Vivitar DVR 946HD User manual

DVR 946HD
Digital Camcorder
User Manual
© 2009-2011 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
CONTENTS
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................2
What’s Included ....................................................................................................................................2
Parts of the Camcorder.........................................................................................................................3
Initial Camcorder Setup ........................................................................................................................4
Main Camcorder Modes........................................................................................................................8
Camcorder Technical Specifications .....................................................................................................9
Computer System Requirements........................................................................................................10
Powering ON/OFF Your Digital Camcorder.........................................................................................11
Changing Camcorder Mode................................................................................................................11
Navigating the Menus .........................................................................................................................12
Camcorder Options: ViviLink, LED Flash, Macro, Zoom, Display.......................................................13
Video Capture Mode...........................................................................................................................16
Video Playback Mode .........................................................................................................................30
Photo Capture Mode...........................................................................................................................35
Photo Playback Mode.........................................................................................................................51
Connecting the Camcorder to a TV.....................................................................................................59
Installing the Software.........................................................................................................................60
Connecting the Camcorder to the Computer.......................................................................................61
Getting Photos and Videos from the Camcorder to the Computer......................................................62
Getting Started!...................................................................................................................................63
Transferring Images from the Camcorder to the Computer Manually .................................................63
Camcorder Maintenance.....................................................................................................................65
Sakar Warranty Card ..........................................................................................................................65
Technical Support ...............................................................................................................................66
Troubleshooting ..................................................................................................................................66

2
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing this digital camcorder. Everything you need to take quality digital photos and
videos is included with your camcorder.
Vivitar makes capturing those special moments as easy as possible.
Please read this manual carefully first in order to get the most out of your digital camcorder.
Note:
Your digital camcorder needs an SD Memory card (up to 32GB) for normal use.
SD Memory cards are not included and need to be purchased separately.
Important: You must use a Class 4 SD card or higher SD card only.
This camcorder is a Plug and Play device. You can download the pictures and videos captured
by your camcorder without the software by directly accessing the camcorder’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.
What’s Included
1. Digital Camcorder
2. USB & TV Cable
3. Vivitar Experience™Image Manager
Software Installation CD
4. Lens Cover Strap (attaches to lens cover)
5. Hand Strap (not shown)
Note: Class 4 (or higher) SD Memory card and batteries not included.

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Parts of the Camcorder
1. Power Button
13.Speaker
2. EV+ / Up / Slide Show Button
14.Shutter Button
3. EV- / Down Button
15.Zoom Out / Zoom In
4. Self-Timer / Left Button
16.LED Indicator Light
5. Delete / Right Button
17.USB Slot / TV- Out Slot
6. SET / LED ON- OFF Button
18.Hand Strap
7. MODE Button
19.Tripod Mount
8. MENU Button
20.SD Memory Card Slot
9. ViviLink Button
21.LED Light
10.Lens Cover
22.Microphone
11.Digital Lens
23.Battery Compartment
12.Macro Switch

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Initial Camcorder Setup
Flip open the LCD screen. When powering the camcorder ON for the first time the camcorder will
take you through the initial camcorder setup.
POWERING THE CAMCORDER ON
1. Installing the Batteries
Make sure the batteries have been inserted properly into your digital camcorder, according to the
polarity shown inside the battery compartment.
Use 4 x AAA (1.5V) batteries. Alkaline batteries are recommended. Batteries not included.
Note:
Remove the batteries from the camcorder when not in use for an extended period.
Do not mix alkaline and non-alkaline batteries.
Some camcorder features (Flash) will not work if the battery power level is low.
When the battery power is low the battery icon turns red and the camcorder will automatically
turn 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 Recommended to Replace Batteries
2. Installing the SD Memory Card

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IMPORTANT: You must use only a Class 4 SDHC Memory card or higher.
Make sure a Class 4 (or higher) SD Memory Card (up to 32GB) has been properly inserted into
your camcorder. SD card not included.
To properly insert the SD Memory Card:
Push the SD card into the slot in the direction as shown SD card icon on the camcorder.
See images below: 1 and 2.
Push the SD card until you hear a slight clicking sound. This indicates the SD card has been
inserted correctly.
See images below: 3 and 4.

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Note:
After the camcorder is powered on, the SD icon will appear on the LCD display. If you do not
see the SD icon on the display, please check if the card was inserted properly.
Make sure the SD card is not locked (check the lock switch on the side of the SD card).
If the SD card is locked this will prevent the camcorder from saving captured photos to the
SD card.
3. Powering ON the Camcorder
Press the POWER button to turn on the camcorder.
SETTING THE CAMCORDER LANGUAGE
1. You will first be prompted to select a language for the camcorder. The Language selection menu
will appear. Press the UP/DOWN button to select the language of your choice and press the SET
button to confirm the selection.
2. After selecting a language, you will be asked if you would like to continue with the initial
camcorder setup. A message will appear: “Continue with Camera Setup?”
3. Press the RIGHT/LEFT button to select “Yes” to continue or “No” to exit the setup, and then
press the SET button to confirm your selection.

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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 in the
camcorder.
SETTING THE DATE AND TIME
The next step in the initial camcorder setup is to set the date and time on the camcorder.
1. Press the UP/DOWN button to set the specific time/date settings.
2. Press the RIGHT/LEFT to move to a different part of the time/date setting options.
3. Once you have set the date and time as desired press the SET button 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. Press the
UP/DOWN button to highlight the desired default social network and press the SET button to
confirm the selection.
2. Next you will be asked to choose the default ViviLink social network for Videos. Press the
UP/DOWN button to highlight the desired default social network and press the SET button to
confirm the selection.
Congratulations! Your camcorder is now ready to use.

8
Main Camcorder Modes
Your camcorder has different modes for the various camcorder functions.
You can switch modes by pressing the MODE button on your camcorder after the camcorder has been
powered ON.
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 record indicator appears on the LCD screen while the recording is in
progress. To stop 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, press the MENU button 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 MODE button once to open the 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, press the MENU button while in
the Photo Capture mode.
Playback Mode (Photos & Videos)
Use this mode to view and manage the photos and videos on your camcorder.
After turning on your camcorder, press the MODE button twice to open 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, press the
MENU button while in the Playback mode.

9
Camcorder Technical Specifications
Image Sensor
CMOS Sensor
Image Resolution
3648x2736(10M) / 3648x2048(7MHD) / 2592x1944(5M) /
2048x1536(3M) / 1920x1080(2MHD) / 640x480(VGA)
Video Resolution
1280X720 (HD), 640X480 (VGA), 320X240 (QVGA)
File Format
JPEG/AVI
External Memory
SD Memory Card (up to 32GB) –Class 4 or higher
LCD Display
2.7 Inch TFT , opens 90
Lens
f=5.1mm, F3.0
Zoom
4X Digital Zoom
Exposure
-3.0EV ~ +3.0EV
White Balance
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 /
Dutch / Italian / Russian / Turkish
Flash
2 LED lamps
Self-Timer
2 / 5 or 10 second delay
Anti-Shake
Yes
Print Photos
Yes
Multi Snapshots (Burst)
Yes
Macro Switch
Yes (manual switch)
Interface
USB 2.0
System Requirements
Windows XP (SP 3), Vista (SP1) and 7 /
Mac OSX v10.5.x and above
Battery
4 * AAA (1.5V) batteries
Working Temperature
0~40C

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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.

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Powering ON/OFF Your Digital Camcorder
Make sure the batteries have been inserted properly into your digital camcorder.
Make sure an SD Memory Card, up to 32GB Class 4 or higher, has been installed into your
camcorder. SD Memory Card and batteries not included.
See Initial Camcorder Setup for details.
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.
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 settings can be set
from the Auto Power Off settings menu.
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.

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When the 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 camcorder mode, make sure the camcorder is powered ON and press the
MODE button.
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.
Navigating the Menus
Each camcorder mode has a set of menus specific to that mode.
1. Press the MENU button to open the menus for the current mode.
2. Press the LEFT or RIGHT button to scroll between the various menus for the current mode.
3. Press the UP or DOWN button to highlight a specific option within the selected menu.
Alternatively, push the Zoom lever UP or DOWN to highlight the desired option.
4. Press the SET button to confirm and select the highlighted menu option.
5. If the selection can be remembered by the camcorder, a selection icon appears to the right of
the selected menu option. Changes made to these options remain until you decide to change
them again at a later time.
6. Some menu options are single-use functions that are not remembered by the camcorder and do
not display this icon when selected.
7. At any time you can press the MODE button to exit the menus and return to the previous screen.
Note:
For most menu settings, an icon reflecting your selection displays on the LCD screen.
The settings are saved by your camcorder until you manually change the setting or restore the
camcorder’s default factory settings.

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Camcorder Options: ViviLink, LED Flash, Macro, Zoom, Display
VIVILINK OPTION
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 Vivitar Experience™ Image Manager
application. A ViviLink destination can be assigned to a photo or video in Capture mode prior to
capturing your image or in Playback Mode.
VIVILINK: VIDEO OR PHOTO CAPTURE MODE
Press the ViviLink Quick Function Button to open the ViviLink options. Select a ViviLink option
and press SET to save your selection and return to Photo/Video Capture mode. Your selected ViviLink
destination appears as an icon on the LCD screen and your camcorder is now ready to capture your
photo or video with the selected ViviLink destination.
Note: The ViviLink feature is deactivated by default and needs to be activated prior to capturing each
photo or video.
VIVILINK: PLAYBACK MODE
A ViviLink destination can be added to a captured image or changed by accessing the ViviLink menu
in Playback Mode. Simply select an image, press the ViviLink Quick Function Button, select the
ViviLink destination and press the SET button.
LED FLASH LIGHT OPTION
To increase the lighting in dark situations while capturing videos and photos, use the 2 LED Flash
Lights on the front of the camcorder below the lens.
Press the Flash (SET) button to toggle between Flash On and Flash Off.

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MACRO OPTIONS /
Your camcorder contains a Macro Switch that allows you to manually enable or disable the Macro mode
on your camcorder. While using the Macro mode, you can capture images at close range, 30 ~ 40 cm.
MACRO ON:
To turn the Macro mode ON, slide the Macro Switch on the side of your camcorder DOWN to the
flower icon .
When enabled, the Macro mode will allow your camcorder to focus on an object that is close to
the camcorder.
The flower icon appears on the LCD and indicates that the Macro mode is ON.
MACRO OFF:
To turn the Macro mode OFF, slide the Macro Switch on the side of the camcorder UP to the mountain
icon.
The mountain icon appears on the LCD display.
When Macro mode is off, images can be captured from 1.5m - ∞(infinity).
Note:
The Macro mode must be turned OFF when you want to use the following features of your
camcorder: Flash, Face Detect, Smile Capture.
Not all camcorder s included these features. Refer to the Camcorder Technical Specifications
section to view the features included with this camcorder.

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DIGITAL ZOOM OPTION
You can magnify your subject up to 4 times using the digital zoom while capturing your photos and
recording your videos.
Push the Zoom lever up, T , to zoom in on the object.
Push the Zoom lever down, W, to zoom back out.
The following Digital Zoom Indicator appears on the right side of the LCD screen:
The Digital Zoom Indicator bar moves up when you Zoom In (T) and moves down when you Zoom Out
(W).
DISPLAY: HIDE/SHOW THE LCD ICONS
The display of the icons on the LCD screen can be hidden or visible as desired.
1. Hold the MODE button for a few seconds to hide the display of the icons on the screen.
2. Press the MODE button again to redisplay the icons on the screen.

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Video Capture Mode
The Video Capture Mode allows you to capture videos with your camcorder.
When the camcorder is first powered on, it 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. Use the T/Zoom In and W/Zoom Out to better set the camcorder display if desired.
Push the Zoom lever up, T , to zoom in on the object.
Push the Zoom lever down, Wbutton to zoom back out.
The following Digital Zoom Indicator appears on the right side of the LCD screen:
The Digital Zoom Indicator bar moves up when you Zoom In (T) and moves down when you
Zoom Out (W).
3. To Start the Video Capture:
Press the Shutter button on the top of the digital camcorder to start the video recording.
Note: A red, blinking indicator and the elapsed record time appear on the LCD screen while the
recording is in progress. The red LED light above the zoom lever also blinks while the recording
is in progress.
4. To Stop the Video Capture:
Press the Shutter button again to stop the video recording.
5. The video is automatically saved to the camcorder’s SD memory card.

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VIDEO CAPTURE MODE QUICK FUNCTION BUTTONS
Your digital camcorder has control buttons that functions as Quick Function buttons.
Quick Function Button
Function
UP: EV +
Light Exposure –Changes the Light Exposure Setting.
Press to increase the Light Exposure.
DOWN: EV -
Light Exposure –Changes the Light Exposure Setting.
Press to decrease the Light Exposure.
LEFT : N/A
No function in Video Capture Mode.
RIGHT: Delete
Delete - Opens the ‘Delete This Video’ option and allows you
to view and delete the last video taken.
Other
Shutter
STARTS/STOPS the video capture.
ViviLink
ViviLink - Opens the ViviLink for Videos menu.
MENU
Opens the menu options for Video Capture Mode.
MODE
Toggles between the Video Capture Mode, Photo Capture
Mode, and Playback Mode.
Exits the menu screen.
SET
Photo and Video Capture Modes: Turns On/Off the LED Lights.
Menu View: Saves your selected option in the Menu view.
T
Zooms In
W
Zooms Out

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VIDEO CAPTURE MODE MENUS
The following are the menus that appear in your camcorder’s Video Capture Mode.
Note: The default settings are those marked with the selection icon .

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SCENE MENU
The Scene Menu allows you to choose scene settings that allow your camcorder to adapt properly to
your current environment.
1. Press the MENU button to open the menus for the current mode.
2. Press the LEFT or RIGHT button to scroll and select the ‘Scene’ menu.
3. Press the UP or DOWN button to highlight a specific option.
Alternatively, push the Zoom lever UP or DOWN to highlight the desired menu option.
4. Press the SET button to confirm and select the highlighted menu option.
5. A selected option icon will appear on the selected item.
6. To continue within the menus:
Press the LEFT or RIGHT button to select the next menu item.
7. To exit the menu view:
Press the MODE button to exit the menu and return to your previous mode.
Note: An icon reflecting your selection is displayed on the LCD screen. This setting is saved by your
camcorder until you manually change the setting or restore the camcorder’s default factory settings.
IMAGE SIZE MENU
The Image Size menu allows you to choose the desired size of the images taken by your camcorder.
Keep in mind that images with a higher resolution will also take up more of your camcorder‘s memory.
1. Press the MENU button to open the menus for the current mode.
2. Press the LEFT or RIGHT button to scroll and select the ‘Image Size’ menu.
3. Press the UP or DOWN button to highlight a specific option.
Alternatively, push the Zoom lever UP or DOWN to highlight the desired menu option.
4. Press the SET button to confirm and select the highlighted menu option.
5. A selected option icon will appear on the selected item.
6. To continue within the menus:
Press the LEFT or RIGHT button to select the next menu item.
7. To exit the menu view:
Press the MODE button to exit the menu and return to your previous mode.
Note: An icon reflecting your selection is displayed on the LCD screen. This setting is saved by your
camcorder until you manually change the setting or restore the camcorder’s default factory settings.