What is MiniDV and Micro MV?
MiniDV is a format that uses tiny tape cassettes, storing DV-format video in digital form. They are 2″x2.7″ in size and look like an older cassette tape. They cost about $5 bucks for a 60 minute tape. They can record up to 500 lines of resolution. Some come with a small chip built in that allows you to store information on each scene and index your video for easy access and editing. Sony has also created a proprietary format called MicroMV, which is actually smaller than MiniDV, which records in an MPEG-2 format instead of DV format. These tiny digital tapes allow for smaller camcorders – a passion of Sony’s of course! These tapes cost more than MiniDV and the MPEG-2 format is not supported by all digital video software editing programs, so check for compatibility before you buy. Digital Camcorders: Mini DVD-R and DVD RAM The other 2 digital video storage and recording formats are Mini DVD-R and DVD RAM, which use tiny 3 inch discs instead of videotape. DVD-R discs can only be recorded
