Internal Sony Document Leaked Regarding Models in the New Year: Sony Drops High End Digital8s, adds more Low End MiniDVs

by News Editor

Published on Dec 4, 2002 12:00 AM
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CAMCORDERINFO.COM EXLCUSIVE, COPYRIGHT CAMCORDERINFO.COM 2002
Through an anonymous internal contact at Sony which has proved to be very reliable in the past, Camcorderinfo.com has received an official internal Sony document regarding all new Sony models for the first few months of 2003. The document indicated major changes to the MiniDV, Digital8 and analog line – including the addition of more a MiniDV camcorders and a serious pullback from Digital8 camcorders.

The document specifies that only two new Digital8 models will be announced at CES in 2003. Sony is dropping the high end Digital8 camcorders. The only new Digital8 models will be the DCR-TRV250 and DCR-TRV350. There will be no DCR-TRV750 or DCR-TRV850 or DCR-TRV150. This means that Sony is moving away from the Digital8 line. The DCR-TRV250 will carry a suggested retail price of $399.99 and the DCR-TRV350 will carry a suggested retail price of $499.99. The under $400 suggested price of the TRV250 means that it could possibly break the $300 barrier, a first for any new model digital camcorder. The document said that the Digital8 models should be available in January, however that is dependent on no glitches in the manufacturing process.

To fill the gap left by cutting the number of Digital8 camcorders, Sony will increase the number of MiniDV camcorders from 8 to 11, more MiniDV models than the company has every manufactured. Sony will replace the current DCR-TRV50 with the DCR-TRV80, priced at $1,499.99. Sony will also announce the DCR-TRV70 priced at $1,299.99, as a companion to the DCR-TRV80. The document indicates that both the DCR-TRV80 and the DCR-TRV70 are replacing the DCR-TRV50. We are unaware what the differences are in the two models.

The lower end DCR-TRV25 will be replaced with the DCR-TRV38, carrying a price of $899.99. The DCR-TRV27 will be replaced with the DCR-TRV39, with a price tag of $999.99.

The document indicates that the low end MiniDV model, the DCR-TRV18 will be replaced by three models. The new DCR-TRV19 (Review, Specs, $372) will carry a suggested price tag of $599.99, the DCR-TRV21 will carry a suggested price tag of $699.99 and the DCR-TRV33 will carry a suggested price tag of $799.99. These prices are only what Sony recommends retailers sell the camcorders at. It is likely that all of these models will be available for lower prices than is suggested.

The document is a little unclear about when the MiniDV camcorders will be announced. We know that the Digital8 camcorders will be announced at CES. The document indicates a retailer ad embargo date, which is when the retailer can start running ads for the new products. However, the MiniDV camcorders have four different ad embargo dates spread among them according to the document. We know that the camcorders will be announced before the ad embargo date. It is unlikely that Sony would announce their MiniDV line at three different times (based on the different embargo dates). From the embargo dates however, we can tell that there will be announcements of the new MiniDV camcorders no later than March or April.

The document indicated that the DCR-TRV21 should be available in stores in the second week of February. The DCR-TRV33 and DCR-TRV38 should be available in stores in the fourth week of February. The DCR-TRV80 should be available in the first week of March. The DCR-TRV19 should be available in the second week of March. Lastly, the DCR-TRV39 should be available in the first week of April.

The document indicated that there would be no changes to any of the MicroMV line, the DCR-VX2000, DCR-TRV950, DCR-PC120BT and the DCR-PC101. We do not know what date range the document covers, meaning we don’t know if this means that there won’t be any changes this year, or just for the first few months of this year.

Sony also indicated that they are going from three analog Hi8 models down to two. The CCD-TR608 will be dropped, the CCD-TR308 will be replaced with the CCD-TR318 and the CCD-TR108 will be replaced with the CCD-TR118. There will also be price drops in the Hi8 line. The CCD-TR318 will carry a suggested price of $299.99, dropped $50 and the CCD-TR118 will carry a price of $269.99, dropped $30.

This information is all based on the internal Sony document which was leaked to us. Although the information seems very solid, especially the information regarding the Digital8 camcorders, it could change at any moment. The model delivery times could be pushed back due the manufacturing processes. We will get more information on these camcorders available to you as soon as possible.