A question about Camcorders
Apr 11th 2005, 11:58 pm
#1
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A question about Camcorders
Can anyone tell me, if I borrow a camcorder in England - it apparently takes small tapes, I think about maybe 3 inches long - can I do anything with them in Canada to watch them. I suppose someone who can convert UK VHS tapes to Canada might be able to do it. Boy - its a real pain in the neck having these different formats.
Apr 12th 2005, 8:15 am
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Re: A question about Camcorders
Originally Posted by lizwil98
Can anyone tell me, if I borrow a camcorder in England - it apparently takes small tapes, I think about maybe 3 inches long - can I do anything with them in Canada to watch them. I suppose someone who can convert UK VHS tapes to Canada might be able to do it. Boy - its a real pain in the neck having these different formats.
I assume that you situation is that you will be coming to the UK. Using someones camcorder and taking the tape back to canada?
The small tape the camcorder uses will either be an 8mm or VHS C, or a digital video tape. You would need a camcorder in canda in order to play this tape back on. If it is a digital video tape and the camcorder you borrow has the facility it is really easy to transfer the footage to a computer and then to put it on a DVD or CD to take back with you. You would then be able to play it on your computer back in Canada. However this will be dependent on the camcorder you borrow having a digital video 'out' connection and you having access to a computer with a Firewire socket and CD/DVD writer.
I am sure there will be places in Canada to take the tape to who will convert it for you. This would be your easiest option, but you obviously involve a cost.
Whether you can do it yourself all depends on what equipment you have avilable to you either in Canada or the UK.
Mark
Apr 12th 2005, 12:36 pm
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Re: A question about Camcorders
A friend sent me a MiniDV tape (MiniDV is the most common digital video type (the tape is about 3x1.5x 0.5 inches) that was done on his PAL format digital camcorder, I could view it on my NTSC camcorder OK, but could not use the video output from my NTSC camcorder to watch it on TV direct from the camcorder. I could however download the video to my PC, so I could burn a DVD to watch on my NTSC TV. So the answer is yes and no?
Apr 12th 2005, 11:07 pm
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Re: A question about Camcorders
I would guess it's a MiniDV camera too. Mine can certainly play PAL and NTSC tapes, but can't convert between them.
Unfortunately even if you put it on a DVD, not all NTSC players can play PAL DVDs so that they're viewable on NTSC TVs. I know when I've sent PAL DVDs to my girlfriend in Saskatoon she can't play them on her TV, only on her computer.
The easiest solution would be to find someone who can do the conversion for you. There is software which would allow you to capture the video into a PC, convert from PAL to NTSC and write it back out to tape or DVD, but it's a bit complex to do yourself for a one-off.
Unfortunately even if you put it on a DVD, not all NTSC players can play PAL DVDs so that they're viewable on NTSC TVs. I know when I've sent PAL DVDs to my girlfriend in Saskatoon she can't play them on her TV, only on her computer.
The easiest solution would be to find someone who can do the conversion for you. There is software which would allow you to capture the video into a PC, convert from PAL to NTSC and write it back out to tape or DVD, but it's a bit complex to do yourself for a one-off.
