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miniDV playback deck?
i need a mini DV deck that i will use for playback only. only a couple hours use per week. just something to dump raw footage into my editing system. after all these years, i’m surprised that the best price i can find is the JCV miniDV/SVHS deck for $700.00.
anyone know any other options?? hate to sink that much $$ into something that won’t be used much. i’ve considered buying an inexpensive miniDV camera to use as my playback deck but i don’t think they’re built for that kind of use, even in small doses.
thanks!
js
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3 Replies
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[David Rowan] “Get a used Mini DV camera from a pawn shop and just use it for your firewire deck. When it wears out just get another one.”
DITTO.
I have several used home video-type camcorders that I have bought for under $125 each (that’s a pretty good price!)
They work with the same quality as a deck.
And, I have yet to “wear one out” 😉If you buy a Panasonic or Sony brand home video camcorder, they will ALSO play DVCAM-recorded tapes perfectly.
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A note on capturing from a cheap deck/camera: If you plan to batch capture tapes, make sure the MiniDV “deck” you plan to purchase has multiple playback speeds going forward and reverse. I’ve regrettably purchased a $200 Samsung MiniDV camcorder, and it only had one speed going both ways. My NLE (Final Cut Pro) was always going past the logged in/out points of my clips.
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Cheap cameras are going to be a better buy than cheap decks because they sell like 10000 times more cameras than decks. I heard that the small sony decks use camera tape mechanisms anyway.
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