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, a hard disk, or flash memory cards. The format is being positioned to compete with other handheld video camera recording formats, particularly 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 the same 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-2 Transport stream, called HDMV. This stream format and most of the structure of AVCHD are derived from the Blu-ray Disc BDMV format. 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. It should be noted that at the maximum resolution, a standard 8cm DVD will hold just 15 minutes of material. The newer dual layer disks will hold 27 minutes. AVCHD camcorders using hard disks or flash memory such as SD or MemoryStick overcome this constraint and typically offer USB connections to access their content.

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 anyway; instead, it is transferred entirely to PC, where the operator uses video editing software, so random access is less important to the professional. Sony Vegas 7.0e, Ulead VideoStudio 11 Plus, and Pinnacle Studio Plus 11 video editing software supports the AVCHD format. Despite Sony's partnership with Apple on some aspects of Final Cut Studio 2, their product initially lacked AVCHD support. Support for AVCHD has since been added in a maintenance release for Final Cut Studio 2. Other developers have pledged their support but it may still take some time for the implementation. 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.

Nero 7 Ultra Edition Enhanced, is a software suite which contains the AVCHD editor Nero Vision. Also included in this suite is Nero Showtime, which plays AVCHD files natively. Nero Vision can convert AVCHD files to other formats such as MPEG-2 or AVI and can import them for use in video editing projects. Nero Vision can also export Sony's M2TS format to MPEG-4 files that can be viewed by Quicktime 7. Edited video can also be burned to DVD discs in AVCHD format for playback on hardware players or in Blu-ray format.

The biggest problem with editing and converting these files is the sheer amount of resources they require - decoding and reencoding AVC is much more intensive than, say, MPEG-2. Just as MPEG-2 was originally taxing to home PCs, going so far as requiring external PCI decoder cards, AVC presents challenges to modern processing power, but this will be overcome with time, especially on multi-core CPUs.

Sony has released five AVCHD camcorders, the HDR-UX1, UX3/UX5, and UX7 (with recordable MiniDVD and xvYCC recording (xvYCC on UX3/UX5 and UX7 only)), and the HDR-SR1 (with 30GB harddisk) available since September and October 2006, respectively. In addition, Sony's HDR-SR5 (with 40GB harddisk) and HDR-SR7 (with 60GB harddisk) will be released on June 20, 2007.

Panasonic has released three AVCHD camcorders, the HDC-SD1 (with SDHC) and the HDC-DX1 (with recordable MiniDVD) and the AG-HSC1U (with portable 40GB hard disk and SDHC).

Canon will be releasing the HR10 (with recordable MiniDVD), its first AVCHD camcorder, in August 2007.

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

References

Canopus AVCHD Converter Download

External links

• AVCHD Official Consortium Web site
• How to Edit AVCHD Files with VirtualDub
• Panasonic DMP-BD10 AVCHD firmware update]

• Elecard AVCHD batch folder converter
• Voltaic HD Converter for Mac OSX