I'm wondering if anyone could help me. I'm wanting to record live multi camera shows from a Datavideo SE 500 vision mixer into a small card /hard disc based camera as a backup to my DVD/Hard disc recorder that I usually use.

I'm having trouble finding a camera that has AV in as well as headphone socket so I can monitor sound. I realise this will be in standard definition but thats ok as the final product is on DVD anyway.

The reason I'm wanting to use a card based camera is because often the concerts I record go longer than 1 hour. If they were shorter than that I'd use one of my older Sony tape based cameras as a recording deck.

I guess I'm looking for a low priced and compact solution that is easy and flexible to operate as well as giving me the option of using it as a regular video camera.

Any suggestions
Richard

Older camcorders had the option of recording from analog sources, but the newer ones don't have it, at least not the inexpensive ones.

The easiest and highest quality option would be to purchase an analog to digital converter and recording via firewire using any cheap laptop directly into the DV-AVI format, the one you will be editing so there will be no more conversion (you loose quality with every conversion).

Check out the A to D Converters (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/A-to-D-Converters/ci/6240/N/4294545682) at B&H.

Could you not use an 83 minute tape which will give you....well, er, 83 minutes recording!

Peter