What's the new standard?

[wild4trv30]

It's been a while since I've posted here, and about the same time since I've done any video projects despite continuing to amass raw footage on min-DV tapes from my standard-def (but shot in 16:9) camcorder.

"Back in the day" I was told that it was always best to capture to the PC and edit uncompressed AVI files since editing mpeg with their compression was messy. However, it seems like the trend is moving away from AVIs to other types of containers along with newer codecs (MP4 with AVC). Is this the case?

My hardware is not up-to-speed currently for HD editing/processing, so I'm stuck with DVD-quality projects for the time-being. However, given the sticky at the top of this forum, I wanted to get your comments about what format people are typically capturing/uploading to the PC for editing, and what format are people typically outputting to now.

Thanks in advance.

Wild4trv30

P.S. Are mini-DV tapes even being used by others? It seems that all the new camcorders write to hard-drives or some sort of solid-state memory (which would seem to be a pain for managing archival footage).


Edit: I found this page (see: http://www.camcorderinfo.com/d/Reviews&level_b=Camcorder&level_c=HD.htm) after posting which gave a great explanation of the new HD standards. Perhaps it will help other old farts like me after taking a break from video projects.

[Jim44]

I still use a Mini-DV camera. Still transfer as avi, that way I can edit easily and then convert to whatever format I choose - Xvid or MPG1 usually for sharing via the 'Net, MPG2 if I'm sending out DVDs, etc.

I can see at some point I'd move to a solid-state based camera - my use is mainly as a in-car camera for the race car, so going solid-state would make sense. But the MiniDV camera still works and I've got my workflow pretty well established, so no immediate need to change.

[wild4trv30]

I still use a Mini-DV camera. Still transfer as avi, that way I can edit easily and then convert to whatever format I choose - Xvid or MPG1 usually for sharing via the 'Net, MPG2 if I'm sending out DVDs, etc.

I can see at some point I'd move to a solid-state based camera - my use is mainly as a in-car camera for the race car, so going solid-state would make sense. But the MiniDV camera still works and I've got my workflow pretty well established, so no immediate need to change.

Thanks for the reply. I'm glad to see others still use it, but you are sure correct that sold-state would be more amenable for your in-car use. From that article I postesd, it sounds like HDV will keep our mini-DV tapes around for a while longer before AVCHD pushes it out all together. My mini-dv camcorder and PC are both almost nine years old. So, HD is out of the question with my CPU (it choked and laughed at me when I gave it a VOB to convert to an AVC m4v).

[lordsmurf]

Your method is fine.

AVCHD is more compressed, and is clumsy to edit, too. Must have a LOT of CPU power, also.

[edDV]

I still use MiniDV and/or DV files for basic projects, and HDV (Sony Z1U or Canon HV20) for others.

AVCHD format comes in from others. It requires a faster Core2Quad or a Core2Duo+Digital Intermediate such as Cineform Neoscene.

My upgrade path will probably be to Sony XDCAM-EX. A new lower priced model is expected this April at NAB.

[wild4trv30]

Thanks for the replies. I'm glad to hear I am not completely out-of-date with my format.

[pepegot1]

I use MinDV tape and DVD editing. AVCHD is not there yet. I have many utilities that work fine for DVD and perform quickly. I would hate to think of the time involved with this new HDVD technology. The Canon camcorders have HDVD and DVD using Mindv tape. I dump my tapes to my JVC recorder and get a DVD ready for editing in my computer-quickly and easily.