AVCHD

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AVCHD (Advanced Video Codec High Definition) is a new high definition recording format introduced by Sony and Panasonic. It can use various storage media, including 8 cm (3") recordable DVD discs, as well as hard disk, and SD and Memory Stick Pro memory cards, and is being positioned to compete with handheld video camera recording formats like HDV and MiniDV.

As its name implies, AVCHD uses an MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) video codec. AVC's greater compression efficiency (when compared with the aging MPEG-2 codec used in HDV camcorders) allows AVCHD recorders to capture video using less storage. The audio track can be stored as uncompressed 7.1 linear PCM, or compressed AC-3 5.1. The compressed audio and video data are encapsulated in an MPEG-4 Transport stream, called HDMV. Consequently, AVCHD recordings can be played without modification in most set-top Blu-ray Disc players, such as the Sony BDP-S1, Panasonic DMP-BD10, and the PlayStation 3. Sony claims the format has a total storage time on a MiniDVD of about 20 minutes of high-definition video using "average" bitrates. By comparison, today's 80mm discs can store 30 minutes of standard-definition MPEG-2 video, and MiniDV tapes can store a full 60 minutes of either standard-definition DV or high-definition HDV video.

Among the touted advantages of AVCHD over MiniDV tapes is true random access, since time-based seeking on AVCHD does not involve a fast-forward/rewind operation as it would on tape-based formats such as miniDV. For advanced users, however, digital video-footage is rarely edited in-camera. Instead, it is transferred entirely to PC, where the operator uses a video editor application (such as Ulead's DVD MovieFactory which can import and edit the format, or Sony Vegas, Adobe Premiere or Apple's iMovie, Final Cut Express, or Final Cut Pro - none of which can currently edit the format) to edit the footage and burn the output to DVD. The recently released Canopus AVCHD Converter can convert AVCHD clips into a format which can be edited using Canopus' Edius 3/4. A related tool, Canopus ProCoder 2, can then perform an additional conversion that produces files which are usable by other video editing suites. Because of this limited availability of editors and converters (As of 2007), AVCHD offers limited practical utility to the advanced operator.

Currently the only consumer software that is able to edit AVCHD files is Nero 7 Premium. However it is limited in what if can offer. It does though offer an alternative to converting AVCHD files into other popular formats, such as MPEG and AVI. The biggest problem in editing these files is the sheer amount of resources they require at the moment. Once more programs make the switch to the 64-bit operation, editing AVCHD won't be as problematic.

Sony has released two AVCHD camcorders, the HDR-UX1 (with recordable MiniDVD) the HDR-SR1 (with 30GB harddisk) available since September and October 2006 respectively. Panasonic has released two AVCHD camcorders, the HDC-SD1 (with SDHC) and the HDC-DX1 (with recordable MiniDVD), with the AG-HSC1U (with portable 40GB hard disk and SDHC) on the way.

Panasonic is also working on a professional version of AVCHD called AVC-Intra found on the AJ-HPX2000.

v • d • e Industrial & home video media
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Optical discs	LaserDisc (1978) - Laserfilm (1984) - CD Video - VCD (1993) - DVD-Video (1996) - MiniDVD - CVD (1998) - SVCD (1998) - FMD (2000) - EVD (2003) - FVD (2005) - UMD (2005) - VMD (2006) - HD DVD (2006) - Blu-ray Disc (BD) (2006) - DMD (2006?) - AVCHD (2006) - Tapestry Media (2007) - Total Hi Def (2007) - HVD (TBA) - PH-DVD (TBA) - SVOD (TBA) - Protein-coated disc (TBA) - Two-Photon 3-D (TBA)
Grooved Videodiscs	Baird Television Record aka Phonovision (1927) - TeD (1974) - Capacitance Electronic Disc aka CED (1981) - VHD (1983)