Digital Video cameras

skiking · Post by **skiking** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 4:11 pm

I think the HDD ones are still new technology. Do a google for them and put +review. ******** is quite good. Have a look at some of the dedicated forums (av/camcorder etc). I think Currys/Dixons web sites use an independant review service with some of their products - not that I'd ever buy anything from this company at their over inflated prices.

Apologies if I've stated things you've already done

Slugster · Post by **Slugster** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 5:11 pm

No you haven't - I'm not very good at using the web for reviews and opinions cos so many of them are total b*llox.

I don't mind getting facts from suppliers, but I'm wary of typing the word review because you get a million results and then you spend your life figuring out which ones to believe.

That's why I prefer word of mouth.

But I'll try the one you suggested.

Ta

Hinton Heating · Post by **Hinton Heating** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 10:49 pm

Just to let you all know, Uncle Buck is a top bloke, quickly dispatched the camera to me, packed as well as canon do in the factory, and in perfect condition!

Thanks again to Uncle Buck

Slugster · Post by **Slugster** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 9:30 pm

After doing some reading it turns out the DV Tape camcorders are the best and HDD ones are not so good.

So I'm pissed again

Which means Hinton is a no good claim stealing toad

Seriously, sounds like you did allright

Post by **ultimatehandyman** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 11:54 am

I must find the time to play with my DV tape camcorder :!:

Slugster · Post by **Slugster** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 7:05 pm

:!: :!: :!:

Remember if you don't like it - I've got the folding waiting...

Hinton Heating · Post by **Hinton Heating** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 7:23 pm

Its yours for £440 :!:

uncle buck · Post by **uncle buck** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:10 am

Yeah thanks to Mr Hinton Heating for a nice easy deal

…It was a pleasure to deal with you & I hope you enjoy using the camcorder.

….sounds a bit like eBay doesn’t it

Slugster,
Sorry you missed out on this, however you were after a HDD camcorder at the time…. I would have given you first refusal if you had wanted a mini DV type 8-)

Any one wanting tapes…I spotted on another forum that Amazon have a good deal on mini DV tapes at the moment.
Sony 10 Pack 60 min DVM Premium @ £10.75
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-Pack-min-D ... hisProduct[/url]

Regards, UB.

skiking · Post by **skiking** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:21 am

Slugster - why is DV tape better than HDD ?

I've got a DV tape camcorder as the only other option at the time was the mini-DVD which I thought would suffer from jumping on jolting of the machine - bit like the old Walkman CD players jumping. However, I personally think that the HDD is the way forward (if you can off-load the content) so I must be missing the facts - whats the downside of HDD

?

Slugster · Post by **Slugster** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:21 am

Uncle Buck, totally no hard feelings and glad it went to somebody on UHM

As I said I was looking for a HDD version at the time and now I am extremely glad I didn't get one.

I'd be more pissed to have technology that I DID buy that was not right rather than not spending money on something I wanted but didn't get.

Just re-read that and it's total b*llox but you know what I mean

Slugster · Post by **Slugster** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:25 am

skiking wrote:Slugster - why is DV tape better than HDD ?

Remember I'm still learning and got this from a total propeller head at work and some forums.

DV encodes the video in raw digital format ie pure MPEG at 3.5mB per second of video.

HDD and mini DVD pre-compress the video using MPEG2,3 or 4 to keep the data size down. Problem is this type of compression is not loss-less and when you decompress to edit on your PC you have lost quality for ever.

As for shuttling back and forth on the tape, yes it's a pain, but the idea is download it all using fire wire and then edit it on your PC - no access time problems.

Hope that makes sense.

skiking · Post by **skiking** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:58 am

That makes sense.

Everything gets compressed - thus loss of quality. MP3 players, digital cameras (except the top quality SLR's) and most On Demand films from Sky/Virgin are compressed which also includes HD

Slugster · Post by **Slugster** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 12:11 pm

Yep, problem is some folk have got used to stuff like WinZip that does not discard data and think this also applies to Digital Video. I nearly made that mistake.

Don't like compressed stuff and will always try to keep an original source somewhere.

If you know what to look for you can see digital telly and Sky HD falling apart at the edges. Same goes for Plasma and LCD screens.

Mind you I'd struggle to hang my 75kg Sony CRT on the wall so there is pros and cons to both