Video camera question for you experts out there...

[goofy4tink]

I have an older Sony Hi8 video camera. It's done a great job up until now. I tend to use it a lot for my dd's performances, so have to use it on the spotlight setting. Okay, that's been okay. But, since I got our HD Sony tv, the videos I've taken look really bad. My dad says the tapes (burned onto discs) aren't making the jump to the HD tv, so the picture looks awful. It's almost unwatchable.
So now I'm in the market for a new video camera. I don't want to spend a ton of money, I like to use it as I said, for dd's theatrical productions and such as well as family celebrations. Don't need it to take still shots or have all the bells and whistles. Just want to be able to hook the camera up to the TV or make a dvd and play it and have it be decent in quality.
Any suggestions as to what I should be looking for? I'm really not all that technologically savy, so it has to be pretty simple for me.
Thanks a lot you guys...you've always come through in the past with my luddite questions!!

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

I have an older Sony Hi8 video camera. It's done a great job up until now. I tend to use it a lot for my dd's performances, so have to use it on the spotlight setting. Okay, that's been okay. But, since I got our HD Sony tv, the videos I've taken look really bad. My dad says the tapes (burned onto discs) aren't making the jump to the HD tv, so the picture looks awful. It's almost unwatchable.
So now I'm in the market for a new video camera. I don't want to spend a ton of money, I like to use it as I said, for dd's theatrical productions and such as well as family celebrations. Don't need it to take still shots or have all the bells and whistles. Just want to be able to hook the camera up to the TV or make a dvd and play it and have it be decent in quality.
Any suggestions as to what I should be looking for? I'm really not all that technologically savy, so it has to be pretty simple for me.
Thanks a lot you guys...you've always come through in the past with my luddite questions!!

I would start by going to http://www.camcorderinfo.com/ and researching the various types of camcorders out there. I personally still like and use mini-dv format because it's reliable, cheap and it's not going anywhere any time soon. Tape is still the preferred method for professionals.
Camcorders that burn directly to DVD do not have as high a resolution. In other words, I would avoid those. Mini Dv is higher resolution.
There's a whole other thread somewhere in here from a few days ago that debates HD conversion to DVD in SD format or Blu ray, so check that out as well.
Then you need to decide if you want a CCD or CMOS camcorder. I would recommend that if you decide CCD, that you do not get one that is less than 3 CCDs because the low light performance would be beyond horrible. Trust me on this. However, if you are debating getting a 3 CCD camcorder, you could spend a little more and get a nice, brand new Canon HV30 that records in HD or SD and is great in low light. That's the one I've been eye balling! It's CMOS...
The above website also has message boards so you can ask questions of people who are really geeky about their camcorders. That can't hurt.
Good luck!

ETA: Oh yeah, if you want to check out more info about the HV30, you can go to HV20.com. They have a lot of in depth info on the HV20 and HV30.

...One more thing, anything in SD tends to look not as good on HD TVs.

 

[drcandon]

Here are a few threads for your reading pleasure..sorry forany repeats..just did a search and grab

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=26260912#post26260912&highlight=camcorder

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=26154943#post26154943&highlight=camcorder

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1870500

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1877442&page=1&highlight=camcorder

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=26064707#post26064707&highlight=camcorder

 

[goofy4tink]

Here are a few threads for your reading pleasure..sorry forany repeats..just did a search and grab

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=26260912#post26260912&highlight=camcorder

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=26154943#post26154943&highlight=camcorder

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1870500

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1877442&page=1&highlight=camcorder

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=26064707#post26064707&highlight=camcorder

Thanks for those links...they were quite helpful. So, with the knowledge that I got from them, here is my question...
I have a nice new HD TV..nice and big, making dh a happy hubby. I also have a Sony DVDirect that I have hitched up my current Sony camcorder to in order to make DVDs. I do not do any editing, or other more advanced stuff. I tape family stuff, then watch them later. But, the quality from my current Sony camcorder is close to unwatchable on the new HD TV. So....I can surmise that I need a HD camcorder, obviously. But I only need to be able to tape and then watch what I taped on the new TV..making it into a DVD would be nice, but we have an older DVD player, so not sure that's doable or even if the DVDirect can make the HD copies I need. But, I would be willing to leave the 'tape' in the camera and hitch it up to the TV if that's my only option.
So, what do I look for? And what do I ask for, without looking like a complete idiot at the store!? This shouldn't be so difficult.

 

[drcandon]

Ouch, welcome to the HD learning curve..I am not being condescending..trust me...I am just starting myself and it is a steep curve..

If you are going HD and can swing the price, buy yourself a HDD camcorder not the solid state ones...Yes, the card based ones are smaller, lighter etc, but your are constantly buying card for them. You get about an hour of best quality HD video on a 4 g FAST card and you need a fast card at least 8x. Yes, on the HD you have to dump them down, but you are going to have to dump them down eventually anyways..

No present DVD player supports AVCHD or HDV or any mpeg 4 technology that I know of..I have heard of some DVD players eventually support MKV format but not now.

So you then have a couple of choices..

1. Dump the video to a USB HD for archival storage and play that though some kind of NAS ( network attached storage) or filesharing device from your computer to the new HD TV....however you will probably loose the HD resolution...except when shared through a PS3

2. Connect a Home theater computer device ( Like the HP units) to your new HD TV and play the video that way.

3. Edit the video down to regular DVD BUT they have to played through a Version 2.0 bluray player or a PS3 with 2.x firmware loaded. The only problem is you only get about 30 min or less on a full single sided DVD

4. Edit the video (from your computer ) to a bluray writable disk and then they play back in any bluray player..bluray writers are now selling fo runder $400.00 but the disks are still pricey at about $15 and up..

None of it sounds much fun does it..

Well, prices will come down on the bluray editing now that bluray has won the war and HDDVD is officially dead...all manufacturers are now promising bluray burners etc etc for this quarter and before the big Christmas season..

All the big video editing suites now fully support AVCHD including Pinnavel, Ulead, Adobe and of course Sony...Pinnacle ultimate is now about $120.00

So what am I doing now...well I bought a Sony HDR- Sr11 - love the camcorder...recording in highest resolution..dumping down to both a portable HD (for storage and future use) and then editing with the software that came with the camcorder (free) and Pinnacle 12 to DVD and then playing back through a PS3..problem solved..I have 1080p recordings and I got to justify to DW the PS3, software and portable HD...total cost (ignoring the camcorder which I had to buy anyways) about $600.00 extra.

Yea I know...but it works..

Next steps for me - a bluray burner for Christmas and some disks and then I can put up to 5 hours of video on a BDr or BDre..

 

[goofy4tink]

Thanks...I think. All I can say is 'crap'!!!! Looks like I'm going to have to get much more technologically literate!!!