Do all digital camcorders have firewire ports? Is there mo..

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The title pretty much says it all. Thinking of getting a digital camcorder
off ebay. If I want to do digital capture for DVD, what outputs are typical
on a digital camcorder? Is there more than one digital camcorder format? Any
other considerations I should know about?

Thanks!
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"Doc" <docsavage20@xhotmail.com> wrote in message
news:8mUae.12920$go4.4753@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...
> The title pretty much says it all. Thinking of getting a digital camcorder
> off ebay. If I want to do digital capture for DVD, what outputs are
> typical
> on a digital camcorder? Is there more than one digital camcorder format?
> Any
> other considerations I should know about?

All Digital8 and miniDV camcorders should have a 1394 port, or there would
be no way to get video out of the camera and into a computer. I don't know
whether the gimmicky DVD camcorders do or not.

There is a single data format that's used for Digital8, miniDV and DVCam --
that's D25.


>
> Thanks!
>
>
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"Doc" <docsavage20@xhotmail.com> wrote in message
news:8mUae.12920$go4.4753@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...
> The title pretty much says it all. Thinking of getting a digital camcorder
> off ebay. If I want to do digital capture for DVD, what outputs are
typical
> on a digital camcorder? Is there more than one digital camcorder format?
Any
> other considerations I should know about?
>
> Thanks!
>
>

I've come across one Digital DV camcorder that had no ieee port. It was an
older high-quality three-chip 1st generation digital camcorder - exact name
escapes me. I haven't come across any other.
 
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"yrret" <bat@ahell.com> writes:

>I've come across one Digital DV camcorder that had no ieee port. It was an
>older high-quality three-chip 1st generation digital camcorder - exact name
>escapes me. I haven't come across any other.

Did it have some other non-standard digital output port?

I guess for professional applications you wouldn't normally use the
camera as a playback deck anyway - you'd put the tape in another deck
for editing or capture.

Dave
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"Dave Martindale" wrote ...
> "yrret" <bat@ahell.com> writes:
>
>>I've come across one Digital DV camcorder that had no ieee port. It
>>was an
>>older high-quality three-chip 1st generation digital camcorder - exact
>>name
>>escapes me. I haven't come across any other.
>
> Did it have some other non-standard digital output port?

My Sony DSR-300 first-generation pro DV camera as no
digital port, Firewire or otherwise. No analog (or digital)
input, either. I believe more recent models have Firewire.

> I guess for professional applications you wouldn't normally use the
> camera as a playback deck anyway - you'd put the tape in another deck
> for editing or capture.

Exactly.
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

yrret wrote:

> I've come across one Digital DV camcorder that had no ieee port.
> It was an older high-quality three-chip 1st generation digital
> camcorder - exact name escapes me. I haven't come across any
> other.

It is, of course, theoretically possible. Then again, I've come across
several people on newsgroups who have adamantly claimed their DV
camcorder doesn't have a Firewire port, yet found it - usually under
some inconspicuous rubber cover! - after it was pointed out that at
least the PDF manual for that particular model describes there being
one.

--
znark
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

On Sun, 24 Apr 2005 21:39:16 GMT, "Doc" <docsavage20@xhotmail.com>
wrote:

>The title pretty much says it all. Thinking of getting a digital camcorder
>off ebay. If I want to do digital capture for DVD, what outputs are typical
>on a digital camcorder? Is there more than one digital camcorder format? Any
>other considerations I should know about?

DV is the standard digital format for consumers, which connects by
firewire. Try to find a camera with DV-in too. This is not standard
but can come handy: it allows you to record back to DV tape.

There are more digital formats, Sony introduced MicroMV for consumers,
it records on a smaller tape directly into mpeg-2, makes very small
camera's, but considered litlle less quality picture than DV. Works
with firewire, but is not compatible with the DV signal. On the
professional front you will find formats like Digital Betacam, Digital
S etc. Very good picture, not exactly cheap........No firewire.
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

Funprice wrote:
> On Sun, 24 Apr 2005 21:39:16 GMT, "Doc" <docsavage20@xhotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> >The title pretty much says it all. Thinking of getting a digital
camcorder
> >off ebay. If I want to do digital capture for DVD, what outputs are
typical
> >on a digital camcorder? Is there more than one digital camcorder
format? Any
> >other considerations I should know about?
>
> DV is the standard digital format for consumers, which connects by
> firewire. Try to find a camera with DV-in too. This is not standard
> but can come handy: it allows you to record back to DV tape.
>
> There are more digital formats, Sony introduced MicroMV for
consumers,
> it records on a smaller tape directly into mpeg-2, makes very small
> camera's, but considered litlle less quality picture than DV. Works
> with firewire, but is not compatible with the DV signal. On the
> professional front you will find formats like Digital Betacam,
Digital
> S etc. Very good picture, not exactly cheap........No firewire.


Two questions:

1. what's the best camcorder format at the moment that's available for
consumers to buy? is it the regular DV tapes (not the microDV, but the
DV that was introduced in the late 1990s)?
2. What laptops brands have firewire as standard? I'm aware of sony and
apple as having them. As far as I know Dell, IBM and HP/compaq don't.
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

<casioculture@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1114475732.733982.101810@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>
> Funprice wrote:
> > On Sun, 24 Apr 2005 21:39:16 GMT, "Doc" <docsavage20@xhotmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > >The title pretty much says it all. Thinking of getting a digital
> camcorder
> > >off ebay. If I want to do digital capture for DVD, what outputs are
> typical
> > >on a digital camcorder? Is there more than one digital camcorder
> format? Any
> > >other considerations I should know about?
> >
> > DV is the standard digital format for consumers, which connects by
> > firewire. Try to find a camera with DV-in too. This is not standard
> > but can come handy: it allows you to record back to DV tape.
> >
> > There are more digital formats, Sony introduced MicroMV for
> consumers,
> > it records on a smaller tape directly into mpeg-2, makes very small
> > camera's, but considered litlle less quality picture than DV. Works
> > with firewire, but is not compatible with the DV signal. On the
> > professional front you will find formats like Digital Betacam,
> Digital
> > S etc. Very good picture, not exactly cheap........No firewire.
>
>
> Two questions:
>
> 1. what's the best camcorder format at the moment that's available for
> consumers to buy? is it the regular DV tapes (not the microDV, but the
> DV that was introduced in the late 1990s)?

The answer is, "it depends." The meaning of "best" varies from one person
to another. If your sole concern is video quality,
high-end-consumer/prosumer miniDV camcorders produce the best video quality
under a wide gamut of conditions. If you are price sensitive and will be
shooting in low-light, you might want to go with a Hi8 machine, as those
camcorders tend to be larger with larger CCDs,and not as loaded down with
gimmicky features that impact viceo quality. As a general rule of thumb,
larger, lower-density CCDs will produce better quality video than smaller,
higher-density CCDs.

If you're looking at used machines, and you're very cost sensitive, you
might consider the now-discontinued higher-end Digital8 machines that were
made by Sony (I think the numbers were 720/740).


> 2. What laptops brands have firewire as standard? I'm aware of sony and
> apple as having them. As far as I know Dell, IBM and HP/compaq don't.

Can't help you there, though I'd think most laptops have come with 1394
ports these days.

>
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

Most notebooks have Firewire ports these days. It'll be one of the items
that gets omitted from the "budget" models in most lines. If included, it'll
usually be a 4 pin mini-Firewire 400 port. My HP Pavilion has one.

The "DV" you're referring to IS likely "miniDV" - the timing sounds about
right.

"Best" is a subjective term. *Personally,* I recommend people buy used. You
can get low-time miniDV and Digital8mm cameras DIRT CHEAP with a bit of
looking. The picture quality of a Sony TRV120, 320, 520 or 720 from 3 or 4
years ago - at between $200 and $300 - is better than most of what's on the
shelf at Bestbuy for three times the price. All of those models are
Digital8, a format that uses "Hi-8" 8mm video tape. The tapes (and cameras)
are physically larger than most miniDV cams but the *data* stored is
identical.

Now, if you have a bit more money and want to jump up in picture quality,
look for a used Sony TRV900 (seen for as little as $750 on eBay) which is
miniDV and orders of magnitude better than anything available now for under
$2,000 new. Many would argue it's a professional/prosumer camera that was
marketed as a consumer camera.

Next jump up is a $1,300 to $1,500 used Sony VX-2000. Though labelled a
"consumer" or "pro-sumer" cam, it (with a PD150) was used to shoot the
Lion's Gate movie "Open Water." I don't think much more has to be said about
it than that. Low-light performance of a VX2000 or PD150 beats anything in
it's class. Others to consider in the VX' class include: Canon GL1, XL1,
XL1S, Panasonic DVX-100 & DVC-80.

Anything beyond that, you're in to new or very high-end used professional
cameras.

Hope this helps!

C.j.



<casioculture@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1114475732.733982.101810@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>>
> Two questions:
>
> 1. what's the best camcorder format at the moment that's available for
> consumers to buy? is it the regular DV tapes (not the microDV, but the
> DV that was introduced in the late 1990s)?
> 2. What laptops brands have firewire as standard? I'm aware of sony and
> apple as having them. As far as I know Dell, IBM and HP/compaq don't.
>
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

> yrret wrote:
>
> > I've come across one Digital DV camcorder that had no ieee port.
> > It was an older high-quality three-chip 1st generation digital
> > camcorder - exact name escapes me. I haven't come across any
> > other.
>
> It is, of course, theoretically possible. Then again, I've come across
> several people on newsgroups who have adamantly claimed their DV
> camcorder doesn't have a Firewire port, yet found it - usually under
> some inconspicuous rubber cover! - after it was pointed out that at
> least the PDF manual for that particular model describes there being
> one.
>
> --
> znark
>

No I had volunteered some time to edit, took the thing home after an
interview shoot and spent an evening on the net looking for info on the
model. It did come from the National Film Board of canada and they have
lots of classic stuff. But agreeing with the other fellows post, this thing
probably was built with the expectation the user would finish in an edit
suite, not at home.
 
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