → Press the button.
Item Option Description
Resolution
5 Mega-
pixelCamera
1M
3M
5M
12 Mega-
pixelCamera
1M
3M
5M
12M
Selftimer On/Off
Enable the selftimer. After the selftimer is turned on, the camcorder
will have ten seconds delay before recording when the Shutter
button is pressed.
Flash
Auto The ash automatically res when the lighting is insufcient.
On The ash is forced to re in every shot.
Off The ash is disabled.
Histogram On/Off
The real-time histogram displays the approximate luminance
distribution on the screen. You may adjust the exposure to gain
better effect.
Video
resolution
VGA Set the video resolution to VGA (640x480 pixels).
QVGA Set the video resolution to QVGA (320x240 pixels).

8
Menu items in Camcorder mode (2)
Item Option Description
WB
Auto The camcorder automatically adjusts white balance.
Sunny This setting is suitable for outdoor recording in sunny weather.
Cloudy This setting is suitable for recording in cloudy weather or shady
environments.
Fluorescent This setting is suitable for indoor recording with uorescent lamp
lighting, or environments with high color temperature.
Tungsten This setting is suitable for indoor recording with incandescent lamp
lighting, or environments with low color temperature.
Effect
Normal Make recordings in natural color.
B&W Make recordings in black and white.
Classic Make recordings in sepia-toned color.
Exposure -2~+2
Manually adjust the exposure to gain better effect when the preview
image appears too bright or too dark. A positive value indicates the
image will be brighter than usual; while a negative value makes the
image dimmer.
NightShot On/Off
This setting allows you to take a photograph with a dark
background. Since the shutter speed will slow down when taking
photographs at a dark place, we recommend using a tripod to
eliminate blurring from hand shake.
Menu items in Setting mode (1)
Power-on → Press the Mode button → Enter the Setting ( ) mode.
Item Option Description
Beep On/Off Enable beep sound on/off.
Flicker 50Hz/60Hz
Set icker frequency to 50Hz or 60Hz. For more information,
please refer to the “Flicker Settings” table below.
Flicker Settings
Area England Germany France Italy Spain Russia
Setting 50Hz 50Hz 50Hz 50Hz 50Hz 50Hz
Area Portugal America Taiwan China Japan Korea
Setting 50Hz 60Hz 60Hz 50Hz 50/60Hz 60Hz
Note: The icker setting is based on the frequency standard of your local power supply.

9
Menu items in Setting mode (2)
Power-on → Press the Mode button → Enter the Setting ( ) mode.
Item Option Description
TV-out
NTSC
Set TV system compatibility to NTSC. This option is suitable for
America, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea areas.
PAL
Set TV system compatibility to PAL. This option is suitable for Germany,
England, Italy, Netherlands, China, Japan, and Hong Kong.
Icon On/Off Enable/disable OSD icons to display on the screen.
LCD
Brightness
0 ~ 4
Set LCD brightness. A greater value makes the LCD brighter; while a
smaller value makes the LCD dimmer.
Volume 0 ~ 10 Set the volume. (0: mute, 1-10 levels)
Format
Yes
Format the storage medium. Note that all les stored in the medium
will be gone. The serial number of the le name (PICTxxxx) will be
restarted.
No Cancel action.
Auto Off
Off
1min/3min/
5min
Set how long the camcorder will automatically shut down when staying
inactive. Setting to [Off] will make the camcorder stay powered on until
it runs out of power.
Language Lets you select the language used for OSD.
USB Mode
Menu
When connected to a PC, the camcorder displays a menu for you to
choose a desired connection mode.
Camera
When connected to a PC, the camcorder automatically enters Camera
(PC camera) mode.
Disk
When connected to a PC, the camcorder automatically enters Disk
(removable disk) mode.
Start Movie On/Off Enable/disable the movie sequence when the camcorder is powered on.
Default On/Off Restore factory defaults. Note that your current settings will be
overridden.
Menu items in Playback mode
Power-on → Press the Mode button → Enter the Playback ( ) mode → Press
the Shutter button ( ).
Item Option Description
Delete One Yes/No Delete current le.
Delete All Yes/No Delete all pictures and video/audio les stored in the memory.

Advanced Instructions
English

1
Copying les to Your PC
Installing the driver to your PC
You need to install the camcorder driver to ensure that video clips can be played
back on your PC. To install the software:
1. Insert the driver CD.
Turn on your computer. Then place the accessory CD into the CD-ROM drive.
Do not connect the camcorder to your computer at this stage.
Shut down all other applications running on your computer.
If the autorun screen does not appear automatically, double-click on My Computer and
then the CD-ROM drive. Then start the Setup.exe program manually.
2. Start the installation.
Click on the icon to launch the installation of the driver.
Notice for Windows 2000 users:
During the installation process, a warning message regarding digital signature may
appear twice or more. Please click on Yes to continue the process. The software is fully
compatible with Windows 2000 operation system.
3. Install the driver.
The Install Shield Wizard will then appear and automatically install the program. Click on
Next and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

2
Copying les to Your PC (continued)
4. Install codecs.
After the driver installation is completed,
the program may prompt you to install
Windows Media Player Codecs. If you
are not sure whether the codecs have
been installed in your computer, please
click on Yes and follow the on-screen
instructions to complete the installation.
5. Install Direct X 9.0c or above.
After the codecs installation is completed, you will be prompted to install Direct X
9.0c or above if the program is not yet installed in your computer. Please click on
Yes to continue.
Windows Media Player Codecs and Direct X 9.0c or above are necessary for viewing
the video clips recorded by the camcorder.
6. Restart the computer.
After the installation is completed, you may need to restart your computer for the
driver to take effect.

3
Connecting the camcorder to your PC
1. Turn on the camcorder.
2. Connect the USB cable to your computer.
Turn on your computer, and then connect the
accessory USB cable to the USB port of your
computer. Make sure the cable and the port are
correctly aligned.
3. Connect the USB cable to your camcorder.
Connect the other end of the USB cable to your camcorder.
The default is set to “Disk” mode, if you would likt to set other modes
as default, please refer to “USB Mode” section for more information.
USB mode:
Power-on → Press the Mode button → Enter the Setting ( ) mode.
USB Mode
Menu
When connected to a PC, the camcorder displays a
menu for you to choose a desired connection mode.
Camera
When connected to a PC, the camcorder automatically
enters Camera (PC camera) mode.
Disk
When connected to a PC, the camcorder automatically
enters Disk (removable disk) mode.
Notice for Windows 2000/XP users:
If you want to disconnect the camcorder from your computer, please follow these steps:
1. Double-click in the system tray.
2. Click (USB Disk), and then click Stop.
3. Select the camcorder when the conrmation screen appears and click OK.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to safely disconnect the camcorder from your
computer.

4
File location
After connecting the camcorder to your computer, a removable disk will appear
in your computer. The removable disk actually represents the storage medium of
your camcorder. In the disk you can nd all of your recordings. Refer to the gure
below to see where the les are stored.
For multimedia les.

5
Using PC Camera
Installing the driver
The PC camera driver is included in the accessory CD, and therefore you should
install the driver before using the PC camera function.
Starting the application
1. Connect the camcorder to your computer.
Turn on your computer, and then connect the accessory USB cable to the
USB port of your computer. Make sure the connector and the port are correctly
aligned.
2. Switch to the PC Cam mode.
Connect the other end of the USB cable to your camera. Power on the camera,
and the following items will appear on the screen:
: PC Cam.
: Disk (removable disk).
Select [PC Cam] and press the OK button to conrm.
3. Launch PC camera program.
After the camera is correctly connected to and detected by your PC, you
are ready to launch your own favorite software (ex. MSN Messenger, Yahoo
Messenger…) to use PC camera function.

6
Appendix
Troubleshooting
When using the camcorder:
Problem Cause Solution
The camcorder can not be
powered on normally.
The battery is out of power. Replace the battery.
The battery is incorrectly
installed. Re-install the battery.
The camcorder is still
powered on, but the LCD
screen does not display.
If the camcorder stays idle
over one minute, the LCD
screen will automatically shut
down to save power.
Press any button except the
power button to reactivate the
display.
Can not take pictures or
video clips when pressing the
Shutter or Record button.
Out of memory.
Free some space from the
SD/MMC card or the internal
memory.
The camcorder is recharging
the ash strobe.
Wait until the ash strobe is
fully charged.
Using a “protected” SD card. Set the SD card to be
writable.
The LCD screen displays
“MEMORY ERROR” or
“CARD ERROR” message.
Or the camcorder cannot
read the memory card.
The format of the memory
card is not compatible with
the camcorder.
Use the camcorder “Format”
function to format the card.
The memory card is
corrupted.
Replace the memory card
with a new one.
I did not delete the pictures
and video clips, but can not
nd them in the memory card.
The lost recordings are saved
in the internal memory.
It happens when you insert
a memory card after taking
a few pictures or video clips.
You can access those les
after removing the memory
card.

7
Appendix
When using the camcorder:
Problem Cause Solution
Cannot use the ash strobe.
If the battery icon indicates
low battery, the ash strobe
may be disabled due to
insufcient voltage.
Replace the battery.
The camcorder does not
respond to any action during
operation.
The camcorder encounters
software failure.
Remove the battery pack
and replace it into the
compartment. Then power on
the camcorder.
The recorded pictures appear
too blurred. The focus is not correctly set. Adjust the focus to an appropriate position.
The recorded pictures or
video clips appear too dark.
The environment of shooting
or recording does not have
adequate light.
Use ash strobe when taking
pictures. Add extra light
sources when recording
video clips.
Noises occur when viewing
images on the LCD screen or
on the computer.
The icker setting does not
match the standard of the
country you are staying.
Adjust the icker setting. For
more information, please
refer to the “Flicker Settings”
table.
I want to restart the serial
number of the le name
(PICTxxxx).
The counting of the serial
number is handled by the
camcorder rmware.
Use the camcorder “Format”
function to format the card.

8
Appendix
When connecting the camcorder to the computer or TV:
Problem Cause Solution
I cannot view the video clips
on my computer.
Driver or software is not
installed on the computer.
Install Direct X 9.0c or above
and Windows Media 9.0
Codecs to solve this problem.
See “Installing the driver
to your PC” for details on
installing the software, or go
to http://www.microsoft.com
to download the required
les.
Driver installation failed.
The installation is terminated
abnormally.
Remove the driver and other
related programs. Follow
the installation steps in the
manual to re-install the driver.
The camcorder has been
connected to the PC via the
USB cable before installing
the driver.
Install the driver before
plugging in the USB cable.
The TV screen does not
display after connecting the
camcorder to the TV.
The camcorder is not
correctly connected to the TV.
Reconnect the camcorder to
TV correctly.
A conict with other installed
camcorder or capture device
occurred.
The device is not compatible
with the camcorder.
If you have any other
camcorder or capture device
installed in your computer,
please completely remove
the camcorder and its driver
from the computer to avoid
the conict.
Noises occur on my computer
screen when using Video
Conferencing.
The icker setting does not
match the standard of the
country you are staying.
Adjust the icker setting. For
more information, please
refer to the “Flicker Settings”
table.