Sanyo GVR-S950
I've been using a JVC BR-S822 and PSFC for animation for quite some
time with none of the head problems mentioned. In fact, I took it to
JVC for a ROM change a while back and asked them to check heads and
alignment etc and they said it was all in tip-top shape. I've
experienced none of the horror stories related here by others re
excessive head wear. In fact, many of the video people I talk with
are not as concerned with head wear from animation as they are with
"mechanism banging". (I render frames uncompressed to disk or
removable media, then singleframe the pre-rendered frames to tape as
that saves a little wear and tear on the tape handling mechanisms.) I
think that head wear is only a function of the number of hours that
tape drags over the heads. I don't think it matters whether it is
done during single-framing or during regular editing.
PAR uses JPEG, I think. The degree of compression required for 30
fps probably depends on the complexity of the image, so the more
complex the image, the more loss will occur. (JPEG is a "lossy"
technique). You may not see it on the master, but if you have to go
a generation or two down for the "final-final" it may be real
noticable. PAR boasts Y/C out and compnenent out. There are other
(cheaper) ways to get that, even from the Toaster. DPS PCA, Y/C
Plus, Nova's Y/C++, et al. And this output will not "make up for"
any losses due to JPEG.
And eventually you have to get it off the PAR to tape anyway unless it
is for you own personal viewing anyway. You may also want to think
about what other video needs you have. If editing is in your plans,
PAR may take needed $ away from stuff more suited to direct support
of the editing process. Your animation may be the least of your video
chores, in which case you be better off with a good editing deck and
feeder(s). OTOH, if all you do is animation and someone else lays it
to tape, but you need to have preview capability or "draft" version
to low end tape cabability, PAR may make sense. And, if you have no
intention of going to tape and just want to be able to view
animations in real-time, PAR is prbably your best bet.
PAR with the non-included HD will set you back about what the deck you
are considering will. Do you already have a deck that you can record
from PAR with? (rhetorical). Just some points to ponder that really
have to be answered by you on the basis of a) how much you have to
spend and b) what kind of quality out MUST you have (as opposed to
WANT – as in BetaCam/D1/D3….;^}