Looking to buy cheap but solid digital video recorder for practice/gigs

[RacerX]

Preferably with good audio capabilities, as well.

What are you using?

[khoomeizhi]

the most basic of zooms, the h1. good sound quality, not many features, probably wouldn't like getting dropped.

[RacerX]

We have an H2 already, but we're looking for a video recorder.

[khoomeizhi]

oh, look. did it say video up there before?

this pretty much sums up how my day's going. i'm no help.

[RacerX]

That's okay. Thanks for trying to help.

[Submarine]

I use a Zoom Q2, which is perfect for what you need.  I think it's been replaced by the Q4 - which is about $300.  Decent zoom and image but not great in low light.

[everdrone]

I use the zoom Q2 too, its great!  only $70. made for audio. here are my videos with it:  https://www.youtube.com/user/ronsimpsonesq/videos

[RacerX]

Thanks, dudes!

[jibberish]

fwiw, I scored a canon vixia hfr500 last spring for cheap off the floor. but even at it's regular price of w/e $250-ish it is an amazing camcorder and they got good reviews.
I dickered with the guys at best buy and got it for $125.  That and 2 hi-speed 32gig memory cards was like $190 out the door.

it records very nice audio and has image stabilization(my one main requirement after fighting with a shaky camcorder before)

ijs, consider those vixia models. I think the 500 has been replaced by something similar but i'm not sure. either way, it will be similar quality/capability

edit: this camcorder has good low light and other color balancing features for recording gigs in dimly lit dungeons

there are a million demo videos

here is one of mine thru the camcorder mic