Here is my predicament. I 've moved to a new state and am having to start over since I'm new in the Tampa area. I have joined a group of professional people and clientele and we all network together. The only thing I can provide this group of people is my years of TV production experience.
I have gotten them interested in a internet tv video station and now I am looking for 2 newer cameras than I have, which were Canon SD DV one chippers.
I still use a Mac G4 Dual 1.25 which is not usb 2.0 . Most of these mid $500 HD cameras that record to cards don't have a Firewire output , but a usb 2.0 and that has me really stumped. It will take forever to download the footage to the mac through my usb1.0 .
I don't see many DV tape camcorders anymore unless I throw down 2 grand for each one. But their budget isn't going to allow it, nor mine either.

I looked at those Canon VIXIA models and they are somewhat ok for what we need. I think I can get through it with those but transferring to the Mac is the big problem.
Yes I can go buy a used G5 on ebay so I have a usb 2.0 port but thats just more money that really is pushing the budget.

Don't get me wrong I would love to go to B&H and get me a JVC-250 or a Canon XL H1 which I am so use to using on shoots , and renting is not an option here either.

So I am up for some suggestions and solutions for this little road bump.

So any feed back is appreciated.

Thanks

Tony B.

Are you planning on editing in HD or just shoot HD than downconvert for the edit? I would hate to be editing HD on a G4. What version of FCP are you using?

Hi Jeremy its FCP 5.04 but I do have FCP 6 when I start to upgrade to a faster mac and HD. Actually looked at some G5's last night and there are some that I just might be able to put on my card. Yep I heard HD bogs down G4's pretty good. I really need to edit in HD just in case we get our actual cable program on tv.

Thanks
Tony B.

You will not be able to edit AVCHD on FCP 5.x, nor will you really be able to do it on a G4. Time to upgrade.

Personally, I wouldn't buy a G5, I'd buy an Intel. The G5 is already obsolete by several years, and it will not support codecs like Red's .rd3 or some of the newer flavors of ProRes that are already in use.

Look at used Canon HV20, 30, or 40. HDV and firewire out. They're on Amazon for $500 to $700.

Though I use big cameras and DSLRs for my professional work I have been able to get "decent" results from a teeny weeny cam like a sony cx100, which i used here;

http://exposureroom.com/batanes/

and this one; same cam but heavily graded.

A day in ILOCOS SUR By Ted Ramasola On ExposureRoom (http://exposureroom.com/vigan/)

If you like what you see, then the vixia cams can also produce better results than this. The sony dont use tapes but built in memory and additional memory stick if you want.

I'm just saying here, you can do great stuff with small cams if you know how to use em.

Ted

I also use high end stuff at work, but love my HV20 for at home and less pro gigs. Great picture, but a lot more work to get it right.

If you're going to be working in HD you need a new computer first. That G4 just ain't gonna cut it. And if you have any thoughts of working with AVCHD than a G5 ain't going to cut it either unless you get a capture card and transcode on the way in. But based on your comments and questions, you won't have the budget for that.

I think you're going to have to come up with about 2k to make this work.

A-Cam - Canon HF s200 ($739.00)

B-Cam - Canon HF R100 ($329.00)

and edit it on a Mac Mini ($600)



Use the monitor and keyboard from your current computer, and there you go. 2 Camera attack and editing station for under $1700.

Hi Jeremy its FCP 5.04 but I do have FCP 6 when I start to upgrade to a faster mac and HD. Actually looked at some G5's last night and there are some that I just might be able to put on my card. Yep I heard HD bogs down G4's pretty good. I really need to edit in HD just in case we get our actual cable program on tv.

Thanks
Tony B.

If you want to edit HD (especially AVCHD) on a super tight, shoe-string budget, I'd suggest considering using Edius Neo 2.5 on a PC. Changing NLEs and computer platforms may not be fun at all, but you won't find a more cost-effective solution. Edius Neo 2.5 is a surprisingly capable (and stable) low cost NLE, and edits AVCHD pretty smoothly, even on a dirt cheap, low end quad.

I seriously doubt you are going to find a cable network willing to air a regular show shot with palmcorders (HD or not). Maybe you should re-consider shooting SD (at least for now). You can get some dang nice SD cameras (used) on the cheap nowadays. I saw a JVC GY-DV300U (not as well known, but pretty comparable to a Sony PD170)) sell for just a bit over $500 on a well known auction site just a few days ago (included a shotgun mic and a WA adapter to boot).

Thanks for the replies from everyone....yes I think I'll stay with the SD right now...VX2100 really works well......now adays its to much of a risk to stick my neck out like it was 10 years ago to buy 10k cameras.... thanks for all the info and I really respect all the replies giving. I'll just have to wait a little longer.....

Tony B.

Ted that camera you have looked great....thanks for the videos...nice stuff.

Just found a good HD converter software called clean wrap and it converts HD to mov files...works really well . I had a friend send me a MTS/264 file so I could convert it and try it , but yep the G4 bogs down really bad. I heard about that Black Magic card but since I can't edit on my G 4 then I'll skip that also.

Clean Wrap will also convert HD to DV so I might go that route since this is internet tv right now. At least I can shoot with better cameras and get a cleaner video with those consumer Vixias cameras.

@Rick Presas yep seems to be the way to go, a lot friends have told me bout that new mac mini server that just came out for $750..yep that would work :)

Thanks for all the help and wisdom on trying to give me some ideas on upgrading during this economy.

Thanks guys!!

Tony B.