I'm just about to buy a new camcorder and want to know views on whether I should save myself money by buying a Hi-8 camcorder such as the Sony TRV 228e, instead of something like the Sony HC14. I intend to use it for regular family events, and I need something that is easy to use, and that I can transfer movies to DVD via my PC.

What benefit is there in buying a digital model?

[MarkE19]

Well a Hi8 camcorder will be far better in low light areas ie indoors under electric lighting.

other than the above I would recommend a digital camcorder over an old analogue cam because:

Getting the video onto a PC is far easier (and cheaper) with digital. A good quality analogue capture card/device will cost somewhere around £200 (you can get cheaper, but the quality of most of these will be fairly low) but a firewire card (if not already on the PC) will cost about £10.
DV camcorders are smaller and lighter than the old analogue cams, therefore you are more likely to carry it around with you.
In better lighting than stated above the PQ should be noticeably better with DV.

and I'm sure given time I could think of many more reasons to go digital. I'm sure others will come up with a few.

Mark.

[MartinImber]

DEFINATELY get a DV Camera - the end result is better about 25% higher resolution

[ibrox50]

recommend sony hc18e its an absolute peach