HDD based Camcorders - downloading footage quickly

I'm responsible for editing video of rugby games as an analysis tool for the coaching staff - with time being of the essence, I'm trying to evaluate different ways of getting video onto the system as quickly as possible.

We currently video two games - our own team game and the opposition for next week. I can do the analysis of our own team live, as the video is being streamed directly onto the laptop (Macbook). I then transfer the various clips to iDVD. With only one laptop, I then have to wait until that's all finished before I can import the footage of the opposition.

Are HDD camcorders able to download footage onto a computer faster than real-time (which is what the limitation with our DV based cameras is now)? I just want to get the footage onto the computer as fast as possible, so that I can analyse it.

Couple of other queries related to all this:
1. Is there a setting on HDD camcorders NOT to compress the video (I believe they compress using MPEG2 now - correct me if wrong) - the better the quality of the footage, the better the quality of my analysis
2. Is the quality comparable to DV?

Thanks

Lebowski said:

there are firewire HD options for miniDV cams. I use a firestore 40 gig external drive with my sony HD cam. I edit in avid, but you can do it in final cut as well. Instant access, you can edit right off the drive.

Click to expand...

Thanks for this - So I can set a DV camera to output directly to a firewire HDD? I'll definitely have to check that in my camera's settings. But the firewire (iLink) port on Sony camera's is 4 pin, so will the drive require an external power source, as this could be difficult out on the rugby field?

I should be getting the Sony HDR-HC5 (Hi-def) camera. Would you know if that option is available on that camera? And does it have firewire port on board or through a docking station (which sadly seems to be the way Sony are going these days)