JVC GZ-MG155 Camcorder Reviewby Michael PerlmanPublished on Oct 3, 2007 5:00 PM
|
Advertisement
|
|||||||||||
Audio (3.0)
The GZ-MG155 records sound via a 2-Channel Dolby Digital microphone mounted to the front of the camcorder. The quality of the recorded audio is directly linked to the Video quality setting. The GZ-MG155 records 48 kHz sound at 384 Kbps in Ultra Fine mode, 384 Kbps in Fine mode, 256 Kbps in Normal mode, and 128 Kbps in Economy mode. You’re going to want to take advantage of the highest quality setting possible on a consumer camcorder, for video and audio, so stick with Ultra Fine mode.
Still, you’re going to get mediocre sound at best. There is no mic jack or accessory shoe on the GZ-MG155, placing the camcorder among other deprived compact point-and-shoots. Since there is no whirring disc or running tape, the onboard sound will be kept to a minimum. The only control you have over sound is a Wind Cut function that can be turned on or off. Trés cheap, folks.
Playback (3.25)
To be perfectly straight, we loathe the playback configuration on any Everio. There are no external controls, in addition to any on-screen controls. The shooter is required to memorize the functions of the joystick, which is the sole steering wheel for playing back footage. Luckily, we here at Camcorderinfo.com will guide you through the enigmatic maze otherwise known as JVC playback control.
OK, left is rewind, right is fast forward. You can rewind or fast forward at four different speeds: 3x, x3, 15x, and 60x. Unless you’re creating an in-camera stop motion animation, 60x seems a bit excessive, doesn’t it? Shifting the joystick to the left or right increases or decreases the rewind/fast forward speed. Up and down toggles between the next or previous clip. The center of the joystick controls pause and play. When a clip is paused, the zoom toggle throws you back to the Icon Menu screen. While a clip is playing, the zoom toggle functions as the volume control. Practice makes perfect, folks.
With that frustration out of the way, you’ll find the Playback menu setup is easy as pie to master. After pressing the near full moon-shaped Playback button within the LCD cavity, a screen appears containing up to nine icons at a time. The icons represent recorded video clips and can be scrolled through by using the joystick. To select a clip, press the center of the joystick and it will begin playing within the entirety of the LCD screen.
In Playback mode, the Administrative menu remains unchanged, but the Function menu is ultimately revamped. This time, the Function menu consists of the following settings: Delete, Protect, Edited Copy, Change Event Reg., Effect, Wipe/Fader, Playback Playlist, Edit Playlist, Edit Playlist, Playback MPG File, and Playback Normal File.
Image Playback is structured identically to Video Playback, only the joystick controls are altered. Right and left toggle through next and previous clips, while up and down rotate the image 90 degrees at a time. Pressing the center of the joystick begins the slide show, while pressing the center button a second time stops the slide show. One last note—the Image Playback Function menu differs from the Video Playback Function menu. Here, you’ll find Delete, Protect, Copy, Move, DPOF, and Effect settings.
Connectivity (7.25)
On the camcorder itself, the pickings are slim. The GZ-MG155 has a total of three ports, with the addition of an SD/SDHC slot on the bottom. The architectural configuration is identical to the GZ-MG130 and GZ-MG255. All three camcorders feature a USB terminal up front, cloaked by a frail plastic port that yanks out with a tentative tug. In back, the HDD siblings sport a round AV jack mounted over a rectangular DC terminal. These ports are housed by a feeble plastic tab, as well. The SD/SDHC card slot is sheltered by the most rugged port cover found on any of the three models—a thick plastic-hinged door. The only problem is that the slot is mounted to the bottom of the camcorder, meaning you’ll have to remove it from a tripod every time you want to swap a card.
 |
 |
|
|
The composite-in/out port and the DC power are located in the back (left). |
||
We experienced a bit of a rough connection with the AV cable on our GZ-MG155, characterized by intermittent signal losses and patchy black bars on the external monitor. Keep in mind that certain Sonys and Canons are utilizing a dome-shaped AV cable connection that eliminates connection problems such as the GZ-MG155’s. However, the GZ-MG155’s AV jack supports both in and out connectivity. In this price range, the GZ-MG155 and its siblings are the only camcorders to offer analog input – an increasing rate commodity as analog slips into the past. The AV jack is switched between input and output in the Main menu.
A greater number of ports are located on the GZ-MG155’s included docking station. Included are an S-Video jack, AV jack, DC input, DV (FireWire) terminal, and a USB terminal. That’s pretty much everything you’d need and more for a standard definition HDD camcorder.
 |
|
The JVC GZ-MG155 in its base (above); |
 |
|
Advertisement
|