1. How can I play back the AVCHD recording I have made with my Panasonic HD Camcorder?
The HD camcorders offer three video outputs: HDMI, component, and composite video. Either can be directly connected to your HD capable TV for direct playback. In addition, the composite video output can be connected to any standard video display or recording device. The recording must be viewed on a wide screen TV (16:9) for the image to maintain its proportions.
For SD card playback, Panasonic plans to introduce other products, such as some Plasma displays that will incorporate playback directly through a built-in SD card slot with SDHC playback capability.
For DVD playback, Panasonic Blu-ray disc players will have AVCHD playback capabilities. Standard DVD players and PC's do not support the AVCHD Codec and are incapable of providing a high definition video playback signal.
2. I've shot some video and I'm wondering how I can view these on my PC?
Most PCs in homes today don't have the processing power (let alone the display capability) to play AVCHD video. The included software will allow playback at a reduced frame rate for simple editing. Please note that playback will not be HD quality when viewed on a PC.
In order to view the HD video, you must first install the software that was included on the CD that came with your camcorder. That software will allow you to first download the video files from your SD HD camcorder, to your PC's hard drive. The files can be viewed from your PC's hard drive using the same software.
3. Can I use Windows Media Player to view the movies I shoot on my HD camcorder?
At this time, no.
4. If I create a high definition DVD using the software Panasonic included, will it play on my existing DVD player or PC?
The high definition DVD will only play in BD players (BD = Blu-ray Disk). Standard DVD players and PC's do not support the AVCHD Codec and are incapable of providing a high definition video playback signal.
5. Will DVDs I create play back in a HD-DVD player?
At this time Panasonic does not believe that HD-DVD supports the AVCHD codec. Panasonic has no plan to introduce HD-DVD players. Please refer to the respective manufacturer for their playback capabilities.
6. The software Panasonic provides only allows me to do very simple editing. What other software will allow me to do more elaborate editing?
Panasonic is working with companies in the video editing space to provide software that is compatible with AVCHD. Solutions should be available shortly.
7. Assuming a customer does not own, nor wishes to purchase a BD player, what other options are available to play video recorded on the HD camcorder?
The HD camcorders offer three video outputs: HDMI, component, and composite video. Either can be directly connected to your HD capable TV for direct playback. In addition, the composite video output can be connected to our Panasonic DVD recorders. You can create a standard 480i (standard resolution) recording (in 16:9). The recording must be viewed on a wide screen TV, else the width will be squashed.
8. Why doesn't Panasonic's software allow you to down-convert the video so that a standard 480i or 480p DVD can be created? Is it possible to upload my video onto an Internet site?
Down-converting HD video requires real time processing of an enormous amount of video data. The interpolation process is very labor intensive and would most likely be done best at the hardware level. This hardware would likely be some type of PC video card. Approaching this task, purely at a software level would surely require an enormous amount of RAM in the customer's PC, in addition to a very fast CPU. The chance that most customers would have such resources is unlikely.
9. I've noticed that the owner's manual states the largest SDHC card the unit can use is 4 GB. Does this mean that larger cards won't work?
Panasonic's policy is, and has been, that we can only certify the largest SD media that we currently offer; in this case, that's 4 GB SDHC. There is no reason to believe that when Panasonic releases larger cards, there would be any problems.
10. I recently purchased a 4 GB SD card. I'm unable to get it to work in the SD HD camcorder.
SD media up to 2 GB in size will work. Once we exceed 2 GB, you can only use "SDHC" media. Please note that the official "SDHC" logo must appear on the card. Cards labeled "High Capacity" that do not have the SDHC logo are not SDHC and will not work.
11. My PC will not read the SDHC card from a reader or built in slot.
The SDHC standard was developed to allow for cards with capacities greater than 2GB. Although the physical size of the cards is the same as standard SD cards, the reader or SD card slot must be SDHC compatible. In the case of the SD1, it can be connected to a PC through USB and the data can then be transferred from the SDHC card inserted in the camcorder.
|
