Cheapest MiniDV camcorder with AV in?

[avsum1]

I have just trawled Sony's website and have found that NONE of the current model range have AV in sockets! Standard or high def, tape or hard disk, it doesn't seem to matter how much you spend NONE of then have AV in. I want to buy a camcorder for use with a BulletCam on trackdays.

Other manufacturers? The canon MVX4i does - but that's £674.

Can anyone point me in the right direction? As it stands I'm looking at other alternatives now such as Archos PVR's, which are about £200.

Thanks!

[redsox_mark]

Grab a Sony HC96 while you still can at ebuyer. The cheapest current model cam I know of with AV in is the HDV Canon HV10.

[avsum1]

Cheers mark, you are spot on. The Sony HC96E is £352 inc vat at ebuyer, pretty reasonable. Another old model that offers AV in (and might be even cheaper) is the Sony HC90E but I can't find a price on this anywhere. That Canon one is £515, too much!

When you look at the older models, more of them do include AV in, do you know why this is? Why would manufacturers remove this incredibly useful feature from a whole model range?

[redsox_mark]

Good question... I think it is all part of a general trend to come out with models which are cheaper but have less features. I guess the manufacturers think that is what consumers want. There is also the issue with EU tax on any camcorders which have input; for this reason many models don't have any external input (DV or AV).

External mic inputs are also becoming an endangered species...

[Danjugan]

Is there an alternative way to take Mini DV off a camcorder onto a laptop and then put it back onto mini DV for achiving?

The MVX460 had AV in too didnt it - but that is long gone...

[redsox_mark]

To take Mini DV off a camcorder onto a laptop and then put it back onto mini DV for achiving doesn't need AV in... but it does need DV in (to output back to tape). There is no alternative to this apart from a DV deck (which are rare and much more expensive than a camcorder).

There are other ways to take an analogue input and convert it to digital, including DV, like this
http://www.dv247.com/invt/23453

[bunyboy]

id love to know which (if any) low end DV cameras have DV IN as well as OUT.. anyone got some ideas?

[redsox_mark]

Canon MD160 has DV in, and is available online for under £240.