O.K. I did another search on the JVC GR-D30 instead of the 30u and found a few more threads. I guess the cameras are similar. I would still like to know what the most popular unit is for transfer.

Small DVCAM Deck ?
 

Hello,
I have a PD150 and don't really want to use it as the deck to import all my footage into the NLE. I was wondering if Sony make a small DVCAM deck that I can use for importing all my footage. If not, would a Mini DV deck work for my DVCAM tapes, that is if they make one? Thanks so much for your help,
Todd

Check out the Sony DSR-11. It is a small DVCAM deck along with being Sony’s cheapest desktop system.

Recommend me a Mini DV camera to use as a deck...
 

I got the DVX-100A and I do not want to use that camera as my deck. Can anyone recommend me a good camera that is cheap and will work well for my purpose? Thanks.

Any cam will work as long as it's dependable- the signal will be the same when transferring it through firewire between a cheapo DV cam to a pro cam. I personally have a DVX100a and I use my old Panasonic DV852 which was a great cam a year ago and still is today. They discontinued the model but BHPHOTO still has it brand new for like 400 bucks or so. I'd reccomend it.

Everyone recomends doing this it seems, but I wonder if it costs more than $500 to replace the worn out parts in your DVX? It seems that if it's only like $300 or so to send it to the manufacturer for repair, you save money by doing so. Anybody know what this repair costs on a Pany and Canon?

If I'm going to buy a separate drive, I'll spend $1100 on the JVC dual miniDV and S-VHS deck.

Replacing the tape mechanism in my Canon XL1 cost me a little bit more than 1000$.

Daaaang! Yeah, I'm buying the JVC deck.

I think it's more of the inconvenience of sending the cam off that really turns me off. I bought the 4 year mack camera warranty as well but I only have one DVX100a and no backups other than my DV852 which won't really cut it any more. I want to keep the DVX by my side for as long as possible before having to send it off for head maintenance etc., but maybe that's just me. Unless you plan on doing an extensive amount of rewinding etc. of your DV tapes (just get a DV tape rewinder), I could never justify buying a seperate deck for around a G, unless I was in a professional environment, which I'm not. If my tape mechanism ever did go out and I was about to face a $1,000 replacement or repair fee, I'd just get a Quick Stream or other Hard Drive based system and say goodbye to tapes forever. It's the future of our cameras anyways..... Just MO.

Sure, but it seems like a waste of a whole extra camera to spend $400-500 on a little dvdeck with no "deck" features.

I'm just saying, if your willing to spend $500, you should probably wait a little while and spend twice that on a real deck rather than waste it on a little camera you'll never use.

I like the idea of using a little camera as a deck. First, it is less expensive, second, it can record images!!! :) Those littles cameras can serve you well on vacations, travel or even on an ocasionnal 2 cameras shot.

some advantages I can come up with:
A- rewinds and fast forwards faster (good for batch capture)
B- may have more inputs and outputs, and can convert analog-digital
C- tape mechanism lasts longer
D- better quality electronics for converting analog-digital

For most people I don't think any of those advantages really help. A can save time, but most people capture the whole tape in one shot and don't sit around while a deck is batch capturing. B/D isn't necessary (your camera can do the job fine). C is the major reason for buying a deck, but really only applies to people who shoot hundreds of hours of footage. If you manage to wear out a $300 consumer camera (off eBay or whatever), then you've probably made a lot of money and didn't lose much money on the camera (I figure $200 versus buying a deck in the first place). In the opposite scenario, you've spend a bundle of cash on a deck and didn't use it enough to justify buying it (lost $500 or so). Not to mention a cheapo camera is good for family videos (not huge like 3CCD cameras).

Maybe I'm wrong?

I agree with Glenn.

My DCR-TRV900 has served me very well. Has analog in and out.

Yeah i'm also in the market for a cheap 1 chip to use as a vcr because i don't feel like ruining my 2100 just yet. just a stupid question though. even though they all say they have a ieee 1394 interface does that mean they also haev dv in capabilities or just dv out?

I might be wrong but I thought IEEE 1394 is both in/out. Not sure though...

yeah i just wanted to be sure before i killed $200 on some random ebay auction.

I am not sure though so WAIT before someone else who knows posts....

Some of the low-end cams (like my JVC GR-DVL300U) don't support pass-through, so I still end up using my GL-2 for color correction.

<<<-- Originally posted by George Brackett III : Some of the low-end cams (like my JVC GR-DVL300U) don't support pass-through, so I still end up using my GL-2 for color correction. -->>>

George, please elaborate.

Are you saying that you can use the GL2 custom presets to enhance footage passed from an analog cam through to your capture card? Or something else entirely?

I think that what Georges are saying is that he use his camcorder connected to a computer through firewire and connected to a monitor through an analog output (RCA or S-video) to view the effect of the color correction filters he apply in post production in real time on the monitor.

Some lower end cam does not support this feature.

Ohhhhh! That is differant. So, in place of a video card with r/t DVI/TV output to a monitor he uses the output passthrough on his GL2 to output to a monitor. That's ingenuity!

Still though, he said "use the GL2 for color correction". I hope he will elaborate.

No. All I'm saying is I use a monitor via the Firewire preview mode to adjust my colors per NTSC specs.

Why not just buy a cheap Sony mini-DV camcorder? I use my TRV-25 for playing. Yes most of the Sony mini-DV camcorders play DVCAM.

But they (Sony Mine DV cameras) do not record in DVCAM.
I find it much more beneficial to Master to DVCAM (if acquired via DVCAM or Mine DV) then to shoot in native DVCAM and master to Mine DV.

Alex

He said he is just looking something to import footage to his NLE, he didn't mention to use it for export, so for playback, a cheap mini-DV camcorder is fine.

I find it fairly safe to assume that most people will like to export there move to tape. Who dose not? Even if you are only distributing the product on DVD you will want to have a Master as a long term back up.

Alex

Hey..Thanks Guys,
Yep I could use a small camera for exporting to the NLE wich would take care of the ware and tear then if I wanted it back in DVCAM fomat I could go back to the camera I guess. Does that make any sense?
Thanks

the SR-VS30U is the cheapest deck i could find for importing DVCAM footage. it will not record DVCAM. cost is ~$900.

link -> http://www.dvshop.ca/vdecks/jvcdecks.html

You know, I"m thinking about getting a companion for my PDX10. A deck that is actually the PDX10's little brother...

Not the TRV950, but the TRV33.

I'm in the market for a cheap one, and I'm sure prices of these will drop even more.

Or I can buy a cheap miniDV (these play DVCAM? or not?) off ebay as well. Hmmm. Still probably a Sony or a Canon.

But the first way, I can use the TRV33 as a back up true 16:9 cam as well.

Sony DV deck dubbing XL1S tapes.. that work?
 

anyone have any experience with dubbing 44.1khz canon stuff on a sony deck (which the specs seem to say 32khz and 48khz are all it supports). I am not super smart when it comes to sound stuff, so i dont know if the quality can be "upsampled" without the sound being out of synch as well (much like how downsampling 25fps to 24fps slows the footage).

Anyone know?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=242757&is=REG

Last I knew, the Canon (at least NTSC version) does not capture at 44.1 kHz audio sample rate. It is 48 kHz 16-bit or 32 kHz 12-bit.

You should not have a problem copying to the GV-D1000. Any GOOD audio editing software should be able to upsample accuraely if necessary.

hmm.. maybe i'm crazy.. i dont know why my brain wants to say it was 44.1 haha. if it's 48, then cool. Thanks don.

YOur brain is not totally bonkers. 44.1 kHz sample rate is the standard for CD and MiniDisc. I believe that it is a little used/supported option for digital video. For example the Sony DHR-1000 DV VCR can play 44.1 kHz 16-bit audio (and 32 kHz 16-bit audio for that matter), but cannot record in that mode.

I am not a fan of using camcorders as video decks, however, if one uses a camera to shoot, and then uploads from camera b, this does insure that the tape path alignment of both cameras must be correct otherwise the signal won't play back in the b camera. This method is superior to using one camera to do everything.

If one is going to get a video deck afford a deck that plays the bigger DV-CAM tapes that could be a nice addition, but then again I can't stand
the decks that have no led meters on them.

So suddenly you are up to a couple of thousand dollars!

adam
 

you arnet crazy, im not sure of the rates but have had problems in the past with audio in the past dubbing dv to beta. for some reason the high end sony decks would get major audio dropouts...as luck would have it my old net also had several older less high end sony decks and the dub from those worked fine.... seems the less expensive the sony dvcam deck the better the dub from canon source dont know why but hope this helps.

m

I've been keeping my eye out for a consumer camera to use as a deck... and would love to hear some specific suggestions of models that might work best.

Would love to find one with a damaged CCD since I wouldn't use that anyway.

I've spent the past 2 years using an el cheapo JVC camera as a deck and would still do that in portable situations but it doesn't look real professional, clients are starting to edit with me and I needed a deck that would also allow me capture from analog. I got a JVC pro deck from the classifieds here and it hass component video outs! I worked at a company using the svhs/DV dual and had problems with the 2 machines we had. Get a separate SVHS deck if you need it... less to go wrong.

Josh

Which JVC mini-deck has the component out?

When you say component are you referring to the three cable component signal?

Sony GR-D300 tape deck problems
 

Hi Guys,

I wonder if anybody could help me?

I have just aquired free of charge a GRD300 sony MiniDV tape Deck, I got it free because it has 1 problem, which is:

When you play a miniDV tape it will load and except it, play for about 6 seconds then flash caution and turn its self off. I can turn it back on again and eject the tape to do it all again.

3 questions:

1) Has anybody come across this problem, if so how did you overcome it?

2) Is it worth getting it repaired?

3) How much is the deck worth if it was fully functional?

Any help appreciated,

Thanks,

Ed