Any alternatives to using camcorder as a VCR?

[slnorth]

Do we really use up or precious camcorders as editing machines and playing DV tapes to convert bits and/or pieces of recordings to DVD instead of using a stand alone type player?

[troyvcd1]

No way dude are you crazy. We take our video then capture our video from our camcorder to our computers. We then edit and convert to dvd for watching on tv.

[slnorth]

You're right, absolutely right. I haven't done any work in months and I started the same way you mentioned but for some reason I remember I found myself taking clips out of several tapes and making a dvd out of that instead of xfering all 20 tapes and then making montages. There may have been a youth football game or something that got all that started.

I just wondered if there was any machine that even saved the playback at all.

If all it did were FF, REW, play, stop & pause I'd pay hmmmm not sure yet. I wonder if there'd be a playback quality issue on something that basic.

Maybe it's just that I cringe using a $800-$1500 machine for playing back video even if it's just once per tape.

[ZippyP.]

Panasonic, JVC and Sony each make a DV-VCR. Do a web search, they're pretty pricey.

[slnorth]

OUCH! Talk about sticker shock. I see your point.

I'll look into a computer upgrade instead.

[indolikaa]

Among the many places I worked during the Clinton economy was in an electronics repair facility.

Camcorder transports are pretty durable, if you're gentle with them. Sony 8mm units have always had issues with their LS Transport, but when they began the shift to DV (that would be, of course, during the Bush economy) the only major problems seemed to be video heads getting dirty/clogged much more frequently.

I have a Panasonic DV here on my desk. It acts as a VCR for say, about 12 hours per week? It's been running fine for three years now and hasn't had any problems outside of the occasional cleaning.

This is good, because DV VCRs are hideously expensive. DV Camcorders almost become throwaway VCR transports at those prices.

[thing914]

indolikaa, based on your comments would I be right in assuming buying the cheapest miniDV camera i could find, just to use as a dv vcr for transfering tapes to and archiving back from the PC would be the way to go?

Since only transfering, if the rest of camera was low quality, optics garbage, etc it wouldn't matter if just using as a vcr?

[dwight55]

Go to Sears, plop down $400 for a Sansui VRDVD4005 machine and tell em I sent you . Seriously, it takes your analog or digital video and burns it direct to either a VHS tape or to a DVD-R or DVD-RW disc. I am on my second stack of 25 and so far only 3 or 4 coasters and I am looking at mostly operator error, . . . not machine error. Only down side is that it is 1x.

May God bless,

Dwight

[VideoTechMan]

I have the Panasonic AGDV-2000 which is a professional deck. I had bought it a few years ago and it costed me $3K...but i had to put it in layaway and pay on it each week. Yes it was quite expensive but it was worth it since it can do everything i needed to do. It takes both the miniDV and the large size DV cassettes. It works quite well for me .

VTM

[indolikaa]

indolikaa, based on your comments would I be right in assuming buying the cheapest miniDV camera i could find, just to use as a dv vcr for transfering tapes to and archiving back from the PC would be the way to go?

Since only transfering, if the rest of camera was low quality, optics garbage, etc it wouldn't matter if just using as a vcr?

Yes.

I list a Sony DCR-TRV120 Digital8 camcorder as my DV device. I rescued it from the scrapper because the 'owner' insisted in trying to insert his 8mm tapes in upside-down. The 'Tape' symbol blinks in the display but the DV passthru function works fine otherwise. Plus, he left the 12-hour Lithium-Ion battery on the thing. Who could pass up such a deal?