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Helmling · Apr 15, 2006, 09:55 AM

I'm looking to go HD in the relatively near future. But I'm perplexed.

I'm looking at Apple's store and I see this Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD1 camera which says it records true HD video. So I'm assuming that I could then edit that as HD video in iMovie HD, right?

Then what? There's no way to burn HD onto a DVD, right? So if I got all this hardware now, then I couldn't share the videos I edited in iMovie HD with anyone?

k_munic · Apr 16, 2006, 01:36 AM

iMovie doesn't support any other devices then firewire-connected miniDV cams (standard/HD)... that Xacti does NOT work with iM (see Apple support forum...). it needs a long an boring process to a) mount b) transfer c) convert into AIC... before using mp2 from such a device in iM.

using HD content with iM/FC(E)HD et al means playback into camera/onto tape... now.

Helmling · Apr 16, 2006, 09:18 AM

So basically there's no way to transfer HD content onto, say a DVD...not until we get Blu-Ray burners in, what, 2 years?

Oh well. My wife will be happy since now I have no excuse to buy all these fun gizmos this year.

k_munic · Apr 17, 2006, 02:32 AM

Originally Posted by Helmling

So basically there's no way to transfer HD content onto, say a DVD...not until we get Blu-Ray burners in, what, 2 years? ....

they've started selling some "early adoptor"= $$.$$$ toys in Japan... and: is it finally HD-DVD or BlueRay?.. standards...

but:
any HDcam offers the export as "classic" DV, NTSC or PAL... but is HD meant therefor? and, for sure, you can edit in HD on a Mac, export HD content back too tape (for alter use) and create a standard-DVD with such material....

to be honest:
didn't catch the clue of SJ's "year of HiDef"... no content over here in Europe, no standards for displays (from 700i pixies to ~1900p), not disk recording devices, a VERY restrictive DRM via HDMI, ... ok, it will be broadcasted with h264 (HA! Apple) as compressor...

I've seen HD camcorders as "cheap broadcast" units... a Sony HD costs less then any digi-beta...- and offers some nice quality (for a consumer product!)... but workchain is in broadcast standards (4:2:2) and final product is "classic" PAL...

... and the very few amateur examples I've seen.. NO TRIPOD!

help... shakey-shakey in HiDef...

macbarry · Apr 17, 2006, 09:47 AM

Yes - until the new HD-DVD players show up there is no way to view HD footage taken from one of the new HD camcorders except by directly hooking up the camcorder (or hard drive with the footage) to an HDTV.

I've been waiting with cash in hand to buy one of the new HD camcorders for quite awhile now but since there are 2 competing HD DVD formats (HD-DVD and Blu-Ray) I'm going to just have to wait longer to see which one wins. Apple is supposedly going with Blu-Ray but rumors are the Blu-Ray HD playback DVD machines will be rolled out in the $1500-$2000 range while Toshiba has already released their HD-DVD playback machines in the $400 range. Ummm...lets see, would I rather pay $2000 for a DVD player or $400?

What a big mess these greedy companies have created with HD technology. They are shooting themselves (and the public) in the foot and neither are likely to get my cash till I see who wins - which may take awhile.

Helmling · Apr 17, 2006, 10:35 AM

I think Blu-Ray is the safe bet because Sony plans to roll it out in the PlayStation 3, which gives it a guaranteed installed base and that has made it very attractive in the eyes of developers.

But if you ask me, it was completely stupid of the industry not to get behind a single format. Or maybe they didn't really want either to take off too quickly since DVD is doing so well and they're so profitable.

loki74 · Apr 19, 2006, 01:38 AM

I dont claim to be terribly knowledgable about this whole Blu-Ray/HD-DVD thing, but doesn't it stand to reason that HD-DVD has a good chance given that Apple uses it in the Final Cut Studio software (widely used by pro's?) Not to mention that HD-DVD has the DVD name... correct me if I'm wrong but it seems to me that these factors would have a pretty significant impact on the outcome.

k_munic · Apr 19, 2006, 02:47 AM

>loki: ... HD-DVD has a good chance given that Apple uses it in the Final Cut Studio software (widely used by pro's?)...

As Helmling mentioned, a PSP3 is a significant base of players... with BlueRay; I'm VERY sure, in a near future version of DVDSP you can choose the formats... as today, you have many output options... authoring is just some piece of software, and from a pro-tool I expect all standards, I can make money with...

question is, what kind of drive is built-in in next überMacs? or will we see both? is the next superdrive super, because it can handle both standards?... "BootCamp for DVD-writers"?? WWDC isn't far away...

loki74 · Apr 19, 2006, 11:35 PM

Originally Posted by k_munic

question is, what kind of drive is built-in in next überMacs? or will we see both? is the next superdrive super, because it can handle both standards?... "BootCamp for DVD-writers"?? WWDC isn't far away...

ah! well that makes sense. I guess we'll just have to wait and see........