Panasonic HDC-DX1 Camcorder Reviewby John NeelyPublished on Apr 4, 2007 7:00 PM 
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Audio (7.0)
The DX1 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $1119.99) records Dolby digital, or AC-3 surround sound audio, which allows for up to six discrete channels of sound and supports mono and stereo usages. The DX1 has a 5.1 channel built-in zoom microphone. There are three microphone level settings that apply to all five channels at once, but not independently: Auto, Set+AGC, and Set. With Auto Gain Control, the recording level is adjusted automatically. Set+AGC allows you to play with the levels, but keeps AGC on to reduce noise distortion. Set lets you record sound in full Manual mode. When Set+AGC or Set is chosen, a screen displaying each individual microphone channel appears and allows you to test their levels and adjust the gain. In addition, a microphone input level meter is displayed on the recording screen, to ensure that sound will not exceed the red zone.
In addition to an enhanced built-in microphone, the DX1 is equipped with an external mic jack. Not bad at all. The only problem is the awkward placement underneath the LCD cavity. No one wants a rogue cord obscuring the LCD screen. With the DC jack in the battery chamber, it’s no surprise that randomness was one of the focal points in the development room.
The playback on the DX1 is like any other camcorder in that it produces a hefty dosage of white noise, but the zoom microphone sheds a good chunk of unwanted waves. Between the cooling fans and revolving disc chamber, the DX1 produces a significant amount of background noise compared to the phantomlike SD1 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $1119.99).
Playback (4.0)
Just like the SD1, playback on the DX1 is a relative breeze. Sliding the mode dial into playback mode cues a menu screen with two tabs: one for video and one for still images. Up to eight thumbnail images are visible and you can scroll though and select video clips and stills using the rear-mounted joystick. One thing you’ll notice is that the disc reader takes its sweet time spitting and sputtering to launch a desired selection. Get used to it. This camcorder is like a sedated brachiosaurus trudging through a swamp of oblivion. It functions when it wants, no matter how long it takes.
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| The Play Setup Submenu | Clip Thumbnail View |
The playback menu includes play mode, repeat play, resume play, scene protect, and guidelines, which are pretty standard. You can also playback videos by date to avoid jumbled confusion between clips.
Connectivity (9.0)
The DX1 contains identical ports to the SD1 with the addition of a cold accessory shoe which is located on top of the camcorder by the viewfinder. The accessory shoe is housed by a rugged plastic cover that is connected to the body by a reasonably tough thin strip. Beneath the LCD screen is a horizontal panel of ports consisting of the AV jack, USB terminal, component terminal, and mic jack. These ports are evenly spread out and easy to access. The port cover is attached by taffy-like plastic strips, so be gentle. Also, placing the mic jack on the LCD side could lead to wires obstructing the viewing pane, so you’d better be an expert cable wrapper. Inside the LCD cavity is the HMDI terminal with is covered by a slim plastic rectangle that is difficult to close. Ave the HDMI is the SD card slot which functions via a small swinging internal flap that trumps the SD1’s manually sliding card door.
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| The accessory shoe, absent on the HDC-SD1 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $1119.99) | The Mic jack is at right - but where's the headphone jack? |