One hour continuous recording time is not enough for many live shootings. I know I can get a clip-on hard drive friewire recorder, but $2000 for a 80gb, half the money of my A1??? Do you guys know any cheaper hard drive recorder? I am fine with used ones, anything under $600? Thanks

Sounds like you're in the market for one of these:

HVR-MRC1K | B&H Photo Video (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?ci=0&shs=HVR-MRC1K&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=jsp%2FRootPage.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t)

That's the closest I know of to your $600 (used) price point.
Of course, this is new.

If you do a search on this website you will find a lot of discussion about this unit.
If you want a look at the manual for this unit, go here:

Sony Product Detail Page - HVRMRC1K (http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-broadcastcameras/cat-hdv/product-HVRMRC1K/)

and click on the 'Downloads' tab.

Thanks so much... But this unit takes up to 16 GB flash card, still cant do 4-5 hour continuous shooting without reloading the card. So I think HDD 80GB+ would be ideal. Unfortunately its just beyond my affordability....

Why not capture to a laptop Pc if you are going to be static, I often capture to a pc for over 10 hrs continuous ( well nearly continuous )
My cheap tower unit is great for this.

This seems like an intriguing solution. With laptop prices as low as they are, it seems a basic laptop that could do this (if you didn't need to be moving around) could be had to do this for less than the on-cam recorders.

But also check out the Firestores, which I think can be had for around $750.

Edit: The one I was thinking of has been discontinued; here's its replacement, about $900:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/612325-REG/Focus_Enhancements_ASYF_1345_01LF_FS_4_HD_Portable_DTE.html

well, not all shooting conditions are ideal, sometimes can't even find an AC plug like an open field, and sometimes nowhere to place a computer like a small theater..... a 4-5 hour battery powered clip-on drive is always my first choice... so i'll just keep searching for an affordable used one.... If you happened to see one under $600 please let me know....thanks

Hi Juni,

May I ask what you're taping that lasts so long ??

Do you need to record in HD, or would SD be good enough ??

How often do you record without AC available ?

Harold

I must admit I haven't shot anything which doesn't have natural breaks or speakers padding things out with verbage that can hit the cutting room floor without any problem.

The only event that can I think which has that truly has point by point significance over long sustained periods would be a court case. The rest tend to be things that get recorded, but are never seen again in their totality. People may want every moment through the day continuously recorded, but do they ever watch the material all the way through?

Look at the Firestores on the Videoguys website. I already deleted the email but they had some refurbished models that might be just the thing for you.

Here's a refurbished Citidisk 80 GB drive for $649.00:
ProCon | CitiDISK HD External Video Capture Device | CDHD80 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/548346-DEMO/ProCon_CDHD80_CitiDISK_HD_External_Video.html#specifications)

I haven't used these, but I know I've read other people have.

There are other Citidisk products at B&H:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?ci=0&shs=citidisk&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=jsp%2Fproductlist.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t

Hi Juni,

May I ask what you're taping that lasts so long ??

Do you need to record in HD, or would SD be good enough ??

How often do you record without AC available ?

Harold

It may not be too long, but longer than the one hour tape, sometimes its continuous like speech. Sometimes I get AC sometimes don't. Like last time I shot a show, I told the storyteller to pause for 10 sec in the middle so I could reload the tape, but he forgot, it wasn't totally my fault, but feel like very unprofessional.

Here's a refurbished Citidisk 80 GB drive for $649.00:
ProCon | CitiDISK HD External Video Capture Device | CDHD80 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/548346-DEMO/ProCon_CDHD80_CitiDISK_HD_External_Video.html#specifications)

I haven't used these, but I know I've read other people have.

There are other Citidisk products at B&H:
citidisk | B&H Photo Video (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?ci=0&shs=citidisk&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=jsp%2Fproductlist.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t)
Thanks a lot, this refurbished one looks interesting......

Hi Juni,

I've done all-day shoots, so lots of ways to set up for them.

Sounds like you can get buy either using the longer tapes, or by using the Cam's slower recording speed. I've done both, with excellent results.

For the longer tapes, I use the Panasonic DVC Professional ME - DVM80's. (AY-DVM80XJ )

Gives 80 mins at SP, and 120 mins at LP.

Harold

Thanks so much... But this unit takes up to 16 GB flash card, still cant do 4-5 hour continuous shooting...

One of the reviewers mentioned using this with a 32GB card. Just an FYI.

JS

Hi Juni,

I've done all-day shoots, so lots of ways to set up for them.

Sounds like you can get buy either using the longer tapes, or by using the Cam's slower recording speed. I've done both, with excellent results.

For the longer tapes, I use the Panasonic DVC Professional ME - DVM80's. (AY-DVM80XJ )

Gives 80 mins at SP, and 120 mins at LP.

Harold

Harold,

I heard that any DV tape longer than 60 min is not stable, especially for HDV shooting, more dropouts, have you experienced that?

Hi Zuni,

I've been using Xtra long tapes since they came on the market for VHS and SVHS, and since the D-8 & DV's came out. I've never had an issue. For the "once only" Shots, I always use a new tape. In reality, due to the slower speed &/or the thiner tape stock, you do have a higer risk of dropouts, I've just never had it happen to me, but certainly others have not been so lucky. I don't use it often, but some times changing a tape just doesn't work for the shoot.

If you use a slower record speed, you must play back the tape in the Cam it was recorded in - to maximize the playback, as sometimes the slower speeds won't play back on other machines. Also, as the Cam or deck wears, the playback at slower speeds will likely become impaired. So if you use the slower speed to record, make your backups ASAP to HDD's and to Normal Speed tapes.

The other option I use is to plug my Cam into a HDD/DVR and record to it's HDD - but this is only in SD, not HD. Currently, that cover's most needs, as HD burning is not yet so cost effective or needed, Yet.

I use two Panasonic, and three Phillips DVR/HDD units. I use a Sony SD TRV950 and a Canon HD HV30 for my Cams. I can put up to 30 hrs of HQ SD on each Phillips Unit.

When I need to add titles, transitions and do all sorts of editing stuff, I use one of two Edit bays, one tweaked for SD, one for HD. I use Vegas Movie Studio 9 Platinum Pro Pac as my editing software on both. I came from Pinnacle Studio 9.4

Harold