Rating: 
Summary: Turn Off Image Stabilization = Better Picture
Review: Several of the previous reviewers complained about the poor picture quality especially indoors. I thought the same until I
turned off the elctronic stabilization. Aside from the tape ejecting on the bottom I find this camcorder to be a good value.
Rating: 
Summary: TRV230 The worst camcorder and a ripped off
Review: Terribly grainy even in well lighted room. This produc shows how SONY sells products by it's name and not quality. Image quality shot from camera is unacceptable and LCD display is equally horrible. The absolute worst camcorder anyone can buy. Remember, buy product only on it's merrit and not brand. SONY lost my loyalty forever.
Rating: 
Summary: A Best Buy for heavy users
Review: The 230 is this year's lowest price "complete" digital 8 camcorder. (the 130 does not play analog 8mm tapes). The camera is a pleasure to use. The picture quality is a startling step up from 8mm and the ability to display complete single frames one at a time is fun. I've compared to mini dv and can't see any quality difference (Digital 8 is 500 lines vs 525 for dv). The tapes are easy to find and less expensive that mini-dv... Sony has added a helpful "intermidiate limit" on digital zoom. This feature allows the digital zoom to be limited by the user to a range that is usefull. (about 3x over the tightest optical zoom.) The Color LCD screen is perfect for off eye shooting and great fun with children.Any downside? -Some don't like the B&W eye viewer. I prefer it since the detail seems better in it. -The backlight button is easy to confuse with the adjacent control. -Sony dropped the "force to infinity" focus button this year. (This was often helpfull). -I'm not fond of the bottom opening deck, but it makes sense since you can keep the camera strapped on your hand while you change tape. -The standard video out plugs have been changed to a mini-video plug. This helps make the camera smaller but may make replacing a lost cable harder. The features I'd most like to see next year: Move the menu button to the outside of the camera and add an option for a brief date and time display at the start of each scene in play mode. What about the memory stick option in the 330. I suppose that this is a matter of personal preference, but I bought this to have very good video camera, if I want a good digital still camera, I'll go buy one.
Rating:
Summary: SONY LIVES UP TO REPUTATION!!!! A GREAT CAMERA!!!
Review: This is a great camera!! ...I've had NO problems with this camera. I'll admit that it's kind of pointless to have a 700x zoom and it doesn't work to well after about 400x, but who needs that much zoom anyways. This camera is far better than our last SONY camcorder which was about 12 or 13 years old. It was good at the time, but technology changes. The picture is great quality and the feature that includes editing on the computer is great! The night-vision feature comes in handy too. The only thing I partially agree with, that the other reviewer stated, is that the tape release button is on the bottom, so this could make it hard if you are using a tripod, but I haven't used a tripod yet with this camera, and I would assume that you could easily insert a new tape. Overall, I HIGHLY-RECOMMEND this camcorder.
Rating:
Summary: DCR-TRV230 Camcorder
Review: This is junk. It has not worked since the day I got it. Have returned it for service three times. Has never been fixed. Sony refuses to replace the camera. If I did not have so much invested in accessories I would just throw it away and buy a Canon.
Rating: 
Summary: So-So camera
Review: This is not a bad camera but I am having trouble with it not wanting to record or playback tapes. I have tried different tapes thinking maybe it was the tape but no matter what I do, it won't work. Took it to the place I got it, they had to send it away, which took forever, and all they done was use a headcleaner on it. They said they could not find out any problem with it. I brought it home and it started doing the same thing again and I bought a Maxell head cleaner and used it several times on it and it worked okay for awhile. Now it is back to doing the same thing again on not recording or playing back a tape. Do not know what the problem is. It just could be that I got a "lemon." I have contacted Sony but have never heard anything back.
Rating:
Summary: So-So camera
Review: This is not a bad camera but I am having trouble with it not wanting to record or playback tapes. I have tried different tapes thinking maybe it was the tape but no matter what I do, it won't work. Took it to the place I got it, they had to send it away, which took forever, and all they done was use a headcleaner on it. They said they could not find out any problem with it. I brought it home and it started doing the same thing again and I bought a Maxell head cleaner and used it several times on it and it worked okay for awhile. Now it is back to doing the same thing again on not recording or playing back a tape. Do not know what the problem is. It just could be that I got a "lemon." I have contacted Sony but have never heard anything back.
Rating:
Summary: A step backwards from the previous year models
Review: While I am very pleased with the trv120 I bought last year, I have to say Sony has gone a step backward with the new x30 (130, 230, etc) line. Yes, it is slightly smaller, big deal... However, the inconvenience of the botton loading tapes is a real negative if you use a tripod (which I do most of the time). Many features that were on the 120, were dropped from the 130 (playing analog tapes, microphone jack, contrast control on LCD screen) and I went to the 230 when I needed a second camera just to get those features back. The batteries (M series) on the new x30 generation are different from the x20 series(which used L series). I still like the Sony line, but I'd buy a used TRV120 instead of the TRV230 if I had it to do again. The 230 is not as much bang for the buck for my uses.
| 
