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HDVideoguys.com is part of the HDV Handbook on line - your one stop source for all the latest and greatest information about HDV camcorders, HDV video editing and HDV technology!

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What is HDV?
HDV is a the High Definition spec created by JVC and now supported by the leading Consumer Electronic companies. JVC has been shipping their HDV camcorders since mid 2003. In September of 2004 Sony introduced the HDR-FX1 HDV camcorder. In 2005 Canon jumped into the market. While Panasonic does not support HDV, they did come out with their own line of HD cams that utilize their DVCProHD format.

Over the past year prices on HD camcorders have dropped below $1,000. That's right, for under $1,000 you can now record your family's history in stunning HD quality. I've been using a Canon HV20 and I absolutely love it! The picture quality is superb and I really like the form factor. One of the coolest features of the HV20 is the HDMI output. This allows me to plug it directly into my Sharp Aquos 52" LCD HDTV & view my footage immediately in all its HD splendor.

Just like with DV, you capture the HDV footage into your computer via FireWire. That's the easy part. In order to edit and process the HDV footage you are going to need a very powerful machine. For true real-time editing plan on a dual-core processor system with 2GB of RAM, a SATA RAID0 or SCSI drives for the video storage and a powerfful graphics card that supports OpenGL. You will also require HDV capable NLE software and/or plug-ins and/or hardware to edit the footage. Today almost every major NLE vendor has announced some level of support for HD editing including: Avid, Adobe, Apple, Grass Valley/Canopus, Sony, Matrox and Cineform.

High Def video editing is in your future, and with the introduction of Blu-Ray authoring software and Blu-Ray burners, we'll soon be able to deliver that amazing HD footage to our cusomers, clients, friends and family. While Blu-Ray & HD DVD have come down in proce this past holiday season and the Sony PlayStation 3 is now under $500! PS3 includes the ability to play and output Blu-Ray movies.

Videoguys - You can count on us!

Just as we did in the early pioneering days of DV, the Videoguys will be there every step of the way, advising you on the latest HDV technology, news and products. Even more important we will be testing and evaluating these new HD editing solutions on a wide range of computers. This will give us the knowledge and expertise to make sure that you have the right computer systems and equipment to run them properly. We understand that when the time comes for you to invest in HD, you are going to demand that everything works properly. The Videoguys, as always, are up to this challenge. Our 30 day satisfaction guarantee and FREE tech support are the best in the industry. We will be there for you when you migrate to HDV. You can count on it.

The HDV Handbook is currently made up of 7 sections:

  1. Videoguys HDV Products We carry a wide range of HDV editing solutions from Adobe, Avid, Cineform, Pinnacle, Sony, & Ulead!
  2. Videoguys System recommendations for HDV editing you are going to need some serious computer power to be able to handle all the additional data of HiDef video.
  3. Videoguys HD Camera & NLE Compatibility Matrix You need to make sure you pick an HD camcorder and NLE that will work great together
  4. Videoguys HDV Q&A Simple to understand answers to your HDV questions Coming soon!
    Check out the excellent VASST HDV FAQ
  5. HDVideoguys.com Home of the HDV-List and the HDV rumour mill!
  6. Videoguys HDV Resource center links to the best HDV info on the web
  7. Videoguys Blog your information portal to all of the latest developements in HDV, Blu-Ray & HD-DVD.
HDV Rumour Mill December 2007
Camcorders (12/06/06 update):

Sony knocked it out of the box this holiday season when they lowered the proce on the PlayStation 3. The latest firmware update now includes support for the full Blu-Ray format in all it's HiDef interactive glory! The PS3 w/ HDMI output option includes a Blu-Ray movie in the bundle. We still believe that this is the "Trojan Horse" that will get millions of Blu-Ray players into living rooms and home theatres all over the world.

On the other hand Sony keeps scoring awards and accolades for their ever expanding line up of HDV camcorders. The new HVR-V1U is not yet shipping, but magazines and reviewers are starting to get their hands on them, and the initial reports are that Sony has a big winner on here. The compact professional camcorders manufactured by Sony have introduced a new level of mobility for ENG and documentary-making worldwide with their superior quality and compact dimensions. These camcorders have dramatically revolutionized the traditional methods of capturing video footage. With the new Sony HVR-V1U camcorder, now you can enjoy the same mobility with the breathtaking beauty of HD picture quality.

The affordable HDR-HC5 is becoming the HDV camcorder of choice for the hobbiest/ enthusiast looking to move into HDV.

Capture high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) video to a MiniDV cassette with the Handycam® HDR-HC5 high definition camcorder. Record every detail of every moment with the 10x optical/80x digital zoom and Carl Zeiss® Vario-Sonnar® T* Lens. However, you'll be capturing more than just video with the 4.0 megapixel still image feature. Snap spectacular 2.3 megapixel photos while filming in dual record mode. The HDR-HC5 even slows down the audio. Get it all and get it in high definition with this amazing camcorder

Canon may have been the last one to come to the HDV dance, but they are emerging as the Queen of the ball! The XL-H1 has the loyal XL-1 and GL-1 crowd going crazy, and from our initial reports, those who have switched over to it LOVE it!

Whether you're a broadcast ENG producer or documentary, feature, or commercial videographer, the XL H1 is the affordable, lightweight HD camcorder you've been waiting for. Its superior Canon optics and exceptional image processing give you a brilliant HD image. The XL H1 also features uncompressed HD-SDI (SMPTE 292M) and SD-SDI (SMPTE 259M) output, as well as Genlock input and SMPTE time code input and output for multi-camera shoots. And, with its customizable open-architecture approach, selectable frame rates including 24F, and multiple output options, you've got exactly the right tool -- every time. The XL H1 features total Cine control, customizable settings and a well-balanced design for the creative control, flexibility and advanced capability your video work demands.

The HV20 is giving the HC5 a run for it's money in the lower end of the market. Available for under $1,000 it is winning awards across the board.

The stylish Canon HV20 gives you the ultimate in HD video and digital photo quality with advanced features for the knowledgeable and demanding videographer. Among the Canon Exclusive features on the HV20 are Canon's own Full HD CMOS sensor and advanced DIGIC DV II image processor, ensuring meticulous detail and superior color reproduction. More exclusives are, SuperRange Optical Image Stabilization and Instant Auto Focus. With the Genuine Canon 10x HD video zoom lens and a host of other advanced features the HG10 is the right choice in High Definition camcorders. And, with its HD and Standard Definition recording modes, you can make the move to HD without making your SD equipment obsolete.

JVC was first out of the box with HDV camcorders. Their first units where aimed at the lower end of the market and while they did OK, reviews were mixed at best. Since then JVC has moved upstream with their ProHD line-up of full sized professional HDV camcorders.

The smallest and most affordable HD Cinema production camera available! JVC's GY-HD110U opens a new area of digital cinematography, letting you unleash your creative potential with results that are nothing short of spectacular.

• Full High Definition (HD) progressive recording at 24 frames per second
• Compact shoulder style for stability, comfort and mobility
• Three newly developed 1/3-inch CCDs with 1280 x 720 (square) pixels
• Interchangeable lenses with standard 1/3-inch bayonet mount
• Rugged die-cast body

Panasonic doesn't support HDV at all. Instead they have theri own competing HD forma called DVCProHD. While I hate format wars, I have to give Panny props, these cams are sweet! The DVCProHD (also called DVC100) format is very robust and the quality is considered by many to be better than HDV.

Introducing the AG-HVX200. This handheld DVCPRO HD P2 camera-recorder is designed to meet emerging needs in HD content production. It debuts as Panasonic's first HD video product to use P2, the cutting-edge memory recording device that has the potential to revolutionize the entire production paradigm. The AG-HVX200 records HD, either 1080i or 720p video acquired by a new optical system and high-performance digital signal processor onto a P2 card using the broadcasting DVCPRO HD codec. This system achieves a level of image quality that conventional handheld HD cameras simply cannot match, while also supporting HD/SD multi-format and multi-codec recording capabilities.

Editing (12/15/07 update):

At this point in time just about every NLE out there supports HDV in some way or another. But that doesn't mean that every NLE supports every HDV camcorder.

It seems that with each new HDV camcorder that gets released, so does a new flavor or subset of the HDV format. This has created all kinds of probelms for the NLE vendors. It seems that they just can't seem to keep up. Here is a quick run down of the current status of the NLEs we sell.

When picking an NLE the most important thing you MUST check is that it supports the HD camcorder you want to buy or already have AND more importantly the specific settings you intend to use when you shoot. This information is constantly changing, so make sure you review it with us before making your final decision.

Call 800 3232-2325 to review your HD plans.

Editing HD footage requires a very fast computer and pretty powerful software. While the getting started video editing products we carry will all edit HD to some degree, you will find that they are just not that efficient. For best results with HD footage you need to step up to one of our more robust and professional NLE solutions such as:

Hardware Accessories:

Focus FireStore FS-4HD
In late November Focus re-launched the FS-4 line up. The new FS-4 ProHD line-up gives you Quicktime HDV. This means you get full DTE (Driect To Edit) capability with Final Cut Pro. This is extremely exciting news. We expect to see full HD DTE support for other NLEs over the course of 2007!

Matrox MXO
 The MXO allows you to output your FCP timeline directly to an HD monitor or deck. This means you can playback your HDV footage to an HD monitor in full reolution!!
PNY QuadroFX560 & 1500
These graphics cards ship with a breakout box that agives you HD component output from the Premeire Pro timeline. More NLEs and application support will be added over time.

Blackmagic Design Intensity & Intensity Pro
Add the incredible quality of HDMI to your computer. Intensity features the latest HDMI technology for the highest quality capture and playback on Windows or Mac OS X computers. Now you can edit using big-screen HDMI televisions and video projectors, or capture uncompressed quality from HDV cameras.

Motu V3HD
Meet the new hub for your video production studio. With one simple plug-and-play FireWire connection, the V3HD turns your Mac or PC desktop or laptop computer into a powerful HD/SD video production workstation equipped with all the video and audio I/O you need.

Convergent Design introduces new HDV, HDMI Converters
HDConnect SI (derived from the successful HD-Connect LE) converts 1394 (HDV) stream and RS- 422 deck-control inputs to HD/SD-SDI stream and 1394 deck-control outputs.

HD-Connect MI, retains the deck-control conversion and represents an entirely new class of stream conversion: HDMI to HD/SD-SDI.

AVCHD:

May 11, 2006 - Sony and Matsushita (Panasonic) today have just announced a co-developed high definition DVD format specifically for camcorders. The new AVCHD format captures video onto 8cm DVDs, using the MPEG4 AVC/H.264 compression system. It records video at 18 Megabits per second, which is significantly higher than existing standard defintiion DVD camcorders, but lower than the HDV format. The companies have been working on the format together for over a year.

"Basically, there's been this huge market shift to high definition. At the same time, with camcorders, there is a trend towards optical discs or DVD camcorders,"  said Yolanda Hunt-Boes, Sony Spokesman "Both companies have been looking at high definition on this solution, and in the second half of 2005, on the engineering level we came together and said, we’ve been doing this separately lets move forward together."

The format effectively compresses HD into a small enough data stream that it can fit onto existing 8 cm DVD discs. It appears that, instead of releasing a next generation optical disc camcorder, companies are wedging HD onto existing technology in order to provide consumers with HD optical discs as soon as possible. Interestingly, this is the same strategy that is being used with HDV, the current tape-based HD consumer standard. HDV tapes squeeze a compressed HD signal onto MiniDV tapes, which are a decade old technology.
Videoguys recommended reading for HDV information

HDV Hits Its Stride

Event DV by Anthony Burokas
HDV

More cameras, more features, more choices–here’s a recap of how we got from a one-camera HDV market to a wealth of choices, and a breakdown of how the models differ from one another and the features of each that serve the event videographer best.

The days of HDV being a one-horse race are long behind us. It’s been less than two years since Sony launched the HDR-FX1 and made HDV viable for videographers, but the days when JVC’s GR-HD1 was the only game in town—and a single-CCD, losing game at that—seem like eons ago. The hot handheld market just received a new batch of HD camcorders with the slew of IBC announcements, and, with one more on the way from Panasonic, the selection of prosumer HD camcorders. read more

Choosing an HDV Camera

HDVDMN Buyers Guide By Heath McKnight

Heath McKnight discusses HDV camcorders from JVC, Sony and Canon

The HDV (high definition video) format is certainly a new technology, only 3 years old and already in the second generation of cameras (the Sony HVR-V1U and HDR-FX7, and the JVC GY-HD100 come to mind), but it was widely adopted much faster than even the perennial mini-dv format, which is still actively used. As such, accessories, non-linear support and more came fairly quickly. But there are still many who haven’t decided to test the waters, or take the plunge into the new world of high definition. We hope to help you understand HDV before diving in.

This article’s goal is to help with your decision of what camera is right for you. We’ll be taking a look at the many models offered by JVC, Sony and Canon (the fourth company that supports HDV, Sharp, has yet to release a unit, over three years after joining the others), and giving you enough information to help you make a solid decision. read more

A Beginners Guide to High Definition Video

DMN By Mike Jones

Formats, Specs and Types for Shooting, Editing and Watching

The HD Specification
 So what is HD? Hi-definition video is more than just a name to indicate an image has higher resolution than previous video forms, rather HD is a specific technical specification that all major hardware manufacturers and software developers have agreed upon for the future of film, TV, video and broadcasting.

The HD specification dictates a number of areas of the HD format but most particularly and importantly it specifies the frame size and dimensions of the image. Existing Standard Definition (SD) has fixed dimensions of 720 pixels wide x 576 pixels high for PAL and 720x480 for NTSC. The HD spec allows for two different HD frame sizes; a smaller 1280x720 and a larger 1920x1080. The larger of these being nearly three times the size of SD. read more...

CamInfo Selects 2007

2007 was ultimately the year high definition finally came into its own. No longer merely a luxury item for early adopters, the sales of HDTVs, HD video players, and the rest of the HD ecosystem finally created a bedrock for consumer-generated HD video. At least five times as many consumer HD camcorders were released this year compared to 2006. Though still too high to rightly be called “cheap,” prices have dropped steadily, and several models can be found for less than $1,000. HD has also shed the reputation of being too complicated. Several of this year’s best models put priority on ease of use and auto controls. read more...
Videomakers All Things HDV Buyer's Guide

By Heath McKnight

Time for our annual HDV issue, and we've broken our buyer's guides into 3 segments: HD & HDV Camcorders, Editing Software and Monitors.

Camcorders
With so many high definition camcorders now on the market, along with Panasonic's DVCPRO HD becoming more affordable, as well as the new AVCHD camcorders, the choice on which camcorder is right for you can be a difficult one. We break down the camcorders to help with that difficult decision. read more...
HD Primer

DMN By Douglas Spotted Eagle

The ins and outs of entry and mid-level HD camcorders
Never before has the video industry seen such an explosion of formats as we're experiencing today, and along with the plethora of formats comes confusion about what HD is and what it isn't. Rarely does a day go by that we don't hear the phrase "True HD" or "Full HD"  in the context of comparing camcorders and/or formats.

If the camcorder displays 1280 x 720, or 1920 x 1080 on OUTPUT, it is indeed a "High Definition" camcorder. Truly!
Hopefully this simple statement clarifies HD. I believe the confusion stems from marketing campaigns in the early days of low-cost HD camcorders and discussions of imager sizes and recorded image sizes. read more...
HDV Editing….. A DifferentTake

DAV’s TechTable by David K Helmly Sr.

Adobe’s Dave Helmly does a great job on his latest blog article highlighting the many great options Adobe Premiere Pro editors now have. You can add software plug-ins or hardware to Premiere Pro CS3 to give you a very smooth and productive HDV workflow.

Over the past few years, HDV has given us lightweight and affordable cameras. Just ask anyone who shoots video for a living why they like these new cameras. These range from small palm corders to lightweight shoulder cams.The next time you see a professional video shooter, look at the camera they are using. Chances are it’s a small high quality HDV camera from Canon, Sony, or JVC. read more…

 Grass Valley / Canopus HDV Primer

What is HDV?
It is a common misconception that the HDV and HD formats are the same — they are not. Simply put, HDV is a video format that uses the HD line resolution (1080i or 720p) in a highly compressed format: MPEG-2 Transport Stream. This creates a stream that is small enough (roughly 25 Mbps @1080i, 19Mbps @ 720p) to fit on a standard DV tape. In addition to the data compression of the MPEG-2 format, HDV does not store all of the full-resolution HD video data. For example, one form of uncompressed HD is a 1920 x 1080 interlaced frame (1080i), but the similar HDV spec stores a 1440 x 1080 interlaced video frame. read more...

Avid Whitepaper:
Making the Move to HD

For years industry pundits and marketers have declared that the HD train has pulled into the station and it’s time for you to get on board, but only you know when the time is right for your business to make the leap. Many already have. The rest are weighing their options.

Though it’s tempting to tell you to simply run to your reseller and buy the most robust Avid system your budget allows, that’s not the best advice for everyone. Making the move to HD must be well planned in order to be cost effective. Your editing system and the workflow you put in place are there to support your business, not the other way around. read more...

Check it out! The Videoguys' Blog

Our goal is for the Videoguys Blog to become your information portal to the world of digital video editing & DVD production - including HDV &HD!!

We'll be including press releases, links to on line reviews, first glimpses at new products and of course - the latest and greatest Videoguys specials, deals & promotions!

Click here for the latest HDV articles on the Videoguys Blog http://www.videoguys.com/blog

Videoguys Top 10 products of 2006

2006 was a transitional year for digital videographers. While we had several very new and exciting products, they were more evolutionary then revolutionary. In fact, my most revolutionary new product of the year isn’t even a video product. It’s the new Intel Core 2 Duo dual-core CPUs. With the introduction of these new CPUs, in both Apple and Windows computers, we are now getting an incredible level of CPU power and performance at very reasonable prices. With them we can take video editing and production to the next level - and that level is High Definition. read more...
Videoguys HDV Resource Center
HDV Handbook On Line

Your one stop source for all the latest and greatest information about HDV camcorders, HDV video editing and HDV technology!
HDVinfo.net Chris Hurds excellent site with very good forums
Adam Wilts HDV Format HDV: High-definition video on DV tapes at DV prices
HD for Indies High Definition Video for Independent Filmmakers
HDR-FX1 Sony HDV Info .com Lots of links & good forums
HDV Cafe Resource center for the new HDV Filmmaking Format
HDV Format Web Site The official HDV format group website
Vasst HDV FAQ With HDV now being a ground-breaking format, here are some frequently asked questions about HDV, editing, shooting, and more.
Canopus HDV Education High Definition is Not Just For the Future. It’s Here Right Now.
Frank's thoughts on HDV An excellent reference guide, loaded with links and useful information.
Videoguys Blog Our goal is for the Videoguys Blog to become your information portal to the world of digital video editing & DVD production - including HDV & HD!

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