Vivitar DVR 949HD User manual

DVR 949HD Digital Video Camera
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 Camera..............................................................................................................................3
Initial Camera Setup .............................................................................................................................4
Main Camera Modes.............................................................................................................................8
Camera Technical Specifications ..........................................................................................................9
Computer System Requirements........................................................................................................10
Powering ON/OFF Your Digital Video Camera....................................................................................11
Changing Camera Mode.....................................................................................................................12
Navigating the Menus .........................................................................................................................13
Camera Options: LED Light, Macro Switch.........................................................................................16
Video Capture Mode...........................................................................................................................18
Video Playback Mode .........................................................................................................................28
Photo Capture Mode...........................................................................................................................33
Photo Playback Mode.........................................................................................................................47
Camera Setup.....................................................................................................................................53
Slide Show..........................................................................................................................................59
Power Off............................................................................................................................................59
Connecting the Digital Video Camera to the HDTV.............................................................................60
Installing the Software.........................................................................................................................61
Connecting the Camera to the Computer ...........................................................................................62
Getting Photos and Videos from Your Camera to Your Computer.......................................................63
Get Started!.........................................................................................................................................64
Transferring Images from my Camera to my Computer Manually.......................................................64
Camera Maintenance..........................................................................................................................66
Sakar Warranty Card ..........................................................................................................................66
Technical Support ...............................................................................................................................67
Troubleshooting ..................................................................................................................................67

2
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing this digital video camera. Everything you need to take quality digital photos
and videos is included with your digital video camera.
Vivitar makes capturing those special moments as easy as possible.
NOTE: Your digital video camera 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 only a Class 4 SDHC Memory card or higher.
Please read this manual carefully first in order to get the most out of your digital video camera.
What’s Included
1) Digital Video Camera
2) USB cable
3) TV Cable
4) Vivitar Experience Image Manager Software
Installation CD
5) Lens Cover Strap
6) Hand Strap (not shown)
NOTE: Class 4 (or higher) SDHC Memory card and batteries not included.

3
Parts of the Camera
1. Power Button
10. USB Port
2. Home Button
11. HDMI Port
3. Digital Lens
12. Hand Strap
4. Lens Cover
13. Tripod Mount
5. Macro Switch
14. SD Memory Card Slot
6. Speaker
15. Battery Compartment
7. Shutter Button
16. LED Light
8. Zoom Out / Zoom In
17. Microphone
9. LED Light Indicator
18. LCD Touch Screen

4
Initial Camera Setup
After flipping open the LCD Touch Screen and powering the camera ON for the first time, the camera
takes you through the Initial Camera Setup.
1) Installing the Batteries
Make sure the batteries have been inserted properly into your digital camera, according to the
polarity shown inside the battery compartment. (See photo above.)
Use 4 x AAA (1.5V) batteries. Alkaline batteries are recommended. (Batteries not included.)
NOTE:
Remove the batteries from the camera when not in use for an extended period.
Do not mix alkaline and non-alkaline batteries.
Some camera features will not work if the battery power level is low.
When the battery power is low the battery icon turns red and the camera 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

5
2) Installing the SD Memory Card
IMPORTANT: You must use only a Class 4 SDHC Memory card or higher.
Make sure a Class 4 (or higher) SD card (up to 32GB) has been properly inserted into your
camera. SD card not included.
To properly insert the SD Card:
Push the SD card into the slot in the direction as shown SD card icon on the camera. (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.)

6
NOTE:
After the camera 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 camera from saving captured photos to the SDcard.
3) Powering ON the camera
Flip open the LCD screen. Press the POWER button to turn on the camera.
4) Setting the Camera Language

7
You will first be prompted to select a language for the camera.
The Language options appear. Drag up or down to scroll and view the menu options.
Select the language of your choice and tap SAVE & EXIT to confirm the selection.
After selecting a language, you will be asked if you would like to continue with the initial
camera 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 camera setup, the camera will be set to its
default settings. These settings can be adjusted at any time manually through the menus of the
camera.
5) Setting the Date and Time
The next step in the initial camera setup is to set the date and time on the camera.
Drag up or down to scroll and view the Date and Time options.
Set the Date and Time as desired and tap SAVE & EXIT to confirm the selection and move to
the next part of the camera setup.
6) 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 camera.
The ViviLink technology allows you to quickly and easily upload your camera’s photos and videos
to the social networks of your choice with the accompanying software application.
First you will be asked to choose the default ViviLink social network for Photos.
Drag up or down to scroll and view the ViviLink for Photos options and then tap SAVE & EXIT
to confirm your selection.
Next you will be asked to choose the default ViviLink social network for Videos. Drag up or
down to scroll and view the ViviLink for Videos options and then tap SAVE & EXIT to confirm
your selection.
Congratulations! Your camera is now ready to use.

8
Main Camera Modes
Your camera has different modes for the various camera functions.
You can switch modes by pressing the HOME button to the left of the LCD screen. The Home menu is
shown on the LCD. Tap Camera, Video, or Playback to change your camera mode.
Video Capture Mode
Use this mode to capture videos with your digital camera.
This is the default mode when the camera is powered ON.
To take a video, aim your camera as desired and press the Shutter button to start the
record. A red record indicator will appear on the LCD screen while record is in progress. To
stop the record, press the Shutter button again. The video will be automatically saved to
your camera’s memory card.
To access the various menus for the Video Capture Mode, tap MENU while in the Video
Capture Mode.
Photo Capture Mode
Use this mode to capture pictures with your camera.
After turning on your camera, press the HOME button to open the Camera Mode options.
Tap Camera to enter Photo Capture Mode.
To take a picture, aim your camera as desired and press the Shutter button.
The picture will be automatically saved to your camera’s memory card.
To access the various menus for the Photo Capture Mode, tap MENU while in the Photo
Capture Mode.
Playback Mode (Photos & Videos)
Use this mode to view and manage the videos and photos seen on your camera - saved to
your SD memory card. After turning on your camera, press the HOME button to open the
Camera 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
while in the Playback Mode.

9
Camera Technical Specifications
Image Sensor
CMOS Sensor
Image Resolution
4032x3024(12.1M) / 3648x2736(10M) / 3648x2048(7MHD) /
2592x1944(5M) / 2048x1536(3.1M) / 1920x1080(2MHD) /
640x480(VGA)
Video Resolution
1920x1080 (FHD) / 1280x720 (HD) / VGA 640x480 /
QVGA 320x240
File Format
JPEG (Photo) / AVI (Video)
Internal Memory
16MB SDRAM (Buffer) - enough for 1 sample photo
External Memory
Class 4 (or higher) SDHC Memory card (up to 32GB)
LCD Display
2.7 Inch Touch TFT
Lens
f=6.8mm, F2.8
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 / Russian / German / Spanish / French / Italian /
Portuguese / Dutch / Turkish
Flash
2 LED Flash lamps
Self-Timer
2 / 5 or 10 second delay
Anti-Shake
Yes
Print Photos
Yes
Face Detect
Yes
Macro Switch
Yes
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
4 x AAA (1.5V) batteries (not included)
Working Temperature
0~40 ℃

10
Computer System Requirements
WINDOWS
To be able to download photos and videos to your PC, you will need the following minimum
configuration:
MICROSOFT® Windows XP with Service Pack 3,WindowsVista with Service Pack 1 or Windows 7
Pentium® 4 processor (or above)
1 GB of RAM, with 250 MB of free 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
To be able to download photos and videos to your Macintosh, you will need the following minimum
configuration:
Intel Processor running Mac OS X v10.5.x or later
1 GB RAM, 250 MB free hard disk space
Display: 1024 x 768 or higher-resolution monitor
CD-ROM Drive
QuickTime® 6 or higher
Internet connection required

11
Powering ON/OFF Your Digital Video Camera
Make sure the batteries have been installed properly into your digital video camera.
Make sure an SD card has been installed properly into your camera.
(SDHC Class 4 card up to 32GB - SD Card not included)
Powering the camera ON
Flip open the LCD display panel. Press the Power button to turn your camera ON.
The camera will be in Video Capture Mode to start.
Powering the camera OFF
While the camera is on, you can press the Power button again at any point to turn your camera
OFF. You will see a “Goodbye” splash screen and then the camera 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 video camera.
NOTE: Your digital video camera also has an Auto Power Off feature that automatically turns off your
camera after a specific period of time that your camera is left idle. The Auto Power Off time can be set
from the Settings/Auto Off menu settings.

12
Changing Camera Mode
Your camera has three main modes:
1) Video Capture Mode - Use this mode to capture videos with your camera.
2) Photo Capture Mode - Use this mode to capture photos with your camera.
3) Playback Mode (for photos and videos) - Use this mode to view the photos and videos you
have already taken with your camera.
When the digital video camera 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 video camera mode:
Make sure the digital video camera is powered ON.
Press the HOME button on the left of the LCD Panel.
Tap one of the following icons to select the active camera 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

13
Navigating the Menus
You camera includes the following menus:
Home Menus
Camera Mode Menus
Camera Setup Menus
You can access and change camera settings by the following methods:
1) Icons on the LCD Touch Screen:
While in the Photo, Video, Playback Modes in Preview/Standby: You can toggle between the
menu options each time you tap a menu icon that appears on the LCD screen until you see the
desired option.
2) Menu Screens:
Enter the menu screens and select the desired option.
Please see information below for more details regarding this method.
Home Menus
The Home screen menu allows you quick access to the camera modes and settings as well as to the
photo slideshow and the power off.
1) Press the HOME button located on the left side of the LCD touch screen.
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

14
Setup
Tap to enter Camera General Settings
Slide Show
Tap to begin Photo Slide Show
Power Off
Touch to Power off your digital video camera
Camera Mode Menus
Each camera mode has a set of menus specific to that mode.
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 menus.
To select a menu, tap the desired menu icon to open the various options for that menu.
NOTE: To exit the menu screen without selecting a menu, tap Exit and return to the current mode.
3) Selected a Sub-Menu Option:
Drag up or down to scroll and highlight the desired menu option.
Tap SAVE & EXIT to confirm and select the highlighted menu option.
NOTE: Changes made to these options will remain as is until you decide to change them again at a
later time.
4) The selected option icon appears on the touch LCD screen.
NOTE: Some menu options are single-use functions that are not remembered by the camera and
do not display an icon on the LCD screen.
For more details regarding specific menus, please refer to the menu information listed for each mode.

15
Camera Setup Menus
The general settings for your digital video camera can easily be changed at any time.
1) Press the HOME button to the left of the LCD touch screen to open the Home screen options.
2) Tap the Setup icon to enter the menu options for your camera 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 to open the various options for that menu.
NOTE: To exit the Setup screen without selecting a menu, tap Exit and return to the Home
Menu screen.
4) Selected a Setup Sub-Menu Option:
Drag up or down to scroll and highlight the desired menu option.
Alternatively, simply tap and highlight the desired option.
Tap SAVE & EXIT to confirm and select the highlighted menu option.
NOTE: Changes made to these options will remain until you decide to change them again at a later
time.
5) The selected option icon appears on the touch LCD screen.
NOTE: Some menu options are single-use functions that are not remembered by the camera and
do not display an icon on the LCD screen.
For more details regarding specific Setup menus, please refer to the ‘Setup Menu’ section of this manual.

16
Camera Options: LED Light, Macro Switch
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 camera below the lens.
LED ON:
Tap the LED icon, located on the bottom left section (above the MENU) of the LCD touch screen.
This changes the icon and activates the LED Lights.
When the LED lights are on, the following icon appears on the LCD screen:
LED OFF:
Tap the LED icon on the LCD screen.
When the LED lights are off, the following icon appears on the LCD screen:
Macro Option
Your digital video camera contains a Macro Switch that allows you to manually enable or disable the
Macro mode on your camera. While using the Macro mode, you can capture images at close range (20
~ 40 cm).
MACRO MODE ON:
To turn the Macro mode ON, slide the Macro Switch on the side of your camera DOWN to the flower
icon .
When enabled, the Macro mode allows your digital video camera to focus on an object that is close
to the camera.
The flower icon will appear on the LCD and indicates that the Macro mode is ON.

17
MACRO MODE OFF:
To turn the Macro mode OFF slide the Macro Switch on the side of the camera UP to the mountain
icon.
The mountain icon will appear 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:
Flash, Face Detect, and Smile Capture.
Not all cameras included these features. Refer to the ‘Camera Specifications’ section to view the
features included with this camera.

18
Video Capture Mode
The Video Capture Mode allows you to capture videos with your digital video camera.
When the camera is first powered ON, the camera will be in Video Capture Mode.
Taking a Video
1) While in Video Capture Mode use the LCD display to direct the camera 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.
Push the Zoom control button up, the T button, to zoom in on the object.
Push the Zoom control button down, the Wbutton, to zoom back 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 on the top of the digital video camera to START the video capture.
4) A red, blinking icon appears at the top of the LCD screen indicating that the record is in progress.
On the top right, 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 camera’s SD memory card.

19
Video Capture Mode Menus
The following are the menus that appear in your camera’s Video Capture Mode:
Scenery
Color Effect
Resolution
Sharpness
Quality
Exposure
ViviLink
ISO
White Level
Metering
Reminder: While in Capture Mode, you can also change settings by tapping icons that appear on the
LCD touch screen to toggle between the menu options until you arrive at your desired setting.
Scenery Menu
The Scene Menu allows you to choose scene settings that let your camera to adapt properly to your
current environment.
The Scenery Menu Options include:
Auto
Night Portrait
Scenery
High Sensitivity
Portrait
Beach
Night Scenery
1) Tap MENU to open the Main Menu Screen for the current mode.
2) Tap the Scenery menu icon to open the menu options.
3) Drag up or down to scroll and highlight the desired menu option.
4) Tap SAVE & EXIT to select and confirm the highlighted menu option and then return to the Main
Menu Screen.
5) From the Main Menu Screen:
Tap another menu icon to select a different menu item.
Tap Exit to return to the Video Capture Mode.