Quick question. I was thinking about getting a cheap laptop to use as a quick "record to disk" solution via firewire on my HV20.

But a few questions:

In practice, how efficient is it to lug around a laptop when recording on the HV20?

Can a cheap laptop (perhaps powered by a Turion processor and with 512 or 1GB of RAM) handle the processing power needed for High Def video recording?

If I record in the HV20's 24p mode, is the video going to be in the 60i format that I'd have to perform a reverse telecine mode, or is it going to be straight 24p?

Finally, if there's a drop-out on the tape, will there also be a drop-out in the video recorded to disc?

1. In practice, how efficient is it to lug around a laptop when recording on the HV20?
2. Can a cheap laptop (perhaps powered by a Turion processor and with 512 or 1GB of RAM) handle the processing power needed for High Def video recording?
3. If I record in the HV20's 24p mode, is the video going to be in the 60i format that I'd have to perform a reverse telecine mode, or is it going to be straight 24p?
4. Finally, if there's a drop-out on the tape, will there also be a drop-out in the video recorded to disc?
1. That's entirely up to you. AFAIC I wuldn't do it. If I had to be dead sure that my footage is captured 100% no dropouts, I'd buy a Firestore instead of a laptop.
2. Yes. There is zero processing power involved, it's file transfer unless you're trying to capture AND transcode real time into some intermediary format. So if that laptop can handle capturing from tape, it will also handle capturing live from camera.
3. That's entirely up to the way your camera would record to tape; it will be the same format.
4. No. The digitized signal is split into two - one to the recording head, the other out via firewire. Dropout (most of the time) is not a recording glitch but a tape fault.

1. That's entirely up to you. AFAIC I wuldn't do it. If I had to be dead sure that my footage is captured 100% no dropouts, I'd buy a Firestore instead of a laptop.
2. Yes. There is zero processing power involved, it's file transfer unless you're trying to capture AND transcode real time into some intermediary format. So if that laptop can handle capturing from tape, it will also handle capturing live from camera.
3. That's entirely up to the way your camera would record to tape; it will be the same format.
4. No. The digitized signal is split into two - one to the recording head, the other out via firewire. Dropout (most of the time) is not a recording glitch but a tape fault.

Hmm. I'll have to reformat and give this recording thing a try. I don't think I really -need- Motion anyway...

You know what would probably make more sense - just getting a cheap $400 laptop or something and using that. Any recommendations?