DISCLOSURE: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, WHICH MEANS WE MAY RECEIVE A COMMISSION IF YOU CLICK A LINK AND PURCHASE SOMETHING. PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR DISCLOSURE POLICY FOR MORE DETAILS.
Aiptek has redefined the tinycam with their newly released PocketDV 6800 MPVR 2K6 multi-function camera. The most exciting feature about this camera is the personal video recorder function, which allows you to record from any video source in ASF format. My Aiptek MPVR 2K6 review generated many questions, so I’ve compiled your questions and created an FAQ. The answers to many common questions about the MPVR and IS-DV can be found after the jump.
1) “When you shoot a video, is it true that the sound is in mono? Isn’t there a way to make it stereo?”
The Aiptek MPVR records in mono both for recorded shows and when shooting video. The audio when shooting video is adpcm_ms 44kbps, 11025Hz, Mono. The audio when recording video is adpcm_ms 177kbps, 44100Hz, Mono. There is no way to make the audio stereo for either mode, however when used as an MP3 player the MPVR does play back MP3 audio in stereo.
2) “What about the quality of the flash? Can it take good pictures at night? Or even for movies, is there a system to film during the night?”
The flash quality is good, much better than previous Aiptek cameras. It works well for portrait shots but won’t necessarily light up an entire room.
3) “Before I open the package, how is the video quality on the MPVR? I have the DV4500 and it has horrible video quality. I understand the video is fine when recorded from another source (ie, VCR, TV, etc), but what is the video quality like when recording from the camera?”
The video quality is slightly better than the IS-DV, and before the MPVR was released I called Aiptek and a support tech confirmed that the IS-DV had the best video quality out of the Aiptek line. It’s good, and for the price the quality is quite good.
4) “How about recording indoors vs outdoors?”
Aiptek cameras are notoriously not good with low light, however the MPVR has a night shot mode that can also be used when shooting video. This “night shot” mode works ok, but the framerate drops significantly. In the manual it is recommended that you use a tripod when shooting pictures in night mode, and I’ve confirmed that getting a shot that isn’t blurry is hard to do without stabilizing the camera on a tripod.
5) “This new model uses a 8210 Lithium-Ion Battery – no manual online for this model – can battery be recharged?”
The LI-Ion battery that comes with the camera can be recharged. It takes about 4 hours to fully charge the battery, but the good news is that you can connect the MPVR to your PC without the battery in the camera and still access the files on the SD card or internal memory.
6) “Manual says to zoom before recording…when I do that..the camera resets to normal lens setting and I have to zoom when capturing video..am I doing something wrong?”
Probably just a typo in the manual. The IS-DV came with a handstrap that had a loop for the lense cover and according to the IS-DV manual you could loop the strap to the lense cover. Guess what? There was no lense cover, and Aiptek support confirmed that this was a goof.
7) “Is there a way to keep the camera turned on when in camera mode even when I shut the screen? I want to be able to be ready to take pictures without using up battery power displaying the screen (so if there were a way to turn off the screen manually, that would be good too).”
Not that I’ve found, however the Aiptek MPVR is quick to start up. Once you open the lid, the camera is ready to shoot video or photos about 4-5 seconds later. Also, I’ve found that you once you start recording in PVR mode, you can close the screen and it will keep recording. This extends the record time an extra ten minutes, and I’ve been able to record 140 minutes in VGA mode on a 2GB SD card.
8) “The only problem I have with both of them is that they are solely battery-powered. It would be nice, especially with the TV recording power now introduced, if Aiptek would include an optional outlet plug-in. Maybe some designer reading this could include that in future models ^_^. The instruction book says that it is powered by the computer when plugged in via USB.”
I absolutely agree, this combo camera screams for an AC adapter. While the USB port will power the Aiptek to let you use the USB functions on the camera (webcam, drive, print photos) it won’t let you record shows on USB power. If you are going to use the MPVR 2K6 to record shows alot, you’re going to need an extra battery.
9) “I have a question about the webcam feature. Neither the box, the website or the instructions mention that it has the ability to be a webcam, like previous cameras. Has anyone used this as a webcam?”
Yes, I’ve used the MPVR 2K6 in webcam mode and the quality is good.
10) “Does it come with the same software os the IS-DV, for example, which hsa a section in its instructions about using the camera as a PC camera for webconferenceing or recording AVI files.”
The Aiptek MPVR 2K6 I purchased came bundled with the following software:
Camera Manager & Driver, Muvee AutoProducer, ArcSoft Photo Impression, ArcSoft Media Card Companion, & ArcSoft MediaConverter.
11) “Speaking of AVI, this camera records to ASF which HAVE to be converted to be more usable. Does anyone know if the IS-DV records to AVI in regular use or also to ASF?”
The IS-DV also records in ASF format. However, there are a zillion software convertors out there that will let you convert the ASF files to just about any format imaginable.
12) “hi any idea where in the uk i can getoneof these??? or any us suppliers who ship???”
I checked Aiptek’s site and the MPVR 2K6 isn’t even listed on their UK site, but it is listed on their Germany site. In the past, Firebox has carried Aiptek cameras so you may want to check with them.
13) “Hi i am a very confused young lady who just bought this awesome camera. Now i need help figuring out how to put MP3 music in the camera. Please help not even the Geek Squad knew how to do it but now u have the camera to u might be able to help.”
Easy – connect the camera to your PC via the USB cable that comes with it and have the camera come up in USB mode. Using the directions supplied in the Aiptek manual, copy your MP3 files to the folder specified.
Have more questions about the IS-DV or the MPVR 2K6? I own both, so go ahead and post your questions or comments below and I will update this faq as time permits.
Buy Aiptek Image Stabilizing Digital Video Camera IS DV :: Target.com
Buy Aiptek 6800 2K6 MPVR :: Amazon.com
when you charge the camera does it need to be on to charge or do you just leave it turned off to charge?
I’ve just purchased an Aiptek A-HD digital camcorder & studies the manual from top to bottom. While the pictures are great, I am only able to take about 8 photos set on low resolution. I also installed the SanDisk for extra memory but see no difference. What am I doing wrong? Thanks.
Could any one kindly show me how to use the webcam function on the aiptek MPVR 6800? I tried to use it and my computer tells me that the drive is not installed sucessfully. I did install the drive that came with the camera. My computer has windows XP. I really hate to buy a webcam while my aipteck supposedly can do a better job. Thanks.
Aiptek Mpvr 2K6
My question. If the video camera was turned on and put in video recording mode until the battery finally died, would the video being recorded be saved or lost?
Thank you!
William Dranginis
Manassas, VA.
wdranginis@tidalwave.net