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Sony's latest DVDirect camcorder-to-DVD recorder creates AVCHD DVDs with 5.1 sound
It's some 60 percent smaller in size, but other than that Sony's new VRD-MC6 DVDirect looks and acts an awful lot like the previous VRD-MC10 and VRD-MC5: it can take 1080i video with 5.1 audio off your Handycam's drive or Memory Stick and shoot out an AVCHD DVD that plays back on compatible Blu-ray drives like the PS3. If you're not into the all-Sony seamless end-to-end HD experience, you can also bring in SD video over FireWire, composite, or USB to churn out regular old DVDs with automatic chaptering and custom menu backgrounds, or you can go totally old-school and just drop in an SD card full of photos and MP3s to generate a slideshow. Yeah, it's not nerd heaven and you won't be editing Oscar-winners here, but at $230 it's a pretty painless way for everyone else to archive and share their videos. Ships in September.
Sony brings two DVDirect Handycam-to-DVD writers to the US
While it's certainly not the most invigorating release from Sony today, those stuck with too much video on their Handycams will be head over heels. The firm is expanding its DVDirect line by two, and while one of 'em (the VRD-MC10) has been released in Japan previously, this marks the first time it'll ship to American consumers. Said unit incorporates HDMI, component and composite inputs, and features the ability to transfer AVCHD-quality video to DVD; it also includes an i.LINK (FireWire 400) port as well as a USB socket for use with a wider range of devices. Moreover, the MC10 touts a 5-in-1 multicard reader for taking flash-based media straight to DVD, and the 2.7-inch LCD is just fine for previewing things beforehand. The DVDirect Express VRD-P1 DVD writer is tailor made to work quickly and easily with some of Sony's newly announced camcorders, and the lack of advanced functionality means it'll only run $150 (compared to the $300 stick on the MC10) when it ships in March.%Gallery-40949%
Sony churns out external VRD-MC10 handycam-to-DVD burner
It may be gettin' better, but it ain't getting any prettier. As the proper successor to Sony's DVDirect VRD-MC5, the all-black VRD-MC10 only looks marginally better than the original, but still has way too much 80s flair for our tastes. Sporting a 2.7-inch LCD, HDMI / component / composite outputs, a multicard reader, audio / video inputs, USB connectivity and support for just about every writable DVD still on the market, this unit was designed to burn your precious Handycam footage straight to DVD without any fuss (or formal editing procedures). Additionally, it could serve as your primary DVD player in a pinch, though the lack of BD functionality makes this a lot less attractive overall. We'll see if Sony keeps its "coming soon" promise; it's listed at a shockingly high ¥44,800 ($410).[Via SonyInsider]Update: Sony pinged us to say that this model will not be replacing the MC5, and it will only play back DVDs that it creates.
Sony's DVDirect VRD-MC5 handles HD video transfers
Not down with countless late nights behind the editing station just to extract a few unwanted relatives clips from a family reunion? Sony most certainly feels your pain, and the DVDirect VRD-MC5 looks to be just the thing for transferring home videos to DVD without even involving a PC. The multi-function DVD recorder promises to make HD or SD video transfers a breeze, and can even handle AVCHD-quality clips. The device transfers data (including photos) directly from a Sony HDD or Memory Stick-based camcorder onto a DVD "in their native 1080i resolution," and sees no problem with SD footage taken in via FireWire, S-Video, composite, or USB. So go on, give pops a break from the grind of color correction and volume adjustments by picking up Sony's VRD-MC5 for $230 next month.
