we are new to this and are looking for advice on what hardware/software we should use to create a short documentary on the band BOBAFLEX for current tv. Any advice from the more experienced would be greatly appreciated. we'll be using a sony handycam for all footage and would like to make it as professional as possible, like layering a track from the album behind an interview,things like that. ps this site rocks!!! model:dcr-dvd 92

If you want to put video on tv then I wouldn't use a dvd camcorder, they simply don't have the picture quality. Try and get a mini dv camcorder instead, if you can get one with 3ccd then even better. Also, mini dvd camcorder footage is a b*****d to edit and more than likely a tv station won't take that format from you. What you want is the best picture quality, a camcorder that will allow you to transfer footage from it to the computer with no hassle and a video format that is easy to edit.

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thanks for the help

I agree with Nikosony re video quality. Your camcorder writes video to your minidisc as mpeg quality.

I disagree that mpeg is difficult to edit - once captured to HDD on your PC you can open it in an editing program timeline and slice and dice and render it as easily as any other video files.

However trying to make something for broadcast tv is something you just can't do starting with mpeg quality. You really can't go there with miniDV quality.

There is a big step between consumer formats and broadcast quality. Call a tv station and find a viewer friendly production engineer or visit a professional post production facility.

Way back in another place a long, long time ago I shot weddings using 3/4 in tape and 3CCD 750 line cameras and that was just industrial quality. TV guys would use that stuff sometimes for remote news shooting but NOT in the studio.

However, if you are planning something for like cable "public access" then miniDV would probably be okay.

Just my opinions and experiences - have fun and goodluck