Sony VRD-MC5, anyone using it?

[everymansaved 0]

So, our DZ just bought one of these:

http://tinyurl.com/33kbsm...

with the intent of using it for tandem videos. I have yet to get a chance to play around with it, but I`ve been reading the manual for it trying to get it figured out beforehand. It looks like a pretty cool little unit, but we`re going to have to get a bit creative on the audio side. The problem is that you can only have one audio input. The DZO`s plan is to get a simple audio `crossfade box` if you will so we can plug the audio from the camera and the audio from an iPod etc... into it, and the output into the MC5 and fade back and forth between camcorder audio and iPod audio. I`m thinking that this will work fine, as long as the fader box has an output for headphones, as there is no audio output jack or speakers on the MC5, so you wouldn`t be able to hear what you`re burning until you put it in a DVD player.

So my questions are: Is anyone using this? How about using it for tandems? Have you run into any problems? And finally, does anyone know where we`d look for the type of crossfade unit I speak of? Thanks folks!

God made firefighters so paramedics would have heroes...and someone can put out the trailer fires.

[johny103 0]

I have ez digimagic cd recorder,try it...small unit battery powered opction.works forever...

www.ezpnp-usa.com

[everymansaved 0]

That product is for photos only it seems.

God made firefighters so paramedics would have heroes...and someone can put out the trailer fires.

[Jazzthieve 0]

Strange, it says "record high definition AVCHD video from Sony HDD or Memory Stick® Handycam® camcorders to DVD, playable in Blu-ray Disc™ compatible devices."
So I would seem to think it's not only for photos

[Danger 0]

From B&H ...

The DVDirect MC5 Multi-Function DVD Recorder from Sony is a stand-alone DVD recorder that lets you easily transfer home video and digital photos to DVD discs without the need for a computer.
The DVDirect supports Sony's AVCHD high-definition video format. It can capture and compress this video format using H.264, allowing you to put up to 95 minutes of HD video onto a standard DVD. This disc can be played back in 1080i resolution on Blu-ray disc players.

[pilotdave 0]

I think he knows the sony unit does video... he was talking about the CD burner mentioned in the post above.

Dave

[everymansaved 0]

Thanks Dave, that's exactly what I was getting at.

God made firefighters so paramedics would have heroes...and someone can put out the trailer fires.

[CJCivie 0]

I just started using this unit. I now have 2 of them. I take digital stills and use it to transfer the stills to a DVD.

PROS
1 It Finalizes VERY VERY fast. Average is a minute for a 9 minute Tandem video (-R +R doesn't matter). YES .. less then a minute.

2 It does Format the DVD in the beginning, takes 15 seconds.

3 Takes up very little space at your Editing station.

4 I pop in my SD card and it copies all the stills to the DVD. This operation actually takes a little longer then the actual VIdeo finalize, but I start this right before I do the edit, and it's done when My DVD is ready. I format my SD card before every Tandem shoot.

5 It's Got an LCD screen that shows what is being recorded.


CONS
1 It's a little pricey. 189 at Costco. Used 130 on ebay.

2 It has no OUTPUTS. Though if you are running a Video Mixer, you usually have 2 outputs. This was not a problem for me.

3 You cannot copy the JPG stills to the same DVD as the video. It's totally possible, and they simply didn't do it. Then you can give the customer one DVD!!! I've tested this at Wallgreen and CVS .. it works!

4 I do not think you can play a DVD after it's recorded. You cannot hear the sound even if you could .. like I said, no outputs. You cannot check your work .. stills or video.

Any other questions let me know.

[980 0]

To add to the post above..

I have been using one of these since spring for tandem videos and I like it.

Here's what you need to know, though:

It writes to the disc as it records, so if you mess up, the mistake is already burned on the disc. If you are using -R discs, you can't erase what you recorded either.

It is very fast. I use a mixing board/titler with it, so I get my 2 audio inputs, headphones and additional video out in case you want to use a larger screen while editing.

it's a nice little unit

cya
sam

[everymansaved 0]

I completely forgot I started this thread! We've been using the unit since about April for doing tandem videos, it seems to be working well. It is fast, but I've messed up a few DVD's and had to toss them . We use a sound mixing board with it as well. I attached some pictures of the table I built for it.

God made firefighters so paramedics would have heroes...and someone can put out the trailer fires.

[EddySmerdon 0]

I'm on the verge of investing in one of these.

Would those who are using one of these and editing or mixing as part of their workflow describe the flow and how you have it cabled to manage that flow please?

Thanks
Eddy