I like the look of the H1 but the lack of a compatible deck concerns me. To protect my XL2 heads, I only use the camera in record mode and employ a cheap JVC camera for winding tapes and feeding my NLE. At present, it doesn't look like a similar option is available with the H1.

Okay, so I'm thinking, what if one were to buy an H1 and use the camera as a deck, and accept that at some point the transport/heads may need to be replaced.

Is it a big deal getting the tape unit replaced? What are we looking at here, $500, $1000, $2000? If my initial outlay for a camera is $9000, I'd be prepared to give the camera a heart transplant if the money involved is not prohibitive, and accept this as an operation cost.

(no, I don't want to use SDI or P2 - for me the convenience of HDV is ideal, and the image quality very acceptable.)

Hey, thanks to anyone who's had the guts ripped out of their camera and can give me an indication of the pain involved.

I drug my XL1s around the globe a couple of times and eventually had to replace the tape mechanism. It was relatively painless, it took less than a week and was actually covered under warranty. I was told it would have ran a couple hundred dollars. The heads may be a different matter, either way I would imagine Canon eventually comes out with a deck. The question is cost, you can spend $2000 over the next several yrs on maintenance, or you can spend $2000 on a deck and possibly maintenance. I'd still like to see a deck, but not the end of the world for me.

Hey Josh..

FireStore or CitiDisk might just work for you...

Michael Pappas
Arrfilms@hotmail.com
PappasArts & Arrfilms Main site

**CANON XLH1 and HVX200 frame grabs and news here:
http://www.pbase.com/Arrfilms

http://www.PappasArts.com
http://www.Myspace.com/PappasArts

With a large high speed hard drive like G-raid (writing in seven streams at the same time) you don't have wind back and forth. Simply just do a batch capture (the whole tape). FCP cuts it out in clips for you. Then get rid of the clips you dont like. //

Hey Josh..

FireStore or CitiDisk might just work for you...

Someone in another thread said they had to get a refund on there Citidisk as it was a very disappointing product in there opinion.

I haven't used one so I'm only going by there comment. I've heard good stuff about firestore though

Just thought I'd point that out.

josh, it cost me almost $400 to get the drum replaced on the xl1s... for not a whole lot more money, you could be backing up your picture data to the hard drive on the fs-4, in real time.

when you are done with the shoot, put the source tape away, and never touch it again... plug the fs-4 into the computer, copy the data over to the hdd on the computer, and edit off of that.

there have been volumes written up about the citidisk and the fs-4, check the forum... just watch out for how 4-channel audio is going to work on the hdv version of the fs-4.

Hey guys, some great responses there, lots to think about, I appreciate your input.

Thanks a lot!

According to the AJA KONA LH white papers, they say that the SONY HDV deck is compatible; $ 2800.00. Assuming that is correct, an HVR-HC1 should work; $1499.00. Or did I misunderstand the question ?

Bite my tongue. It might be that SONY decks are compatible, if captured through the component-out. I'll find out, and post