Howdy.
I was interested to know if anyone had any experience with DVD camcorders?
It seems a good option to share videos with family.
Just burn the dvd and send it off, without using a computer.
When I uppgrade the pc I could burn and edit dvd's also.
Is the quality of a top of the line Sony DV camcorder significantly better, and therefore worth considering?
Thank you

I have never seen one but I don't think it would be a good option for me. I would worry that the DVDs it makes would not be compatible with a lot of DVD players. It is compressed video that it records and therefore it would be hard to edit. Most editing programs don't edit Mpeg2 video. So you might find yourself in a bind. See if you can try it before you buy it or see what their return policy is. Maybe there is someplace you could rent one first?

Top of the line Sony camcorders would certainly be better but they cost much more money. You should be comparing that camcorder to Sony bottom line camcorders for a more fair comparison.

Dave

The DVD-R will play in most DVD Players. The DVD-RAM which allows you to edit scenes on the DVD and re-record over it if yoyuwish, will play on far fewer DVD players. Most Panasonic DVD players will play it though. I have a Panasonic DVD recorder that records from TV to both these two formats. I love it! I also use it tio burn (in real time) fottage from my SONY MiniDV cams and my heritage S-VHS and VHS. No more VCRs for me.

This is another alternative to buying a actual DVD cam. Just invest in a Panasonic DVD Recorder. It's a snap to burn your footage on a DVD directly from the cam. Just be sure to get the Panasonic DVD Recorder with the DV in.

Chrystie

Dave C -
Thanks for the response.
If they made a higher end DVD camcorder I'd consider it, which is why I was asking about the sony's, as if I weren't going to get the dvd cam I'd get a higher end sony?
The DVD-r play on many machines, I'll look into the MPeg-2 stuff.
I certainly want the ability to edit it later on a new pc with premier (I already have, but don't use.. It came in an adobe package I bought thinking I might use it some day)

Chrystie -
Thanks for your response.
If I got a DVDcam corder it would replace the necessity of getting a dvd recorder.

My intended use is to make home movies of the new little one that's starting to get a little bigger. The family that is not nearby, I'd like to just crank out a dvd and mail it. Kind of like my own version of Netflix.
I'm planning a new PC purchase with a DVD burner, but I'm ready to buy the cam corder now.

So I guess my question is, are the Hitachi DVD camcorders any good, or should I get a high end sony and a new computer - $7,000. or just the $1000 dvd camcorder as I'm only taking home movies of the baby?

So here it is boiled down...

Positives:
Ability to burn a DVD and mail off without editing
no computer needed, or dvd recorder
Negative:
Quality doesn't compare to Sony high end.

Thanks

Mike

I would never say the Hitachi would have poor video quality. It may be very hard to tell the difference between it's quality and Sony High-end video quality, I just don't know. Does the 270 use standard size DVD-R disks? Some camcorders that record directly to disk use a small, over-priced, hard to find, non-standard disk.

I use a Sony computer with a built in Pioneer A03 DVD-R burner. The DVD-Rs that I burn play in my DVD player but they probably won't play in a lot of DVD players in existence. There was an article in the July issue of DV magazine that did a very complete test of brands of blank DVD-Rs. Even if you burned a 100% good DVD-R, the brand made all the difference in the world. The worst brand played in 28% of existing DVD players and the best brand played in 80% of existing DVD players. So burning a good DVD-R and sending it to someone in no way means that they will be able to play it.

You just pay your money and take your chances. Sometime you win and sometimes you lose. This DVD thing is by no means an exact science. Maybe in a few years when it is about to become obsolete will it get to be near 100% reliable but by then we will have to have the next must-have toy to hit the market.

I don't think there have been many of the 270's sold so you probably won't have the luxury of hearing from an owner, but you might get lucky.

Dave

A DVD Recorder is not negated by purchasing a cam because you cam uses 30 min mini DVD disks. A DVD Recorder functions as a replacement for your VCR or TIVO. As an added benefit it can burn DVDs *real time* from your camcorder *without* having to use a computer. It's the no fuss/no muss way very easy to transfer your cam footage to DVD. DVD Recorders cost around $900 vs thousands for a computer. Much cheaper than the powerful computers you need the render DV footage and not take all night to do it. I have never had a compatibiltiy issue with any DVD player that plays DVD-R. They all seem to be able to play the DVDs I burn with my Panasonic DVD recorder. I have also burned all my heritage VHS and S-VHS directly to DVD using my DVD recorder. I honestly would not recommend the DVD camcorder yet. I hear the Hatachi PC support packages sold separately from the camcorder with the ULead software are virtually impossible to find. Plus you are limited to 30 min recording time at the best resolution. The Hitachi cam uses *mini* DVD-R and DVD-RAM disks. I always found a 30 min limitation annoying with S-VHS-C when I was taping functions with kids. Plus the DVD-RAM format isn't sure bet to survive format wars.

The "medium/2nd cheapest by far" cost approach is the SONY miniDV cam ($1000) plus the DVD Recorder ($900). You can burn *Full size* DVDs that hold 1 to 2 hours of high res footage so easily it's a snap. Just hook up the cam to the DVD Recorder and press play. Real time DVD burning. Plus you have your original footage still on miniDV tape (A format that is already an industry standard and widely supported) and the capability to use that footage with a far larger selection suite of computer editing programs if you later decide to do editing of your original footage on a computer.

Chrystie

Chrystie & Dave,

Thank you very much for your suggestions.
They have been quite helpful.

Hi,
I have both, Sony wins hands down! Just pop it in the Sony dics it can be edited. The hitachi doesn't come with software to edit them. It took me from July 2002 to March 2004 to finally get my video's off the $25.00 ram-rw discs. What a waste of my time and energy.
Sony is so much nice and easier to use.
T