camcorder question

If you are buying a new vidcam, be sure it (and your computer) has a Firewire or IEEE 1394a port on it - Sony calls their version an iLink port. These are by far the best way to transfer digital video files with sound between computer and camera.
As for miniDV using tape versus DVD camera, I have experience only with a Sony unit that does digital video on tape, but can also play back older analog video tapes such as the Hi8 system. Works well, but I'm pretty sure the more modern trend is away from tape towards DVD or HDD systems.
Regarding your older VHS-C system, here's how I would do it. I fully expect the new camera will have a cable that allows you to input to it a composite video signal and stereo sound from outside, so that the camera can record it just like a VCR can. And I'm assuming your old VHS-C system has a similar output connection. So in the simple case you copy tapes from the VHS-C collection onto the new camera. Then you transfer the stuff from new camera into the computer.
But even better, you should be able to skip a step. Some of the new cameras (my Sony does this) will take an input composite signal and instantly put it out on the Firewire port as a digital signal into the computer. (You connect up the stereo sound inputs to the new camera, too, of course.) So you don't even need to record the old material onto the new camera as an intermediate step. Just playing it back from old VHS-C camera through the new camera into the computer via Firewire could do it all in one step.

When shopping for the new vidcam, ask carefully about how you could do the old-tape-to-computer thing. In one step or two, as outlined above. I will warn you that many mass-market retail stores' staff will not know the answer, and they may try to give you a load of BS. But someone should know. In fact, ask them to demo it all working, just to prove it!

I have a TRV-140 if you want any feedback about it. I might even be willing to sell it

I have a Sony miniDV that I love! The video quality is amazing with s-video. I do not know about the options today, but if my 4 y/o camera is amazing I can only imagine what the ones today are like.

I personally would not do DVD as I like to transfer the videos to the computer and re-use the tapes. I can edit and burn DVD videos for viewing after the transfer, or just plug the camera in the TV for immediate viewing.

If I were buying a new one today I would look at the ones with a built-in hard drive as opposed to tape, but that is just me and I don't know what their prices are.

Unless you are totally sure what you want go to Best Buy or Circuit City and after 2-3 weeks if you don't like it you can return it. If you are sure of what you want I'd buy it on-line. Of course you can return on-line, but it is not as easy as going to a store.

Unfortunately, Best Buy now charges a hefty 15% re-stocking fee.

On every item?

Compusa recently only charges 15% for wireless products