JVC Everio GZ-HM340 Camcorder Review

Playback & Connectivity Summary
• Videos can be edited in playback mode (and wipes/faders can also be added). • The camcorder has the basic connectivity features—HDMI, AV-out, Component-out, DC-input, and USB.
	Handling & Use	(Page 10 of 17)	Audio & Other Features

Playback (5.5)

Pressing the playback button brings you to playback mode.

You can enter playback mode on the GZ-HM340 by pressing the playback button inside the LCD cavity. This brings up an arrangement of your clips in the standard thumbnail format. To play a clip you must cycle through the thumbnails using the Laser Touch until you select the highlighted clip by pressing the 'OK' button on the LCD panel. VCR controls appear as icons on the LCD when you play clips, but you must press the round touch-sensitive buttons on the base of the LCD panel to activate these controls.

Video playback screen		Video playback menu

In the playback menu the GZ-HM340 allows you to perform minor edits with your clips, add faders and wipes, or create playlists. JVC also has an instant review feature that allows you to immediately play a clip right after you've finished recording. To do this, you simply press the review button (represented by a rounded arrow that appears on the LCD) after you've finished recording.

Connectivity (3.38)

The connectivity features on the GZ-HM340 are limited, but the camcorder has all of the important ones. Inside the LCD cavity you'll find an HDMI terminal, Component video output, and a standard AV-out port. None of these ports have any covers, but they do get some protection when the LCD panel is closed.

From left to right: HDMI, Component-out, AV-out

On the back of the camcorder you'll find a little plastic flap above the battery pack. Flip this up and you find a USB port and a DC-input. We like the fact that these ports are protected, but the plastic flap that covers them doesn't feel very strong and we felt like it was only a matter of time before its flimsy tether fell apart. These two ports are also rather close together, which made things a little cramped when we had both a USB cable and a power cable plugged in at the same time.

The USB and DC-input terminals

The only other connectivity feature on the GZ-HM340 is its memory card slot that accepts SD or SDHC memory cards. The card slot is on the bottom of the camcorder behind a long, flip down door. The door provides adequate protection, but it really doesn't have to be as long as it is (it looks like it was built to accommodate for two card slots).

The SD/SDHC memory card slot is located on the bottom of the camcorder's right side.

All of the mid-range camcorders shown below have very similar connectivity features. None of them include external mic jacks, headphone outputs, or accessory shoes. If you desire those sorts of connectivity options, you should check out Canon's mid-range models or spring for a high-end consumer camcorder.

JVC GZ-HM340 Comparisons
JVC GZ-HM200	Panasonic HDC-TM10	Samsung HMX-H106