I can only tell you that if you get the "straight to DVD" type then you need some other facility like a PC with the right software to edit the video, whereas if you get the "digital tape" version then you have some control before you burn it to VCD (video CD) or DVD.
Oh, and Sony do one that also (happens) to play the earlier analogue Hi8 tapes too, which is a bonus if you have old tapes. SO I guess that was 2 things then I knew.
