How bad is it for the heads in my A1 to use my camera instead of a deck for logging and capturing? I import a good amount of footage. Maybe around 20 hours a month.

I wouldn't call that a big amount. I've said many times on this site that I firmly believe the whole "wearing out the heads" question is a complete non-issue and one of those internet myths, along the likes of plastic lenses, USB to FireWire adapters, Video8 to VHS adapters and so on. There's a VCR mode on the camcorder and it's meant to be used. If wearing out the heads was actually a viable issue, then the VCR mode never would have been included in the first place.

However I would urge you to consider a consumer Canon HDV camcorder such as the HV20 to use as a playback deck instead of your XH A1, primarily because your A1 shouldn't be tied down for capture purposes when it could be out shooting instead. If a camera isn't shooting, then it isn't making money. In this regard the little HV20 will pay for itself in no time (it's less than $1000). Hope this helps,

How about the HV10? it's even cheaper.

Either one... though HV10 availability might be questionable.

They're selling the hv10 at costco in Toronto at the moment.

But I thought there was a reason for choosing the hv20 over the hv10 in the first place. 24p option, or true 1080 and the output options.

I didn't even realize the hv10 was a deck option for the A1.

Trish

go for the hv20. it's worth the extra money.

If all you're doing is using it as a deck, there's nothing wrong with the HV10, from all I've read. While it will not record 24p, it does play back all the Canon modes, 24/30f as well as 60i.

The HV20 records 24p, but my understanding is that it only outputs a pulldown version. It will play the XH A1 24p OK, but it's own 24p comes out as pulldown. I'm not sure how that would translate into a 24p timeline.

If I intended to use the little camera as a second camera or backup for the XH A1, then I'd definitely go for the UV20, because the HV10 has no external audio input at all. On the other hand, it is smaller and would fit into a jacket pocket easier, nice for a little camera to carry around all the time.

when it plays back or downloads onto hdd it really just READS the file already encoded on the digital tape. It has nothing to do with frame rate as long as it's an HDV format.....

Either one... though HV10 availability might be questionable.

Our great Sponsor B&H has a used HV-10 for $550, and new ones for $680.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productList&A=buyUsed&Q=448812

Mike

The HV20 records 24p to tape as 60i.

M

Generally head life is approx 2,000 hours.... give or take. Prior to this, dropouts will start occurring. The CANON HV20 is probably an alternative for playback. The HDMI output of the HV20 is an added bonus...........one cable for video and audio into a HD Television.

How bad is it for the heads in my A1 to use my camera instead of a deck for logging and capturing? I import a good amount of footage. Maybe around 20 hours a month.

Using the camera for playback doesn't put any record hours on the heads, only playback hours. I have thousands of playback hours on some DVCAM and Betacam SP decks with no trouble at all, and the same decks probably have only a few hundred hours of record time.

I agree with Chris in post 2. Technically, something else will go in the camera before you wear out the head.