mini dv playback

[Kew]

Any ideas what machine to acquire for merely capture rather than using a second
camcorder and wearing out the heads?

[Ned C]

"Kew" <forums@theiac.org.uk> wrote:

Any ideas what machine to acquire for merely capture rather than using a
second
camcorder and wearing out the heads?

A second camcorder with DV in/out is the most inexpensive route and it will
take some time to wear out the heads. Decks are expensive in comparison to
low cost camcorders, I use a Sony DSR11, in almost daily use for 3 years
and still going strong (probably famous last words) advantages are: plays
and records both NTSC and PAL (does not transcode), has a small footprint,
takes both the mini and full size cassette, DV and DVCAM and can be set up
to record in either format.

Ned C

[Michael Slowe]

Always worth having a good pro. deck as Ned writes. I have the Sony DSR 20
which does all Ned lists and more. The main thing is that they are rock
solid on time codes which is the vital item with digitizing and subsequent
media selection. These decks are hard wearing too, mine has been going since
1996, not a glitch yet! Firewire control from the computer really is vital
too.

Michael Slowe.

[Dave Watterson]

Hi Kew

I guess you have both answers in the previous postings:
the cheapest way is to buy another camcorder (ebay perhaps?)
the top quality route is to buy a good deck.

This is an area where digital is different from analogue. In that world a
deck was much cheaper than a new camera. In digital the truth is that the
tape-transport mechanism is one of the most expensive parts to build. In
fact most decks for mini-dv and just camcorder innards without the lens and
focus doo-hickeys!

I was shocked to find myself paying almost as much for a mini-dv deck as
for the editing computer when I first went down the NLE route.

Hope you sort something out and get your movie ready for BIAFF - deadline
the middle of this month.

Cheers

Dave

PS A very happy New Year to all.