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Thursday, July 21, 2005 12:56 PM PT Posted by Alan Stafford
So, Is Shooting Video Strictly Kid Stuff?
The Mattel-Hasbro feud is back on: The Hasbro folks saw my blog entry on Mattel's Vidster from a couple days ago, and they said hey, what about our kid-friendly video camera? So OK, here's Hasbro's VCam Now, another video camera aimed at tweens (older than toddlers, younger than teenagers).
It costs the same as the Vidster ($80), and has similar specs: 320-by-240 video capturing, but at 13 frames per second (a couple fewer than the Vidster); 1.3-megapixel still shots, digital zoom; and USB and AV-out ports. The main differences: The VCam Now has a 1.5-inch color flip-out screen, and 32MB of internal flash memory, though it accepts SD Cards too.
Another interesting twist: Hasbro supplies a PC-based application called VideoNow Media Wizard, which you can use to create special optical discs of the video clips captured with the VCam Now. These discs, called Personal Video Discs, or PVDs, play in Hasbro's VideoNow player, a $60 device that looks like a sturdy CD player. It has a 1.85 by 1.45 inch color screen so you can watch your videos; you can also buy content for it like SpongeBob SquarePants and--gulp--Fear Factor.
You have to use an adapter to get the PVDs to work in a PC, because they're about half-way between the size of a mini-DVD and a DVD (yet they only hold about 25 minutes of video content). Why Hasbro couldn't use one or the other is beyond me, but if the format thing doesn't concern you, you can pick up the camera sometime this fall.
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Looks like a decent kid's camera if you're right-handed. My left-handed daughter, however, would likely find it difficult to hold/view/button-press.
Vidster seems more ergonomically friendly, at first blush.
Do you need a DVD burner to burn the discs, or are they CD based? I would much rather burn a real (full-sized) DVD that I can watch almost anywhere, not a special video disc that I can watch on a tiny screen.
Again, similar to the other camera, older kids and teenagers would probably prefer a "real" camcorder.
And the 13 frames per second would get old real quick. My 9 year old granddaughter would not like that.
I'd be willing to pay more for a better "toy" video camera.
In response to the question posed previously: Hasbro says you can burn the PVD discs with a CD-RW or a DVD-RW.
Fisher Price had a video camera back in the day that recorded black and white images on blank 'audio' casettes.
There are way too many buttons on that VCam, I'd take vidster over the VCam any day. Looks pretty easy.
Target has been selling a DXG-202 video camcorder on sale for 69.99 and it records at a better rate and is a 2MP camera. Although it is not a "child's" camera per se, my daughter loves it.
This Hasbro camera is the OEM version of the Mustek DV2000 camera that was such a piece of junk that they couldn't sell it to adults. I guess they are trying to dump it on unsuspecting children.
Gah Hasbro versus Mattel...never ends...
Hasbro's Tiger Electronics has already dominated the portable video player for tweens with the VideoNow series (possibly one of the lamest things I've seen)
I wonder how this one resolves...
Hi you idiots
my son loves it and hwo cares about a fight!!!
Considering ease of use, quality of videos, ability to edit movies on pc -- which is better for a first video camera for an eleven year old girl: hasbro vcam or dxg 305v?
You can't edit movies on a PC with the Hasbro Vcam, because the software produces files that are proprietary to the Hasbro Video Now format only. Get the other one. Or a Vidster.
Is this camera to childish for a 16 year old?
Im getting it for my 13 year old. I like the idea that it has easy software to teach them some of the basics. For $20 more you could get the Aiptek video camera with better features and she wont outgrow it.
you all sound childish fighitng over this camra specs. buy give it to you kids and see what thay think not you. let them be the juge of it not you. it is not for teenagers did you not read the first part.
"video camera aimed at tweens (older than toddlers, younger than teenagers)"
At $80.00 your better off buying them an adult camera and teaching them how to use it. They do come with Owner Manual Instructions you know. It doesn't make sense to pay $80 for lousy technology when you can get a better camera for the same or less price. Tweens are in the developmental stage. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to learn with an instruction manual. Plus a regular digital is pc compatible for burning DVDs.
does the vcam a waste of money or noy?
Jonathan Takiff review: "VCamNow looks more like the pygmy version of a serious camera ...
Performance is putrid, though, unless you're intentionally going for that blurry, oddly colored, underground music video look. Indoors, the camcorder turns white walls orange, and the rough-hewn, 10-frames-per-second recordings are even more out of synch with the sound than on Vidster (and difficult to hear on the internal speaker).
Bought one for my 7 y.o. who is a little Spielberg in the making. Pics and video is very dark... any ideas???
Add more lighting. 13 FPS allows more light into the shot, though making it somewhat choppier. My opinion. Buy a family Digital Camcorder for about $300 with better video quality and let them use it.
I bought it for my 7 year old daughter and she loves it! It is perfect for her to walk around with and I don't have to freak out about her breaking it or loosing it since it is not extremely expensive. She has also stopped asking to use my very expensive camera!
MAN I BOUGHT MY MY VCAM NOW AT TARGET AND IT IS SOOOOOO COOL!!!! COOL ENVENTION MAN!!!!!!
would these things work with macs?
I am 23 have a vcamnow as my primary webcam device and recorder. It has rather quality videos. Compact, sure it looks like something out of a happy meal but it works fine. Just don't lose the cd drivers because I haven't been able to find one online yet. Any kid would be happy with it, and as stated I found it quiet practical for myself. (Got it on clearance for 30 dollars)
Which is better for a 10 year old? Vidster or Flip???