On 1 Apr 2003 13:46:48 -0800, dashburn@ameritech.net (Daniel Ashburn) wrote:

>I'm looking at buying a new dvcam for work (looking at the Sony

>DP150). What I'm trying to find out is if there are other hardware

>options that would allow me to dump directly from the camera to a hard

>disk or similar device via firewire or whatever.

>

>Here's the problem, we use the camera to record meetings and then dump

>them to a Windows media server for the people that can't attend the

>meeting. Most meetings are less then 90 minutes but not always and

>the DP150 only works in SP or DV mode so that's 40 or 60 minutes.

>What I want to happen is the video records directly to an external

>source live, not to tape at all. Then I'm only limited by the drive

>size. I don't sit in on these meetings so changing the tape is not

>really an option.

>

>If anyone has a suggestion to make this happen or a better option I

>would really appreciate it. Also, is there a general term for this so

>I can keep researching?

There are propriatary HDs designed to FireWire-connect

directly to a camcorder - and you could also record to

a notebook or desktop PC with NTFS-formatted drives

(and likely to a Mac, also). You could get the cheaper

VX2000 and use 80-minute tapes in LP-mode (2-hour total),

adding an XLR-adapter, if needed. You could buy a DSR-250

(similar to VX2000 and PD150, but takes a 3-hour DVCam

tape). You could FireWire-connect a cheap Mini-DV camcorder

for use as the deck (2-hours record time in LP-mode with

80-minute tapes), and this can also provide a "remote" VF

(with longish FireWire cord). You could get a cheap D8

camcorder and use 90-minute tapes in LP-mode for 2:15

of record time...