Best 30fps 320x240 DV camera for recording concerts

[wcjmproducer]

Hello! I am very, very impressed with this forum and website asa whole- this is my first post (except I posted this earlier to the wrong forum) and I look forward to the response!

I'm a musician. I want to record all my live shows and put them on my website. So, I looked into getting a camcorder that records on SD cards. I ended up buying the iJoy mobiDV H12. The video looks great, but the audio is HORRENDOUS!! It's WAY too sensitive (the mic) and clips and distorts my audio even halfway back in the concert hall. And, I don't even play that loud!

Here's a sample clip (mpeg4): http://fusco-moore.com/videos/clipping.asf

Here's the whole "highlights from the concert" reel (wmv): http://fusco-moore.com/videos/Martin...rt11-10-05.wmv

As you can tell...just unacceptable. I'm a musician for God's sake- I need good audio!

I need to tell NewEgg.com (where I bought it) that I want to return it in a couple days, so I need some help and quickly!

Here's a list of what I truly need:

1. Video at 30 fps at 320x240 at least. That's perfect for website video for me. [/*]
2. Good audio at higher sound levels (or an option for external audio). Maybe some mic gain control perhaps? [/*]
3. Good video in a concert setting (low light around the camera/audience, but stage is lit well) [/*]
4. THE AUDIO NEEDS TO SYNC WITH THE VIDEO PROPERLY! That's also a problem with the iJoy [/*]
5. Can be put on a tripod [/*]
6. Records to a 1 gb SD card. [/*]
7. Can record long clips without breaking it up [/*]
8. Light for the camera [/*]
9. Halfway decent digital camera- nothing too great[/*]

It doesn't really need an mp3 player- I'm just going to be using the camcorder and photo functions. It would be nice to have a rechargible battery (Li-ion), too.

I guess that's it.

Now, for the price. I got a great deal (looking back, I guess it wasn't because the thing doesn't work right) on the iJoy- $79.99 at NewEgg. But, I'm willing to spend over a hundred- up to $150 (maybe can find it on eBay for a little less) for this.

I don't think this is impossible to find. I read the great review of the Aiptek MVPR on this forum, but it didn't have much on its "in a large crowd or during a concert) audio capabilities. The audio doesn't need to be stereo or even great- just not clipping!

Thank you for all of your help in advance, and I hope to hear from you soon!!

Jim

[fishycomics]

welcome aboard WC...................

Decisions, are hard when you do not know which model to get?

I own a few cameras. and the mpvr is the latest. of course it will not tell you anything about concert stuff on it lol.

the camera will accept up to 2 gig, I got a 1 gig card. will film a good 1 5 hr before the battery will be exhausted. and will film at low light if Light is present. It may sound like the camera for you. but the file size may be a tab larger then the otheer models, the flash is powerful for pictures, as said all in the mpvr review

Now I also own a mustek dv3500 ,4500 I combine them together. they have a smaller lcd tft screen easier on the battery, a better file size and 3 settings over the two aiptek have, the tft screen can be turned off and can film a whompping 3 hours but cannot accept a 1 gig card a 512 is fine. can film in low light if light is present. and ther may be a review on them here. if not I must do it all over again.

these two I own and I am very happy with them if you have gone ito the VIDEO UPLOAD CENTER in here you'll see the dv3000 video and decide about the stage proformance.

you are working on a budget and 150.00 max is what you are spending these three fit the price range target has the mpvr at 159, and some other aipteks which are great as well the 4500 and lower ends..

just be aware the aiptek can film, ccan be viewed back on a large tv screen but may look a lil distorted while mustek has a crisper pix when viewing I have a daylight shot of a conceert outside will load up soon. thanx and welcome again..........Mod fishy

[fishycomics]

http://www.youtube.com/?v=0hy7bYKxRDUday light concert in the back on a mustek dv4500 filmed at high resolution 34.2 meg as youtube cuts down its resolution etc it is still a good display

[wcjmproducer]

Hello! Thank you for the great info. So, in a loud setting, the microphone doesn't clip or distort the sound? If you got to take a look at that video I posted, you know what I mean.

As for choices, I see that the Mustek and Aiptek are pretty similar. But, if you could only choose ONE, what would it be?

Also, do you know which handles loud audio better? That's really the key thing here. The video on the iJoy I have is great- it's the audio that's making me return it. I read a review online about the Mustek 4500 and it said it doesn't handle loud volumes well. Your experiences?

Thanks for posting the video, too- it helped!

Jim

[fishycomics]

you are welcomed . lets take a look at the camera the mustek dv4500 hasa review it is finished AND need to see what it can do. now for aud problem. all can be fixed with win movie maker you lower the volume on the video, so if you do not know how we'll show you how. it is all here need to archieve.

the best camer for the buck is the mustek dv4500 the best hybrid is the digi life m1/aiptek mpvr

wcjmproducer wrote:

Hello! Thank you for the great info. So, in a loud setting, the microphone doesn't clip or distort the sound? If you got to take a look at that video I posted, you know what I mean.

As for choices, I see that the Mustek and Aiptek are pretty similar. But, if you could only choose ONE, what would it be?

Also, do you know which handles loud audio better? That's really the key thing here. The video on the iJoy I have is great- it's the audio that's making me return it. I read a review online about the Mustek 4500 and it said it doesn't handle loud volumes well. Your experiences?

Thanks for posting the video, too- it helped!

Jim

[wcjmproducer]

Well, the problem with the audio is the microphone. It overloads when the sounds are too loud. The mic is way too sensitive.

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"Once the audio starts clipping and distorting, there's nothing I can do in Windows Media player or anywhere- it's just ruined. So, the audio on the video is not too loud, just too distorted and cut-off. I hope that explains the problem more.

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"I also didn't see any of the DigiLife M1 cameras from Queen Glitter on eBay. Are the other models okay, or only the M1? Do the DigiLifes have a spot to put it on a tripod?

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"Well, I'm really overwhelmed here. I just want a camera, but I want the right one! Thanks for your help so far,

Jim

[fishycomics]

excellent vid footage. , I could not get it to work last night I did today.

there is dstortion big time. on te second vid i hear some people chatting and it is bad.

the hybrids may not film like the vid you are posting up. so let me grab some vid and place up again.

I was on a cruise, with the mustek dv3000 the second to lwest end mustek the dv2000 was 2 meg the 3000 3 meg. yes I was just a beginner. the worst part , about this was, I could have had no video at all.

i went to Alaska as well before I made my choice and I had my olympus wit hvid only no sound a trip to remember. back to my story. I filmed this singer who sang happy days , he is the orginal singer from the shows main theme song.

vid song http://media.putfile.com/059

The sound is not distorted, the video is lit on stage and I am a good 20 seats the most to the front. it is loud and came out okay. I do not recommend the 3000 for the reason of reviewing back it will be pixalated, otherwise I love the camera it films in avi. and I make animated gifs out of it. I'll pull up another vid of a lady playing a piano , and that will decide which is better.

piano song http://media.putfile.com/05867



now that I posted these two it may help you or confuse you? sure sounds a lot better then the one you had going

the best solution for this is if a camcorder can be had for 200.00 would you go for that you'll get a better sound and optical zoon and far better in low lighting

canon, and other brands are out there, but as you said it is for the internet, and you can still work around it. . keep that in mind 150.00 is a lot of money, and also 150 for a economy camcorder will do far better.

If I saved my money and invested all the camera hybrids into one and gotten a camcorder, I would be set.

you may have to wait for sgspiit to reply he owns the digilife aka 810

[wcjmproducer]

Thanks for the video clips! I agree- they sound a heck of a lot better.

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"The reason I don't want to get a real camcorder (I do have one- a JVC mini DV) is because:

1. style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"Tape is expensive and I never seem to have an extra when I gotta catch something[/*]
2. style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"It takes forever to get it into the computer- you gotta sit there in realtime and watch it all record in![/*]
3. style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"It takes forever to render from DV down to wmv

[/*]
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"I just don't have time for all of that- that's why I got the SD card camcorder in the first place.

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"I am so torn right now between the Mustek (I guess the 4500 is best) and the Aiptek MVPR. Do you have any loud video from those? Let me know, and again, thank you for your incredible help!

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"Jim

[wcjmproducer]

Hello again,

Just wanted to post part of a review I read for the Aiptek IS-DV (which I'm pretty sure is just another name for the MVPR):

"The audio was slightly on the woolly side and the reason became evident when I examined the audio waveforms. Even at moderate audio levels the ARL circuit clips the audio. Here again, a simple firmware update could correct this. I tried to write Aiptek tech support about this, but they never responded to my emails."

I couldn't believe it!! Last hope is the Mustek, I guess.

Jim

[fishycomics]

two good choices mpvr and dv4500

I would be tossing as well. the mpvr has a better flash and can record like a vcr has a av input. that is the only thing winning over mustek.

mustek has a better battery life and 3 settings. and a louder aud over aiptek. I hope you mek a choice and the right one either one you'll be happy. Just remember aiptek mpvr replacement battery costs 20.00 and lasts 1.5 hours 3.5 hours to recharge

mustek throw in rechargable AA and you are set 3 hours record time.