[Sarah Hall]

Ok, so I may seem just TOTALLY stupid, but here's my problem:
My computer (Compaq Presari SR1950NX w/ Windows Media Center 2005) will not play my mini dvds! It has a dvd drive, and plays regular-sized dvds with no problem, however I consistantly have trouble playing mini dvds from my camcorder! I try to open the drive to see if it even detects the disk, but the drive folder remains blank.
Does anyone know if these small disks can even be played on a computer? Or do I have to purchase a special cord (USB or whatever) to be able to play it? Can I retrieve the files to upload to my computer?
Thanks for any help you can give me!

 

[Mike Schoonbrood]

You need to finalize the disc on the camcorder.

 

[Sarah Hall]

How do you do that?
Like I said, I'm not quiet that smart...lol

 

[Mike Schoonbrood]

Depends on the camcorder, I don't own one so I can't guide you thru it, read the instructions.

 

[susan tuck]

As long as the subject has been raised, I'm asking my bf for a camcorder for my birthday. I need something easy to use, because I am electronically challenged. I don't want to get a high end one because I'm clumsy & tend to drop things. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks!

 

[Sarah Hall]

Nevermind, I figured out how to finalize.

 

[Connie Sutherland]

Here's a pretty good site:
http://www.consumersearch.com/www/photo_and_video/digital-camcorders/index.html

QUOTE:
• Panasonic PV-GS19
(*est. $350)
Best budget mini DV camcorder.
This is one of the cheapest miniDV digital camcorders you can buy, and reviewers say the Panasonic outclasses similarly priced camcorders from Sony and JVC. It performs much better in low light than its budget competition. Included are a handful of manual controls. Although reviews say the Panasonic camcorder's menus can be a bit clunky, this is the best cheap digital camcorder you'll find, with better features and performance than its competitors. END QUOTE

Here's another one:
http://www.videomaker.com/scripts/index.cfm
Scroll to "Camcorder Reviews" on the left.

 

[susan tuck]

Thanks Connie! I want it just for taking moving pictures of Arkane so I can put them on the message board like other people do, but I sure don't want to spend $1,000 on it. That Panasonic PVGS19 might be just right for me. I can see I need to do a lot of research, I don't know a mini dvd (or anything else about them) from a hole in the ground! :roll:

 

[Mike Schoonbrood]

IMO the problem with DV is the time it takes to capture it from the camcorder to the PC, unless something's changed in recent technology, you literally need to play the DV like you would if you were watching it while the computer captures it, I don't have patience for that. The ones that record direct to mini DVD's are nice because you just stick the DVD in and use software like Adobe Premiere Elements to rip the disc to the computer.

Personally I just use a digital photo camera that records video in 640x480 at 30fps (frames per second), plenty of quality there, especially if all you want to do is share video online.

 

[Woody Taylor]

As long as the subject has been raised, I'm asking my bf for a camcorder for my birthday. I need something easy to use, because I am electronically challenged. I don't want to get a high end one because I'm clumsy & tend to drop things. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks!

I am clumsy as well. Really clumsy. I've just started multiplying the actual price of any gadget by x2 or x3 to give me an idea of Total Cost of Ownership.

Here's Consumer Reports' top ten...

Canon Elura 85, Elura 80 $325 $465 MiniDV
Canon DC40 $770 DVD-R/RW
Hitachi Ultravision DZGX20A $570 DVD-RAM, DVD-R
Panasonic VDR-M75 $600 DVD-RAM, DVD-R
Canon ZR200 ZR300 $310 $315 MiniDV
Sony DCR-DVD92 $500 DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW
Sony DCR-HC90 $630 MiniDV
Canon Optura 50 $445 MiniDV
Hitachi UltraVision DZGX3200A $585 DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW
Sony DCR-HC96 $640 MiniDV

I don't have any of these, I don't think...some old Sony (3 years! Ancient!) which is still quite nice but I never use it. It has a touch screen, those are quite swell.

My humble opinion is that Canon makes about the most usable and robust products around. Sony stuff is always cool but always a bit Japanese in complexity...Canon dumbs it down for the Americans, just as God willed it.

I'd check out the Elura line if I wuz you, Greater Tuna.

 

[susan tuck]

Thanks for the advise!