How do you turn on a camcorder?

How do I turn off the sleep mode on my camcorder?

• I try to record, but it goes to sleep mode. It's a Sanyo Xacti camcorder and I need to know how to turn the sleep mode off if I can. Please note that I keep it laying down, so I'm not touching it or moving it at all.

• Answer:

  The reason the camcorder goes to sleep is to conserve battery power when it is not in use. When you lay the camcorder down and not touching it or moving it, the camcorder is not being used. Assuming you read the manual and there is an option to turn sleep mode off (or at least extend it), then you don't get to complain later about short battery life. When the camcorder is in use and on battery power - recording or playing video - the camcorder won't go to sleep (but will use battery power).