(off topic) vcr player in xl1s matter? at DVinfo.net

Edwin Quan · May 23rd, 2003, 12:42 PM

here's a question that i'm sure will seem silly. it involves the vcr player built into the xl1s. basically, what i'm trying to find out is:

1 - does usage of the vcr player (play, record, etc) affect the overall functionality of the camcorder? will excessive vcr usage hurt the xl1s?

2 - is there a difference in recording quality of the vcr in an xl1s compared to that of a much lower end camcorder?

i ask because, i tend to dump a lot of finished edits back onto dv tape. and since i don't have a dv deck, i use my xl1s to record. i also use my xl1s to play footage when i log and capture. and i was wondering if it's a good investment to spend a few hundred dollars on a low-end dv camcorder, solely for the purpose of playback and recording. thanks!

Ken Tanaka · May 23rd, 2003, 01:47 PM

1. Like any mechanical device, it will wear with usage. The same transport is used for playing tape as well as recording it.

2. No. Since footage is coming into the camera via Firewire, rather than through the lens and imaging system, there's not advantage or disadvantage between models, per se. The only issue that comes to mind would be potential minute differences in transport speed between cameras. But I would think that you'd see such a problem pretty quickly in the form of image break-up.

Don Palomaki · May 24th, 2003, 07:51 AM

To add to Ken's note, head wear is the same whether recording or playback. Using the XL1 for a player adds head wear. If you playback a lot (many hours per week), it may be worth using a lower cost player to save wear on the more costly XL1.

Nathan Gifford · May 24th, 2003, 12:36 PM

There have been many suggestions to get a cheap miniDV cam to perform this VCR function. The are a few caveats to this:

1 - Its not a production deck. A real production deck is built beefier and has other profe$$ional features.

2 - Some miniDV cams do not support 4-track audio. If you do not use Canon 4-track, then this should not be a issue. Optionally, when you output your production, you can still use the cheaper miniDV cam.

Hope this helps,

May 23rd, 2003, 12:42 PM	#1
Edwin Quan Regular Crew Join Date: May 2003 Location: United States Posts: 38	(off topic) vcr player in xl1s matter? here's a question that i'm sure will seem silly. it involves the vcr player built into the xl1s. basically, what i'm trying to find out is: 1 - does usage of the vcr player (play, record, etc) affect the overall functionality of the camcorder? will excessive vcr usage hurt the xl1s? 2 - is there a difference in recording quality of the vcr in an xl1s compared to that of a much lower end camcorder? i ask because, i tend to dump a lot of finished edits back onto dv tape. and since i don't have a dv deck, i use my xl1s to record. i also use my xl1s to play footage when i log and capture. and i was wondering if it's a good investment to spend a few hundred dollars on a low-end dv camcorder, solely for the purpose of playback and recording. thanks!

May 23rd, 2003, 01:47 PM	#2
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	1. Like any mechanical device, it will wear with usage. The same transport is used for playing tape as well as recording it. 2. No. Since footage is coming into the camera via Firewire, rather than through the lens and imaging system, there's not advantage or disadvantage between models, per se. The only issue that comes to mind would be potential minute differences in transport speed between cameras. But I would think that you'd see such a problem pretty quickly in the form of image break-up. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

May 24th, 2003, 07:51 AM	#3
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,489	To add to Ken's note, head wear is the same whether recording or playback. Using the XL1 for a player adds head wear. If you playback a lot (many hours per week), it may be worth using a lower cost player to save wear on the more costly XL1. __________________ dpalomaki@dspalomaki.com

May 24th, 2003, 12:36 PM	#4
Nathan Gifford Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Tickfaw, LA Posts: 1,217	There have been many suggestions to get a cheap miniDV cam to perform this VCR function. The are a few caveats to this: 1 - Its not a production deck. A real production deck is built beefier and has other profe$$ional features. 2 - Some miniDV cams do not support 4-track audio. If you do not use Canon 4-track, then this should not be a issue. Optionally, when you output your production, you can still use the cheaper miniDV cam. Hope this helps, __________________ Nathan Gifford Southern Cyclist Magazine & Productions For quick answers try our Search! To see me and Rob Lohman click here