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Another camcorder question


ggrussell

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Toshiba GSCR30 Gigashot 30GB HD Digital Camcorder

Anyone have any experience or any good reviews on this one. My nephew was asking about it. I haven't really found much online.

 

I haven't seen anything on it, Gary. I took yours and ml's advice when I decided to get a camcorder and ordered a MiniDV model. I guess I would wait a few more years to get a hard drive camcorder.

 

Tell your nephew to go with the tape. :)

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Unfortunately, he is adamant about NOT using tape - no matter what I say. LOL The Toshiba has very similar features to one of the JVC's, but is quite a bit less.

 

These people don't seem to be impressed with the low light quality and a couple of other issues with the Toshiba's http://i4u.digitaltrends.com/review3630_main18158.html

 

I think that the camcorders that write to DVDs and hard drives all use compression to mpeg2 to record the video. Apparently you can adjust the bit rate for capture and that affects the amount that you can get on the hard drive.

 

To quote the article " HDD camcorders record MPEG2 video and the compression rate is much higher when compared to MiniDV. This compression really taxes the MPEG encoders/decoders which results in video noise. "

 

I'm a bit apprehensive that people think these camcorders are more indestructible because you're recording to a hard drive instead of tape. However, after trying to keep track of those tiny little tapes, I understand how you'd want a camcorder that records to a hard drive.

 

If he gets a hard drive camcorder, I hope you'll tell us how it works for him.

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To quote the article " HDD camcorders record MPEG2 video and the compression rate is much higher when compared to MiniDV. This compression really taxes the MPEG encoders/decoders which results in video noise. "
That's a rather stupid comment. Of course the compression is higher. He is comparing MPEG 2 to DV AVI!

 

But you brought up a good point - just how do these camcorders handle SHOCKs? Believe me, his family is ROUGH. :) I can just see a hard drive head crash. I still think that tape is much better archive media than burned DVDs. Once you transfer that video from the camcroder to the hard drive, then what? You can't keep it on the computer forever. Most users aren't like us who have backups for our backups. LOL

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That's a rather stupid comment. Of course the compression is higher. He is comparing MPEG 2 to DV AVI!

 

But you brought up a good point - just how do these camcorders handle SHOCKs? Believe me, his family is ROUGH. :) I can just see a hard drive head crash. I still think that tape is much better archive media than burned DVDs. Once you transfer that video from the camcroder to the hard drive, then what? You can't keep it on the computer forever. Most users aren't like us who have backups for our backups. LOL

 

I understand about video compression to mpeg2, and I know that you know about it..... but many people have no idea that there is a difference.

 

I'm also pretty rough on camcorders. For hard disk camcorders, there just isn't a lot of user feedback on durability yet. To state the obvious, they are too new.

 

Still, if the camcorder isn't that expensive and it fits his needs, Toshiba usually makes good products.

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I talked to him again this morning and he is beginning to 'see the light'. LOL His wife has some special deal at QVC for Dec-Jan. I was surprised to see that QVC doesn't list any Sony camcorders. I think the one that Bruce bought would suit his needs better.

 

ml has the same one that I am getting. I am surprised also, that QVC doesn't list any camcorders.

 

My wife must own QVC stock, because it seems that a QVC box arrives at our house almost daily. :)

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