Hi - Has anybody here used a Hard Drive / DVD recorder to record directly from a video camera?

Last year I videoed some small productions straight to computer, and subsequently edited and rendered them to DVD.

I'm now wondering if I can avoid carting a computer everywhere, and record straight to a HD/DVD recorder instead.

Is the final DVD output from these machines of high quality?

Are there any model HD/DVD recorders that have Firewire input and output? (ie. so you can take the recorded footage and transfer a computer for editing if need be?)

Thanks!

Chris

[redsox_mark]

Chris,

I've not done that but I'll answer anyway...

I've inported from the camcorder from tape to HDD/DVD recorder via the DV-in (Firewire), I see no reason why it wouldn't also work if shooting "live.

Quality varies between models, but generally these recorders to a good job at encoding these to mpeg2 on the fly with minimal loss.

There are HDD/DVD recorders with DV-in and DV-out - or at least there used to be; Pioneer had a number of models. But I just had a quick look and the current Pioneer models don't even have DV-in, let alone DV-out! You'd best check on the DVD recorder forum to find a current model that does.

But remember all these recorders only store mpeg2 files. So to do what you are proposing would involve:

1. DVD recorder converts DV to mpeg2 (as you shoot)
2. DVD recorder converts this mpeg2 back to DV to be output. Alternately you could edit the mpeg2 from a DVD (this wouldn't require DV-out).
3. You edit this version of the DV... then at the end need to encode back to mpeg2.

The multiple encodings will impact the quality (hard to say how much).

It would be best to stay all DV until the end, then do one encode to mpeg/DVD. So if you need to capture to HDD directly, best to bring that PC. If you have a laptop that would of course be more portable...

[lurcher]

The JVC MH300 allows DV footage to be transferred from cam to hard drive for editing ( and remains as dv , no conversion , then allows transfer back to Cam via firewire ).
Alternatively you can tranfer to HD on Recorder and convert to MPEG 2 as normal for dvd.

[senu]

The LG R177 certainly allows "live" recording from camcorder to settop HDD via DV in . I just tried it

I dont think the footage is DV AVI though . Im pretty sure it encodes to mpeg2 on the fly

Settop DVD recorders are not consistent in having DV in: DV out is even more uncommon so the footage may have to be used for editing as mpeg2 in much the same way as you would with an HDD camcorder ( or DVD camcorder)

There is also the issue of
1) sturdiness of settop recorder : will they take kindly to being transported the way say a laptop will be?
2) camcorders in camera mode : not all will remain on if no tangible activity is detected ( unless there is definitely a place to shut off power saving)

As Mark has stated earlier, multiple encodings.. and PQ : hard to say what the effects will be

An alternative to " carting a computer " would be a light decent laptop ( they are now coming in dual core specs) and fast external (usb2 or firewire HDD ( 250/ 300Gb) for real time DV AVI capture. Most settop recorders with HDD tend to be bigger than this laptop/ HDD combo

or
This device which promises no need to capture . It seems rather costly though

Just one last thought: as awkward as tape may be , it is still the best value for money ," low(ish )- tech", video archiving media..unless one is not keen on keeping raw footage after the project is completed.