DVD Camcorders

For years you've been diligently recording birthdays, graduations, family reunions, first steps, and special moments. When was the last time you actually sat down and watched them? Chances are those old VHS, Mini DV, or Hi8 tapes are collecting dust because you can't just pop them into your new DVD player and watch them. The DVD camcorder now lets you record your home videos right on to DVD!

That's right! Our experts say they work just like your old camcorder, but you don't put in a tape, you drop a DVD RAM or a DVD-R disc in instead.

Al Griffin with Sound and Vision Magazine and Sean Wargo with the Consumers Electronics Association give you the high-tech buzz on DVD camcorders.

Going DVD

Why not record all your videos on to DVD? Wargo says making the switch to DVD will simplify your home movie collection. You won't have to worry about your Hollywood movies being on one format and your home videos being on another. Plus, he adds you're getting the extra benefits of DVD. "You have a format that is long lasting... you can easily skip around to the various content on the disk," says Wargo.

How many times have you had to hunt around your house looking for the adaptor that allows you to watch your Hi8 or Mini DV tapes with your VCR? Well, Griffin says those days are over. Just pop the DVD disc out of your camcorder, put it into your DVD player and press play.

DVD Hookup

Griffin says you can even hook the camera up to your computer and watch your videos. "They use a connection called USB 2.0," he says. This USB connection is new, and most new PCs have them. If your PC doesn't, Griffin says you're not out of luck. The connection is backward compatible with USB 1.1 that's found on many PC's.

Another added benefit, Griffin says some of the cameras come with the USB cable needed. Just check the package for details.
Did You Know?

If you love the convenience of the DVD camcorder, Griffin reminds us that you can use most to take digital still pictures, too. He says the pictures are, "great for emailing... or doing a small print out like a 4x6."

Which disc is which?

Although you can play DVD camcorder discs in most DVD players, they aren't the same as the entertainment DVDs that you buy or rent. Griffin says that they're a little bit smaller in size, and you have two choices in the type of discs you can use. "One is called a DVD RAM disc. The other is a DVD R," he says.

The discs cost about $15 each and give you about an hour of recording time, so what is the difference? You can only record on DVD R's once, but DVD RAM discs let you record over and over again.

Price Points

Let's talk money. Wargo says while tape based camcorders come in for as little as $300, "DVD camcorders are going to come in... at around a thousand [dollars]." However, he does expect prices to drop by as much as 50 percent in the next 5 years.

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