jvc BR-dv3000 looks like a bargain ($1600) but there's a catch
deck plays back mini-dv & dv-cam pal or ntsc and it has svhs in/out firewire & 9-pin rs-422 control
so it looks like an ideal deck in a mixed finalcut pro/avid situation.
It works fine in play back and for logging most of the time but when batch digitising
the audio starts to drop out during digitising, with as result digitised clips with no, or sporadic audio.
I just got off the phone with a technician of jvc on the east-cost
and he said that they know of an incompatibility problem with sony mini-dv premium tapes.
He advised me to use JVC tapes with this deck or if those are not available panasonic tapes.
He also told me to send the deck back to the factory to get "all needed upgrades" witch will make it "better than new".
That will take 5 to 7 day's
editspecialists conclusion: don't buy the jvc dv3000 if you ever use sony tapes because this is part
of the format war between jvc/panasonic and sony over DV.