If you are stringing, then audio and a stick mic or wireless is required. The PD170 has XLR inputs etc. It also has low light performance that can't be beat by the other camera by any stretch. With only those two choices and having to use it for stringing, then I find the PD-170 to be the only option.

I have a stable of 5 PD-170's with 160 operators using them. They are almost impossible to kill. If I were stringing I can think of two other sub $10,000 cameras I would choose, but compared to a consumer AVCHD, I would use the SD 170.

In my not so humble opinion.

I agree with Bob & Keith about the 170.
The Journalism program at my school has 4 of them that the students use and abuse yet they keep on working which is a testament to their durability.

Mike

I had a 170 and it was great. After the 3 years silver warranty ran out, I had som troubles with it. The auto NR went defect and the RCA socket broke, but besides that it was ok. I sold it though, and the one that bought it is pleased.

I did a lot of 16:9 work with it too, and it was great, especially low light.

/Ulf

Still using two PD170s here, for "event videography" (school musicals, graduations, etc., some of which go to broadcast on local cable TV).

Both cameras started having what I assume is tape-drive troubles; one track of the audio would have many, many, many pops & dropouts. Happened on both cameras --- it's known NOT to be a problem with the audio sources; happens with the cameras' own shotgun mics, as well as when we patch from external boards, etc.

We more or less got around that by buying a couple of Sony's MRC1 (or whatever the number is) little digital recorders, which connect to the cameras via Firewire and record to solid-state Flash card. Those devices are a long-term investment, since they will be usable on the Sony HD camera we're lusting after, when and if we can finally afford to buy that camera. (The audio problem does not occur in the Flash-recorded files, even though the taped copy of the same event does have the audio problem.)

We usually shoot in 16x9 these days and even though you do lose a little resolution because the PD170 essentially has to "fake" 16x9 with its 4x3 CCDs, the resulting DVDs come out quite good, anyway. Customers like them. (Local cable TV broadcasts in 4x3, though.)

Kind of a long answer... nutshell is, our PD170s are still serving us well, and hopefully will up until if/when we "graduate" to a native 16x9 camera. That won't happen until (1)we can afford it; and (2)Some "best" HD format emerges---we definitely want to avoid AVCHD.

Just a word of caution. I believe the PD170 delivers pretty decent results using it's faux 16:9 mode in NTSC land. The results are not so good in PAL land.

Only thing we've had wear out on them (the PD150s to be accurate) is the head motors. They'd still work but they'd become so noisy you could hear the noise in the on camera mic. The same parts are used in the Z1 and other Sony cameras so parts should be available for a long time to come. I think we had one where the zoom motor suffered the same fate, that would be expensive to repair.

Only thing we've had broken is the video out RCA socket. This is soldered into a PCB in the camera and is expensive to repair. The fault is usually intermittent, probably the track on the PCB gets cracked.

Bob.

Would like to sincerely thank you all for giving up your time.
Given freely, the Cumulative experience & insights given from each of you, are of immense value.
An experience that is hardwon.
The stalwarts of the Forums in my book do include you all.
Want to acknowledge the people around & behind you also making it possible for the contributions.

Your follow-up Bob,was also appreciated.If you were a dairy farmer, the cows would never be late for milking.Those eyes do need resting.
If I had a magic wand, would make a certain Aaton product appear anonymously on your back doorstep.....

Here I am, trying to thrust money into the hands of the PD 170 owner & can't contact them on a Sunday.Also thankful Xmas present Handycam DCR HC52E will double as replay deck - Minidv
only.

Will let you know in a few weeks some 170 feedback.
michael

Seeing as how you're not too far away from Sydney if you'd care to drop me an email (address is in my user profile) I *might* be able to get you a good deal on a hunk of glass that'll make a PD170 shoot 16:9 anamorphic.

Bob.