3-619-326-12 (1) Digital Videocassette Recorder Operating Instructions Before operating the unit, please read this manual thoroughly and retain it for future reference.
Owner’s Record The model and serial numbers are located at the bottom. Record these numbers in the spaces provided below. Refer to them whenever you call upon your Sony dealer regarding this product. Model No. Serial No. WARNING To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose the unit to rain or moisture. To avoid electrical shock, do not open the cabinet. Refer servicing to qualified personnel only. THIS APPARATUS MUST BE EARTHED.
Important Safety Instructions • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Read these instructions. Keep these instructions. Heed all warnings. Follow all instructions. Do not use this apparatus near water. Clean only with dry cloth. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
Table of Contents Chapter 1 Overview Features................................................................................. 6 DVCAM Format ....................................................................... 6 Variety of Interfaces.................................................................. 7 Compact Size ............................................................................ 7 Facilities for High-Efficiency Editing....................................... 7 Other Features ...................
Auto Mode (AUTO FUNCTION) Execution Menu............... 72 Changing Menu Settings ................................................... 73 Buttons Used to Change Settings............................................ 73 Changing the Settings of Basic Items ..................................... 73 Displaying Enhanced Items .................................................... 75 Changing the Settings of Enhanced Items .............................. 75 Returning Menu Settings to Their Factory Default Settings...
Overview Features The DSR-1500A/1500AP is a 1/4-inch digital videocassette recorder using the DVCAM™ digital recording format. The unit is equipped with an i.LINK/DV* interface as standard, so that it can be used as a low-cost, compact feeder, player or viewer in a non-linear editing system** without requiring any optional boards. When using the unit as an editor, the optional boards available for the unit allow you to select required input signal formats.
Note When playing back a tape recorded in DVCPRO (25 Mbps) format, the outputs in SDTI format of this unit are muted. Furthermore, it is not possible to playback the cueaudio track of the tape. Support for three cassette sizes Compact Size Variety of Interfaces The compact size of the unit makes the unit suitable for use as a desk-top editor or feeder machine for non-linear editing or as a viewer compatible with a full range of digital and analog signal formats aboard an outside broadcast van.
in both directions. You can also search frame-by-frame in jog mode. At search speeds up to 10 times normal speed in both directions, you can also hear playback audio. The video test signal generator can produce either a color bar signal or a black burst signal. The audio test signal generator can generate either a silent signal or a 1-kHz sine wave signal. Menu items are provided for selecting the test signals to be generated.
Location and Function of Parts Front Panel f Cassette compartment g LOCAL/REMOTE switch Chapter 1 Overview POWER EJECT a POWER switch h EJECT button LOCAL b Audio level meters 1 REC/PB LEVEL REMOTE 2 3 dB 0 4 VAR REC OVER -12 -12 -20 -20 -30 -40 -30 -40 -60 OVER INPUT AUDIO VIDEO V:SDTI COMPOSITE CH-1 1/2 CH-2 3/4 SDTI S VIDEO ANALOG ANALOG i.
a POWER switch Press the “ ” side to power on the unit. This causes the audio level meters and the display section to light. To power off the unit, press the “ ” side of the switch. Chapter 1 Overview b Audio level meters These two meters indicate the recording audio levels during recording or EE mode* and the playback audio levels during playback. When the audio level indicated on a meter exceeds 0 dB, the OVER indicator for the meter lights.
When CH-1/2 mode is selected with the METER CH-1/ 2 3/4 button: PHONES connector CH-1 (channel 1) only. Only the left meter lights. Channel 1 only Channel 1 only (monaural) CH-2 (channel 2) only. Only the right meter lights. Channel 2 only Channel 2 only (monaural) CH-1 and CH-2 (channels Channels 1 1 and 2). and 2 (stereo) Both the left and right meters light.
B Video/audio input setting section SDTI/i.LINK INPUT SELECT VIDEO CH1 1/2 CH2 3/4 d CH2 3/4 button Chapter 1 Overview c CH1 1/2 button b VIDEO button a SDTI/i.LINK button a SDTI/i.LINK (SDTI (QSDI) interface/i.LINK selection) button Each press of this button cycles through the following input signal selection options.
is possible to adjust the audio levels on the two channels separately. You can switch the audio recording mode with the REC MODE menu item (see page 66). The selection is indicated by the REC MODE display on the front panel.
C Display section d Time data type indicators e SERVO indicator f Recording/playback tape format indicators Chapter 1 Overview g Cassette memory indicator INPUT AUDIO VIDEO U-BIT SERVO TC COUNTER V:SDTI COMPOSITE CH-1 1/2 CH-2 3/4 SDTI S VIDEO ANALOG ANALOG i.LINK AES/EBU AES/EBU Y-R,B SDI SG SDI SG SDI SG OUTPUT VIDEO SDI SDTI CL REC INHI NO EDIT REPEAT AUDIO COMPOSITE S VIDEO Y-R,B CH 1/2 CH 3/4 HOURS MINUTES PB FS 48K 44.
VIDEO indicators: The indicator (COMPOSITE, S VIDEO, Y−R,B, SDI, or SG) corresponding to the selected input video signal format lights. b OUTPUT signal display section Indicates the output video and audio signal format selected with the INTERFACE SELECT menu items (see page 68). Meanings Note COMPOSITE Composite video signal (optional DSBK-1505 board required) The indicators without the corresponding optional boards installed in the unit do not light.
AUDIO indicators: Comprise the CH 1/2 indicator and CH 3/4 indicator to indicate the channel selection for analog audio output from the AUDIO OUT 1/3 and AUDIO OUT 2/4 connectors. g Cassette memory indicator Lights when a cassette provided with a memory chip (“cassette memory”) is loaded. h NO EDIT (not editable) indicator Chapter 1 Overview Indicators Functions CH 1/2 Lights when channels 1 and 2 are selected for analog audio output from the AUDIO OUT 1/3 and AUDIO OUT 2/4 connectors.
o REC MODE (audio recording mode) display This indicates the audio recording mode currently selected with the REC MODE menu item (see page 66). 2CH indicator: Lights in 2-channel mode (48 kHz). 4CH indicator: Lights in 4-channel mode (32 kHz). under the control of either an editing control unit connected to the REMOTE connector or equipment connected to the i.DV IN/OUT connector. q VITC indicator Lights when VITC is being read or recorded regardless of the data shown in the time counter display.
E Menu control section a MENU button b RESET (NO) button MENU Chapter 1 Overview TC PRESET e fFgG (arrow) buttons Use these buttons to move around the menu items, and also to modify the initial time code value and user bit data. When the SEARCH ENABLE menu item (see page 60) is set to ENABLE, you can also use these buttons to carry out the following playback operations.
Rear Panel a AC IN connector AC IN R-Y/C REF.
A Analog video/audio signal input section (optional DSBK-1505 Analog Input Board) The connectors in this section are available when the optional DSBK-1505 board is installed.
B Analog video/audio signal output section a VIDEO OUT connectors b AUDIO OUT 1/3 and AUDIO OUT 2/4 connectors Y/CPST VIDEO OUT R-Y/C/CPST (SUPER) B-Y/CPST AUDIO OUT 1/3 MONITOR 2/4 Chapter 1 Overview c MONITOR connector a VIDEO OUT connectors (BNC type) There are the following VIDEO OUT connectors for outputting analog video signals: • Y/CPST • R−Y/C/CPST • B−Y/CPST (SUPER) The signals output from these connectors depend on the setting of the VIDEO OUTPUT menu item (see page 68).
C Digital signal input/output section (optional DSBK-1501 Digital Input/Output Board) The connectors in this section are available when the optional DSBK-1501 board is installed.
Recording and Playback Chapter 2 Usable Cassettes This unit can use the DVCAM cassettes listed below. Model name Size PDV-64*/94*/124*/184* Standard size PDVM-12*/22*/32*/40* Mini size The * in each model name is actually “ME” (indicating that a cassette memory is contained), or “N” (indicating that no cassette memory is contained). The numbers in each model name indicate the maximum recording/playback time (in minutes) for each model.
DVCAM cassettes The following figure illustrates the DVCAM cassettes. REC/SAVE switch For details of this switch, see “Preventing accidental erasure” on page 25. Mini size Standard size Cassette memory This memory is used to store ClipLink log data. Chapter 2 Recording and Playback Notes on using cassettes • Before storing the cassette for a long period of time, rewind the tape to the beginning and be sure to put the cassette in its storage case, preferably on end instead of flat on its side.
Preventing accidental erasure Set the REC/SAVE switch on the cassette to SAVE to prevent accidental erasure of recorded contents. REC/SAVE switch Set to SAVE REC SAVE Inserting and Ejecting Cassettes Inserting a cassette This unit accepts three sizes of cassette: L (standard size), M (medium size: DVCPRO) and S (mini size). When inserting a cassette in the unit, make sure its tape window faces upward as shown in the following figure.
No double insertion of cassettes When you insert a cassette, the orange lock-out plate appears in the cassette compartment to prevent double insertion. Ejecting a cassette Press the EJECT button. EJECT button dB 0 Chapter 2 Recording and Playback 26 OVER dB 0 -12 -12 -20 -20 -30 -40 -30 -40 -60 -60 CH- 1 3 CH- 2 4 REW Usable Cassettes OVER INPUT VIDEO AUDIO V:SDTI COMPOSITE CH-1 1/2 CH-2 3/4 SDTI S VIDEO ANALOG ANALOG i.
Recording This section describes the necessary settings and operations to perform recording on this unit. The same settings and operations apply whether you are using the unit as part of an editing system, for dubbing, or as a stand-alone recorder. For the necessary connections for recording and the settings not covered in this section, see Chapter 5 “Connections and Settings.” For dubbing of SDTI (QSDI) format signals, use the AUTO FUNCTION menu item SDTI DUBBING (see page 72).
Settings for Recording Player (DSR-1600/1600P, etc.) dB 0 -12 -20 -30 -40 -60 OVER dB 0 dB 0 1 -12 0 -20 -1 -2 -30 -40 1 -60 OVER dB 0 dB 0 1 -12 0 -20 -1 -2 -30 -40 2 -60 OVER dB 0 dB 0 1 -12 0 -20 -1 -2 -30 -40 3 -60 OVER dB 0 1 0 -1 -2 PB FS 4 48k44.
When the REMOTE indicator is lit, selection of the time data type is carried out at the editing control unit. 5 Select the formats of video and audio input signal to be recorded. Use the INPUT SELECT buttons in the video/audio input setting section to select the desired signal formats. Each selection is shown by a lit indicator in the INPUT signal display section.
6 Select the audio mode. Select either two-channel mode (2 CHANNEL) or four-channel mode (4 CHANNEL) with the REC MODE menu item (see page 66). The corresponding indicator lights in the REC MODE display. Audio mode Lit indicator in the REC MODE display 2-channel mode 2CH 4-channel mode 4CH Cautions Chapter 2 Recording and Playback • When recording in DVCAM format or this unit’s DV (SP) format, two audio recording modes, with either two channels at 48 kHz or four channels at 32 kHz, can be used.
1 LOCAL/REMOTE switch dB 0 OVER -12 dB 0 INPUT OVER -12 -20 -20 -30 -40 -30 -40 -60 -60 CH- 1 3 CH- 2 4 VIDEO AUDIO V:SDTI COMPOSITE CH-1 1/2 CH-2 3/4 SDTI S VIDEO ANALOG ANALOG i.LINK AES/EBU AES/EBU Y-R,B SDI SG SDI SG SDI SG OUTPUT VIDEO REW SDI SDTI COMPOSITE S VIDEO Y-R,B PLAY CL REC INHI U-BIT SERVO TC COUNTER NO EDIT AUDIO CH 1/2 CH 3/4 HOURS MINUTES PB FS 48K 44.
If the REC INHI indicator lights: It indicates that the REC/SAVE switch of the loaded cassette has been set to SAVE. Press the EJECT button in the tape transport control section to remove the cassette, then set the REC/SAVE switch to REC and reload the cassette. Note When ejecting and loading cassettes, make sure that the unit has been powered on. 2 Hold down the REC button and press the PLAY button. This puts the unit into recording mode, and the tape starts moving.
To perform the following operations Operation Do this: Stop recording. Press the STOP button. The unit enters stop mode, and will automatically switch to standby off mode after the time period set with the STOP TIMER menu item (see page 64) for tape protection. Remove the cassette. Press the EJECT button. After a few seconds, the tape is unwound from the head drum and the cassette is automatically ejected.
Playback This section describes the settings and operations necessary to perform playback on this unit. The same settings and operations apply whether you are using the unit as part of an editing system, for dubbing, or as a stand-alone player VCR. For the necessary connections for playback and the settings not covered in this section, see Chapter 5 “Connections and Settings” (page 79).
Playback Procedure 1 dB 0 OVER -12 dB 0 OVER -12 -20 -20 -30 -40 -30 -40 -60 -60 CH- 1 3 CH- 2 4 REW INPUT VIDEO AUDIO SERVO TC COUNTER V:SDTI COMPOSITE CH-1 1/2 CH-2 3/4 SDTI S VIDEO ANALOG ANALOG i.LINK AES/EBU AES/EBU Y-R,B SDI SG SDI SG SDI SG OUTPUT VIDEO SDI SDTI COMPOSITE S VIDEO Y-R,B PLAY LOCAL/ REMOTE switch CL REC INHI U-BIT NO EDIT REPEAT AUDIO CH 1/2 CH 3/4 HOURS MINUTES PB FS 48K 44.
To perform the following operations Operation Do this: Stop playback. Press the STOP button. The unit enters stop mode, and will automatically switch to standby off mode after the time set with the STOP TIMER menu item (see page 64) for tape protection. Adjust the audio playback level. For digital (optional DSBK-1501 required) or analog audio output Set the VAR switch on the front panel to PB and use the REC/PB LEVEL control knob for each channel.
Repeat Playback—Automatic Cyclical Playback Proceed as follows to perform automatic cyclical playback of recording (repeat playback) between selected start and end points. 1 Set the desired repeat start and end points with the REPEAT FUNCTION menu item (see page 59). You can set points A and B as start and end points by following the procedure described in the next section. 2 Set the REPEAT MODE menu item (see page 59) to ON. The REPEAT indicator lights.
Setting the current tape position as point A or B Proceed as follows to set the current tape position as point A or B for repeat playback. dB 0 OVER dB 0 OVER -12 -12 -20 -20 -30 -40 -30 -40 -60 -60 CH- 1 3 CH- 2 4 REW INPUT VIDEO AUDIO V:SDTI COMPOSITE CH-1 1/2 CH-2 3/4 SDTI S VIDEO ANALOG ANALOG i.
Inputting time code values for points A and B Using the following procedure, you can modify the time code value for point A or B. MENU RESET(NO) TC PRESET SET(YES) 1,15 13 12 8,11 Chapter 2 Recording and Playback 2,3,4,6,10,11 5,7,9,12 1 Press the MENU button. The following menu display appears. SYSTEM MENU SETUP MENU AUTO FUNCTION HOURS METER Setup menu Time counter display Monitor screen 2 With “SETUP MENU” selected, press the G button. The display changes as follows.
3 With “OPERATIONAL FUNCTION” selected, press the G button. The display changes as follows. SETUP MENU OPERATIONAL FUNCTION REPEAT FUNCTION AUTO EE SELECT LOCAL ENABLE :STP&EJ >REP FUNC Time counter display Monitor screen Chapter 2 Recording and Playback 4 With “REPEAT FUNCTION” selected, press the G button. The contents of the REPEAT FUNCTION menu item are displayed. SETUP MENU OPERATIONAL FUNCTION REPEAT FUNCTION :OFF REPEAT MODE :T.TOP REPEAT TOP :V.
6 Press the G button. The display changes as follows. SETUP MENU OPERATIONAL FUNCTION REPEAT FUNCTION :T.TOP REPEAT TOP * TAPE TOP :V.END A POINT >>> Tape top Time counter display Monitor screen Chapter 2 Recording and Playback 7 Press the F button to select “A POINT.” SETUP MENU OPERATIONAL FUNCTION REPEAT FUNCTION REPEAT TOP :T.TOP * TAPE TOP :V.END A POINT >>> A point Time counter display Monitor screen 8 Press the g button. The display changes as follows.
9 Press the F button to select “A PRESET.” SETUP MENU OPERATIONAL FUNCTION REPEAT FUNCTION :OFF REPEAT MODE .A REPEAT TOP :V.END REPEAT END A PRESET B PRESET >> A preset Time counter display Monitor screen Chapter 2 Recording and Playback 10Press the G button. The A PRESET MODE screen appears. The time code value of the current point A is displayed below the screen title.
13Press the SET (YES) button to confirm the defined value. The message “NOW SAVING...” is displayed on the monitor screen and “Saving...” is shown in the time counter display while the new setting is being saved in memory. Caution The new setting may be lost if you power off the unit during the saving operation. Wait until the saving operation is completed before powering the unit off.
Convenient Functions for Editing Operation Setting the Time Data This unit is provided with the following functions related to time data. • Display and reset CNT value • Set, display, record, and play back SMPTE/EBU time code and user bit data • Set, display, record, and play back VITC The unit can output the time code read from the tape as an analog (LTC) signal while in normal-speed playback mode, and receive an external analog time code (LTC) signal.
Monitor screen contents The contents of the monitor screen are shown below. C Drop frame indication for time code generator (for DSR-1500A only) . Drop frame mode (factory default setting) : Non-drop frame mode A Time data type Time data B Drop frame indication for time code reader a) C Drop frame indication for time code generator a) D VITC field indication 0 0 : 0 4 . 4 7 . 0 7 * T C R P L A Y L O C K E DSR-1500A/1500AP operation mode a) This character (.) can appear on the DSR-1500A only.
To display the desired time data in the time counter display To reset the CNT value Press the RESET (NO) button in the menu control section. This resets the CNT value to 0:00:00:00. Note Time data type indicators During playback, if the recording on the tape includes discontinuities, the counter may operate incorrectly at the corresponding points.
2 Set the TIME CODE menu items (see page 63) as shown below. Menu item Setting TC MODE “INT PRESET” RUN MODE “FREE RUN” or “REC RUN” DF MODE Normally “ON (DF)” (for DSR-1500A only) 3 Press the TC PRESET button in the menu control section. The current setting is shown on the monitor screen and in the time counter display on the front panel. The leftmost digit keeps flashing. One of the following menu screens is displayed on the monitor depending on the setting made in step 1.
automatically synchronize with the external time code input to the unit via the SDTI or i.LINK interface. Once an external time code signal has been input, the internal time code advancement mode and frame count mode are automatically set as follows: Advancement mode: FREE RUN Frame count mode: Same as external time code (drop frame or non-drop frame) 1 Press the MENU button in the menu control section.
4 Press the F button to select “TC INSERT.” AUTO FUNCTION MENU SDTI DUBBING i.LINK DUBBING TC INSERT 7 Press the SET (YES) button. Time code recording starts from the current tape position. TC insert Time counter display TC INSERT Executing Time counter display EXECUTING. TCR 00:00:00:00 UBR 00:00:00:00 Monitor screen ABORT:MENU KEY 5 Monitor screen Press the G button. The following message appears. Note TC INSERT If the recording format of the tape is not DVCAM, a different message appears.
TC INSERT TC INSERT IS ABORTED Not DVCAM! Time counter display DUE TO NON DVCAM FORMAT SOURCE. PUSH THE YES BUTTON. Monitor screen Press the SET (YES) button to end the operation and do it over again after replacing the tape with one recorded in DVCAM format.
High-Speed and LowSpeed Search—Quickly and Accurately Determining Editing Points Use the search function to easily locate the desired scene and to quickly and accurately determine edit points. When F. FWD/REW under the AUTO EE SELECT menu item (see page 60) is set to PB (factory default setting), you can use the F FWD and REW buttons on this unit or external equipment for high-speed search.
Digitally Dubbing Signals in DVCAM/DV Format Connections for dubbing via i.LINK interface To carry out dubbing through the i.LINK interface, connect the i.DV IN/OUT connectors on this unit and the player. Use the following procedure. In addition to straightforward tape dubbing, you can also use this unit to dub signals in DVCAM/DV format automatically from the beginning of the tape to the end through the SDTI (QSDI) or i.LINK interface.
3 6 Press the G button. This displays the items on level 1 of the auto mode execution menu. AUTO FUNCTION MENU SDTI DUBBING i.LINK DUBBING TC INSERT Insert the source tape in the player, and the recording tape in this unit. A message to confirm the dubbing operation appears.
9 When the dubbing is completed, press the MENU button to exit the menu. If the following message appears in step 6 for an A/V/TC/CM dubbing operation SDTI DUBBING (A/V/TC/CM) CM capacity! Time counter display CM MEMORY STORAGE CAPACITY OF THE RECORD TAPE IS TOO SMALL. When the recording format of the source tape is DV (LP) When you carry out step 7 of the foregoing procedure, the following messages appear.
After execution SDTI DUBBING (A/V/TC/CM) No DVCAM/DV Time counter display DUBBING COMPLETED. HOWEVER, A NON DVCAM/ DV(SP) FORMAT SEGMENT WAS ON THE SOURCE TAPE. PUSH THE SET BUTTON. ABORT:MENU KEY Monitor screen In either case, the source tape section recorded in DV (LP) format is dubbed as a no-signal section.
Menu Settings Menu Organization As shown in the following figure, the menu system consists of four levels and is functionally divided into three subsystems: the setup menu, the auto mode (AUTO FUNCTION) execution menu and the digital hours meter display menu. This chapter mainly describes the setup menu, showing its contents and how to operate it.
