Review: The Flip Mino Video Recorder

A cool, new video device small enough to keep in your instrument case.

In the featured series “Physician Heal Thyself,” basic practice tools and how to use them are discussed; namely, the metronome, tuner, audio recorder, and video recorder.

I have recently purchased a new video recorder that I believe is the perfect video tool for students wanting to record their practice sessions or private lessons.

I love this device.

The Flip Video Mino Series Camcorder (pronounced “minnow,” like the small fish) is a compact, pocket-sized camcorder with 2 gigs of on-board flash memory that can record up to 60 minutes of video. The internal lithium rechargeable battery is nice feature over the cheaper Flip Video model – the Ultra – which uses standard batteries that need to be replaced on a regular basis.

For under $180 ($140 at Amazon.com!), the Mino is within the affordability range of most students who could afford an iPod. The video and audio quality is good, and the unit has its own editing software built-in. For an additional $30, a small tripod may be purchased which will hold the unit in a steady position.

With a press of a button, a USB connector pops out. Insert this connector into your computer’s USB port and let the built-in software do the rest.

The USB also recharges the battery.

I was amazed at how easy it really was to upload video to my computer and edit it. The software even includes a feature for uploading video directly to a YouTube account.

The video quality of course is not as good as a full-sized camcorder unit, but for the economical price and small size this is a negligible point.

For the college or high school student (or even a pro!) wanting video recording capability with a compact size and price, the very user-friendly Mino is an excellent choice.