If you have a collection of Mini-DV tapes, the Sony HDV Video WALKMAN will be a boon.
First ... one can link the machine to play and upload to your HDs and thence burn to DVD or just show your friends any footage shot immediately.
Secondly ... while shooting with your Mini-DV camcorder, you can have a ready supply of your camcorder's batteries (3 NPInfolithium types are catered for as an alternative to the WALKMAN's mains>DC power supply) already charged independently on the WALKMAN. What is worse than getting home after a day out with the family with you camcorder's batteries all flat?
Thirdly ... as a back-up in case your camcorder breaks down, your WALKMAN ensures that your collection of tapes are watchable, for editing & transferable to current media types etc.. and not rendered exctinct by the "march of technical progress"!
Few Sony franchise shops know of its availability; indeed, it was only manufactured by Sony for a limited period. My impression, after owning a Sony Video WALKMAN for three months, is that it is very well constructed, with excellent specs especially a flexible menu for adjusting output parameters as well as coping well with both DV & HDV 16:9 recordings.