This'll really get those teeth a'gnashin... As you've deduced, DV is yet another name for IEEE-1394, I mean Firewire, I mean i-Link, I mean... A significant number of the current generation of camcorders are miniDV -- digital video recorded to a tape. Those cameras include a firewire output in addition to the standard analog outputs (composite, s-video, analog audio). The HS2 and E60 both include a firewire port, which can be used to transfer video from a source (camcorder or computer) to the recorder. The E50 and E80 lack this port in an attempt to keep the cost down; the upcoming E100 (due in the fall with either an 80GB or 120GB hard drive) will also have a DV port.

In the event that the existing JVC suffers a fatal drop, a DV camera could still be connected to the DMR-E80. It would introduce a D-A conversion a little sooner than would otherwise be the case if the DV interface were used to transfer the video to the DVD recorder's hard drive. It's probably not a deal-breaker, but if there is some concern you could always fall back to a DMR-E60 (no hard drive) or a scarce (discontinued) DMR-HS2, both of which have a front panel DV port. I'm not sure if the DV port would work with the Mitsu or not, especially on the HS2 ( a Mitsu TV owner who is trying it , another brief thread on the subject ).

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