Need recomendation for HDD Camcorder with external mic input

The only brand that actually produces good-performing HDD camcorders is Sony at the moment. JVC has had issues with video quality and their file formats. However, they seemed to have been brewing up a new HD HDD camcorder which should sell for ~$1700 in the next couple months to the end of the year (depending on delays). It utilizes a new type of recording codec which actually could be better than miniDV in quality because it records the video at 30Mbps vs. miniDV's 25Mbps. It does have a mic-in jack plus an accessory shoe.

have only the Sony proprietary Sony "Active Interface".

Why do you believe you need to be connected to the board?

What you are looking for is either of the following:

1) A 1/8 inch audio-in jack on the camcorder. With this, you will also need an XLR adapter. What will you be taking directly off the board? If just speech off a single mic, then that should be easy. If speach off multiple mics, that should be easy, too. If you are taking music - from multiple instruments, you need to be sure EVERY instrument is mic'd through the board and the audio person is sending you a discreet mix and NOT the same mix being sent to the mains or monitors. If that audio person does not know what this means, find one who does. They will also know where, on the board, that discreet channel output is. You will probably need one or two (depending on whether you are getting a stereo discreet mix or mono) 1/4 inch male balanced (plugs into the mixer) to XLR male converters. Then, using one or two XLR mic cables, the female end(s) plug into the converters and the male end(s) plug into the XLR adapter you need to buy (I use a BeachTek DXA-6). And last, the XLR adapter plus into the the 1/8 inch audio-in jack.

If you want to know WHY you need a discreet channel set up for this multiple mic'd instrument/vocal set up, let me know... You *might be better off just running amic or two to the foot of the stage and bypass the board...

2) A FireWire connection on the camcorder... Huh? Check the compatibility charts at FireStore and see which cameras are out there which will use their external hard drives... that way you *could* have the hard-drive storage and use a miniDV-based camcorder directly connected. WARNING: These external hard drives are not cheap.

3) Again with the FireWire connection on the camcorder - record straight into a computer... Lap-top, iMac, tower, whatever... Not very portable, but it will get the job done. Presuming there is available hared-drive space...

4) Get a pro-grade camcorder that already has XLR mic jacks...

5) Get a "Field Recorder" (like a Marantz or Fostex or similar device) that does audio only and connect it to the board similar to item 1 and merge the audio and video files in post production.

currently have sony sr40 hard drive.
I am looking for a camcorder that I can use an external microphone with.
Thank you
tom webb