The different video camcorder formats
Hi-8
Records analog video, 400 lines of horizontal resolution, onto a 8mm or Hi-8 cassette, which looks similar in size to a standard audio cassette.
Digital 8
Records 500 lines of horizontal resolution digitally onto a 8mm or Hi-8 cassette, a Sony conduit for its larger 8/Hi-8mm clien
tele.
Flash Media
Flash Media memory cards store electronic data on a small card, some no bidder than a stamp. They store video, photos, musi
c, and more. In video camcorders the most popular cards used are SD (Secure Digital), SD mini, MMC (Multi-Media Card), and Memory Stick Duo/Pro. Flash media memory cards have no moving parts and are less prone to movement damage.
DVD
This consumer format records directly on 3’’ (8cm) DVD media. Convenient easy playback on most current home DVD players and computer DVD drives. The DVD discs have 3 types: DVD-R (write-once) or –RW (re-writable), DVD+R or +RW and DVD-RAM. The DVD minus series requires you to initialize (format) the disc prior to recording, and finalizing the disc after all the information you want has been recorded on that specific –R disc. Both are accomplished within the camcorder in order to play back on your DVD Player. DVD-plus and DVD-RAM do not require disc finalization. The DVD minus and plus both record in a linear fashion, while DVD-RAM records random access like a computer hard drive.
AVCHD
A new format for High Definition 1080i and 720p video signal recording onto tapeless media such as 3’’ (8cm) DVD’s or Hard Disc Drive (HDD) camcorders. It uses the MPEG4 AVC/H.264 codec compression, up to 15 Megabits per second. Presently AVXHD is considered significantly higher compared to current standard definition DV camcorders, but considered lower than the HDV format.
AVCHD DVD
Records High Definition 1080i video signals onto DVD’s directly from the camcorder using 3’’ (8cm) DVD media, DVD-R/RW/+RW and +R DL (Dual Layer) media formats. The AVCHD DVD high definition recorded discs can only playback on the Blu-Ray DVD desktop players or your computer DVD drive.
AVCHD HDD
Record High Definition 1080i video signals onto the camcorder built-in hard disk drive (HDD). Easily back up your recorded video onto your Pc’s hard drive (using software) for viewing, editing, and archiving purposes.
DV/MiniDV
The DV format records a remarkable 500 lines of horizontal resolution video digitally onto Standard and Mini-DV size magnetic tape. It has since become one of the standards for consumer and Simi-professional video production. It features intra- frame compression for uncomplicated editing and the digital interface port know as fire wire, IEEE 1394 or I- LINK, found on the camcorders and VTR’s, allowing you to transfer your recordings digitally without signal loss to another DV device or computer non-linear editing systems.
HDV
High Definition video recording format on the DV and MiniDV magnetic tapes. Various HDV camcorders offer HD recording in 1280x720p or 19
80x1080i resolutions, using 4:2:0 color sampling. It uses MPEG-2 video compression, a highly compressed video signal with MPEG-1 audio compression (16-bit stereo).
DVCAM
A Sony professional DV variant format that uses the same metal evaporated tape of the DV format, but has a higher- quality tape recording manufacturing process.DVCAM records a wider 15-micron bandwidth, which is considered the step-up format from the consumer DV tape with 10 Micron. The tape is more robust to meet more aggressive use in editing.
HDCAM
Sony Cine Alta family of high-definition products symbolizes the bond between cinematography and digital high-definition imaging. Cine Alta creative products provide a seamless bridge between 24-frame film originals and a final 24p digital mastering, significant to cinema-quality pictures and to the digital HDTV and SDTV broadcast distribution markets internationally.
Digi-Beta
Sony Digital Beta cam is undeniably the professional broadcaster’s mainstream workhorse production format for standard-definition video that is robust and reliable. Its high-end performance continuously maintains superb picture quality through editing, composite layering, and multi-generation transmissions. Digi-Beta records a component digital video signal, 4:2:2 signal sampling, 2:1 compression ratio, a bit-rate of 90 Mbit/s plus 4 channels of uncompressed 48 KHz PCM-encoded audio.
XDCAM
The Sony XDCAM series of optical disc products utilizes professional Disc media and state of the art, blue-violet laser technology to achieve high data transfer rates and long recording times for practical day to day operations. File-based recording and random access capabilities fully break down the linear barrier and take you to the future where IT and AV merge.
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