Using a 'cheap' DVcam for playback/IEEE.
 

Hi folks. The amount of information here never ceases to amaze me.

OK, up to this point, I've used my PD170 to upload footage to my PC for editing.
I always feel a little wrong using my baby as a tape player.
I thought that if I can get a cheaper cam for a great price (that has firewire obviously) then I might pick it up and use it for transfers.
Of course there's the added bonus of having a secondary cam.

Is there anyway that this can be detrimental to my tapes, quality or similar?

(Any recommendations on an appropriate camera by chance?)

Thanks in advance.

Anthony

Good idea. Buy the cheapest DV camera you can find. Sony for a preference so it will play DVCam tapes if you ever need to do so.

Thanks for replying Mike!
Not that I foresee myself using DVCAM tapes.. but are you saying that all Sony DV cameras (even the mini 'fit-in-my-wallet' handi-cams) will handle DVCAM?

Ta.

The only Sony DV camera that won't play DVCam tapes, as far as I know is the VX-1000. Even my PC-110 will do that course it wasn't ever what you would call low end.

A talk with Sony or a good look at the target camera's specs should tell you what you need to know.

If you're not shooting DVCAM tapes, you can get a miniDV handicam from eBay for $200 or so. Just look for close to 100% positive feedback based on at least 25 transactions. You might allow one negative if examination of the details indicates a crank buyer--that happens. Anyway, a lot of people are selling perfectly good equipment as they upgrade. I've bought four of them from four different sellers for my high school video club and have not been burned.

Thanks for your replies guys..
One thing that has come to mind; - let me set a scenario.
I buy a used dv cam, the exchange goes well. I pop a tape in to view/upload, and the heads drop grit on my tape and ruin/reduce quality.
Now, shoud I run a head cleaner or something to reduce the chances of such a thing hapening? Can such a thing happen?

Ta.

If I haven't used my old replay deck for a while, I'll throw in a 'trash' tape that I don't care about and do a test play back. I also do this with my VCR on play back if the production tape is irreplacable. I bought a brandnew dv cam for the first Christmas with my wife, and it ate the tape as soon as she grabbed her first present. The mechanism died right on the spot. (I won't repeat what I said about JVC at that point.)

My point is, ya never know, you just need to test the camera, running a taple cleaner is a great idea, but it's not a bad idea to test test test as much as you can. Also if the camera is used, you will want to pop open the deck and shoot a flash light down there and make sure it's not dusty etc. A visual inspection is always pertinent.

Cheap Camera for Play back Deck
 

I have been using a cheap Sharp for this purpose for three years. It sits connected to the computer system by firewire most of the time. It produced horrible video but works fine as a deck. I paid $ 249.00 US at a Frys store in Ca then. Its been highly abused, as I fail to shut it down most of the time... and it just keeps on going. It seems senseless to consider a deck given the way this has worked.