JVC GR-DF550 Mini DV Camcorder

[Hulk]

Jerry,

"HDV" refers more to the video recording format than the fact that they use miniDV tapes. Specifically the 720p 4:2:0 19mbps and 1080i anamorphic 25mbps MPEG-2 TS formats.

I think those formats will be around for a while.

Mark

[Jerry Jones]

According to the Web site here...

http://tinyurl.com/fp6oz

"Tokyo, Japan, September 30, 2003 - Canon Inc., Sharp Corporation, Sony Corporation, and Victor Company of Japan, Limited (JVC) today announced that the specifications which realize the recording and playback of high-definition video on a DV cassette tape have been established as the “HDV” format."

So the format seems to define recording a type of HD MPEG-2 onto "DV cassette tape."

But here is what seems to be the DEFINING statement:

http://tinyurl.com/o2xcu

"HDV and HDV logo will be licensed only to the TAPE DRIVE PRODUCTS which can record and play video cassette compliant to the HDV Format (HDV Tapes). The HDV trademarks may not be used on any products without a such tape drive."

Consequently, I'm now fairly certain that "HDV" can currently refer only to TAPE DRIVE PRODUCTS.

Nevertheless, HDV refers to MPEG-2.

You may be right that MPEG-2 still has some "life."

But, in my humble opinion, MPEG-2 is pretty much obsolete now.

MPEG-4 - in particular the H.264 variety - is a more current standard that I believe will be incorporated into future consumer and professional HD camcorders.

I could be wrong.

But I'm betting that MPEG-4 is going to emerge and even eclipse MPEG-2 in a very short time.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Jerry Jones]

My JVC GR-DF550 stopped working yesterday.

Error code: "01."

"SafeGuard Mode."

"Please remove and replace battery."

So I removed and replaced the battery and my JVC GR-DF550 refused to eject the tape.

It stubbornly remained in "SafeGuard Mode."

JVC declined to stand behind their product and provided no useful assistance on the phone.

So I had fun smashing my JVC GR-DF550 to pieces.

No more JVC products for me.

I replaced it with a memory card camcorder from another manufacturer today.



Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Hulk]

Jerry,

Sorry to hear about the camera. That's pretty much what happened to my Optura Pi. After a $300 repair bill I decided that was my last tape transport camera.

I have a JVC Everio but I got it for free so it wasn't a purchase. Image quality is terrible plain and simple. The camera is really small and the hard drive feature is fantastic so if I just need to capture a moment it's fine.

I am standing firm and NOT purchasing a hi-definition camcorder that uses interlacing. It's just ridiculous in my opinion to record in an interlaced format when the playback device will be progressive. I guess if I really try I can convince myself that after deinterlacing a 1080i video stream will have 1080p resolution for static scenes and around 720p resolution for dynamic ones.

I also don't like video cameras with tiny little lenses. I look at them and think, "how's any light going to get in there?" I know today they have all kinds of fantastically sensitive CCD's and great software to boost the image and remove noise but you've just gotta have the light. Large lenses and big sensors at affordable prices, that's what I want.

I'm still using my old Canon 300d still camera. Call me spoiled but I don't like the over sharpened, over saturated, and often noisy images produced by most digital point and shoot cameras. Now I'm looking at upgrading and am stuck between the very advanced smaller sensor 40d and the full frame sensor but older technology 5d. Although my 300d crop camera performs very well I have used a full frame camera and the results are astounding. Again you can't get around the fact that more light if always better in photography and video. You can always increase shutter and depth of field if you have too much light. Plus you can go with filters.

Finally from my research for the HDV book a few years ago I was told by a few sources that the HDV format was designed to be a subset of the HD video standards. The tape made constant bit rates mandatory, hence HDV is CBR. For the purposes of the book it was best to describe HDV as a video format rather than a hardware one. I think the designers said, "okay to use miniDV tapes we'll need to stick with a CBR format." But I'm not an expert on the semantics of the HDV format so that's as far as I'll go on that topic.

I think the main reason you don't see HDV video on non-tape camcorders is because with nonlinear storage there is no reason to be constrained to the less efficient constant bit rate encoding method.

At this point in time I think hard drive camcorders are a good alternative for those who don't need to use tape. The drives are cheap and large so you don't pay a big premium. Eventually Flash will most likely be the way the market goes.

[Jerry Jones]

I think the main reason you don't see HDV video on non-tape camcorders is because with nonlinear storage there is no reason to be constrained to the less efficient constant bit rate encoding method.

Well, HDV -- clearly -- was designed for tape; in fact, the designers of HDV actually mandate that tape be used:

http://www.hdv-info.org/trademk.htm

HDV and HDV logo will be licensed only to the tape drive products which can record and play video cassette compliant to the HDV Format (HDV Tapes). The HDV trademarks may not be used on any products without a such tape drive.

This is why I've maintained all along that HDV is another "dead format walking."

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Hulk]

Lots of consumers, prosumers, and even pros use HDV with great results every day Jerry. They make money with it and they get great results. I haven't personally needed it for my workflow but that doesn't mean it isn't a good fit for many others.

[Jerry Jones]

Lots of consumers, prosumers, and even pros use HDV with great results every day Jerry. They make money with it and they get great results. I haven't personally needed it for my workflow but that doesn't mean it isn't a good fit for many others.

The same statement could be made about VHS or S-VHS.



Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Hulk]

I suppose I'm more cautious making such determinations on gear lots of people still use on a day-to-day basis

[Jerry Jones]

Well, my crappy JVC GR-DF550 was for home use, but it was obsolete, too.

I replaced it with a newer technology camcorder by Panasonic... the SDR-S10... also intended for home use.

Here's a link to a promo video about my new camcorder on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuGqs1VpgP4&feature=related

More here:

http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/shop/Cameras-Camcorders/Camcorders/Hard-Disk-Drive/SD-Camcorders/model.SDR-S10_11002_7000000000000005702

No microphone input; that's the bad.

However, it records to memory cards and it is water and crash-resistant.

Paid less than $240 at Circuit City.



The 704 x 480 MPEG-2 -- available in both 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios -- is amazingly good for such a light, tiny camcorder.

I wanted something that would work better for backpacking anyway.

So far, it's great.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Hulk]

That's a slick little unit. How long does the battery last?

[Jerry Jones]

That's a slick little unit. How long does the battery last?

The YouTube video was done well, too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuGqs1VpgP4&feature=related

My Panasonic SDR-S10 uses the VW-VBJ10 battery, which is rated at forty (40) minutes of "actual recordable time."

The "maximum continuously recordable time" -- not a realistic estimate -- is one hour and ten (10) minutes.



Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Jerry Jones]

I'm also getting rid of my Panasonic PV-DC152 MiniDV camcorder.

I'm donating it to the local university where I work.

That leaves me with my Sony HDR-UX1 AVCHD 8cm DVD high definition camcorder and my Panasonic SDR-S150 memory card standard definition MPEG-2 camcorder.

I won't buy another tape drive camcorder.

I plan to buy additional camcorders, but they will be low cost Web / standard definition DVD capable models only.

My Sony HDR-UX1 produces a nice high definition image, but HD is more work... it's very labor-intensive for editing.

If most of my video is to be viewed on small screens, then the standard definition memory card models are hard to beat.

I have also come to view camcorders as "disposable."

I've spent considerable sums of money -- in the past -- on expensive camcorders and even the expensive models break.

So I probably won't be paying more than $500 for a camcorder ever again... for home use.



Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net