Is a Mini DVD Camcorder the Best Choice for Easy Home Video Playback?

[jrstephens]

Anyone have any suggestions? I am thinking of telling my husband I want one for Christmas. We have one of those camcorders that plays the really small tapes and the only way to put it on the tv is to hook it up to the tv with the cord, there is nothing to just put them in and play in the vcr like others. And I do not want to to have to go through a lot of trouble to record them to something else all the time.

I do not know what features to look for. What I need, what I don't need. What they use to make it look good when it does not matter. Things like that.

Thanks!

 

[finley1991]

OMG! I have the FLIP camera and it is AWESOME!!!! No tapes needed! I have the 60 minute one and LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!

 

[finley1991]

Here's the website: http://www.theflip.com/

And now they have COOL colors!!!!! Darn -- when I got it, it only came in white! LOVE the orange one!

 

[finley1991]

AND my mom just told me that Oprah just gave everyone in her audience today the Flip video camera!

PS: Can you tell I LOVE it?

 

[pcchris]

I have a Sony Handycam with the flip out screen............it's a mini dvd recorder...I just love it. However, I'm sure that's WAY outdated by now...I got it 2 years ago for Christmas.

I've never heard of the Flip video camera...I have to check that out...

 

[Spatch]

My hubby has been looking for camcorders for Christmas. He really wants one that just has a digital hard drive. There are no dvd, tapes or anything. You just download it to your computer if you want and then record it onto a dvd or send it via e-mail or whatever you want to do.

 

[Gina M]

I have a Sony Handycam with the flip out screen............it's a mini dvd recorder...I just love it. However, I'm sure that's WAY outdated by now...I got it 2 years ago for Christmas.

I've never heard of the Flip video camera...I have to check that out...

I've got the Sony Handycam also and absolutely love it! I like the fact you can pop the mini DVD in your DVD player and see it immediately. I used to have the big ancient - giant tape camcorder and we've used our smaller one more in the last 2 1/2 years than we did with the other one in 10 years. I highly recommend it!

 

[pregochef]

I have a Panasonic DVD camcorder (it was about $340). This was the only DVD camcorder that Consumer reports recommended. We bought it & I love it!

Best Buy has it on sale for $320 this week.

 

[JAE]

I just sent my husband the link to Best Buy with the Flip Camera. Most of them cost $179.99, but there was one for around $120. I didn't look into the features of the cheaper one. I saw Oprah yesterday and that's what prompted me to look. I was surprised at the low price. 11 years ago when we bought a video camera, it cost $300! It still works great and my DH has a converter on his computer so we can turn the videos into DVD's but who wants to lug that thing around.

 

[finley1991]

The FLIP Video is awesome. No discs... records on the digital hard drive. Then you download to your computer or plug it right into your tv.

I have the older version that came out last spring. Looks like the newer one (colors) has some more features. The video quality is amazing and it's so much fun and little! It's about the same size as my digital camera.

When I was in NYC in the spring I took it to my newphew's school play and it was great to have something so small! Everyone else had these larger clunky camcorders.

I'm sure they are going to be a great hit for the holidays... especially now that Oprah has endorsed it!

 

[JAE]

Yes, now that Oprah endorsed that recorder, you may have trouble getting one!

 

[jrstephens]

Keep your suggestions coming. Does anyone know what specification I should look for?

I want one that records to mini-DVDs so I can pop it right in. I do not want to have to upload and put it on something else.

I love your enthusiasm Colleen about the flip one. It reminds me of my enthusiasm about my Kodak Digital Camera that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.

My and my husband usually do not spend no more than $250.00.

 

[finley1991]

I want one that records to mini-DVDs so I can pop it right in. I do not want to have to upload and put it on something else.

Jen - it does come with cables so you can hook it right up to the tv without uploading it to the computer.

My 5-year-old nephew comes over every week and wants to see himself on TV so we just record him and plug it in. He loves it and then I don't waste the tape or dvd on something I'm only going to watch once.