Camcorder questions?

Question

Ok, I'm an old film guy. I have a few questions before I purchase a digital camcorder. If you can help me, Tks.
Mini-DVD. What is it? How do you play it on your TV? Is it erasable? How long are they? If I can record from my camcorder to my computer will I need more than one? Is a specific tape Format necessary for a specific camera.
DVD. Is this a DVD I can play on my already hooked up DVD player? What disadvantages or advantages is there in DVD - vs - Mini-DVD?
What software is required?
Ok. I'm going to be doing a lot of traveling next year and I want to document it. I don't want to compete with Tom Hanks and make a blockbuster of a motion picture. What do you suggest?
Thanks.

Answer 1

ok there are two major players in the digital category. one is minDV. another is miniDVD. There are no full size dvd camcorders that i know of. even if someone says dvd camcorder, they probably mean minidvd.

lets start with minidvds.
im sure you know what a dvd is, and this is a disc that is about half the size of one. after you record, you can pop it into a dvd player and watch it, even though the size is smaller. Some are erasable, although not like tape, where you can just record over. Im not too sure about the actual erasing process so i wont mention it, cos itll probably just cause confusion. it holds 30 minutes of video at a standard setting, and it can hold up to 120 minutes of video (at a lower quality of course). and no, they are not a specific format, its the same for every brand and model. basically, minidvd is easy to record and watch, but a pain to edit due to its dvd encoding. also, mpeg-2 offers good, but not the greatest quality.

miniDV cams record onto tape. however, they record a digital signal instead of analog (remember VHS?). the video is less compressed than that of miniDVD cams, resulting in better picture quality (when compared to a DVD cam with similar specs). they are easier than miniDVDs to import onto a computer and edit, but unless you want to plug your camera into your tv every time you watch a video, this isnt a good idea. and BTW, the tapes record 60 minutes at standard speed. 90 on LP mode. bottom line, great picture quality and more suited for editing before watching.

so you have two choices:
if you want ease of use, and want to be able to watch your videos right after you shot them, and a slight decrease in picture quality isnt that big of a deal for you, choose miniDVD.

but if you want better picture quality, and want to edit your videos, miniDV is for you.

personally, if i were you id choose miniDV because if your going to document your travels, itd easier to use miniDV to sort through all your recorded video clips, and arrange them in the order you want them to be. if you do choose minidv, i think using windows movie maker should be good enough for editing, if you have windows xp (should be under programs->accessories.)
if you dont have windows xp, or you need something better, you can always use google. i havent used anything other than windows movie maker or adobe premiere pro, so i cant really help you there. i hope this helps and happy filming!

Answer 2

I have a digital 8. They tend to be cheaper and have the same quality only a little larger.

Answer 3

I suggest that you should read manual. If you ask here, you may have some fool answers. So read and learn the manual. Or take advice from professional.