Canon Vixia HD Recording Modes, and file formats

[Lynn Lynn]

I just received my Canon Vixia HFS100. I have tried only a few seconds of shooting, so I could try going through the motions of capturing and burning to DVD. The files seem to be .MTS

 

I know that I could "experiment" with the various Recording Modes, but I am hoping to find a reference to solid information already known to the community.

 

The Recording Modes are named MXP, FXP, XP+, SP, and LP

 

I am going to guess that for all of these modes the file format, upon capture, is .MTS , because the camcorder is AVCHD. True?

 

Using my 2-year old "standard definition" camcorder, I have some experience using VW for capturing, editing, and obtaining .AVI files, and using MyDVD to burn DVDs. Now I am wondering how much improvement, other than better low-light performance, I can expect after having paid almost four times as much for this Vixia as I did for the Panasonic standard definition, given that I do not have a Blu-Ray burner? (Nor player) I do have a Double-Layer burner. Nobody in my extended family has a Blu-Ray player. Only one family has HDTV.

 

Given that I cannot burn a Blu-Ray disk, which Recording Mode is optimum? I will appreciate references appropriate to AVCHD as related to Roxio C2010 Pro. I searched the "Help" files, and got no hits for HD, High Definition, AVCHD, Blu-ray, and other terms. I have read:

 

How to Create an AVCHD archive in Creator 2010 Knowledgebase Article : 000238CR

 

If I am not going to simply archive footage for the perhaps distant future when I will have purchased a Blu-ray burner and true HD TV, I ask again: Which Recording Mode should I choose for my home movies?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ggrussell]

I would record at the highest resolution possible for future use. Until you purchase a Bluray player, Videowave and MyDVD can down-convert to regular DVD with no problems. If you have Vista or Win7, you can also create AVCHD on DVD. This is hidef that is burned in the Bluray format on a regular DVD. These will playback on Vista or Win7. WinXP doesn't support the format. They also playback on a Bluray player. They do NOT playback on regular DVD players.

 

That's what I have been doing. I have a Canon HV20 and record in HDV (1440x1080i). I capture that and edit in hidef. Then burn to regular DVD for the family members. MyDVD converts it to standard definition before it burns.I still have the hidef footage whenever I decide to purchase that Blueray burner and player.

[Lynn Lynn]

I would record at the highest resolution possible for future use. Until you purchase a Bluray player, Videowave and MyDVD can down-convert to regular DVD with no problems. If you have Vista or Win7, you can also create AVCHD on DVD. This is hidef that is burned in the Bluray format on a regular DVD. These will playback on Vista or Win7. WinXP doesn't support the format. They also playback on a Bluray player. They do NOT playback on regular DVD players.

 

That's what I have been doing. I have a Canon HV20 and record in HDV (1140x1080i). I capture that and edit in hidef. Then burn to regular DVD for the family members. MyDVD converts it to standard definition before it burns.I still have the hidef footage whenever I decide to purchase that Blueray burner and player.

 

 

I would record at the highest resolution possible for future use. Until you purchase a Bluray player, Videowave and MyDVD can down-convert to regular DVD with no problems. If you have Vista or Win7, you can also create AVCHD on DVD. This is hidef that is burned in the Bluray format on a regular DVD. These will playback on Vista or Win7. WinXP doesn't support the format. They also playback on a Bluray player. They do NOT playback on regular DVD players.

 

That's what I have been doing. I have a Canon HV20 and record in HDV (1140x1080i). I capture that and edit in hidef. Then burn to regular DVD for the family members. MyDVD converts it to standard definition before it burns.I still have the hidef footage whenever I decide to purchase that Blueray burner and player.

 

I have not yet purchased Win7, but probably buy a very much faster computer in January, to shorten my Photoshop and Roxio processing times, and it will come with Win7 bundled.

 

Any suggestions as to which version of Win7 is appropriate if much of my time is in image and video apps?

 

[ggrussell]

I"m sure you get conflicting info on that one! LOL I prefer to stick with Win7 Home Premium 32bit. I tried running the 64bit and had all kinds of issues like apps not installing and no 64bit drivers for my laser printer plus my TV Card wouldn't work. I installed 32bit and everything works fine. Even though 64bit OS has been around for some time, there still aren't any main stream, 100% 64bit applications. Most apps are 64bit compatible or have one or two small pieces that need to 64bit. I just haven't found any that are 100% 64bit that take full advantage of the extra memory.

[Jim_Hardin]

Home Premium for me too… the higher versions offer nothing I need. I have 5 PCs networked together and not a single one uses a password or has anything that isn't shared between them!

 

Just the wife & I so nothing we need hidden… I still cannot answer her question about why 2 people need 5 computers…