The Gigantic Mini DV Deck / Camcorder as Deck Thread

Joseph Hutson · July 12th, 2007, 08:33 PM

What is your input on the HVR-M15?

Joseph

Heath McKnight · July 12th, 2007, 10:53 PM

The HVR-M15 is less expensive than the M10 or the M25, and it's very good. I work with it all the time, though it doesn't have a small LCD like the other HDV decks from Sony.

heath

Steve Wolla · September 13th, 2007, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Moore

Guys, this thread was exactly what I needed to hear. I am going to have to get a cheap miniDV camera to deck for me. When I get a promotion or win the lottery I would love to get the dedicated deck.

Is switching from one brand of camera to another an issue. I shoot on a Sony VX2000 but I am going to deck with a Canon ZR600 (gotta good deal <$100)?

I have not had very good luck using a Canon as a deck for tapes shot on a Sony. Often times I would get all kinds of artifacting, plus I believe that this ZR series of Canons has some basic tape drive reliability issues.
Why not just use the VX2000 to dump the tape onto your HD and edit from there? This process works well for me, and may serve you well too.

Anthony Marotti · September 16th, 2007, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Alvarez

JOE

Having said that - further down the road, there are SOME formats of HDV that are brand specific. For instance Canon's 24f. No deck will play it back. You need a Canon Camera to do this.

I want to purchase a Canon H1, but this deck issue is irritating. What is Canon thinking forcing us to use a camera as a deck???

Any clue as to when someone will provide a solution?

Thanks!

AM

Heath McKnight · September 17th, 2007, 09:17 AM

The best solution is the fun, excellent, full-1920x1080 (resolution) Canon HV20, which records in 24p and can playback 24f and 30f.

heath

Steve Wolla · September 17th, 2007, 01:01 PM

Heath,
If some find the HV20 not robust enough,
couldn't you just get the HVR-M15 and for those occasions where you need to use 24f or 30f, dub from the Canon to the Sony and use the Sony from there on?
Yeah, it creates an extra tape, but the Sony deck should be better than the HV20 as a deck. Faster and more accurate shuttlling, etc.
Have not tried it yet personally, but that is the general direction that I am going in, though I don't shoot much that isn't 60i.

Anthony Marotti · September 17th, 2007, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heath McKnight

The best solution is the fun, excellent, full-1920x1080 (resolution) Canon HV20, which records in 24p and can playback 24f and 30f.

heath

That sounds great, how durable is the tape transport mechanism on this unit?

Will it stand up to the burden?

Thanks!

Ashok Mansur · December 1st, 2007, 01:15 AM

I have a Canon XL2 & would like to use it only recording, do not wish to play back on it (may be I am wrong for doing so). It may seems ridiculous but do not wish to hamper the head. To transfer the data & rerecording I prefer a VCR, which is exorbitantly priced. Can you people advice me an alternative, like using a low-end minidv cams/3ccd minidvcam or any other solutions are solicited.

Ashok

Josh Bass · December 1st, 2007, 06:53 AM

You answered your own question. A lot of people get a small, cheap, miniDV camcorder for just such a purpose. I don't edit much; right now I have one client I do some editing for, and it's really barely editing at all, and I do my own short films. So a $1500 machine is not practical. I got a Canon ZR500, it's one of the cheapest camcorders they make. I think it was around $250 or so, and it was priced like that new. You can of course, find cheaper on ebay, but those are likely well used. Since the tape heads in the cameras can't possibly be made to stand up to too much abuse, I'd think you would want to look for a new or new-ish one. Anyway, $250 is pretty dirt cheap. Before this I had a ZR80, I think, and that was purchased used for around $200. This is all, of course, assuming you are not doing too much capturing. If you have business and are capturing/shuttling tape on a daily or nearly daily basis, then I think the deck would be worth the investment.

To preempt you and answer another question I've heard a lot, no, it doesn't matter if you are capturing 24p, 30p, or 60i footage. It'll work fine in another camcorder besides the XL2.

Ashok Mansur · December 3rd, 2007, 09:54 AM

Build quality & durability of the mechanical as well as the electronics of the player/cam, Sony is better or Panasonic,since both of them make professional ENG cams. The moving parts should be better compare to Canon's.
I'm considering Sony DCR-HC28/HC38/HC48 or Panasonic NV GS60, can you help me to finalise on these selection or suggest some other.
As I told you earlier this is only to use as player & transfer the data to PC, the essential part is IEEE 1394 port for fast transfer.

Ashok

Josh Bass · December 3rd, 2007, 02:03 PM

Couldn't tell you. I went as cheap as possible, and I think someone recommended canon, actually. Like I said, I don't use it very often at all, so it should last a while despite a lack of mechanical quality. As for the electronics, as long as you have the firewire port, you're fine. If it plays miniDV tape as doesn't drop a lot of frames on capture, that's really all you need, I think.

Tengukashi Onimoto · February 14th, 2008, 08:46 PM

So let me get this straight, any DV camcorder with a tape deck and firewire and/or composite ports can be used as a recording deck? The reason I ask is that I wanted to get a portable tape deck, but they're so expensive. So I was wondering, is their any to take out the tape deck, with the firewire/composite ports still attatched, and putting them in some kind of enclosure to make a sony GV-Dxxxx kind of device? If there is a way
The link for the homebuilt camcorder idea: http://www.c-h-a-o-s.com/2007/06/12/...d-a-camcorder/

Adam Slaght · April 16th, 2008, 12:07 PM

I have a project coming up where I will need to capture from a bunch of tapes that are going to be givin to me.(many different brands)

I curretntly use a HV20 to capture my A1 footage but do not want run the risk of messing that workflow up by running a bunch of unknown tapes through the HV20.

So I am looking at getting a Sony DSR-11 for this project, here are my questions:

When using the DSR-11 will I get drop outs when using different tapes stock?

Do I need to run a cleaning tape when I switch brands of tape in the deck?

Is there a better suggestion for handling this task?

Thanks in advance,
Adam,

Ethan Cooper · April 16th, 2008, 03:44 PM

The dsr-11's I've used were freakin workhorses and we couldn't break them if we tried. Just use some common sense. If your brain is telling you to run a cleaning tape, then just do it, it'll take a whole minute of your life but if it makes you feel better then go ahead.
As a side note, was that the golden age of Sony prosumer electronics? The pd150's and dsr-11's just worked dang it. They were well built and lasted forever. At least the ones I worked with anyway. Now stuff just seems cheaper. Sorry to get sidetracked.

Adam Slaght · April 17th, 2008, 12:52 PM

Has anybody used the JVC SR-DVM600? or know anything about it.

Thanks,
Adam

July 12th, 2007, 10:53 PM	#542
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	The HVR-M15 is less expensive than the M10 or the M25, and it's very good. I work with it all the time, though it doesn't have a small LCD like the other HDV decks from Sony. heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

September 17th, 2007, 09:17 AM	#545
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	The best solution is the fun, excellent, full-1920x1080 (resolution) Canon HV20, which records in 24p and can playback 24f and 30f. heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

December 1st, 2007, 01:15 AM	#548
Ashok Mansur Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Dharwad Karnatak India Posts: 115	Alternative to Minidv VCR I have a Canon XL2 & would like to use it only recording, do not wish to play back on it (may be I am wrong for doing so). It may seems ridiculous but do not wish to hamper the head. To transfer the data & rerecording I prefer a VCR, which is exorbitantly priced. Can you people advice me an alternative, like using a low-end minidv cams/3ccd minidvcam or any other solutions are solicited. Ashok

December 1st, 2007, 06:53 AM	#549
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	You answered your own question. A lot of people get a small, cheap, miniDV camcorder for just such a purpose. I don't edit much; right now I have one client I do some editing for, and it's really barely editing at all, and I do my own short films. So a $1500 machine is not practical. I got a Canon ZR500, it's one of the cheapest camcorders they make. I think it was around $250 or so, and it was priced like that new. You can of course, find cheaper on ebay, but those are likely well used. Since the tape heads in the cameras can't possibly be made to stand up to too much abuse, I'd think you would want to look for a new or new-ish one. Anyway, $250 is pretty dirt cheap. Before this I had a ZR80, I think, and that was purchased used for around $200. This is all, of course, assuming you are not doing too much capturing. If you have business and are capturing/shuttling tape on a daily or nearly daily basis, then I think the deck would be worth the investment. To preempt you and answer another question I've heard a lot, no, it doesn't matter if you are capturing 24p, 30p, or 60i footage. It'll work fine in another camcorder besides the XL2. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

December 3rd, 2007, 09:54 AM	#550
Ashok Mansur Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Dharwad Karnatak India Posts: 115	Thanks Josh. Build quality & durability of the mechanical as well as the electronics of the player/cam, Sony is better or Panasonic,since both of them make professional ENG cams. The moving parts should be better compare to Canon's. I'm considering Sony DCR-HC28/HC38/HC48 or Panasonic NV GS60, can you help me to finalise on these selection or suggest some other. As I told you earlier this is only to use as player & transfer the data to PC, the essential part is IEEE 1394 port for fast transfer. Ashok

July 12th, 2007, 08:33 PM	#541
Joseph Hutson Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Claremore, Oklahoma Posts: 131	What is your input on the HVR-M15? Joseph

September 17th, 2007, 01:01 PM	#546
Steve Wolla Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 477	Heath, If some find the HV20 not robust enough, couldn't you just get the HVR-M15 and for those occasions where you need to use 24f or 30f, dub from the Canon to the Sony and use the Sony from there on? Yeah, it creates an extra tape, but the Sony deck should be better than the HV20 as a deck. Faster and more accurate shuttlling, etc. Have not tried it yet personally, but that is the general direction that I am going in, though I don't shoot much that isn't 60i.

December 3rd, 2007, 02:03 PM	#551
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Couldn't tell you. I went as cheap as possible, and I think someone recommended canon, actually. Like I said, I don't use it very often at all, so it should last a while despite a lack of mechanical quality. As for the electronics, as long as you have the firewire port, you're fine. If it plays miniDV tape as doesn't drop a lot of frames on capture, that's really all you need, I think. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

February 14th, 2008, 08:46 PM	#552
Tengukashi Onimoto Tourist Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: San Juan Capistrano, CA Posts: 1	So let me get this straight, any DV camcorder with a tape deck and firewire and/or composite ports can be used as a recording deck? The reason I ask is that I wanted to get a portable tape deck, but they're so expensive. So I was wondering, is their any to take out the tape deck, with the firewire/composite ports still attatched, and putting them in some kind of enclosure to make a sony GV-Dxxxx kind of device? If there is a way The link for the homebuilt camcorder idea: http://www.c-h-a-o-s.com/2007/06/12/...d-a-camcorder/

April 16th, 2008, 12:07 PM	#553
Adam Slaght Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 60	I have a project coming up where I will need to capture from a bunch of tapes that are going to be givin to me.(many different brands) I curretntly use a HV20 to capture my A1 footage but do not want run the risk of messing that workflow up by running a bunch of unknown tapes through the HV20. So I am looking at getting a Sony DSR-11 for this project, here are my questions: When using the DSR-11 will I get drop outs when using different tapes stock? Do I need to run a cleaning tape when I switch brands of tape in the deck? Is there a better suggestion for handling this task? Thanks in advance, Adam,

April 16th, 2008, 03:44 PM	#554
Ethan Cooper Trustee Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Houma, La. Posts: 1,400 Images: 5	The dsr-11's I've used were freakin workhorses and we couldn't break them if we tried. Just use some common sense. If your brain is telling you to run a cleaning tape, then just do it, it'll take a whole minute of your life but if it makes you feel better then go ahead. As a side note, was that the golden age of Sony prosumer electronics? The pd150's and dsr-11's just worked dang it. They were well built and lasted forever. At least the ones I worked with anyway. Now stuff just seems cheaper. Sorry to get sidetracked. __________________ ∅ -Ethan Cooper

April 17th, 2008, 12:52 PM	#555
Adam Slaght Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 60	Has anybody used the JVC SR-DVM600? or know anything about it. Thanks, Adam