Camcorder Question - Direct to DVD???

[mouldphi]

Hi all

I previously owned an analogue Sony video camera which broke about a year ago (battery fails to hold any charge).

I've thought about getting it repaired but been advised that the cost probably makes it pointless to do so. I've now been browsing a few web sites looking at purcashing a new digital camcorder and have come across a couple of Sony Handycams which record direct onto DVD (DCRDVD100 is one of them).

I have a laptop with a DVD writer and had been planning on buying a digital camcorder and transferring onto DVD. However, after reading through a lot of posts on this forum, this sounds like it could be quite tricky and particularly time consuming.

I don't really intend to use this as a hobby but more 'functional' - I have two young kids and we want to get some parties etc stored for presenting as embarressing moments later in life


I'm just wondering what these 'direct to DVD' camcorders are like? Also, my laptop only has a 40gb hard drive - does this mean I'd probably struggle with video editing etc if I went for a Mini DV model? I do not really have the time available to me to learn all about the software/processes to get video from a Mini DV to a DVD either.

I would maybe consider paying the extra for one of these Sony models from ajelectronics (http://www.ajelectronics.co.uk/Wides...=Camcorders%20>>%20DVD-Ram) if this would simplify the process of stroring our video moments onto DVD. Is it as straightforward as it would appear on these models - film it, watch it on your standard DVD player (so we could take DVD's to other people's houses and watch it?)

If it is, does anybody know if these Sony models are good value, or are there comparable alternatives?

Thanks in advance
Phil

[Johndm]

Well I just dusted off my old Panny SVHS camcorder.....batteries would not charge, so I tried a little trick I've used before!!

Identify the + and - terminals on the battery, then give it a quick 'ZAP' FOR A FEW SECONDS ONLY with a 12v car battery charger...hey presto...working battery!

I think when Nicads or Nimhi batts drop below a critical voltage, they play dead. You may well kill the battery completly, but worth a try? BE VERY CAREFUL as if you kept 12v on it for long enough, I think it could explode.
I have a battery now happily charging as I write this, that would not do anything on the standard charging unit.

I also fed some SVHS recordings directly to RAM disc on my new Panny E60, and well, I won't be botherd with a digital camcorder just yet....Superb results. Now all I need is to find a few new SVHSC cassettes....

[mouldphi]

Hi
Thanks for your reply. However, I think it may be a bigger problem than that because I bought a brand new battery and this didn't work either

Phil

[MarkE19]

I personaly would steer clear of the DVD camcorders.
The reason being that the DVD-r disks will only record for 20 minutes on full quality and they are expensive compared to DV tapes. Also the editing of the video from the disk will still require it to be copied to the computer and editing in its native format is not too easy.
You say your laptop only has a 40Gb drive. This is VERY SMALL for editing. every 4 minutes of footage takes 1Gb of disk space, plus editing software, DVD authoring software etc.
One option is to get another HDD for the laptop. This can be an internal replacement or even an external firewire drive. These will be a bit expensive but will give loads of space for captureing all your video.
Another option for saving disk space is to get Ulead DVD MovieFactory 2 authoring software. With this you can capture your DV footage directly to a recordable DVD or capture to the HDD as MPEG-2 (instead of the normal AVI) which saves time and disk space as it is compressed and does not need to be converted as this is the format that it will be written to a DVD in.

Mark.

I've only read a little about the new Sony dvd camcorders, but I know that they use "mini" dvd discs. I'm not sure but, will these mini dvd discs play in a conventional dvd player? I assume that one of the reasons you wanted one of these camcorders is because of your lack of time to work with video editing, and that you wanted your footage to be on a dvd, which it would be if you bought one of these dvd camcorders, so that all you would have to do when you've filled up a dvd disc in your camera is to take it out and just pop it in a dvd player and watch it.
When I first heard about these new cameras, I too thought that they recorded on a full size dvd disc, but not exactly. If you or anybody knows whether a mini dvd disc will play in a regular dvd player, or even a pc, I'd like to know, and I think you should probably find out before you invest any money in one.

Tunesman.

[thfccambs]

MarkE19
A dvd will record 30 mins on the best quality,and 60 mins on dvd ram.you can pick disks up for £2.40 at
http://www.cdr-by-mail.co.uk/acatalo...VD_RAM_57.html
and editing is very easy.I have the hitachi 350 dvd camcorder

[thfccambs]

Tunes Man
I have had no problems playing the mini dvds in any dvd players,have tried about 4 diffrent players.(sony, bush, philips dvdr and HK25)