Trying to go pro...

[Tumbo]

And speaking of PC, there is a good price on a ACER M5100-5F7N AMD Phenom 9500 Quad, 4096 MB RAM, 500 GB hd, DVD+-RW, ATI X2600 PRO 512-1919 MB, Win Vista Premium here in Sweden. Is that enough...?

That should be excellent for HDV format editing. You will need a second hard drive minimum for tmp files and video capture. Extra hard drives are cheap.

The ATI X2600 will have adequate HD MPeg2 playback performance. The OpenGL cards mentioned (like NVidia Quadra) better support advanced effects editing with vector based wireframe overlay assists but you probably won't need that.

Other features in thic PC-tower:

HDMI
USB 2.0
FireWire
Memory Card Reader 9-1
Windows Vista Home Premium.

Link to Swedish page: http://www.onoff.com/online/se/inet.nsf/vProd/55378?opendocument&markID=10-14-15

Price in Sweden: 1080 USD

I do already have a 19" LG Flatron, but will soon buy another 22". Is there anything else I should think of, when buying a pc for video editing?

[Soopafresh]

The Phenom is a good processor. Just as fast as the Intel Q6600. You need LOTS and LOTS of disk space when editing HD footage.


My suggestion for a pretty good low cost video package:

Canon HV30
Video Example: http://www.vimeo.com/777514
Review: http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/Canon-HV30-Camcorder-Review-34401.htm

Canon Wide Angle and Telephoto Adapters

Hague Motion Stabilizer
http://vimeo.com/796197
http://www.b-hague.co.uk/Camcorder%20Stabilizer%20HCS3.htm

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After you've saved some money:

Letus 35 mini Depth of Field Adapter
Example video: http://downloads.letusdirect.com/video/
http://www.letusdirect.com/cart/Letus35-Mini-p-21.html

35mm lenses to attach to the HV30

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When you have a lot of work

Panasonic HVX200

[Tumbo]

My suggestion for a pretty good low cost video package:
Canon HV30

What's the difference to the Canon HV20?

[Soopafresh]

Newer model. Price difference in Europe is minimal.

http://www.pixxass.de/index.php?cName=camcorder-canon-canon-minidvcamcorder-c-58_59_97...2f6abcddbff067

[Tumbo]

Newer model. Price difference in Europe is minimal.

in sweden right now:

HV30 - 1664 USD
HV20 - 1331 USD

Is the HV30 really worth that extra 300-400 USD?

[Soopafresh]

Not really, since you're in PAL country and everything is 25fps. Spend the money on the computer. There are many happy people with the HV20.

[Tumbo]

Not really. Spend the money on the computer. There are many happy people with the HV20.

Yupp, that was my leading question. Cause I need every dollar I can save to afford the computer...
So it's just a newer model? There are no huge differences?

Hague Motion Stabilizer
http://vimeo.com/796197
http://www.b-hague.co.uk/Camcorder%20Stabilizer%20HCS3.htm

Wow, that's pretty cool. It really makes a differnce when filming by hand?
I only have a Velbon pro tripod for now, that I bought last year.

[Soopafresh]

Yeah, the stabilizer is nice for moving shots. It's low cost. There's a better one called the Steadicam Merlin, but it is $800. You need to spend time practicing with these things to get good results.

The HV20 vs HV30 difference is mentioned in the review I posted above. The HV20 is Silver, the HV30 is black. The HV30 has a special 30p Cinematic mode, but since you live in Sweden it isn't needed.

[Tumbo]

Yeah, the stabilizer is nice for moving shots. It's low cost. There's a better one called the Steadicam Merlin, but it is $800. You need to spend time practicing with these things to get good results.

Oh thanx. But the prices on the link you posted are quite fuzzy. Is it punds or dollars? So the Hague HD Motion-Cam Stabilizer - Handheld Stabilizer (is the one you mean right?) costs 275 what? punds? dollars?

[Tumbo]

The HV20 is Silver, the HV30 is black.

Wow, that's a huge difference !
Well, for some. My mom actually paid an extra $800 recently for her new Samsung LCD40 TV to be white, and not black

[Soopafresh]

It's 51 British Pounds, plus shipping to Sweden, and any import fees. Hague Motion Stabilizer

[Tumbo]

It's 51 British Pounds, plus shipping to Sweden, and any import fees. Hague Motion Stabilizer

That's defenitely worth it! Thank you so much for the tip!

[Tumbo]

Well folks... I have packed my JVC HD7 to the original package, all the cables and all and its ready to be taken back. During this day I had it, the only thing I did was charged the battery 5 minutes, recorded 1 minute film, opened the USB cable and transferred the file. All manuals, cables, remotes...everything. Is untouched.
I'll pray to God the whole evening that they will accept my return....

[Soopafresh]

Do a search on Http://vimeo.com for HV20 . There are lots of nice examples of the quality you can expect.

[Tumbo]

Do a search on Http://vimeo.com for HV20 . There are lots of nice examples of the quality you can expect.

I'll do that.

Btw, how do you save the clips on the camera? Does it have a hard disc?
Cause the SD-memory cards don't have that much MB as I recall?
Or are there MINI DV tapes?

[stiltman]

minDV .... travsfer via firewire
SD is for stills

http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/Canon-HV20-Camcorder-Review/Format.htm

[Tumbo]

minDV .... travsfer via firewire
SD is for stills
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/Canon-HV20-Camcorder-Review/Format.htm

Thank you again, and wish me luck tomorrow for the camcorder switch!

[Tumbo]

Update: I returned the JVC HD7 today and I got all my money back
Tomorrow, I will buy the Canon HV 20 and also the new computer!
I want to thank all that helped me here in this thread. Without you, I'd be makin' a huge mistake!

[Soopafresh]

Nice going.

[Tumbo]

Nice going.

Yeah, I didn't get to much sleep this night, cause I was worried that I wasn't gonna be able to return the camcorder... But now it's all gooood

[Tumbo]

And speaking of PC, there is a good price on a ACER M5100-5F7N AMD Phenom 9500 Quad, 4096 MB RAM, 500 GB hd, DVD+-RW, ATI X2600 PRO 512-1919 MB, Win Vista Premium here in Sweden. Is that enough...?

That should be excellent for HDV format editing. You will need a second hard drive minimum for tmp files and video capture. Extra hard drives are cheap.

The ATI X2600 will have adequate HD MPeg2 playback performance. The OpenGL cards mentioned (like NVidia Quadra) better support advanced effects editing with vector based wireframe overlay assists but you probably won't need that.

Other features in thic PC-tower:

HDMI
USB 2.0
FireWire
Memory Card Reader 9-1
Windows Vista Home Premium.

Link to Swedish page: http://www.onoff.com/online/se/inet.nsf/vProd/55378?opendocument&markID=10-14-15
Price in Sweden: 1080 USD

Hey, I just saw this one also:
HP A6335 AMD Athlon 64X2 5000+
. 3 Gb RAM, 500 Gb SATA, 7200rpm
, DVD+-RW, WlaATI HD2400 Pro 256-1535 Mb, Windows Vista Premium.

USB 2.0, FireWire
Memory Card Reader 9-1
Windows Vista Home Premium.


And this one costs 851 USD in Sweden right now.

Is is worth saving those 200 USD on this one, or is the Acer much better?

And also for the same price as the Acer, there is a:
HP A6314AMD Athlon 64 5000+, 3 Gb RAM, 640 Gb+ 80 Gb extern, DVD+-RW, Wlan 11g, nVidia 8500GT 1791 Mb, Windows Vista Premium

Wlan 11g
USB 2.0
FireWire
Memory Card Reader 9-1
Windows Vista Home Premium.

So which one of these 3!?

Acer M5100-5F7N - 1080 USD
HP A6314 - 1080 USD
HP A6335 - 850 USD

[Tumbo]

So here are pluses and minuses, and questions:

* ACER M5100-5F7N (1080 USD)
http://www.onoff.com/online/se/inet.nsf/vProd/55378?opendocument&markID=10-14-10
ACER M5100-5F7N AMD Phenom 9500 Quad, 4096 MB RAM, 500 GB hd, DVD+-RW, ATI X2600 PRO 512-1919 MB, Win Vista Premium
HDMI
USB 2.0
FireWire
Memory Card Reader 9-1
Windows Vista Home Premium.

Plus:
4GB RAM, HDMI
Minus:
500 GB hd, against 720 (640+80) for HPA6314
Windows Wista Home (Premium for the HPA6314)

* HP A6335 (850 USD)
http://www.onoff.com/online/se/inet.nsf/vProd/55528?opendocument&markID=10-14-10
HP A6335 AMD Athlon 64X2 5000+
. 3 Gb RAM, 500 Gb SATA, 7200rpm
, DVD+-RW, WlaATI HD2400 Pro 256-1535 Mb, Windows Vista Premium.
USB 2.0, FireWire
Memory Card Reader 9-1
Windows Vista Home Premium.

Plus:
230 USD cheaper then the other two
Minus:
3 GB RAM (ACER has 4GB), no HDMI
Windows Wista Home (Premium for the HPA6314)

* HP A6314 (1080 USD)
http://www.onoff.com/online/se/inet.nsf/vProd/55530?opendocument&markID=10-14-10
HP A6314AMD Athlon 64 5000+, 3 Gb RAM, 640 Gb+ 80 Gb extern, DVD+-RW, Wlan 11g, nVidia 8500GT 1791 Mb, Windows Vista Premium
Wlan 11g
USB 2.0
FireWire
Memory Card Reader 9-1
Windows Vista Home Premium.


Plus:
Big harddisc 640 GB + 80 extern
Wista Premium (the other two have Vista Home Premium)
Minus:
Minus: 3 GB RAM (ACER has 4GB), no HDMI

--------------

Damn...help me choose!
What do I need to work with the Canon HV20 and video editing (AP CS3, Avin..etc)

[Soopafresh]

The Acer is much faster than those HP machines - about twice as fast. The only features you really MUST have are Firewire (also called 1394), lots of disk space, and 2-3GB of RAM.

-- Buy a 4 pin to 6 Pin Firewire cable. You'll need it for the HV20 firewire connection, and it is NOT included with the camera. It looks like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-F3N401-06-ICE-4-Pin-6-Pin-FireWire/dp/B00005NIMR

Any brand is fine.

[Tumbo]

Hague Motion Stabilizer
http://vimeo.com/796197
http://www.b-hague.co.uk/Camcorder%20Stabilizer%20HCS3.htm

What about the MANFROTTO MODOSTEADY 585?

It looks like it has some more options, and not for that much bigger price...? FIll me in please. Greets

[Soopafresh]

The reviews of the Manfrotto are not good. You can do a youtube search to see it. It's a good idea, but bad execution.

[Tumbo]

The reviews of the Manfrotto are not good. You can do a youtube search to see it. It's a good idea, but bad execution.

Okay, thanx!
I'll order the Hague Motion Stabilizer tomorrow!

[Soopafresh]

And since you'll soon be the owner of a Canon HV20, read this FAQ

http://www.hv20.com/showthread.php?t=3058

[Johnson Nguyen]

Personally, I don't think you wasted your money at all. I watched some of your clips and the video quality is amazing, not to mention the style of filming it. With your problem though, you might need to upgrade your specs to have it fully operable to your needs but that's just like forking out more money for something you already put a tremendous amount into.