If you have a camcorder that uses the small DV tapes, you need a HDD DVD recorder- it is so much better than a computer. Most of the 2004-2006 Panny HDD and the the Pio 2005 units allow you to edit so much easier!! Indubitably. Computers suck on editing camcorder tapes. One big plus also is the compatibility with DVD-RAM on the HDD models- tremendous.

it is so much better than a computer. Most of the 2004-2006 Panny HDD and the the Pio 2005 units allow you to edit so much easier!! Indubitably. Computers suck on editing camcorder tapes.

Wow - HG, my friend, this statement betrays your apparent total lack of knowledge of the subject of computer based editing. I graduated from the VCR-to-VCR "punch and crunch" school of editing wedding videos, to computer assisted transports with time code based frame accurate editing and "digital effects" analog mixers to computer based editing and never looked back. In my opinion, the relatively crude editing features on a DVD recorder are definitely SEVERAL steps backward from even the least sophisticated computer based editing app.

Try doing anything other than a cut edit (i.e., a dissolve, wipe, or fade), Try executing an A-B roll, a multi-camera event shoot, adding a title overlay to your video, even adding background music or narration (without destroying the original soundtrack - i.e., audio mixing) with a DVD recorder and then I'll agree with you. These basic editing features are essential to making a home video presentiation event remotely interesting to any viewer other than the person who shot the original tape (and perhaps also to the subject of the video). All of these basic editing features are available in even the most basic computer based editing package including Microsoft's free, but capable Movie Maker. Now I will admit, that bugs and crashes and the potential for dropped frames (very rare now with todays hard drives) are still part of the equation, but what is so sucky about plugging your DV camcorder (you aren't still using analog tape are you?) into the firewire port on your computer firing up your editing app to capture, edit, sweeten, and authoring your masterpiece all using a single app. You can even use apps that automate Ken Burns like slideshows (complete with pans, zooms, and transitions PERFECTLYT TIMED TO THE BEAT OF THE BACKGROUND MUSIC!). If you can do that on a DVD recorder then...

All I can say is thank you HG for not subjecting me to your DVD recorder edited home video footage. :D

Try doing anything other than a cut edit...I agree that computer-based editing solutions are far superior to any DVD recorder. Yet a DVD recorder is "good enough" for a lot of people, perhaps even the majority, and it avoids a lot of complexity in getting the computer hardware and software set up and the learning curve for the editing package. I think it's this segment of the market that HG is addressing.

C'mon VF- you are in the top 5 % that is adept at this - as Sean says I addressed the other 95%. You have to realize that you are special and unique. A Video guy by training and occupation. VF, as always my friend, we have been through it since 2003.

Call me lazy, but I also perfer to transfer my camcorder video (tape based) to my Panasonic recorder's DVD-RAM and then to the PC via the DVD-RAM.

I may take a small loss on quality through this transfer process, but this allows me to do some quick editing on the DVD recorder prior to transferring it to the PC.