We have been working on a project that needs a low cost camcorder with an emphasis on audio quality over video quality. Part of this search has been looking for a less than $500 camcorder and preferably less than $300 unit with an external microphone jack.  This is due to the horrible internal microphones and sound quality on most consumer camcorders. You have only to listen to 99.9% of all Youtube videos to know what I mean. The manufacturers have dropped this feature on most everything below $500-660 dollares and it is getting rarer on sub $1000 models.

Aiptek has had several hybrid camcorder/camera models it markets overseas in the sub $300 range that have external microphone jacks, but only recently introduced a model here with that feature.  The model in question is the Model HSHD. The specifications in short are:

• 1280 x 720 H.264 Video @60fps
• 1280 x 720 H.264 Video @30fps
• (Also 848 x 480 WVGA H.264 @ 60fps)
• 2GB Built-in Storage
• MOV Video Format
• 32GB SDHC Card Slot Expansion
• External Microphone Jack
• MP3 Player
• 2x Digital Zoom w/ Fixed Focus & Macro Setting
• HDTV Component Output
• Up to 3 Mega Pixel Digital Camera (actually fixed at 3M)
• 2.4" Swivel-Reversible LCD
• Night Shot
• Easy Charging via AC or USB

I purchased this camera from Circuit City almost entirely on the basis of the external microphone jack feature to see if it would really improve the audio. If you are considering it for this feature I would keep looking. The external microphone performance was a big disappointment as described below.
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