Lower light is because they improved the manufacturing process. Same chips, better production process, which reduces noise and increases sensitivity a bit on the chips. Placed some new controls on it - more iris settings (exposure control), zoom and record buttons on the handle, changed the feel a little. Not really a new camera, just an improved version of the old one. But the old one still wasn't lacking in the performance department before the update. As for 24P...if you really want that stuff, buy a REAL camera...if you want to second mortgage your house. Personally, I'm going to be shooting for TV based video, so the smoother movement due to interlaced video (what it was designed for) works for me.

What happened to the hissing sound? Will Sony replace my hissing PD170 for free?

I am in doubt too. But I'l probbly go for the ....cheapest. If they are similar priced I will buy the panasonic, because it has a built in wide lens, but I had sync problems with comman dv in the past..Dvcam is more robust. The audio circuit, that's it! The audio will make the diffrance. Or is it shit on both? I dont know. I have a drs-370, I'm happy with it. Unless someone wants the buy it from me for a reasenable price. It's heavy sometimes. Or should I save the money and buy a real peace of equipment? What do you think. Or stop with video and do the real stuff; celluloid, film. Well I'll tell you something; It doesn't matter. Be sure you know video, footage, lenses, color, etc. Take even a VHS and ...go to IRAK. Have the guts to go to IRAK; to cover genocide, called liberation. Have the guts to go to IRAK. You are worth nothing if you don't cover what it is all about. Get the news, the real news and not the propaganda the the public. It''s happening right know. Have the guts and perhaps you will be fameaus, perhaps you will save lifes because the soldiers behave in front of the camera, perhaps you will be shot at. But you feel more alive then ever before and have selfrespect again. So grab your thing, what ever it is, and go! Thank you.

Basicly if you were going to buy a PD150, you'd buy a PD170, thats it...Sony just cleaned the XLR & Took it down to 1 lux, no big deal..