Got it
 

Hi Nick, thank you for the clarification, i suddenly had doubts about my knowledge of binary data transfer through firewire.... he he...

Thanks to all of you...

Stefan

Got it
 

Hi Nick, thank you for the clarification, i suddenly had doubts about my knowledge of binary data transfer through firewire.... he he...

Thanks to all of you...

Stefan

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but the idea of capturing the footage from the dvx with a cheaper camera seems very risky. I always was told that a system is only as good as its weakest link. I can't help but think the quality of the heads on the dvx are far superior to the heads on a $400.00 camera. Wouldn't the signal to noise ratio be worse, and wouldn't you have the higher possibility of drop outs from different head alignment? It seems to me that the heads you recorded on would be the best heads to capture on also. I know that of course head wear will be an issue, but really, if I'm busy enough to wear out the heads in the course of 3 or 4 years, I'd think buying a new camera would certainly be in the budget. Are there any other reasons for this? I have an old original Canon Optura, which still works remarkably well, and i'd be able to capture on it, but I can't help but think i'd be losing something in the translation. Any thoughts?

I use a Canon ZR80 (almost bottom of the line consumer miniDV cam) I got off ebay for around $200. It hath not done me wrong yet.

Kevin, the only thing the tape system does when playing back a tape is read the data already on it. While professional cameras usually have more robust tape mechanisms, the way they read/write data is pretty much the same. It's still better to use a cheaper camera for capture to preserve those heads because they'll cost you more to repair and in some cases, a camera is cheaper.
If you do heavy work on a regular basis, buying a deck is the best route because while initially more expensive, it has more room in it for an even more robust tape system which makes it a lot more durable and reliable.

Not a signal to noise ratio issue
 

Its not a signal to noise ratio issue. It is a question whether the cheap camera can read and transfer the ones and zeros on the tape to the computer for editing, and most DV camera are pretty standard in that respect.