Getting New Camcorder. DVD or Mini DV??

[jbitakis]

I have been set on getting a new mini dv camcorder (to replace my old sony hi-8 cam) However, I just came back from vacation and my sister-in-law has a dvd camcorder (records directly to dvd). I was viewing the finished video on my tv and it is CRYSTAL CLEAR. Much better than I have seen from dv so far. The only thing I don't like is the short recording time for the dvd (30min). Does anyone know if one can get dvd's that have longer video recording time? I am only looking to spend around $300.
James

[guns1inger]

If you just want to pop out the results and play - not edit them or alter them in any substantial way - then go the DVD option. The running time can be extended, however it comes at a cost to quality, as essentially they just lower the bitrate.

I suspect that if you bought a good quality 3-CCD mini-DV camera with good optics you would get quality that was easily as good as the DVD camera, but also all the convenience of DV.

[edDV]

MiniDV is the superior recording standard. Overall quality depends on the $ spent on the camera section. Read through this thread that compares DV to MPeg2 SD formats and HDV(MPeg2) to AVCHD(Mpeg4) for HD.
https://forum.videohelp.com/topic337120.html

[jbitakis]

To EdDV:

You say "mini dv is the superior recording media". However, even if you use mini dv for your video recording, you eventually will want to put it on dvd, therefore won't that decrease the video quality back down to dvd anyway?
James

[edDV]

To EdDV:

You say "mini dv is the superior recording media". However, even if you use mini dv for your video recording, you eventually will want to put it on dvd, therefore won't that decrease the video quality back down to dvd anyway?
James

It depends if you want to do any filtering, effects or complex editing. In those cases you want to start with a higher quality, less compressed format. MPeg2 loses quality each recode. MPeg2 can be cut without total recode if you use specific editors that only recode the GOP at the edit cut point (e.g. Womble MPEG2VCR ).

[fredfillis]

My personal experience is this. If you want to make coasters, get a DVD camera. I had one for 18 months, recorded 16 disks. Half are unreadable with bad sectors. I now own a miniDV camera.

I forgot to add that DVD is not necessarily a good medium for long term storage of your home video. With 30 seconds of searching you'll find plenty of posts that say "Help me, my wedding DVD is no longer readable" etc. Another reason that I'm taking all my old footage from hi8 and DVD and putting it on miniDV for "archival" purposes.

Sure, I'll make some DVD for viewing. Sure, there are "losses" when converting from one format to another. To me, those losses are not apparent to the eye.

Cheers!

[jbitakis]

I have Womble Mpeg Video Wizard DVD. Is that the same as MPEG-VCR or does it do the same or more?
I think I get it, Less Re-encoding=better quality picture and this Womble MPEG-VCR only has to reencode a little or just at the very end which = better quality dvd picture. Is this correct?
James