[MacDV] Re: Sony DVD camcorders...

[Mark M. Florida]

On 6/28/04 1:46 PM, Michael Winter at winter at mac.com wrote:

> I know they use "mini DV's", but I thought the whole idea was that you
> just put the disk into your computer and copy -no slow, real time
> recording/transfer necessary. Will Mac Superdrives handle these disks?

(I think you meant "mini DVDs" -- which is TOTALLY different than the miniDV
tape format)

The problem has nothing to do with disc compatibility, but everything to do
with video format.  The discs should mount on your Mac desktop as a video
DVD, which you could play, but cannot readily import for editing (yes, there
are ways to do it, but they are just hacks).

These cameras use MPEG-2, which any serious video editor should know is NOT
AN ACQUISITION FORMAT -- IT'S A *DELIVERY* FORMAT.  Meaning that the MPEG-2
video format was only meant as a way to *watch* video that had already been
edited (you know, like commercial DVDs of your favorite movies -- those are
MPEG-2).  DV, on the other hand (which can be recorded on miniDV tapes), is
an ACQUISITION format, intended to be used for shooting and editing.

These mini DVD cameras (don't forget the last "D" there, it stands for
"Disc") offer convenience to the people who don't want to edit their videos
before making a DVD.  You can just record it and then play it on your DVD
player instantly.  That's why there's not a FireWire port -- it's not a
"standard" DV camera, in fact, it doesn't use the DV format at all.  That's
also why there's only a USB 2 port -- so it can work with whatever funky
proprietary software Sony makes you use to edit the footage shot with that
camera.

The bottom line:  STAY AWAY FROM THE MINI DVD CAMERAS (unless you don't ever
want to edit the movies you shoot).

That's my 2 cents anyway.

- Mark