FAQs about digital camcorders?

Hi,

I'm looking to buy a digital camcorder, and need to find out more so I know
the best to get. Where is a good site/usenet group to find out stuff?

I will use it for filming general stuff like my kids, hols etc. Also I will
want to connect a remote camera (helmet cam) and microphone to use it when I
am mountain biking.
I will want to be feeding in the DV and converting it to SVCD or VCD, maybe
DVD if I get a DVD writer.
I also want to use it as a pass-thru device to feed my analogue tapes via DV
into the PC.
Ideally a small package for the biking etc.

I've only tried one D-camcorder into my PC, my mum's, and I noticed that the
resulting SVCD I made had some blocking on it. (The film was of a dog, and
the blocking was on him when he moved-but he wasn't moving that fast) I
haven't been able to check yet whether the blocking is on the original or as
a result of my processing.

Either way, this is something I need to avoid, especially on my biking
footage!

Looking at cameras for sale in my local store, I see they vary in megapixels
like still cams. Would I be correct in assuming more pixels=better ? (I
don't plan to do stills from it, thats what my Konica is for.)
I do want to get good quality video footage though.

Generally they cannot be used as a pass-thru device, you must record the
analog input onto the MiniDV tape then firewire that tape into the PC.

Just an FYI.

Cari
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.coribright.com" target="_blank">www.coribright.com</a>

"Jon" <someone RemoveThis @microsloth.com> wrote in message
news:1065439870.805120@azores.network-i.net...
 > Hi,
 >
 > I'm looking to buy a digital camcorder, and need to find out more so I
know
 > the best to get. Where is a good site/usenet group to find out stuff?
 >
 > I will use it for filming general stuff like my kids, hols etc. Also I
will
 > want to connect a remote camera (helmet cam) and microphone to use it when
I
 > am mountain biking.
 > I will want to be feeding in the DV and converting it to SVCD or VCD,
maybe
 > DVD if I get a DVD writer.
 > I also want to use it as a pass-thru device to feed my analogue tapes via
DV
 > into the PC.
 > Ideally a small package for the biking etc.
 >
 > I've only tried one D-camcorder into my PC, my mum's, and I noticed that
the
 > resulting SVCD I made had some blocking on it. (The film was of a dog, and
 > the blocking was on him when he moved-but he wasn't moving that fast) I
 > haven't been able to check yet whether the blocking is on the original or
as
 > a result of my processing.
 >
 > Either way, this is something I need to avoid, especially on my biking
 > footage!
 >
 > Looking at cameras for sale in my local store, I see they vary in
megapixels
 > like still cams. Would I be correct in assuming more pixels=better ? (I
 > don't plan to do stills from it, thats what my Konica is for.)
 > I do want to get good quality video footage though.
 >
 >
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