by Marc Phillippe Babineau

Created on: October 31, 2009

The hottest new camcorders and digital video recorders (DVRs) for Christmas 2009 are now hitting the shelves all over North America. From Canon to Hewlett-Packard, Sony to JVC, all the big names in digital recording have new entries in the home movie-making industry. From as low as $89 to well over $2,500, the functions, clarity (Mega pixels), data storage methods and sizes, and the optical zoom amount available to the camcorders defines their price range. There are some camcorders that cost extra for being weather-proof or waterproof, so you can now make movies while snorkeling in Cuba.

The Canon XH A1 camcorder is the cream of the crop this year, with production values better than what Blair Witch was recorded on. Want to become an independent film producer? Look no further, but be prepared to dish out over $4500 for this cinematic wonder. On the lower ends, for under $150, the Flip is a cool little gadget. Straddling the $150 to $200 range, the Flip's newest endeavor, the Flip Ultra HD shoots 720p high-definition video. Using rechargeable AAA batteries, the Flip Ultra HD easily fits into your laptop's USB drive for easy downloading, but has limited data storage at 80GB, with no external memory or data cards.

Digital video recorders, or DVRs, are replacing VCRs with the television program taping crowds. TiVo took the world by storm, is still the most talked about of the DVRs, and since it's initial release, the use of VCRs to record television or music shows has plummeted. The new TiVo HD, with 160GB of data storage on board, can easily record up to 180 hours of high-definition television shows or movies, and much more if purely audio is being recorded. The disadvantage of TiVo is that it does not work with satellite television just yet, and the monthly fees. However, TiVo does allow you to record pretty much whatever is on, and multiple shows at once.

Philips has a decent entry into the DVR pool this year, with the R3537H model. This sub-$300 model has a single tuner and can pause live tv, but can not rewind or replay (you need a dual tuner DVR to replay live tv). The Philips has the ability to record over-the-air broadcasts, and can store data to either the 160GB hard drive, or onto supported DVDs. There are no monthly fees like the TiVo, but you can not program multiple shows, or have the DVR "learn" your television viewing habits, and record what you would most likely like to watch for you, like the TiVo does.

Whatever your passion, there is a camcorder to record life, and a DVR to record television. Picking the ones that are best for you depend upon what you are going to do with the video you capture, as well as the quality of your television. If you still have a CRT television, then buying an HD PVR may be a little overdoing it, unless that LCD television is on the Christmas wish list as well.

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