For HDV capture, can one use a Sony HDV deck? Or...if the footage was shot in SD mode, can't any DV deck work? Is there something about the signal that requires the use of a Canon camera?

Once again... frequently asked... please search first before posting.

The answer is that a Sony HDV deck will suffice for 60i video.

However, anything shot in Frame mode (30F or 24F) requires a Canon HDV camcorder as a VCR.

For standard definition video in all frame rates, any DV camcorder or deck will suffice for playback.