I am currently using a Sony TRV460 Digital 8 for family and fun stuff going back several years and digitizing old Hi 8 stuff as well. This is working well enough for now, but I feel like I want to move up to somewhat newer technology since we do have an HDTV and can see the potential benefits of HD vs SD.

My usual process is to backup all my 8mm tapes to DVD with a Philips VCR/DVD standalone unit through a firewire connection. I lock the 8mm tape tabs and label them the same as the DVD...seems like cheap insurance for now.

I do edit some footage with Vegas 7, but I choose to make separate captures from tape to .avi files for rendering more polished projects out to DVD. Very time consuming and I don't want to get locked into this method for everyday stuff.

I enjoy the freedom of converting to DVD for the easy access of old footage without the need for the camcorder to play the tape, but I don't want to give up on the flexibility of importing better quality video directly into the computer when desired.

I have been considering the Sony HDR-HC 9 as a replacement for my old 460. It seems like it might be a logical choice for me given I am used to a tape based system and don't really mind the capture requirements. I am thinking the HDV format fits in better with my current computing horsepower as well, compared to AVCHD editing requirements. I would most likely continue to work in SD until Blu-ray burners and players are much more affordable

I tend to keep products a long time and don't pursue the latest trends quickly.

Can anyone tell me where I might be making a mistake here with camera selection?