Hardware Information

Expert Guide to DVD Camcorders


Thinking about a mini DVD camcorder? You're not alone, it's a rapidly growing sector of the camcorder market, with Hitachi, Sony and Panasonic all making more than one mini dvd camcorder.

These camcorders differ from regular digital video cameras in one important way - they record video onto mini DVD discs, rather than DV tape. This has a number of advantages. DVD discs are more robust than tape and won't get chewed up in the camera. Although this is thankfully a rare occurance, it scares me every time I here a strange noise coming from my camcorder, so it's with bearing in mind.

The second advantage is that DVD discs are random access, compared to tape on which everything is recorded sequentially. This means that there's no need to rewind and fast forward to find the clip you're after, just select it from the menu. Some cameras even allow you to perform basic editing functions on-camera. An additional side-benefit is that a mini DVD camcorder doesn't have tape heads to get worn or dirty as happens in regular mini DVD cameras.

And thirdly, you can easily watch your home movies by removing the DVD from the camera and playing it in practically any DVD player.

However, there are negative factors to. The most siginificant one is that video is encoded as MPEG-2 on a mini DVD camcorder, as opposed to DV format. This means that it needs specialist software to edit - you can't just use your regular video editing program (unless it specifically supports MPEG-2). And if a Mac user you're out of luck, as there are no MPEG-2 editing applications for the Mac.

Also, mini DVD camcorders tend to cost more than similarly specified mini DV cameras. And the media is also more expensive. However, if you don't intend editing your movies and don't mind the extra cost, a mini dvd camcorder does offer extraordinary convenience.

Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of The HDTV Tuner, a site which aims to cut through the confusion surrounding HDTV and provide surfers with up to date, accurate and easy to read information on HDTV.


MORE RESOURCES:

DirectX 11 Supports DirectX 10 Hardware
Wired News - 10 hours ago
By Earnest Cavalli July 23, 2008 | 5:43:42 PMCategories: Tech Though many games have yet to embrace Microsoft's DirectX 10 graphics API, the firm is already ...
Microsoft Details Vista-only DirectX 11, Adds New Features to DX10 ... Shacknews
MS lifts the lid on DirectX 11 CVG Online
Microsoft Says DirectX 11 Coming this Year I4U
TechSpot
all 6 news articles


LOOP Structural Glass Hardware Systems Provide Unique Aesthetics ...
PR Web (press release), WA - 1 hour ago
The unique European-designed LOOP structural glass hardware system from DORMA Glas has crossed the Atlantic to offer architects in North America a ...


Forlandas bring home hardware at Hanmadang
Manteca Bulletin, CA - 1 hour ago
STOCKTON - A whim turned into wins for Koryo Family Taekwondo Center instructors Juancho and Jamie Forlanda. The father-daughter combination from Manteca ...


RIM to Present at RBC Technology, Media and Communications ...
MarketWatch - 13 hours ago
Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions ...
Novellus Announces Availability of the Webcast of Its Presentation ... MarketWatch
all 29 news articles


QSGI Announces Contract Expansions for Two Network Maintenance ...
IT News Online, India - 21 hours ago
QSGI provides a full suite of information technology services to help corporations and governmental agencies better manage hardware assets, ...


The Eastern Company Reports Results for the Second Quarter and Six ...
MarketWatch - 11 hours ago
The Eberhard Division in our Industrial Hardware Group has continued to work very closely with several military vehicle contractors in the development and ...
Corn Products International Reports 36 Percent Increase in 2008 ... Business Wire (press release)
all 11 news articles


Gizmodo

First BlackBerry Kickstart 8220 Impressions (Verdict: Solid Hardware)
Gizmodo - 14 hours ago
And while they have yet to publish a complete review, Crackberry definitely likes the hardware, claiming that RIM has not cheapened the build quality for ...


Moline hardware store stays open despite lack of power
Quad City Times, IA - 13 hours ago
“This is unbelievable,” Pam Edwards said of her shopping experience at Trevor Tru Value Hardware, which was operating for a second day without power. ...


Milestones Special Report: Hitting the nail on the head Hardware ...
Evansville Courier & Press, IN - 17 hours ago
Tim Ryan, an owner of Newburgh-based Ryan's ACE Hardware Super Store & Rentals, hardly knows what season it is or what holiday is coming up. ...


ITatOnce Helped MSWireless to Reduce Their Energy Costs by ...
MarketWatch - Jul 22, 2008
ITatOnce is dedicated to helping our customers by reducing their power and energy costs thereby reducing hardware and operating costs by as much as 50%. ...

Hardware - Google News

home | site map
© 2006