Can anyone give me advice on a low cost solution for a video walkman.

I want to do some simple editing on my PC without continually using my PDX10 do upload from tape. It doesn't have to be DVCAM as I use that only occasionally and can do that from the camera.

since you have a pdx-10, you should be able to play the dvcam tapes in a sony mini dv walkman. Ive been able to play dvcam tapes from my pd100, and a pd150 in my vx2000. The walkmans start I think around 1100. there was a post a few months ago where someone bought one of the sonystyle web page and they were offering int. free for a year, perhaps that deal is still good.

another thought that would probably be the lowest cost would be one that many on the board seem to use is you might buy a used single chip sony mini dv cam to use as a player.

m

That's the thing about the DV walkman... for $1,100 you get a tape deck and 2" LCD screen. For less than that you can get a tape deck, 3" LCD screen AND camera! I believe just about all the Sony cameras will play DVCAM, but not record it. Is the tape transport mechanism in the DV walkman any more robust than a 1 chip Sony camcorder would feature?

I have read that the internals such as the tape transport and tape heads are nothing more than camcroder parts housed in a VCR deck. stands to reason due to the small size.

I use a G-DV200 which is the equivalent for 8mm, Hi8 and Digital 8 and used this machine only for logging 10 hours of footage of a clients tapes.

Although payed for, I regret buying it since I' like most others usually capture entire tapes and then edit it in post on your NLE system of choice. The very low price of storage of course has made this practical IMHO.

I use and highly recommend the JVC SR-VS30U dual miniDV/SVHS deck. This deck sells for around $719 these days and has DVcam playback. I use the deck within my FCP pro3/4/Express workflow with no problems.

This deck is from JVC's professional seris and as such has beefed up transports and heads to take care of heavy use, so when I do batch capture I don't have to worry about my camera absorbing the rigors of such use.

I think the next best option (if) you are working with DVcam tapes instead of miniDV tapes is the Sony DSR11 at about $1650.

"I believe just about all the Sony cameras will play DVCAM, but not record it. "

Anybody have confirmation of this? I'd like to have a "player" so I don't have to use my PDX for that purpose, and it'd be nice to have a secondary mini-DV camera to use in conjunction with the PDX for filming hunts. If the Sony miniDV's will play DVCAM, that sounds like the ideal option.

Michael

From Adam Wilt's website (http://www.adamwilt.com/DV-tech.html) DVCAM plays back in most Sony DV VTRs excepting the DCR-VX700 and DCR-VX1000 camcorders which were designed prior to the introduction of DVCAM. With the exception of some recent (2001+) Panasonic and possibly JVC machines, DVCAM does not play back on other manufacturer's DV equipment. Check with the manufacturer to find out if your machine will play back DVCAM.

I highly recommend the trv19 as the official Shawn Mielke PDX10 and future PD170 tape deck.
:-)

Haven't tried DVCAM playback, though....