Standard MiniDV Camcorders record to MiniDV tape using DCT intraframe compression format, i.e. not MPEG-2 nor MPEG-4. This results in approximately one gigabyte per four minutes of video. A MiniDV tape holds 60 minutes of video.
The biggest question in selecting a camcorder for this purpose is finding one which supports AV-in (i.e. "Audio Visual input", meaning composite video and sound inputs). It appears that virtually none of the current crop of MiniDV camcorders support AV in. However, ebay and Craigslist provide a wide range of used models.
Notably, Sony has traditionally been known for offering AV input, and it appears that any model ending in 'i' will provide it.
Since MiniDV camcorders read from tape, transferring video to a computer will happen in real-time. So, a 30 minute video will take 30 minutes to transfer to a computer.
Hard Disk
Hard disk camcorders behave much like the DVRs listed below. They use MPEG-4 compression, which allows them to store more data, but yields lower overall quality. Being hard disk based, it's much faster to transfer video to a computer for editing.
Digital Video Recorders
Most DVRs record using MPEG4 or DivX compression, which yields much smaller files, but detail will be poor, particularly when there is a lot of motion. Some DVRs record in MPEG-2 format, like a DV camcorder.
Solid State
MPEG 4
Archos 405
2GB built-in, up to 2GB additional via SD slot.
640x480, MPEG-4 compression.
Requires the 5th generation Travel Dock in order to accept AV input.
No built-in speaker, no built-in microphone.
Sting by Sonic. Custom DVRs made by Sonic were used in Long Way Round.
Cylon Systems provides complete, Archos-based kits to UK police.
MPEG 2
ChaseCam PDR100 is the only recorder which will automatically cycle over itself (i.e. never stop to rewind/record, simply stop and swap cards to save desired footage).
StuntCams sells many camera models and accessories, though their website layout makes it hard to really compare products. Their higher-quality 'Tornado' camera is obviously made by a Korean company called KT&C, and the rest of their lineup seems to directly correlate with KT&C's products (for example, compare the remote supplied by StuntCam versus that of KT&C, and compare the KT&C KPA-1 microphone to StuntCam's microphone).
Their FAQ is, in some ways, more informative than their actual product pages!
Note: this could be the KT&C KPC-650CH (standard 1/3" ExView CCD, 480 lines, most likely), KPC600BH (optional 1/3" ExView CCD, 600 lines), or the KPC-DN301CZH (1/4" CCD, 480 lines, remote control).
Waterproof if mounting hole sealed with silicon or similar, not recommended for submersion.
Note: this appears to be similar to the KT&CKPC-HD230CWX, which is available here for $109. Of course, this version wouldn't include the wiring, battery pack, and mic.
This catalog page shows a four-conductor miniplug to RCA cable, which looks a lot like the one that ships with the Archos 5th Gen travel dock.
VioTac sells cables with standard connectors (e.g. Sony HandyCam) on one end, and a mini-DIN on the other.
[ Hirose] makes some very nice multi-pole, circular connectors, particularly the HR30.
Manipulating Videos
Downloading Videos
Depending on the camera and computer, downloading videos may be very simple or extremely complex.
Windows
Windows XP and Vista include MovieMakerPro, which can be used to capture from a USB-connected camera.
Downloading from a Sony MiniDV HandyCam over USB will result in an MPEG-4 compressed video. In this case, much of the quality of the MiniDV stream will be lost.
Macintosh
If you download video from a MiniDV source using iLife/iMovie, it will convert the video to MPEG-2. This is undesirable if you're seeking the best quality.
To download raw MiniDV content from a camcorder under OS X, do the following:
This is a quick list of software which may be of use when processing video.
The Deemon SuperResolution very cleverly yields high-resolution images from lower-resolution input video by combining frames. It may not work well with the high degree of motion inherent to sports video.
VirtualDub is a simple, but very powerful (and free) video-processing application for Windows.
Resources
This thread (pashnit) mentions LANC which allows external control of video cameras.
This page mentions that nearly all Sony camcorders support video-in.
Hooli-Cam, a page on setting up an on-bike camera.
Select "DV-VCR" from the list of devices. If this doesn't appear, then the camera isn't connected or powered properly.
Choose "Tape Control" in the Recording Mode dialog.
The video will automatically begin streaming to the computer. The video should display in the download window as it is retrieved.
AVCVideoCap will automatically stop the camcorder at the end of the segment, or you can click 'Abort'.
