Let's break down some of the important features needed from quality to failure.
Hi8 XR "extended resolution" the TRV65 & 64 class has the highest picture quality (extended Hi8 400 to 440 lines max) for Hi8, Alot of people think the XR means X-tended Range. This is why alot of people think the camera see's IR better, but not true it can see a higher picture quality with the same IR remittance. As the CCD's change the newer camera's will not allow as much light to enter. Each ccd chip is set at the factory.
Noise: Noise means the picture quality, from so called fuzzy to clear crisp images. If you compare a TRV65 IR picture quality to a TRV37 picture quality you will notice there is a small fraction of a difference as the LCD will show little to no speculated noise on the TRV65 and the TRV37 will show a larger portion of this noise. The new camcorders have Advanced HAD CCD Technology allows more light to reach the ccd imager.
LANC: Local Application Control Bus "LANC" is the control jack needed to control the camera's onboard command features sent to the camera from the PIR control card. This port allows communication between 2 devices.
MIC Port: This is the microphone port on the camcorder needed to pickup exterior surround sound in the environment area.
Production Date: Any Sony camcorder with the Nightshot feature prior to July 1998 and introduced in Jan 1998 will see infrared with full exposure control in the daytime. Which means you can record infrared images of wildlife in the daytime while the camcorder is in the NightShot on position without any washout.
Production date Note: All of the camcorders from this production date will show you a green tint in the daytime. Unless it has been modified it will show you a slightly red tint in the daytime. This will help you distinguish if the camcorder is in fact unmodified.
Try this out: All camcorders that were manufactured after June 1998, will still be able to take advantage of this feature by placing one of the IR filters over the camera lens. This will not effect your evening recordings either like some may think. Did you ever take a piece of infrared material and place it on your table or workbench ? You can not see through the material with the human unaided eye., now take your camcorder and put it in N.S. mode and look at the filter, you can now see right through the material like it was a clear piece of glass. "Pretty cool huh"
Camcorders in the Video8 day's: These camcorders can be disassembled and by removing the internal IR blocking filter "AKA: Hot Mirror" and replacing this blue or reddish tinted piece of glass with a clear piece of glass the same size in debt and exterior dimensions will allow your camcorder to see the IR spectrum.
What your camcorder needs to build a Video Surveillance unit
To build a video unit: You should make sure your camcorder has 3 of the most importantly needed options:
1) LANC port "Controls power on/off & record command
2) Mic port "Microphone port records exterior events"
3) Nightshot for recording in the dark
Other great options are as followed, these are only needed if you want to download video to your computer.
1) RCA cable jacks for transferring video and sound
2) USB for transferring video and sound (without a capture card)
3) FireWire port for fast & clear video transfer
Computer Edit Software: Pinnacle Studio 9 seemed to work the best !!
