Mini DVD question...

MaXXimus

MaXXimus

New Member
Original Poster
I didnt want to have to go to WDW using some cheesy toss away camera so I bought me a Sony HD camcorder. Only thing is, stupid me didnt read that the thing uses mini dvd and I was thinking regular dvds... but looking at the cost for the little suckers is enough to give me an ulcer.

I looked at Sonys site and see quite a few options from -RW +RW -R +R and DL (Dual Layer) but not sure what would be the best... for some reason (probably just to make more money) they have a new DL that says its meant for HD recording but thought it best to have a look around and see if anyone on here ownes a HD camcorder and what media they use for a reference. My biggest concern is being sure I have enough dvd's for 7 days. It also can take pics so luckly I own a 2Gig memory card that will work with it.

Also, are there any places in WDW that I can have transfer my pictures from my memory stick to a dvd so I can erase and reuse it?

And one last question... do any resorts offer internet access? Figuring maybe I could bring my laptop and upload the pics to my webspace in the event of going to a retail location was with not available or too expensive.
 
dolbyman

dolbyman

Well-Known Member
I didnt want to have to go to WDW using some cheesy toss away camera so I bought me a Sony HD camcorder. Only thing is, stupid me didnt read that the thing uses mini dvd and I was thinking regular dvds... but looking at the cost for the little suckers is enough to give me an ulcer.
Click to expand...

side question ... I'm not aware of any HD (High Definition) camcorder using mini dvd's for storage :shrug: .. and if there are would be any it surely would use avchd (or smth like that) that would prevent it to be played back in any stanalone dvd player (ok those standalones wouldn't be capable of playing mpeg2HD either :confused:


Here are some infos about dvd camcorders
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/d/Reviews&level_b=Camcorder&level_c=DVD.htm
 
Mikester71

Mikester71

Well-Known Member
Hey Maxximus. We just purchased a Mini DVD camcorder this past Christmas and took it with us on our WDW trip a couple of weeks ago too. It took excellent home videos, but the main thing to watch is the time remaining on the DVD itself. Most of the little DVD discs hold 30 minutes worth of video (not really alot). My wife stocked up on a couple of 5 packs from BestBuy or somewhere like that and then we found something better; Mini DVD-R's that held 60 minutes of video. How this works is that the DVD is double-sided, thus holding 30 minutes on each side. I used them instead most of the time. The other thing to remember is to finalize the DVD when you are done recording to it so that you don't screw up or lose your data. My wife usually did this back in the room as our camcorder required it to be plugged in to finalize the disc.

There are a few places in each park that have kiosks set up to allow you to print and transfer your pics from your media card to a CD or email or whatever. Didn't pay attention to see if they transferred to DVD or not though, but I know for sure that they did to CD-Rom. Follow this link to find there locations: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/common/guestServicesDetail?id=GuestServicesCameraServicesDetailPage

Most of the resorts (if not all) have Internet service available right in your room too.

Hope all this helps. This was our first time using our new DVD camcorder and I was thouroughly impressed with the job it did. The only problem I had was human error (my own stupidity) by not realizing when I had the camcorder in record mode or standby. I learned the hard way as I wasted the first side of one of my double-sided discs by having the thing in record mode while the camcorder sat in my camera bag. All you can hear is talking and the occasional shot of the sky. Oh well, like I said, my own stupidity.

Have fun and let me know how your movies and pics turn out!
 
dolbyman

dolbyman

Well-Known Member
Mini DVD-R's that held 60 minutes of video. How this works is that the DVD is double-sided, thus holding 30 minutes on each side.
Click to expand...

so you have to turn them around after 30min right ? :shrug:
 
MaXXimus

MaXXimus

New Member
Original Poster
dolbyman said:
so you have to turn them around after 30min right ? :shrug:
Click to expand...

Yes, flip them over. And it seems your correct dolbyman... "After finalizing your discs, playback of media is available on DVD players if your footage is SD. If your footage is captured in the AVCHD format, you can use some Blu-Ray Disc players, PlayStation 3 consoles, and newer Sony PCs."

Im wondering if I should return this thing now... or just use the SD that they said would play back on standard players.

Full review on the camcorder can be found here http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/Sony-HDR-UX7-First-Impressions-Camcorder-Review.htm
 
dolbyman

dolbyman

Well-Known Member
I'd advice you to get the Canon HV20 .. for just under 1000$ you get extremely clear HD footage I am about to get that one too (I'm only focusing on hdv .. all other is just not practical,too expensive media or just inferior)

the other models (sony fx 1/7) are just too large to carry them around/ take them on rides and so

here is the full review of your cam
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/Sony-HDR-UX1-Camcorder-Review.htm



btw you can playback avchd on any modern pc out there, not just on sony's own
 
dolbyman

dolbyman

Well-Known Member
the new sony hc7 is a disapointment. the raw pixel count on the imager was raised (for taking high res still pictures) but that went baserk on low light performance.

The older sony hdv models are missing some features like mic in- /headphone output, that are very handy (and a K.O. criteria for me)


or did you mean the new sony fx7 ? (because of the prosumer status)
 
MaXXimus

MaXXimus

New Member
Original Poster
I think he did mean the fx7...

I dont understand this AVCHD, is there a way for this to be transfered to a standard dvd without loss of the HD quality?
 
MaXXimus

MaXXimus

New Member
Original Poster
dolbyman said:
when the dvd standard was set, there was no hd resolution .. so no, a standard dvd can't contain HD
Click to expand...


Ok well maybe you can answer this... I would assume the camcorder can record in a standard mode without having to use the AVCHD correct? And then be able to somehow transfer to standard dvd? I would rather lose the HD quality and be able to make copies for friends and family who can play it in a standard player.
 
dolbyman

dolbyman

Well-Known Member
you can transode avcd to mpeg2 (dvd) with your computer .. I'd save the HD masters for later use ... recording the discs in SD instead of HD is ... erm .. a waste of this camcorder ... it's like buying a ferrari but living in the USA :lol: (speedlimit) :animwink:
 
MaXXimus

MaXXimus

New Member
Original Poster
dolbyman said:
you can transode avcd to mpeg2 (dvd) with your computer .. I'd save the HD masters for later use ... recording the discs in SD instead of HD is ... erm .. a waste of this camcorder ... it's like buying a ferrari but living in the USA :lol: (speedlimit) :animwink:
Click to expand...


Whats a waste is having a cmacorder like this and not being able to easily make HD dvd's for use with the average player... so whats is a guy to do then? If I go and shoot everything in HD and my kids want a copy then what use is it to them if it cant be played on anything other then a PS3 which they dont have or a BlueRay player which nobody I even know has because of the expense.

So to me it looks liek to get the most usage out of this thing is to just shoot in SD mode for the time being and pray that sometime in the near future they make it simplier to work with and view.
 
MaXXimus

MaXXimus

New Member
Original Poster
Oh and the cost of the dvd's for HD are UGH!!! If I shoot in SD then I wont have as much of an issue with the cost... hopefully as the HD method becomes more standardized then the media for it will take a dive in cost.
 
dolbyman

dolbyman

Well-Known Member
I don't think you save space on those dvd's when shooting in MPEG2 (if possible :shrug: ) AVCHD has a much better compression (MPEG4) so if you record SD or HD the video takes the same amount of space.

but when you edit your videos with a pc program, you can add titles, remove bad scenes and so on ... save the final video in HD and if someone wants a copy give it as DVD (SD) or all other formats that allow HD content (avi,wmv,mov,etc.)
 
MaXXimus

MaXXimus

New Member
Original Poster
Ok so let me get this right... Im a noob at camcorders and have never used any software for such a thing... so if I record in HD then your saying that there is software for me to use on my pc that can make it either a standard dvd for use on most dvd players and or make HD dvd's for those who have the capability?

I would hate to go to Disney and record in HD just to come home and transfer it all to my computer to find out that I cant do anything with it. I thought I had read that there is no software that works with AVCHD.
 
dolbyman

dolbyman

Well-Known Member
I would hate to go to Disney and record in HD just to come home and transfer it all to my computer to find out that I cant do anything with it. I thought I had read that there is no software that works with AVCHD.
Click to expand...

I will try to import some avchd footage (if I find any) in my sony vegas tonight .. if this works ok I say there is software that can do it :D
and I'm pretty sure avchd capable software is right on the doorstep ;)
 

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