I tend to get bogged down when people start throwing abbreviations around. I mean, sure, I may be able to make sense of an XLR going from the Mic to the Amp through the Snake to the Board, but what is up with all this video mumbo-jumbo? Let me try to sort it out for you.

VHS-The really big tapes that movies used to be on until DVD came along. Typically can hold between 2-6 hours of video media. Poor image quality.

DVD-A disk the size of a CD* that holds video (or other) information. There are two main types of writable DVDs available to the consumer: +R and -R, so check with your equipment to see which format is preferred.
There are also two main storage sizes avialable for DVDs: 4.7gigs and 8.54gigs. A 4.7 DVD typically can hold about 1.5 hours of Compressed video media, or 20 minutes of raw MiniDV footage. Good image quality.

MiniDV-A small digital tape that holds 60 minutes of footage. The advantage to this media type is that it can be "dumped" onto a computer via a Firewire (IEEE) cable and card. Such cards are relatively inexpensive; about one tenth the price of a consumer MiniDV camera. Good image quality.

Hi8-A tape stock that is roughly the size of a casset tape, only thicker. These tapes hold about an hour of footage, but must be converted from Analogue signal to digital before input via Firewire and card. Such boxes are relatively expensive; about one to two times the cost of a Hi8 camera, and then you must also have a Firewire card. Poor image quality.

BetaCam-A tape that is either half again as large as a VHS tape, or just bigger than MiniDV (and, yes, they both have the same name). Typically holds an hour of footage. Can be imported via Firewire. Good image quality.



*CD-The circular piece of plastic that replaced Tapes.
Tapes-The crazy invention that beat out 8-Track and repalced Records.
Records-A really big circular piece of plastic that works much like a CD, only on a physical scale.
Records replaced Wax Cylinders as a mode of recording sound.