How do you use a camcorder?

Question

if i buy a camcorder.. how do I view what i filmed on the TV? Will it hook up to a tv and what does it come with? tapes? what kind of tapes are they and what kind of device needs to be used to play them?

Answer 1

A simple question with some complicated answers.  Nowadays, there are so many different types of camcorders that work different ways, but all will allow you to watch what you record on TV.

For starters, your camcorder will take light and sound and convert them into signals.  Older cameras will use an analogue signal; newer cameras, digital.  For our purposes, there is no difference between the two.  This signal must now be recorded onto some type of media.

There are a ton of different types of media, and most cameras will require a specific type (which will be clearly indicated both on the camera as well as in the documentation for the camera).  Popular consumer media includes tape, such as MiniDV, Super8, VHS, or BetaMax; recordable DVDs; or solid-state memory such as an internal hard drive or external memory cards.

What kind of media you use determines how it will be played back.  Basically, the media needs to be inserted into a player, which is connected via cables to a television.  In most cases, you can put the media in the camera, use the camera as a player, and plug a cable from the camera into your TV to view it.  Most cameras will have a switch that changes them from "record" mode to "playback" mode.  The cable you need to connect to the TV should be included with your camera.

This may seem like a lot, but it is all very simple in practice.  When buying a camera, go for simplicity.  If you're just starting out, you don't need extravagant features.  Get what is known as a "point-and-shoot", which literally allows you to turn on the camera, point it at a subject and shoot it.  Then it's just a matter of plugging it into a TV and watching your masterpiece.

Enjoy!