JVC GY-DV301 User manual

GY-DV300
GY-DV301
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
BEDIENUNGSANLEITUNG
MANUEL D’INSTRUCTIONS
DV CAMCORDER
DV CAMKORDER
CAMESCOPE DV
This instruction manual is made from 100% recycled paper.
Thank you for purchasing this JVC product. Before operating
this unit, please read the instructions carefully to ensure the
best possible performance.
LWT0055-001A

E-2
Thank you for purchasing the JVC GY-DV300 Camcorder.
Theseinstructions are fortheGY-DV300EandGY-DV301E. The textmainlydealswiththeGY-DV300E.
Explanations concerning unique GY-DV301E functions are set off by the (GY-DV301 only) notice.
(IEEE1394 input is possible with the GY-DV301E.)
These instructions are for the GY-DV300E and GY-DV301E.
The instructions are given in three languages:English from page E-2 to E-109, German from page G-2 to
G-109, French from page F-2 to F-109.
This equipment is in conformity with the provisions and protection requirements of the corresponding
European Directives.This equipment is designed for professional video appliances and can be used in
the following environments:
●residential area (in houses) or rural area
●commercial and light industry; e.g. offices or theatres
●urban outdoors
In order to keep the best performance and furthermore for electromagnetic compatibilitiy we recommend
to use cables not exceeding the following length:
Caution : Where there are strong electromagnetic waves or magnetism, for example near a radio orTV
transmitter, transformer, motor, etc., the picture and the sound may be disturbed.In such case,
please keep the apparatus away from the sources of the disturbance.
Port Cable Lenght
DC IN Exclusive Cable 1.9 meters
VIDEO OUT Shielded Cable 5 meters
Y/C OUT Exclusive Cable 3 meters
LINE OUT CH-1CH-2 Shielded Cable 3 meters
Port Cable Lenght
EARPHONE Shielded Cable 1 meters
DV Exclusive Cable 4.5 meters
MIC1 Shielded Cable 0.3 meters
MIC2 Shielded Cable 0.3 meters

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SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
NOTE :
The rating plate (serial number plate) is on the
body.
WARNING:
TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR
ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE
THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR
MOISTURE.
This unit should be used with 7V DC only.
CAUTION:
To prevent electric shocks and fire hazards,
do NOT use any other power source.
CAUTION
To prevent electric shock, do not open the
cabinet.Nouser servicea-ble parts inside.Refer
servicing to qualified service personnel.
AVERTISSEMENT :
POUR EVITER LES RISQUES
D’INCENDIE OU D’ELECTROCUTION,
NE PAS EXPOSER L’APPAREIL A
L’HUMIDITE OU A LA PLUIE.
Ce magnétoscope ne doit être utilisé que sur
du courant direct en 7V.
ATTENTION :
Afin d’eviter tout resque d’incendie ou
d’électrocution, ne pas utillser d’autres
sources d’alimentation électrique.
REMARQUE :
La plaque d’identification (numéro de série) se
trouve sur le panneau arrière de l’appareil.

E-4
Thank you for purchasing the DV Camcorder GY-DV300.
This camcorder is a MiniDV video system for-
mat camcorder.
Videocassettes that are not marked with the
MiniDV symbol cannot be used with this unit.
● The following phenomena may occur when
tapes recorded on other units (including an-
otherGY-DV300)arerecordedorplayedback
on this camcorder.
•The transient section between scenes re-
corded on other units and those recorded
on this unit may appear disturbed.
•Digital noise may appear during playback
due to tracking errors.
●In the case of important recordings, do not
record within the first 2 to 3 minutes from the
beginning of the tape.
●Before recording important scenes, be sure
to perform a test recording and confirm that
both video and audio are recorded correctly.
●We recommend using the “SP”mode for
recording important scenes.
●Recorded video and audio contents are for
private use. Other use may infringe on the
rights of copyright holders.
●JVCcannotassumeliabilitiesthatmayderive
from the impossibility of normal recording or
playbackofvideooraudio due to malfunction
of the camcorder or the videocassette.
About the LP Mode
Recordingand playback quality inthe LP mode
is easily affected by the condition of the tape
and the environment of use. Mosaic-like noise
may appear in the playback picture and the
sound may drop out at times, etc. The picture
may also be disturbed at the transient sections
between scenes.

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MAIN FEATURES
●Newly developed built-in 12-bit DSP employed
for high-quality picture
●High quality picture with 400% dynamic range
●Compact, lightweight design
●DV high-quality digital format
The 4:2:0, 8-bit, 25 Mbps component digital
signalprocessingofthe format ensures recording
and playback with high picture quality.
●High sound quality thanks to PCM audio
Two types of sampling, 16-bit, 48 kHz sampling
and12-bit, 32 kHz sampling, ensure high-quality
digital audio.
●Camerasectiondesignedwith3-CCDsystem for
high-quality picture
Three 1/3" CCDs with 440,000 effective pixels
employed. Digital processing for high quality
picture reproduction.
●Super sensitivity F/11, 2000 lx
Enables shooting at normal indoor illumination
eliminating the need for extra illumination.
●LOLUX for 2.65 lx (F1.6) illumination
Employment of LOLUX mode ensures +24 dB
gain.This is ideal for difficult shooting conditions
with almost no illumination.
●Zebra pattern video level indication on monitor
screen
●Built-in colour bar (EBU type)
●Aspect ratio switchable between standard and
wide-screen
Menuallowsscreen format setting to be switched
between 4:3 format and LETTER BOX-screen
(16:9).
●Time code reader/generator
Recording of EBU time code possible.
●Edit search function for convenient recording
review
●Variable scan shutter
Eliminates flicker when shooting other screen
pictures than PAL, such as computer monitor
screens.
Copes with the range from 50.1 Hz to 2067.8 Hz.
●DV (i. LINK) connector
DV connector (4-pin) provided.Enables transfer
of digital data to other equipment provided with
DV connector.
●Built-in camera-shake compensation function
●Built-in 2.5" colour LCD display
●Network connection possible (requires
installation of the optional network pack KA-
DV300)
This allows audio and video streaming data to
be transmitted via LAN card or the data can be
recorded on a memory card.

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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
Precautions for Proper Use.............................. 7
Routine and Periodical Maintenance ................ 9
Precautions for Use of Head CleaningTape ... 10
Videocassette to be Used ............................... 10
Condensation .................................................. 11
Characteristic CCD Phenomena ..................... 11
CONTROLS,INDICATORS AND CONNECTORS
Right Side Section .......................................... 12
Rear Section ................................................... 14
Left Side Section ............................................. 18
Front Section ................................................... 20
Top Section ..................................................... 21
Indications on LCD Screen and
Viewfinder Screen ....................................... 22
PREPARATIONS
Basic System .................................................. 32
Power Supply Preparation............................... 33
AC Operation .................................................. 33
Battery Pack Operation ................................... 34
Attaching an External Microphone (optional) .. 36
PREPARATIONS FOR OPERATION
Turning the Power ON ..................................... 37
Cassette Loading ............................................ 38
LCD Screen Adjustment ................................. 39
Adjustment the Viewfinder............................... 40
Setting, Displaying and Recording
the Date and Time ....................................... 41
Charging the Built-in Battery ........................... 44
Setting, Displaying and Recording
the Time Code ............................................. 45
SETTINGS BEFORE SHOOTING
Shooting Mode (AUTO/MANUAL) Selection ... 47
Audio Input Signal Selection ........................... 49
Audio Monitor Selection .................................. 51
Focus Mode Selection..................................... 52
Angle of View (Zoom In/Zoom Out)................. 53
Menu Screen Settings..................................... 54
SHOOTING
Basic Recording Operation ............................. 57
Viewing the Recorded Scene (Edit Search).... 59
If the Unit is Left in Recording-Standby Mode .. 60
Recording the Colour Bar ............................... 61
Using the AE Function .................................... 62
MANUAL ADJUSTMENTS
Manual Focus Adjustment............................... 63
Using ND Filter................................................ 65
Obtaining Natural Tint (White Balance)........... 66
Manual Iris Adjustment ................................... 68
Manual Shutter Speed Adjustment ................. 70
Manual Gain Adjustment................................. 72
Displaying Zebra Patterns for Adjustment....... 75
Manual Adjustment of the Audio
Recording Level .......................................... 76
Disabling Operation of the Camera-Shake
Compensation Function .............................. 78
Adjusting the Quality of Camera Image .......... 79
PLAYBACK
Playback of Tape ............................................. 80
Blank Search................................................... 81
Adjusting the Playback Sound Volume............ 82
Outputting CH-3/CH-4 Channel Sound........... 83
EXTERNAL COMPONENTS
Connecting a Video Component with
DV Connector .............................................. 84
MENU SCREEN
MENU Screen Structure ................................. 86
Setting Menu Screens..................................... 88
Contents of Menu Screens ............................. 90
TOP MENU Screen ..................................... 90
SYSTEM Menu Screen ............................... 91
DISPLAY Menu Screen ............................... 94
CAMERA Menu Screen............................... 96
OPERATION Menu Screen ......................... 98
CLOCK/TC Menu Screen............................ 99
VTR Menu Screen....................................... 99
TROUBLESHOOTING
Alarm Indications and Actions ....................... 100
In case of Difficulty ........................................ 102
OTHERS
Displaying the Hour Meter Display ................ 104
If dirt penetrates into the interior of
viewfinder ...................................................... 105
Installing the ferrite core................................ 106
Specifications ................................................ 107

E-7
Precautions for Proper Use
●Supply voltage
Make sure that the power is between 6V and 12 V DC.If the power voltage is too low, abnormal colour
and increased noise may occur. Do not exceed 12 V DC in any case, or the unit could be damaged.
●Allowable ambient temperature and humidity
Be sure to use the unit within the allowable temperature range of 0°C to 40°C and a relative humidity of
30% to 80%.Using the unit at a temperature or humidity outside the allowable ranges could result not
only in malfunction but the impact on the CCD elements could be serious as small white spots may be
generated.When storing the GY-DV300 for a long time, the storage temperatures should be –20°C to
60°C.
●Strong electromagnetic waves or magnetism
Noise may appear in the picture or audio and/or the colours may be incorrect if the camera is used near
aradio or televisiontransmittingantenna, in places where strong electromagneticwavesare generated
by transformers, motors, etc., or near devices emitting radio waves, such as transceivers or cellular
phones.
●If a transceiver or cellular telephone is used closed to the GY-DV300 while the camera-shake
compensation function is in use, the camera image may flicker due to the influence of emitted
electromagnetic waves.
●Use of wireless microphone near the camera
When a wireless microphone or wireless microphone tuner is used near the camera during recording,
the tuner could pick up noise.
●Avoid using or placing the unit in places;
•subject to extreme heat or cold;
•with excessive dirt or dust;
•with high humidity or moisture;
•subject to smoke or vapour such as near a cooking stove;
•subject to strong vibrations or on an unstable surface.
•also do not leave the unit for long hours in a parked car under direct sunlight or near room heating
equipment.
●Protect the unit from being splashed with water (especially when shooting in the rain).
●Protect the unit from being wet when shooting on a beach.
In addition, salt and sand may adhere to the camera body. Be sure to clean the camera after use.
●Protect the unit against penetration of dust when using it in a place subject to sandy dust.
●Optical performance of lens
Due to the optical performance of the lens, colour divergence phenomena (magnification chromatic
aberration) may occur at the periphery of the image.This is not a camera malfunction.
●Use the unit in an upright position.
If placed on its side, heat release efficiency will deteriorate, adversely affecting the tape transport.
Depending on the circumstances, the tape may also be damaged.
●Vibrations
Colours may fail to appear during VCR playback in locations subjected to vibrations.
●Precautions for transportation
Do not drop or hit the unit against a hard object.
●Remove the videocassette before transporting the unit.
●Do not insert other objects than a videocassette in the cassette insertion slot. Be sure to close the
cassette cover when the unit is not to be used for a long period.
●Donotsetthe POWERswitchtoOFForremovethe powercordduringrecordingor playback.Otherwise
the tape may be damaged.
INTRODUCTION

E-8
CAUTION
●When the unit is not in use, be sure to set the POWER switch to OFF in order to reduce power
consumption.
●Cleaning the camera body: Wipe the body with a dry, soft cloth. When it is extremely dirty, soak the
cloth in a solution of neutral detergent, wring it out and then wipe.To prevent deformation of the body,
etc.and to avoid operation hazards, do not allow volatile liquids such as benzene and thinner to contact
the body, and do not wipe it with a cloth soaked in such a liquid.
●The camera may be unstable for a few seconds immediately after the power is turned on, but this is not
a malfunction.
●The LCD screen and the viewfinder screen are manufactured using high-precision technology. Black
spots may appear on the LCD screen and the viewfinder screen, or red, blue, green and/or white spots
may not turn off. However, this is not a malfunction and these spots are not recorded on the tape.
●In the case of continued use for a long period of time, characters, etc. displayed on the viewfinder
screen may remain displayed on the screen temporarily. However, these indications are not recorded
on the tape. If the power is turned off, and you wait a little while before turning it on again, these
indications will not be displayed.
Precautions for Proper Use (Cont’d)
●Do not point the lens or viewfinder directly at the sun or other strong light source
•Eye damage could result.
•If the lens or viewfinder is left pointed at the sun, rays may collect inside the unit and cause
damage or a fire.
●When carrying the camera, be sure to hold the carrying handle. Holding the LCD door, lens or
viewfinder may result in damage.
INTRODUCTION

E-9
Routine and Periodical Maintenance
The GY-DV300 incorporates precision mechanical parts, which will collect dirt, wear out and deteriorate
as the unit is used. On the other hand, when the unit has been used for a long period in a normal
environment, the heads, drums and tape transport mechanisms also accumulate dirt that is deposited on
them. Furthermore, dust which penetrates the inside of the VCR section especially during outdoor use
will promote the wear and deterioration of mechanical parts by causing poor contact between tape and
heads or failure to maintain the video and audio quality at high levels.To prevent wear and deterioration,
clean the mechanical parts using a head cleaning tape as routine maintenance. However, as cleaning
with a head cleaning tape alone is not enough for cleaning the entire tape transport mechanism, it is also
recommended to apply periodical maintenance (inspection) to prevent troubles that may be caused by
thesudden occurrence of failure.Asthe replacement, adjustment and servicing ofpartsrequire advanced
skill and equipment, please consult the person in charge of professional video equipment at your nearest
JVC-authorized service agent.
Head Cleaning
●To maintain beautiful video and sound, be sure
to use a head cleaning tape to clean the head
periodically.(Read“Precautions for Use of Head
Cleaning Tape”on page 10.) If head cleaning is
notperformedperiodically,a type of mosaic noise
called block noise may appear in the picture or
sound may be interrupted.
●Usetheoptional head cleaning tape M-DV12CL.
Do not use other than the dºesignated head
cleaning tapes. For instructions on how to use
theheadcleaningtape andprecautionsforitsuse,
read “PrecautionsforUseofHeadCleaningTape”
on page 10.
●When dirt adheres to the video heads of the GY-
DV300, thewarning message“HEADCLEANING
REQUIRED!”appears on the LCD screen and
the viewfinder screen during edit search in the
recording mode and during playback.
Block Noise
Periodical Maintenance
Contents: Checkorreplacethefollowingmechanical
parts according to the running time.
RunningTime 500H 1000H 1500H 2000H
Drum assembly 
(including heads)
Head cleaner 
Tape guides & rollers 
Rotary encoder ––
Belts & gears ––
Drive parts 
: Clean, check and adjust.
: Clean and check. Replace as required.
: Replace.
•The maintenance contents vary depending on
the operating environment and method.
Therefore, the above data should be considered
as a reference.
Time management
The accumulated running time of the unit can be
confirmed with the hourmeterdisplay(whichshows
the accumulated drum running time). For details,
see “Displaying the Hour Meter Display”on page
104.
For consultations related to the maintenance
programmingorcost,pleasecontact the person
in charge of professional video equipment at
your nearest JVC-authorized service agent.
HEAD CLEANING
REQUIRED!

E-10
Precautions for Use of Head CleaningTape
Use the separately sold head cleaning tape
M-DV12CL.
Adheretothefollowing precautions when using the
head cleaning tape.
1. The tape runs for 10 seconds at a time in the
PLAYmode.(Thetape stops automatically and
the unit enters the STOP MODE.)
●Set the MODE switch on the unit to “VTR”.
●Press the BAR (f/w) button after the
cleaning tape is fully loaded.
2. Do not use the tape more than four times at
the most for each cleaning.
3. The cleaning tape can be used approximately
100 times.
Usethefollowingchartas aguideforperiodical
head cleaning.
Note 1) When used in a low humidity environment
(10% RH to 30% RH), head cleaning
should be conducted at intervals half of
those given in the above chart.
Note 2) If an ME80 tape is used immediately after
head cleaning, the VTR WARNING
(HEAD) indicator may remain on. In this
case, let the tape run as the indicator will
turn off after the tape has run for a while.
Note 3) Usethecleaningtapeatroomtemperature
(10°C to 35°C).
Note 4) Thecleaningtapecasecontainsinstructions
for use of the cleaning tape. However,
some of these instructions differ from the
contents given in this document. When
using the cleaning tape, please follow the
instructions of this document.
Note 5) Perform head cleaning before using the
GY-DV300 in the LP mode.
Operating Low temperature Room temperature High temperature
environment 0°C to 10°C10°C to 35°C35°C to 40°C
Yardstick for 1 to 2 times 1 to 2 times 1 to 2 times
use of cleaning every 5 hours every 20 to 30 hours every 5 hours
tape
●Use JVC videocassette tapes marked with
MiniDV for this unit.
Pleaseuse DVM60 orDVM30 type videocassettes.
●MalfunctionsmayoccurifaDVM80videocassette
is used in the LP mode.
●When recording in the LP mode, use
videocassettes bearing the “LP Mode”mark on
the package.
Thefollowing phenomena mayoccur when tapes
recorded in the LP mode are attempted played
back on another set.
•Noise may appear in the picture and sound
•The sound may fall out and the picture may fail
to appear
•The tape counter indication may be irregular
●Please play back a tape that is recorded in the
LP mode on the unit on which the tape was
recorded. Also, these tapes cannot be played
back on digital video units that do not support
the LP mode.
●Videocassettes cannot be used upside down.
●Avoid storing a videocassette with unevenly
wound tape, as this may damage the tape.
Videocassette to be Used
Rewind it to the beginning before placing a
cassette into storage.
●Storevideocassettesinaplace with little humidity
andgoodventilationwhere mould doesnotform.
●After a videocassette tape has been used
repeatedly, it becomes unable to maintain full
performance due to an increase in noise caused
by dropouts, etc. Do not continue to use a dirty
or damaged tape, as this will reduce the rotary
head life.
●VideocassettetapesmarkedMiniDV areprovided
with a switch on the back for use in preventing
accidental erasure.
●Slidethe switchto“SAVE”to protect therequired
recording in the tape from being overwritten.
●To record on the tape, slide the switch to“REC”.
REC
SAVE
Switch
INTRODUCTION