[RossC]

Hi,

So after deciding -with lots of help here - to go for an HDV based cam as they seem to me to be the simplest format to shoot/watch/store/re-watch, without using a PC (and slightly higher quality than AVCHD), I find I'm drawn back to the size and style of the card based Panasonic HDC SD5 and Sony HDR CX6....

The storing of the video is still a concern but I notice both have direct connect burners available to simplify the process. Does anyone have experience of using these, and then playing back the high def AVCHD files stored on the DVDs via the burners to std def TVs? I know it can be sone with HD TVs...

If that's not an option the HDV it'll be.

Thanks, appreciate any comments.

[lurcher]

Dont know if this helps but I have just bought a Sony VRD-MC5 dedicated DVD Recorder (burner) it allows direct one touch burn when connected by USB to my Sony SR7 , 1hr of High Def footage took about 20 mins to record to a Verb 16x dvd-r.
The burner cant play back AVCD created discs , just SD dvd"s ( viewed on a tiny preview screen ) , so its not intended as a playback machine really.
Connections are usb/dv/composite & S in.
HDV files are not supported.
Created AVCD disc played fine on a Sony Bluray player.

[senu]

Originally Posted by lurcher

HDV files are not supported.

Created AVCD disc played fine on a Sony Bluray player.

Clearly they are not for all.
To be fair though as BD machines will not play m2t as native files () it would be a little more work ( though not impossible with some clever tweaking) to get the Burners built-in software convert m2t on the fly. this is not needed for AVCHD
But is also raises the question why?. Both the BD and HD DVD specifications support. mpeg2, AVC and VC1 and it shouldn't need a lot of firmware work to get the BD players play m2t ..in the same way as DVD players can play Divx files

[rhubarbe]

Yebbut the Pana DMP-BD30 has an SDHC slot and will play AVCHD straight off the SDHC card.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/31/p...eady-reviewed/

Being an NTSC only jobby though it won't play anything PAL (I have checked).