Memory Style Video Camera's......

[Steven Vaccaro]

Ok, so my head is spinning and I have a headache. Everywhere I look there is a good and bad review on a video camera. Someone out there has to have some info on these new memory cameras? Jim Clark you out there? :bounce:

[JimClark]

Not one of my specialties but I will give it a try. Give me more info as to exactly what you are looking for in the way of features?
Jim

[domwilson]

Are you referring to video cameras that record on a memory card? I have a couple inexpensive ones that do pretty nicely. I've seen videos of the HD ones and am impressed. The best thing I would suggest is to audition potential candidates yourself. There is A LOT of bad info./advice floating around on these. Expensive doesn't always mean better. Make sure you find one with a good warranty, which can go from 30 days to a year or more. And finally, memory card speed does affect video quality.

[AndyKunz]

On memory card speed, Dom is right on. The the fastest card you can find.

Andy

[JimClark]

Could be the hard drive models also

[Steven Vaccaro]

maybe something like this style
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Sony+-+High-Definition+Camcorder+with+2.7%22+LCD+Monitor+-+Black/9745998.p?id=1218166125484&skuId=9745998

[Rumdog]

Those are fantastic! I have an older Sony DCR SR-60. Not hd, but fantastic picture. Also, the touch screen on the Sony's is super easy to use.

[ReddyWatts]

From my experiemce I like the DVD camera's best. You take shots and quickly have it to copy, distribute, watch on TV or store on the shelf without purchasing extra equipment. It is the most convenient to use. The downside is the 30 minute mini disks.
When I used a memory camera I did not like having to spend time moving the video from the camera to the computer. If you lose a hard drive you lose the video. The HD files are very large. Do you back it up on two computers so their is an extra copy? It also needs extra equipment or cableing to playback on your tv without using a camera or laptop.

Someone explain what you like better about memory video camera's.

[NativePaul]

I don't have a video camera at all, but the things that appeal to me about memory or hard drive cams are the size of the camera and the economy of reusable media. The 30 minutes on a dvd, you can just swap discs most of the time I can only see myself needing to film more than 30 mins in one cut once a year for the kids school play, but it would be gutting if they came on just as I was changing discs.

[domwilson]

The nice thing about memory card camcorders is you can burn the video to a dvd from your computer and get more than 30 mins. per DVD.

[Jeff Wohlt]

I did some research a bit ago and the Kodak ZI8 is among the best. Also has mic input which is very nice to have. It also was the closeest to the Mino for quality than any other.

I am taking about a hand held small micro camera style.

[Steven Vaccaro]

From my experiemce I like the DVD camera's best. You take shots and quickly have it to copy, distribute, watch on TV or store on the shelf without purchasing extra equipment. It is the most convenient to use. The downside is the 30 minute mini disks.
When I used a memory camera I did not like having to spend time moving the video from the camera to the computer. If you lose a hard drive you lose the video. The HD files are very large. Do you back it up on two computers so their is an extra copy? It also needs extra equipment or cableing to playback on your tv without using a camera or laptop.

Someone explain what you like better about memory video camera's.

I have one of those. Its a Sony. I get about 20 minutes at the high quality. The problem is getting it from the dvd and converting it to a mpeg(or some other format) for web viewing. I can't get it done with success.

[ReddyWatts]

Both camera types require user time with video software to make internet videos. I use AVS Video Converter for the DVD camera that will make mpeg video and many other formats. http://www.avs4you.com

[AndyKunz]

When I used a memory camera I did not like having to spend time moving the video from the camera to the computer. If you lose a hard drive you lose the video. The HD files are very large. Do you back it up on two computers so their is an extra copy? It also needs extra equipment or cableing to playback on your tv without using a camera or laptop.

Someone explain what you like better about memory video camera's.

I like having the memory card. A pocketful of them is easier to tote than a pocketful of mini-DVD's. It only takes a few minutes to archive them. For me, the archive folder name is the date of the event followed by a short description. I use the same format for my stills. For instance, yesterday would go into a folder named "2010-04-04 Easter with my parents".

I store ALL my media on my Linux box, and have backups automated to external media (I have over 2 TB of storage on my home network). I'm not worried about losing data.

Also, remember that DVD media decay over time. You want to put it on a HD to keep the data alive. And move it every few (5-10) years to refresh it...

Andy

[Jeff Wohlt]

I use pinnicle software and love it. Saves and inputs from anything.

[ReddyWatts]

Quote: Also, remember that DVD media decay over time. You want to put it on a HD to keep the data alive. And move it every few (5-10) years to refresh it... Quote:

Yes both types of video need to be moved at 5 - 10 years and HD files can get really large. You will need to update and add new hardware when going to a media memory HD video camera. I just like to keep it simple with a DVD camera. My 2 cents worth.

How do you playback in HiDef video on your tv after it has been transfered off the camera?

[Steven Vaccaro]

Both camera types require user time with video software to make internet videos. I use AVS Video Converter for the DVD camera that will make mpeg video and many other formats. http://www.avs4you.com

I have a piece of that software. I will give it a try.

[JimClark]

The Gold archival disks are much better
Verbatim Ultralife Gold Archival
Jim


Quote: Also, remember that DVD media decay over time. You want to put it on a HD to keep the data alive. And move it every few (5-10) years to refresh it... Quote:

Yes both types of video need to be moved at 5 - 10 years and HD files can get really large. You will need to update and add new hardware when going to a media memory HD video camera. I just like to keep it simple with a DVD camera. My 2 cents worth.

How do you playback in HiDef video on your tv after it has been transfered off the camera?

[AndyKunz]

How do you playback in HiDef video on your tv after it has been transfered off the camera?

Our TV is an old one. We don't have cable or satellite but we do have VHS and a DVD player. I actually watch more motion media on my Linux box than anywhere else (working on Dilbert right now). My wife and kids watch the TV. I can generate composite output from my PC, so I can make her a tape that way. Since we don't have HiDef it doesn't matter to me.

You can burn a DVD, or you can watch on your PC if you need to. One of the beauties of Linux is that you can make a "virtual DVD" or "virtual memory card" very easily. Then you can just copy that image back to whatever device generated it.

Andy

[AndyKunz]

PS - what do you consider a "large" file? I have several multi-gig video files on my machine. They aren't big imo.

Andy

[ReddyWatts]

So to burn a HiDef DVD you would need a Blueray dvd writer in your computer to create HiDef video for a HD tv? Do the HiDef video cameras have a HDMI output cable to play directly to a HD LCD tv. Surely there is a better way to play HiDef video from a computer on TV.

Sorry about hijacking your thread Steven. It just got me to thinking about home made HiDef video.

[Steven Vaccaro]

Sorry about hijacking your thread Steven. It just got me to thinking about home made HiDef video.

no problem, i'm enjoying this.

[ReddyWatts]

Looks like it takes an HDMI cable and converter from the computer to get HD video to the TV and seperate audio cables for sound. This video link shows how its done.

Desktop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqjJtdH_EI8

Laptop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a611o2wW9o&NR=1

[ReddyWatts]

The newer HD TV's have a network port for connecting to your home router. You "share" the camera video files you have downloaded to your computer, then connect over the network from the tv menu to stream home movies in HD for viewing.

[ReddyWatts]

It gets easier to playback HD video that you have saved on your computer to your HD TV. This is a wireless Blue Ray player that connects to your PC and plays shared memory camera video files in HD.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+3D/Internet+Connectable/Wi-Fi+Built-In+Blu-ray+Disc+Player/9776828.p?skuId=9776828&ref=10&loc=01&id=1218171590430