What is an HDV camcorder and how does it work?

What is an HDV camcorder and how does it work?

Tim Smith (Camcorder Training Specialist) gives expert video advice on: What is an HDV camcorder and how does it work?; Can I watch my videos on a Hi-Def TV?; What equipment do I need to shoot HDV? and more...

Well, it's really not that different than standard def in terms of the parts. It's still a lens, a transport, and an iris. But, it uses the HDV format to record up to 1080 lines of resolution. So you get much better picture quality because of the formats on HDV. If you see one that's marked HDV you know you're buying a high-definition camcorder. What HDV means to us as manufacturers is that our lenses have to be better, our chips have to be better, the ability to record a better image to that tape has to be better. We've also had to come up with what's called algorithms: ways to compress all that information and still put it in a format that can be delivered in high-definition. That's essentially what HDV is. It's a compression format that allows you to take all that information, put it on and store it in a very small space, and then unpack it and deliver it to a television set to deliver a really crisp, sharp image, even on lower-end equipment. So if you're looking for high-definition, HDV is a very viable format.