Need info for new purchase

[stapekid]

I am new to this forum and new to the DVX100A. I am a legal videographer and am having to purchase a new camera to replace an old one. It's imperative that I have the time date stamp recorded on the videotape in the camera as well as I am recording out to a S-VHS VCR at the same time using an S cable. The time date stamp has to be down to the second. I have pulled up the manual on line and it seems to me you can choose to have the time date stamp (hour, min., second) recorded on the video. Is that correct? Where does it show up on the recorded tape (along the bottom? ... to one side or the other? ... straight line or stacked?). Also, I use a sound board to send the mic sound into the camera (xlr). Since my sound board already has phantom power, will I be able to pull the sound down enough to keep from over modulation? Can I choose to see the VU meters on the LCD screen but not have them recorded on the tape? Does the camera have color bars? I mistakenly bought the GL2 without making sure I could get the time date stamp down to the second; so I have to return that camera (paying a 10% restocking fee). This DVX100A seems to be the closest match to the GL2, but with all the manual choices I need. Would you agree? Any other suggestions?

 

[Barry_Green]

You cannot record the time/date stamp burned into the video. You can output it on the s-video or composite cable and have it burned into your backup S-VHS VCR, but you cannot record it directly onto the DV tape in the camera. You will be recording invisible time code that can be accessed during playback, but it will not be visibly imprinted onto the camera original tape.

For sound, you can enable or disable phantom power, you can take in line or mic level, so yes you could do just about everything you want with audio.

For the audio meters, you can choose to display them, but if you're recording to the external deck, and you choose to have the text on-screen display output (in order to capture the time code) then you will also see the audio meters too on the S-VHS VCR.