Dvd Camcorders Compared
Can you compare and contrast the ff video camcorders:?
a:) Hi-8
b:) mini-dv
c:) DVD
Please give me a good one its my homework….
a) Hi-8 is a consumer analog videotape format. The advantage of Hi-8 camcorders and decks is that they can play back older 8-millimeter tapes, and they have better quality than those older 8-mm tapes and VHS. The key disadvantage is the same as with most other analog formats – copies of the tape will not be as good as the original. In addition, Hi-8 does not use “timecode,” in which each frame has an “address” so that a computer or other editing device can find an exact frame every time. Timecode is VERY important for editing. In addition, it’s a tape format – over time, a camcorder’s tape mechanisms may become clogged.
Hi-8 holds about two hours of video at its highest quality setting.
b) MiniDV is a consumer digital tape format. Notice the fact that it’s digital rather than analog. The key advantage of digital formats is that data is recorded as a stream in a “code” of 1′s and 0′s, the same way computers handle every task we perform. Therefore, data is easily transferred to a computer for editing. This format does use timecode, which makes editing very convenient. In addition, because it’s a digital format, making copies is very easy, and the copies will be EXACTLY like the original, no matter how many times it is copied. In addition, MiniDV tape is relatively inexpensive. They can be found for under $3 in many video stores. MiniDV is known for its high quality for low cost, narrowing the gap between “consumer” and “professional” camcorders. In fact, many mid-range camcorders, some used by professionals, use MiniDV tape. Among others, these include Canon’s XL-1 and XL-2, as well as Panasonic’s AG-HVX200 (this camcorder also uses P2 cards for shooting high-definition footage). Finally, MiniDV tape can be used to record the HDV format, which is a highly-compressed high-definition video format.
In terms of disadvantages, same as for Hi-8; it’s a tape format – over time, a camcorder’s tape mechanisms may become clogged.
MiniDV tape records about one hour of footage (or 13 gigabytes of media) at its highest standard DV quality setting.
c) DVD is a consumer digital disc format. The key advantage of DVD is that it’s a disc, rather than a tape – no clogged tape mechanisms. In addition, it can be played in most DVD players. In addition, because it’s a digital format, copies are as good as the originals.
Stay with me here, this part gets a bit technical. There are some disadvantages to DVD camcorders. First of all, the video format is “MPEG-2.” This is great for saving storage space and for fitting large amounts of video onto a disc, since a standard DVD can fit only about 5 gigabytes of storage (as opposed to about 13 GB for MiniDV tape). To fit video onto the disc, MPEG-2 uses heavy “compression;” it “presses” the file, removing information, producing lower quality.
MiniDV also uses compression, but to a lesser extent than DVD (MPEG-2). In DVD compression, most frames have video information that depends on information from other frames. Therefore, in editing, when some frames are removed, other frames won’t look as good. Think of a chain-link fence in which some parts are removed. The other links still stand, but it’s not as strong.
In DV, each frame is compressed on its own. No frame depends on any other frame – each one is independent. Editing DV is more like removing parts of a picket fence; when you remove some parts, it does not affect the other parts. They still stand the same way they did before.
Finally, there are many different formats of DVD; DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM. Not all formats will play back in all DVD players.
DVD recording lengths vary depending on what video settings you choose.
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Personally, I use MiniDV. The digital format is reliable, and I edit very often, so DV’s “intra-frame” (within each frame) compression is easy to work with, as opposed to DVD’s “inter-frame” (between frames). Timecode is great when editing. Furthermore, there’s only one format of DV, so I don’t have to worry about whether it will play back in other DV camcorders and decks. If I want to compress it later for DVD, that’s easy to do.
dvd camcorder
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