Mini DV decks below $1000.00? Where are they?

[William N Zarvis]

Didn't Sony make a small, yet functional dv-deck(the one without an LCD screen) for less than $1000.00? Do you guys know of any dv deck that would be good for simply capturing and playback on a computer that is in the price range of $1000.00 or less.

You would think that making a simple mini-dv player/deck wouldn't be as exspensive as those other complex beasts are! It's just a miniture VCR with some extra features for crying out loud! You can buy handy cams that do the same basic things as these pricey decks for 1/5 the cost. (I know, I know... I should by a handycam then and quit my bitching.)

Also, if one wishes to capture and edit in HD does one need a deck that is designed for HD or will the stadard mini-dv decks on the market now do the trick?

Thanks for the help guys.

[Duane Smith]

Here's one that I've used before:

http://tinyurl.com/9oa33

That's the Sony GVD-1000 which runs $999.95 and it DOES have a screen. I don't know for sure, but think I recall hearing that SONY quit making the DV model without the screen...only the Digital 8 version remains without a screen.

Personally, I didn't care for the GVD-1000 and it didn't hold up well to extended use; I ended up getting rid of it once it became problmatic. The only good thing I can say about that unit is that it read/understood my 16:9 DVCAM tapes from my PDX10...but then again, so will mostt cheapie SONY handycams.

I'm now thinking about buying one of the new Sony HVR-M15 HDV/DVCAM VTRs when they hit the street the summer, mainly because I'm shooting in both HDV and DVCAM with SONY cams right now, so it would serve my current and future needs (assuming I stick with SONY 1080i cams, which I see no reason not to for my purposes).

Of course the M15 is over 2.5 times beyond your $1000 budget, but it does HDV, whereas the cheap $1000 won't.

But personally, I don't see any benefit to the GVD-1000 deck over a cheapie Handycam; same consumer-grade tape transport, same dinky LCD screen, same results.

[William N Zarvis]

Thanks for the information Duane. I appreciate the advice. Hopefully some company will recognize that there is a market for cheaper mini-dv decks (that do HDV as well).

[Tip McPartland]

At the following URL you can get the deck described below for $809.

http://www.chumbo.com/info.aspx?id=2...=10-19558655-2

The HR-DVS3U is a unique all-in-one video solution combining miniDV and Super Hi-Fi Stereo in one VCR. . Enjoy high quality and creative convenience with this double-deck featuring easy playback of Mini DV, automatic editing from Mini DV to Super VHS/VHS, and extensive connectivity with Non-Linear Editing systems

Features:
• Mini DV format & high-resolution Super-VHS & VHS
• Super-VHS ET recording
• Pro-Cision 19 micron width EP heads
• DigiPure technology with TBC & 2 MB frame memory
• PCM digital audio & hi-fi VHS stereo with MTS decoder
• VCR Plus+ with "Cable Eye" cable box controller
• Advanced jog dial on VCR
• Jog/Shuttle on remote
• Insert editing with flying erase head
• Audio dubbing
• DA4 (Double Azimuth) head helical scan system
• Auto index & index search
• Digital A V tracking
• Plug & play
• Auto SPEP timer recording
• Active video calibration
• Express programming
• Multi-brand TV/DBS-compatible remote with Jog/Shuttle
• S-video input on front/back panel
• 2 S-video outputs on back panel
• Rear A/V inputs, gold-plated front inputs
• 2 A/V outputs
• 181-channel tuner
• 1-year/12-event timer
• Multi-lingual, color, on-screen menu
• 1-touch dubbing (DV to S-VHS/VHS)

[Pat Sherman]

Just a quick note on that JVC deck. I have one and well there is quite a debate over the IC Error correcting chip for the firewire port.

Now while this presents a white dot artifacting specifically while capturing with a Matrox RT.X10 or RT.X100. JVC claims they can fix it by sending the deck in and putting a panasonic chip replacement in it? GO figure..

I bought a Sony DSR-11 deck. It's not below $1000 but you can usually pick it up for $1440-$1700 most places. It's a great deck and I have since never used the JVC for F/W functions.

Just my own experience with the deck. The SVHS works great though.

[Don DesJardin]

I bought a Panasonic AG-DV1000 deck 2 years ago for around $1,100 from a camera store in Los Angeles. I have never had any problems with it. If you look around on the Internet, including Ebay, you can probably pick one up new for under $1,000. I would stay away from these JVC combo decks, as most of them advertised on the Internet are refurbished factory returns.

[Saturnin Kondratiew]

wow, come on guys. Why dont u just buy a mini dv camera at circuit city for 500bux, and use that as your capture deck and action camera! Problem solved.