Vivitar DVR 896HD User manual

DVR 896HD
Digital Camcorder
User Manual
© 2009-2012 Sakar International, Inc. All rights reserved.
Windows and the Windows logo are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.

1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................2
What’s Included ....................................................................................................................................2
Parts of the Camcorder.........................................................................................................................3
Initial Camcorder Setup ........................................................................................................................4
Main Camcorder Modes........................................................................................................................9
Camcorder Technical Specifications ...................................................................................................10
Computer System Requirements........................................................................................................11
Powering ON/OFF Your Digital Camcorder.........................................................................................12
Changing Camcorder Mode................................................................................................................13
Navigating the Menus .........................................................................................................................14
Video Capture Mode...........................................................................................................................17
Video Playback Mode .........................................................................................................................24
Photo Capture Mode...........................................................................................................................28
Photo Playback Mode.........................................................................................................................37
Camcorder Setup Menus....................................................................................................................42
Slide Show..........................................................................................................................................45
Connecting the Digital Camcorder to a TV or HDTV...........................................................................46
Installing the Software.........................................................................................................................47
Connecting the Camcorder to the Computer.......................................................................................48
Getting Photos and Videos from the Camcorder to the Computer......................................................49
Getting Started!...................................................................................................................................50
Transferring Images from the Camcorder to the Computer Manually .................................................50
Camcorder Maintenance.....................................................................................................................52
Sakar Warranty Card ..........................................................................................................................52
Technical Support ...............................................................................................................................53
Troubleshooting ..................................................................................................................................53

2
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing this digital camcorder. Everything you need to take quality digital photos and
videos is included with your digital camcorder.
Vivitar makes capturing those special moments as easy as possible.
Note:
Your digital camcorder requires a Micro Memory card (up to 32GB) for normal use. Micro SD
Memory cards are not included and need to be purchased separately.
Important: You must use only a Class 4 Micro SD Memory card or higher.
This camera is a Plug and Play device. You can download the pictures and videos captured by
your camera without the software by directly accessing the camera’s memory card from your
computer. It is recommended however that you install the Vivitar Experience Image Manager
Software to enjoy the full Vivitar experience.
Please read this manual carefully first in order to get the most out of your digital camcorder.
What’s Included
1) Digital Camcorder
with Built-In USB Connector
2) Lithium Battery
3) TV cable
4) Vivitar Experience Image Manager Software
Installation CD
5) AC Charger
Note: Micro SD Memory Card not included.

3
Parts of the Camcorder
1. Power Button
8. LED Light
2. USB Connector
9. HDMI / TV Out
3. USB Control Switch
10. Microphone
4. Shutter/Record Button
11. Micro SD Memory Card Slot
5. Speaker
12. Digital Lens
6. HOME Button
13. Battery Compartment
7. Power Indicator Light
14. LCD Touch Screen

4
Initial Camcorder Setup
INSTALLING AND CHARGING THE BATTERY
To Install the Battery:
1) Slide open the battery compartment cover.
2) Insert the battery properly into your digital camcorder, according to the polarity as shown above.
3) Make sure to insert the lithium battery all the way into the battery compartment.
4) Place the cover on top of the battery and slide back into place to securely close the battery
compartment.
To Charge the Battery:
1) Upon first use make sure the battery is fully charged.
2) To charge the battery, insert the battery correctly into the camcorder.
3) Make sure the camcorder is powered off.
4) Proceed with one of the following steps below to charge the battery:
A. Charge the battery using the USB connector and your computer:

5
- Slide the USB switch down to reveal and extend the built-in USB connector.
- Connect the camcorder’s USB connector into the USB port on your computer.
- The charge light turns on when the battery is charging.
- The charge light turns off when the battery is fully charged.
B. Charge the battery using the USB connector and the AC Charger (included):
- Slide the USB switch down to reveal and extend the built-in USB connector.
- Connect the camcorder’s USB connector to the AC Charger and then plug the AC Charger
into a power socket.
- The charge light turns on when the battery is charging.
- The charge light turns off when the battery is fully charged.
Note:
Some camera features will not work if the battery power level is low.
When the battery power is empty the battery icon turns red and ‘Low Battery’ flashes on the LCD
screen. The camcorder automatically turns off a few seconds later.
The energy status of the power is displayed on LCD as shown below:
Full battery power Medium battery power Low battery power

6
INSTALLING THE MICRO SD MEMORY CARD
IMPORTANT: You must use only a Class 4 SDHC Memory card or higher.
Make sure a Class 4 (or higher) Micro SD card (up to 32GB) has been properly inserted into your
camera. Micro SD card not included.
To properly install the Micro SD Card:
1) Lift the Micro SD Memory Card cover up and to the side.
2) Push the Micro SD card into the slot in the direction as shown by the SD card icon on the camera.
See images below: 1 and 2.
3) Push the Micro SD card until you hear a slight clicking sound. This indicates the memory card has
been inserted correctly. See images below: 3 and 4.
4) Place the cover back into place and firmly press on the cover to securely close the Micro SD
Memory card slot.
Note:
After the camcorder is powered on, the Micro SD icon appears on the LCD display. If you
do not see the SD icon on the display, please check if the card was inserted properly.

7
POWERING ON THE CAMERA
Press the POWER button to turn on the camcorder.
After powering the camcorder ON for the first time, the camcorder takes you through the Initial
Camcorder Setup that allows you to select the camcorder’s language, date/time and ViviLink. See
below for details.
SETTING THE CAMCORDER LANGUAGE
1) You will first be prompted to select a language for the camcorder.
The Language options appear. Drag up or down to scroll and view the language options.
2) Select the language of your choice and tap SAVE & EXIT to confirm the selection.
3) After selecting a language, you will be asked if you would like to continue with the initial camcorder
setup. The following message appears: “Continue with Camera Setup?”
Tap “Yes” to continue or “No” to exit the setup.
Note: If you select “No” and decide to leave the camcorder setup, the camcorder will be set to its
default settings. These settings can be adjusted at any time manually through the menus of the
camcorder.

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SETTING THE DATE AND TIME
The next step in the initial camcorder setup is to set the date and time on the camcorder.
1) Drag up or down to scroll and adjust the Date and Time options as desired.
2) Set the Date and Time and tap SAVE & EXIT to confirm the setting and move to the next part of the
camcorder setup.
SETTING THE VIVILINK DEFAULT OPTION
Once the Date and Time have been set, you will be asked to set the default ViviLink destination for
photos and videos taken with your camcorder.
The ViviLink technology allows you to quickly and easily upload your camcorder’s photos and videos
to the social networks of your choice with the accompanying software application.
1) First you will be asked to choose the default ViviLink social network for Photos.
Drag up or down to scroll through and select the ViviLink for Photos option and then tap SAVE &
EXIT to confirm your selection.
2) Next you will be asked to choose the default ViviLink social network for Videos. Drag up or down to
scroll through and select the ViviLink for Videos option and then tap SAVE & EXIT to confirm your
selection.
Congratulations! Your camcorder is now ready to use.

9
Main Camcorder Modes
Your camcorder has different modes for the various camcorder functions.
You can switch modes by pressing the HOME button. The Home menu is shown on the LCD. Tap
Camera, Video, or Playback to change your camcorder mode.
Video Capture Mode
Use this mode to capture videos with your digital camcorder.
This is the default mode when the camcorder is powered ON.
To take a video, aim your camcorder as desired and press the Shutter button to start
recording. A red, blinking record indicator appears on the LCD screen while the recording is
in progress. To stop the recording, press the Shutter button again. The video is
automatically saved to your camcorder’s memory card.
To access the various menus for the Video Capture Mode, tap MENU on the LCD screen
while in the Video Capture Mode.
Photo Capture Mode
Use this mode to capture pictures with your camcorder.
After turning on your camcorder, press the HOME button to open the Camcorder Mode
options. Tap Camera to enter Photo Capture Mode.
To take a picture, aim your camcorder as desired and press the Shutter button.
The picture is automatically saved to your camcorder’s memory card.
To access the various menus for the Photo Capture Mode, tap MENU on the LCD screen
while in the Photo Capture Mode.
Playback Mode (Photos & Videos)
Use this mode to view and manage the videos and photos seen on your camcorder - saved
to your Micro SD memory card. After turning on your camcorder, press the HOME button to
open the Camcorder Mode options. Tap Playback to enter the Playback Mode for photos
and videos. You can scroll through the photos and videos that you’ve previously taken to
view, edit or delete them as desired.
To access the various menus for the Playback Mode for photos and videos, tap MENU on
the LCD screen while in the Playback Mode.

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Camcorder Technical Specifications
Image Sensor
CMOS Sensor
Image Resolution
3264x2448 (8MP 4:3); 3648x2048 (7MP 16:9 HD);
2592x1944 (5MP 4:3); 2048x1536(3MP);
1600x1200 (2MP 4:3); 1920x1080 (2MP 16:9 HD);
640x480 (VGA 4:3)
Video Resolution
1920x1080 (FHD); 1280x720 (HD),
640x480 (VGA), 320x240 (QVGA)
File Format
JPEG (Photo), AVI (Video)
External Memory
Micro SD/MMC 128MB-32GB
LCD Display
2.2 Inch Full Touch Screen
Lens Focus
f=7.0mm
Zoom
4X Digital Zoom
Exposure
-3.0EV ~ +3.0EV
White Level (AWB)
Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent
ISO
Auto, 100, 200, 400
Scene
Auto, Scenery, Portrait, Night Scenery, Night Portrait, High
Sensitivity, Beach
Language
English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian Russian,
Polish, Greek
Self-Timer
2, 5 or 10 second delay, Off
Anti-Shake
Yes
Print Photos
Yes
Multi Shot (Burst)
Yes
Auto Power Off
1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, Disable (Off)
Interface
USB 2.0 High Speed
System Requirements
Windows XP (SP 3), Vista (SP1) and Windows 7 ;
Mac OSX v10.5.x and above
Battery
Li-ion Rechargeable Battery
Working Temperature
0~40C

11
Computer System Requirements
To be able to download photos and videos to your computer using the Vivitar Experience Image
Manager Software, you will need the following minimum configuration:
WINDOWS OS
MICROSOFT®Windows XP with Service Pack 3, Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 or Windows 7
Pentium® 4 processor (or above)
1 GB RAM, 250 MB available hard disk space
16-bit Color monitor, 1024 X 768 recommended screen resolution
CD-ROM Drive
QuickTime® 6 or higher
MICROSOFT ® Internet Explorer 7 or higher
Windows Media Player 10 or higher
DirectX 9 or higher
Internet connection required
MACINTOSH OS
Intel processor running MACINTOSH OS X v10.5.x or later
1 GB RAM, 250 MB available hard disk space
Display: 1024 x 768 or higher-resolution monitor
QuickTime® 6 or higher
CD-ROM Drive
Internet connection required
Note: Make sure the latest compatible Adobe® Flash® Player is installed on your computer.

12
Powering ON/OFF Your Digital Camcorder
Make sure the battery is installed properly and fully charged.
Make sure the Micro SD Memory card has been installed properly into your camcorder.
Micro SD Memory Card up to 32GB - SD Card not included.
POWERING THE CAMCORDER ON
Press the Power button to turn your camcorder ON.
The camcorder will be in Video Capture Mode to start.
POWERING THE CAMCORDER OFF
While the camcorder is on, you can press the Power button again at any point to turn your
camcorder OFF. You will see a “Goodbye” splash screen and then the camcorder will power off
completely.
Alternatively, you can press the HOME button and then tap the Power Off icon. Tap ‘Yes’to
select to power off the digital camcorder or ‘No’ to return to the Home Main Menu Screen and continue
using your camcorder.
AUTO POWER OFF –POWER SAVING
Your digital camcorder also has an Auto Power Off feature that automatically turns off your camcorder
after a specific period of time that your camcorder is left idle. The Auto Power Off time can be set from
the Setup/Auto Off menu settings.

13
Changing Camcorder Mode
Your camcorder has three main modes:
1) Video Capture Mode - Use this mode to capture videos with your camcorder.
2) Photo Capture Mode - Use this mode to capture photos with your camcorder.
3) Playback Mode (for photos and videos) - Use this mode to view the photos and videos you
have already taken with your camcorder.
When the digital camcorder is first powered ON, the Video Capture Mode will be active. The icons that
appear on the LCD screen are the best default settings so that you can begin to capture and enjoy
clear quality videos and photos.
To change the active digital camcorder mode:
Make sure the digital camcorder is powered ON.
Press the HOME button.
Tap one of the following icons to select the active camcorder mode:
Camera
Video
Playback
When in Video Capture Mode, this icon will display on the top-left corner of the LCD display
When in Photo Capture Mode, this icon will display on the top-left corner of the LCD display
When in Playback Mode, this icon will display on the top-left corner of the LCD display

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Navigating the Menus
You camcorder includes the following menus:
Home Menus
Camcorder Mode Menus
Camcorder Setup Menus
HOME MENUS
The Home screen menu allows you quick access to the camcorder modes and settings as well as to
the photo slide show and the power off features.
1) Press the HOME button.
2) The following menu options appear on the Home screen:
Camera
Tap to enter Photo Capture Mode
Video
Tap to enter Video Capture Mode
Playback
Tap to enter Playback Mode
Setup
Tap to enter Camcorder General Settings
Slide Show
Tap to begin Photo Slide Show
Power Off
Tap to Power off your digital camcorder

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CAMCORDER MODE MENUS
Each camcorder mode has a set of menus specific to that mode.
To access and use the camcorder mode menus:
1) Enter the Main Menu Screen from Video Capture, Photo Capture or Playback Mode:
Tap MENU as seen on the bottom left of the LCD touch screen to open the menus for the
current mode.
2) Select a Main Menu Option:
Drag up or down to scroll and view the Main Menu options.
To select a menu, tap the desired menu icon to open the various options for that menu.
Note: Tap Return to exit the Main Menu screen without selecting a menu, and return to the
current mode.
3) Select a Sub-Menu Option:
Once you have selected the menu option, drag up or down to scroll and highlight the desired
sub-menu option.
Tap SAVE & EXIT to confirm and select the highlighted option.
4) Return to the Main Menu Screen:
Once you have confirmed your selection, the Main Menu appears.
Tap another menu icon to select and open the menu item or tap Return to exit and return
to the current mode.
5) The selected option icon appears on the touch LCD screen.
Note:
Changes made to these options will remain until you decide to change them at a later time or
restore the camcorder’s default factory settings.
Some menu options are single-use functions that are not remembered by the camcorder and do
not display an icon on the LCD screen.
For more details regarding specific menu options, please refer to the menu information listed for each
mode.

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CAMCORDER SETUP MENUS
The general settings for your digital camcorder can easily be changed at any time.
1) Press the HOME button to open the Home Menu options.
2) Tap the Setup icon to enter the menu options for your camcorder general settings.
3) Select a Setup Option:
Drag up or down to scroll and view the main Setup Menus.
To select a Setup Menu, tap the desired menu icon. The various options for that menu appear.
Note: Tap Return to exit the Setup screen without selecting a menu, and return to the Home
Menu screen.
4) Select a Setup Sub-Menu Option:
Once you have selected the Setup menu option, drag up or down to scroll and highlight the
desired sub-menu option.
Tap SAVE & EXIT to confirm and select the highlighted option.
5) Return to the Setup Main Menu Screen:
Once you have confirmed your selection, the Setup Main Menu appears.
Tap another menu icon to select and open the menu item or tap Return to exit and return
to the Home Menu screen.
Note: Changes made to these options will remain until you decide to change them at a later time or
restore the camcorder’s default factory settings.
For more details regarding specific camcorder setup menus, please refer to the ‘Camcorder Setup
Menus’section of this manual.

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Video Capture Mode
The Video Capture Mode allows you to capture videos with your digital camcorder.
When the camcorder is first powered ON, the camcorder will be in Video Capture Mode.
TAKING A VIDEO
1) While in Video Capture Mode use the LCD display to direct the camcorder at the scene you would
like to capture.
2) You can magnify your subject up to 4 times using the digital zoom while capturing your photos and
recording your videos.
Tap the T (Zoom In) or W (Zoom Out) on the right side of the LCD screen to zoom in and out.
The following Digital Zoom Indicator appears on the right side of the LCD screen:
The zoom indicating bar moves up when you Zoom In (T) and moves down when you Zoom Out
(W).
3) Press the Shutter button to START the video capture.
4) A red, blinking icon appears at the top of the LCD screen indicating that the recording is in progress.
On the top right of the LCD screen, the recording time appears, indicating the amount of elapsed
time as the video is being captured.
5) To STOP the video record, press the Shutter button again.
6) The video is automatically saved to the camcorder’s Micro SD memory card.

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VIDEO CAPTURE MODE: LCD SCREEN ICONS
ICON
FUNCTION
1
VIDEO CAPTURE MODE
Indicates the Camcorder is in Video Capture Mode
2
SCENE
Tap to open the Scene Menu options (Auto, Scenery, Night Scenery,
Portrait, Night Portrait, Beach, High Sensitivity)
3
VIVILINK
Tap to open the ViviLink for Videos Menu options (YouTube,
Photobucket, Flickr, None)
4
MENU
Tap to open the Video Capture Mode Menus
5
MEMORY CAPACITY
Standby Mode: Indicates the record time available to capture videos
according to the selected resolution, quality and size of the installed
memory card
Record Mode: Displays the elapsed recording time
6
MEMORY CARD
Indicates the memory card has been properly installed and is
recognized by the camcorder
7
ZOOM IN
Tap to Zoom In
8
ZOOM INDICATOR
Displays the current, selected zoom (up to 4x Digital Zoom)
9
ZOOM OUT
Tap to Zoom Out
10
BATTERY LEVEL
Indicates the current camcorder battery level (Full, Medium, Low)
11
RESOLUTION
Indicates the selected resolution (FHD, HD, VGA, QVGA)
12
RECORD INDICATOR
Indicates the video recording is in progress (appears and flashes only
while recording)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
11
13
14
15
16
17
18
9
10
12

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13
IMAGE QUALITY
Indicates the selected Image Quality (Super Fine, Fine, Normal)
14
AWB (WHITE BALANCE)
Indicates the selected White Balance (Auto, Daylight, Cloudy,
Fluorescent, Incandescent)
15
IMAGE SHARPNESS
Indicates the selected Image Sharpness (Sharp, Normal, Soft)
16
LIGHT EXPOSURE
Indicates the selected Light Exposure (-3.0EV ~ +3.0EV)
17
ISO
Indicates the selected ISO (Auto, 100, 200, 400)
18
METERING
Indicates the selected Metering (Center, Multi, Spot)
VIDEO CAPTURE MODE: MENUS
While in Video Capture Mode, tap MENU to view the following Video Capture Mode Menu
options:
Scene
Color Effect
Resolution
Sharpness
Quality
Exposure
ViviLink
ISO
White Level
Metering
REMINDER:
For details how to access and select the menu options, please refer to the ‘Navigating the Menus:
CAMCORDER MODE MENUS’ section of the user manual.
Scene Menu
The Scene Menu allows you to choose scene settings that let your camcorder to adapt properly to your
current environment.
The Scene Menu Options include:
Auto (Default)
Night Portrait
Scenery
High Sensitivity
Portrait
Beach
Night Scenery