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Digital Camcorder recording question

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imported_Ugabuga

Member
I am interested in buying a dig camcorder in the near future. I want to record my entire house and want to know if it is possible to record video directly to a hard drive (streaming) instead of memory cards. I been looking around for info on this but really can't seem to find any. Also if so what software would work to do this.
 
Most digital camcorders record onto tape, MiniDV tape... and only record stills and short clips to memory cards. Tape is still your best option for recording video... it's cheap and you get one hour on each tape. You'll be able to edit the footage from a MiniDV camcorder with any video editing software.

There are, however, direct to disk solutions for digital camcorders. But, they are very expensive for home use. The Focus Firestore FS-4 is a 40gb, 3 hour capture device... but it costs $800. This is a great tool if you're a digital filmmaker or commercial videographer... but it's overkill for an amateur.

Then there's software... there are plenty of editing packages out there. I've used Pinnacle Studio for over 2 years, and I have created dozens of DVDs. You can spend anywhere from $99 to $999 and beyond on video editing software!

If you're just starting out, and wanna shoot video around the house, I'd get a $400-500 MiniDV camcorder, and a $99 editing package... just to start with.

Digital video... like any other hobby... can get very expensive!

Firestore FS-4
 
Use the MiniDVTape as suggested the copy it to the HD via 1 Firewire port...walla on the HD with one backup on Tape 😉
 
I knew about the JVC hard disk camcorder, but I didn't suggest it because it's not very practical. I'm still trying to figure out why this camcorder even exists!

4gb Microdrives cost about $180, and will hold one hour of video at it's highest quality. So what do you do after you fill up the Microdrive? Delete it and use it again? Hard drives are not a permanent way to store your home movies. This JVC camcorder doesn't have Firewire... so you can't hook it to a computer for video editing. It only has a USB connector and it probably generates files that no software can recognize.

Hard drives are good for TV news that need to quickly import footage for timely news broadcasts, or for things you don't intent to keep. But for home video, tapes still reign supreme. You can import your footage into the computer for editing, create a DVD, then you've still got your original tapes for backup! I've got dozens of my MiniDV tapes stored in a fireproof lockbox, just to be safe.
 
Originally posted by: MScrip
I knew about the JVC hard disk camcorder, but I didn't suggest it because it's not very practical. I'm still trying to figure out why this camcorder even exists!

4gb Microdrives cost about $180, and will hold one hour of video at it's highest quality. So what do you do after you fill up the Microdrive? Delete it and use it again? Hard drives are not a permanent way to store your home movies. This JVC camcorder doesn't have Firewire... so you can't hook it to a computer for video editing. It only has a USB connector and it probably generates files that no software can recognize.

Hard drives are good for TV news that need to quickly import footage for timely news broadcasts, or for things you don't intent to keep. But for home video, tapes still reign supreme. You can import your footage into the computer for editing, create a DVD, then you've still got your original tapes for backup! I've got dozens of my MiniDV tapes stored in a fireproof lockbox, just to be safe.
Click to expand...


Agree. I forgot the review address that mentioned the video quality of JVC 500E is not as good as normal camcorder. In my opinion, 500E is designed for those who want to download movie immediately with slight post processing.
 
What about a DVD camcorder?

I've had trouble with MiniDV tapes breaking & generally deteriorating (like all tape does eventually). Recording directly onto DVD would seem to be a more robust solution. However, I've read that the disadvantage of DVD camcorders (apart from bulk) is that you can't edit the results.

However, I now have a Sony RDR-HX900 DVD/hard disk recorder. I have used this to dub footage from all my MiniDV tapes onto the hard disk, edited them on the hard disk, and then created DVDs for future ease-of-viewing and long-term storage.

Presumably, I could dub from a DVD camcorder onto the hard disk, edit on the dard disk and then produce non-erasable DVDs in the same way.

Can anyone help?
 
Stick with tapes. You can buy bulk orders of tapes for very very cheap (don't buy them at a supermarket where you'll get ripped) and thus do not/should not use them for writing over more than three times.

 
Originally posted by: edwardnoel

What about a DVD camcorder?
Click to expand...

The bad thing is... DVD camcorders don't have a Firewire output. At least the Sonys I've seen haven't. So, you'd be connecting a DVD camcorder with analog S-video or even the dreaded yellow composite cable... yuck! Kinda defeats the purpose of being digital...

As for tapes breaking... I only transport the tape twice... once to record it, and once to capture it into the computer. After that, it goes in a fireproof lockbox! I never reuse tapes, since you can get them for $3.50 each. Besides, I wanna keep the original footage forever!

I'm not familiar with the Sony RDR-HX900, but you'd probably have more creative control by editing on the computer. Video editing software can be found for $99, and then you'd need a DVD burner, for about $60... and a $30 Firewire card, if your computer doesn't already have Firewire.

For right now, the sweet spot for video editing is... MiniDV camcorder, DVD burner and budget video editing software.
 
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