Anyone have a HD camcorder?

[kenny]

I was looking in to getting a new camcorder and was trying to decide between getting an HD model or SD model.

I was reading through the manual of two that I liked (a Sony and a Canon) and from what I read it looked like using their software you could transfer the HD movies from the hard drive of the camera to a DVD (standard not bluray) and play it on a bluray player to get HD quality video.

Then I went to the store last night and the salesman was telling me that no, if you put it on a DVD it will only be 480P. A DVD can't handle 1080P 0r 720P.

I understand that normal TV can't handle the more lines of resolution but isn't the movie just a larger file in a different format (mpeg4 instead of mpeg2). You wouldn't be able to store as much on a DVD as opposed to a bluray disk but shouldn't it still be HD quality?

The salesman said the only way to get HD video was to have a bluray burner.

Was wondering if anyone had a HD camcorder and what their experience was. Since I don't have the bluray burner that might make my decision for me.

Thanks

 

[Michele]

I recently bought an HD camcorder. I was told the same thing, you can't get the HD on DVD without a Blu-Ray burner. Right now, those are out of the question pricewise, but you know how technology is, they will come down sometime.

Forgive me, I'm not the most technically savvy person, but I understand that saving it onto my computer saves the HD so that it can be burned onto Blu-Ray in the future...not sure if that is correct.


As of right now, I just got the camera last month, all of my video is still on the camera and backed up onto the computer (well, except the last few things I recorded, as I now need more storage space, the computer is full). It's incredible, it holds 35 hours worth of video! I have been taping my sons entire football games and have hardly begun to use the memory, I think I still have 30 hours left after taping 10 games.

 

[kenny]

I recently bought an HD camcorder. I was told the same thing, you can't get the HD on DVD without a Blu-Ray burner.QUOTE]

See that is what confused me. I read that you can burn the video in AVCHD format on a DVD and play it on a bluray/ps3 player. If it is not in HD then why would you want to burn it in AVCHD that can only be played on a bluray player as opposed to converting it to mpeg2 and playing it on ANY DVD.

 

[drcandon]

Hi Folks...

There is a sticky at the first of this section on camcorders - if you check that section you will find all sorts of info on this topic...

But...here is the bottom line on HD camcorders...the AVCHD format from SOny seems to be the 800 lb gorilla that is the winner - another victory for Sony first bluray now AVCHD...

First ..what the camcorder will do and what to do with it...most if not all HD camcorders will do SD and the higher density Mpeg4 compression known as AVCHD...SD you can edit and record to DVD - even to SVCD if you want...all playable on regular cheapo DVD players. AVCHD is the HD format and IS recodable to DVD and to bluray as well...

Second..okay now I have the footage and it is in HD format - now what...well here is where it gets confusing and messy...you must carefully import the various directories and files from the camcorder to your computer for editing - use the supplied software - unless you are very very familiar with the directory structure of HD and where the various files are hidden..or leave it on your camcorder forever and just play it form there ( not likely )..

Third...okay now it is in my computer - now what...there are now several programs available that will now fully edit AVCHD and produce menus etc etc...I am not going to name them - because new ones come out every day and I don't want to endorse any..also most camcorders supply rudimentary editing and burning programs as well...

Forth...great now I have it edited now what....here it is decision time and what MORE money you want to spend..you can burn the edited output to DVD ( I am assuming you have a DVD burner on board )...BUT you can only play it on a AVCHD aware player like the PS3, most sony Bluray players and a handful of others...if they are profile 1.2 and above players they will handle DVD with AVCHD on it...or ( and here comes the money)...you can buy an bluray burner for your computer and burn the output to a real bluray disk...

Fifth - why should I buy a bluray burner when it will go to DVD???..can you say capacity???...a AVCHD DVD holds considerably less footage then a bluray does...I do not have the specs in friont of me but I am sure that a DVD AVCHD is messured in minutes, when a bluray will hold a few hours...

Sixth cost....yep a bluray burner is pricey and the media is scary - especially if you blow a burn...well, burners are coming down rapidly in price..I am pretty sure I heard of some being around the $300.00 mark by Christmas..as far as the media goes, well the first recordable DVD media I bought was $22.00 CDN... so buy a rewritable bluray to practice, then output to permanent, like we had to for DVD's a few years ago...

Hope this helps...

 

[kenny]

Thanks. I have the DVD burner and I have a PS3 so if I can burn it to a DVD and not lose quality then I am set. Although I guess that depends on how much I can fit on a DVD. If I can get 60 mins then ok, if I get 15, then we have a problem.

So the DVD with AVCHD is still HD quality?

 

[drcandon]

Yes DVD with AVCHD is HD ...1080i probably the best right now as that is all most camcorders give..

As far as number of minutes it all depends on the bit rate - which on some camcorders/editing software you can set - others you can't... but in general leaving bit rate alone you can fit somewhere between 30 to 40 mins on DVD-r..I beleive slightly less on a +r..but you are probably not going to get 60 mins...

Besides - your tracks are not 60 min long are they..unless you had the camcorder stationary and was filming a wedding or something..most of the scenes are in seconds to minute bursts...that is where editing software comes in..you just gather the relevant scenes togther..

Also some of the software will warn you when you are nearing the limit of a DVD...