HDV is a highly compressed high definition format. As a result, it is not naturally compatible with standard definition televisions or DVD players as such. However, both the camera and the VTR have a “down converted” output that can be used to play into a standard definition TV. This output will provide a standard definition (lower detail) version of the HDV original recording.
If however you are going to edit with your HDV footage, it can be captured into an editing system either via the cameras / players firewire connection or alternatively through a firewire to serial digital video converter. From then on, your editing system will be editing a high-definition master and at the end of this process, HD masters or downconverted SD masters can be created to play on TV systems or create DVDs.
Comments
Anonymous
there are virtualy no profesional places to send a film shot on HDV. as it uses the same tapes as MiniDv cameras it compresses the video information to 4 times the compression rate of MiniDv. you would be better off shooting on MiniDv or a higher quality tape format such as DVC Pro 50 or Beta Sp. their copression rate is 4:2:2 as apposed to 4:1:1 for MiniDv. if you want profetional producers to take you seriously don’t use HDV