Digital Video Cameras?

[Backtanner]

So what's the difference between DVDs and DV tapes? I'm looking at both now and the only real difference I see between the two is that the DVD recorder will get rid of twice the money as the digital tape. I would think that the disk would hold more than the tape, but the chick at circuit city says just the opposite but that the disk is a better picture. Now bear in mind I'm from a time where Beta was cool, so is there really that noticable a difference between digital disc and digital tape?

[jas0502]

I am also looking. I was told that if you want to do video editing, the tape was the only way to go. The "sales person" at Best Buy told me that to view the DVD, you had to "finalize" it and from that point you can not edit it? I dont know...would like some input as well.

[RiverOtter]

Bought Mrs RiverOtter the DVD. She and I love it!! You record right on the DVD. No need to buy an adapter to play the tape or use the camera to play the tape. No mus no fus. Just record and plop the DVD in to the DVD player.

[simple]

Riverotter is right. Buy the recorder/writer. Once recorded & edited, you can save (finalize) it for life. You can take it from the camera right to the DVD player. The tape versions must be hooked up the DVD player & used as a tuner. Not as easy to speed up either.

[WaTchTheGelCoat]

The dvd recorder thing is pretty bad ass, the only problem I saw with them is you can only record a half hour of footage on a disc, however there is no lag from the time you hit the record button.

[Backtanner]

Any truth to the tapes being easier to edit? I've already got a DVD burner on my computer so if worse comes to worse I can just my load my tape recording onto the computer and then to DVD.

[Wally_Gator]

The dvd recorder is actually a compressed version of the DV tapes.
If you have a DVD burner, go with the tape. There is more data in the tape than the DVD.
DVD's play mpeg2 formats. This is compressed digital compared to the pure uncopressed digital that is stored on the dv tapes.

[Danhercules]

As the gator said, you got the DVD burner, go with the tape.

[RiverOtter]

The dvd recorder thing is pretty bad ass, the only problem I saw with them is you can only record a half hour of footage on a disc, however there is no lag from the time you hit the record button.
We thought that would be a problem but how often does one record for more that 30 min at a time. Also, the discs are cheap. I would buy the same one again.

[Racer277]

We thought that would be a problem but how often does one record for more that 30 min at a time. Also, the discs are cheap. I would buy the same one again.
Depends on your usage. I use them to record my 50min offroad races. one tape covers the whole race. Also seemed less delicate. When finished, I upload the tape to the comp for editing, then can use the tapes over if I like.
If these were'nt concerns, the DVD type would be great, put it right in a dvd player.

[V-DRIVE VIDEO]

The tape will give you a higher quality picture.

[RiverOtter]

Y'all keep talkin about uploading and transferring from the tape to the DVD. That is the reason I got the DVD camera. Totally removes a step. I only use it for pleasure. If I were using it to make money, or taping sporting events for someone else where you had to get every second on film then it's a no brainer. Get the tape.

[Backtanner]

I went with the DVD after all and picked up Hitachi's DZMV550A. I didn't realize how dumb I am until ahkmed the salesman tried explaining the difference between the mini DVD-R and DVD-RAM discs. I guess it would have been to hard to name them R and RW. The wife loves the fact that it's almost small enough to fit in a pocket ( I can see it going through the wash within the year). And it seems to have more than enough features that I'll never understand.

[God]

Can anyone make the time LED quit blinking on my classic Beta Max? It opposes my will and I am out of black electrical tape.

[Spotondl]

If you are looking to EDIT your video then tape is the way to go... If you just want to record and playback then the DVD recorder is one option...
IMO the tape is a better option. Simple DV tape records two tracks, a video and an audio. For editing purposes having these two separate tracks gives you much more flexability in what you can accomplish...
With higher end DV equipment, DVCam, you have a video track and two audio tracks, left and right. Further, the audio tracks are time code locked to the video. TC locked audio is very helpful when you are editing multiple compositing tracks because it helps to avoid Godzilla type audio/video timing issues... If the audio is off a bit you can easily slip the audio track to match up to the video and vice versa...

[powerplay230]

Hope this isn't too dumb a question but haven't seen the answer anywhere.
How much shock does it take to make the DVD recorder "skip" if it will at all during recording. For instance if you had one hard mounted on a vehicle (boat or truck or whatever) do they skip at all like a CD player?
Oh and to fix that light on your Beta after you ran out of black tape, use an ice pick!
rick