G&G Electronics

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Cameras

Welcome to the G&G home video page. This page serves to help answer some of the most frequent questions regarding camera technologies.

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What is the difference between tape, hard drive, mini-DVD, and memory stick camcorders?

Tape is a linear recording media, while mini-DVD hard drives, and memory stick are non-linear. This means that in order to view a certain portion of your previously recorded material, you have to fast-forward or rewind your tape to do so, while with mini-DVD, hard drive and memory stick, you can skip directly to the portion that you want just like  a regular DVD with chapters.

Which type is right for me?

While tapes are becoming less popular, they have the advantage of generally lower prices and offer a completely uncompressed video recording.  Mini-DVDs offer the ability to record and immediately playback in most DVD players.  Hard drives offer the ability to record for long periods of time without having to change to a new tape, mini-DVD or insert a new memory stick.  Memory sticks offer a new level of portability that was unheard of before.  The memory sticks can be removed from the camera and be played back on most computers with a memory stick slot.

The bottom line on which type you should choose comes down to the level of convenience that you would be comfortable with.

Do I need a Hi-Def camcorder?

The answer to this question is a bit more difficult.  If you currently own a Hi-Def TV or are planning on purchasing one in the near future, it should definitely be a serious consideration.  The reason for this is because, if you are like most people, you will probably record and then watch your recording right away.  The next time that you watch your recording will probably be a few years later, when all new TVs will be Hi-Def.  Remember, if you record in Hi-Def, you can still downgrade to a standard definition resolution after, but you can’t upgrade a standard def to Hi-Def.