Originally Posted by
dingo
I bought a video camera just about 18 months ago; apparently right when I shouldn't have since I got one that is a tape unit as opposed to DVD unit.
DVD camcorders have poor video quality. You did fine getting the miniDV unit.
So now I have several of those mini tapes that I'd like to get on to a DVD or something a bit more useable on a long term basis. I'd also like to learn more about the newer DVD units so I can buy a replacement for my 18 month old money sink.
As I said, unless video quality means little to you, you don't want a DVD unit. Within the next few years, some version of consumer high-definition will be the standard, anyway. I'd wait for that.
Can anyone suggest a good forum that deals more with this sort of topic where I can learn how to get movies off the mini tapes and on to DVD's and learn more about new cameras?
Well, you can start right here:
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=380543
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=431216
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=555381
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=604898
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=621122
If all you want to do is transfer, directly, your miniDV tapes to DVD, get a stand-alone DVD player/recorder. They're relatively cheap, very easy to use (connect the audio and video out of the camcorder to the audio and video in of the recorder, drop in a DVD, hit record on the DVD recorder and play on the camecorder). I believe there may be some that allow for digital transfers using the 1394 port -- that will give you the best video quality, though not as good as you'd be able to get going through the process outlined in the threads I've posted above.