I am looking at Sony's NEX-VG10 (1920 x 1080 Full HD video recording) but - as you will notice by my questions - I am completely in the dark regarding full HD video recording.

MEMORY CARD
As far as video recording is concerned, what is the difference between one memory card and another? Is it just the storage capacity of each or does it have to do with the type of recording e.g. full HD, HD or SD?

BURNING DVDs
1) What type of DVD should I use in order to burn on it a full HD or HD video?
2) If I record in full HD, can I burn from it an HD and SD DVDs using Encore CS5?

PLAYING DVDs
Finally, does a regular DVD player accept an HD video or will it just not play at all?

I hope you can help with all these questions. Thanks

That's a very nice camcorded, Iris, with many professional features. You don't say which video editing software you're using but, if you're using a program like Vegas Movie Studio or Premiere Elements, you'll want to make sure you shoot in a format and at a frame rate these consumer-based programs can work with.

Beyond that, there are a couple of different sizes of memory cards. That particular cam accepts Memory Stick PRO Duoâ„¢/Pro-HG Duoâ„¢/PRO-HG HX Duoâ„¢ media - SD, SDHC, and SDXC memory cards. About the only other issue is how much space is on the card to store your video. The type of memory card you're using doesn't affect whether you can shoot in standard def or hi-def. It's all just data, as far as the card is concerned. But you'll likely want a card with several gigabytes of space.

DVDs are standard definition by nature. If you plan to output a hi-def video to a disc, you'll use BluRays -- so, naturally, you'll want to ensure your computer is capable of burning BluRay discs and your disc player is a BluRay player, since you can't play BluRays on a DVD player.

Encore can burn to either format -- but your computer must have the hardware to burn a BluRay in order for you to create hi-def video discs.

Hi Steve. Thanks for your answer.

I will be using Premiere Pro CS5 to edit the video in a Sony VPCCW21FX laptop with 4GB Ram.
(I may upgrade to 8GB is 4 is not enough to edit a video that will ultimately end in a 45-min video.)

But you have raised a couple of other questions.

1) Is there a difference between bluray and HDs?
2) I think my machine can burn HD DVDs but how can I check if it does?

I just checked. It doesn't have a Blu-ray player so I guess it cannot burn a blu-ray DVD.
In any case... couldn't I burn an HD DVD?

You could -- but you'll only be able to squeeze about 20 minutes of high-def footage on a DVD disc. And, of course, you could only play it on a BluRay disc player.

As I said, DVDs are, by definition, standard resolution.

Steve, please enlighten me.

If I will only be able to burn a 20-min HD DVD it won't work for me as I need at least 45-min or more in a DVD.

Is there a difference between blu-ray and HD DVDs.
I am asking because I could buy an external HD burner or should I buy a blu-ray burner?

In my ignorance, I don't want to burn a blu-ray DVD because I assume it will require to have a blu-ray player.
I rather burn an HD DVD so that if I make several copies for friends they will be able to play it in their DVD player.

For you, these are probably stupid questions... but I am not stupid.... I am just dumb ignorant.

Iris

What you have been calling HD DVD is more appropriately called AVCHD DVD. HD DVD was a rival format to Blu-Ray that was discontinued in 2008.

When AVCHD first came out, only DVD discs were available as a recording medium. Accordingly, the AVCHD specification included a way of recording AVCHD on DVD discs for use in AVCHD camcorders. AVCHD DVD camcorders are no longer being made, but AVCHD DVD is still being used by some to distribute short high definition material. However, AVCHD DVD is incompatible with standard DVD players. Your friends won't be able to play them in their DVD Player. Some Blu-Ray players will play AVCHD DVDs, but not all.

Bob,
as you will note from above, I am looking at Sony's NEX-VG10 camcorder which shoots AVCHD video.
As this is a relatively new model (I think it's been around for 1 yr) I assume that it is not the same as AVCHD DVD that you are referring to as you say that AVCHD DVD are no longer made. If I am right, what would be the difference between AVCHD DVD and shooting AVCHD?

Regarding burning my video as full HD, I think I will wait until I get a pc that burns blu-ray discs rather than get an external burner.

In the meantime, do you know if I can shoot full HD videos with this camera, edit it in HD in Premiere Pro CS5 and then burn an SD DVD in Encore from it? (I was thinking if I do that I can - at a later date - burn from my edited HD video a blu ray disc.) Maybe this last question belongs to another forum... let me know. Thxs.

When Bob refers to AVCHD DVD camcorders he is refering to AVCHD camorders that record directly to DVD as opposed to new camcorders that record to cards (SDHC for example) or hard drives. The AVCHD format would be the same, just the media it records to is different.

As you suggest in the near term it may be better to record in high definition AVCHD and edit PPro CS5 in high definition before burning as standard definition. In the future you can go back and burn the project in high definition to blu-ray disc.

Thanks you all. I understand more than when I started.

I have other questions regarding the editing process and burning that I will post under PPro.

Thanks again.