What supports HD burning?

[Wade Hanchey]

I'm looking for new software to support my new XH-A1. I've been using Premiere Elements. I want to shoot and archive HD footage until the HD-DVD or Blu-Ray burning hardware is affordable to me. I would place image quality as first priority and a feature set equal to or greater than Premiere Elements a close second. My budget is around $400 simply because I've been eyeing Vegas 7. (yes, windows based PC) Does Vegas 7 support the HD burning that I'm wondering about? Would I also need or be glad I had Connect HD?

[Tip McPartland]

Wade,

When you buy your burner, it will probably come with at least some rudimentary authoring/burning software. I got the Sony and it came with Cyberlink, that will burn a disc, but there are issues I don't have time to go into now.

Tip

[Chris Barcellos]

Not sure what you are asking, but either Vegas or Premiere will capture, edit and create HDV type files for archival. You can store those digital files on a hard drive, on standard DVDs (limited to file size).

People also use intermediate files like Cineform to capture HDV footage to a more editable format (.avi v. .m2t) but for storage, they take up about 3 times as much file space.

Of course, for raw archival purposes, your raw tape footage is best and cheapest archive. You can also edit your footage, and then tape back the the camera by firewire to preserve the first level edit.

From your post, you sounded like you weren't going to go the new HD DVD format drives. They are at the beginning stages of adoption, and actual dominance or preference of the consumer population is not there yet.

[Wade Hanchey]

Thanks guys. Chris, I'm not totally sure what I'm asking here either. I'm in the learning stages here and wanting to upgrade my editing system. I wanted to be sure I bought the right software. Sounds like Vegas may work just fine. And yes, I'm not favoring either HD format at this time, for the very reason you've stated. But am I wrong in thinking that the NLE will need to have support for whichever format I finally pick? For instance, if I went ahead and bought the Blu-Ray burner, will it be supported by Vegas? Premiere?

Thanks

[Ervin Farkas]

Wade,

I think what you're asking is what can you do in this transition time. DV has well established workflows from tape to DVD while HDV is on the rise with first generation DVD authoring software and hardware.

I would suggest you upgrade your PC first in order to be capable of handling HDV if you haven't done that yet. Start capturing your HDV footage, edit it in the native or an alternate high definition format, then downconvert it to SD DVD. There is a pretty steep learning curve even if you're already familiar with DV.

And then, when the HD DVD authoring software and hardware is mature enough, plus HD DVD players will be more of a commong thing, you can complete your workflow going totally HD.

Since you're already familiar with Adobe, I would stick with it, it just makes more sense to me.

Just my opinion, keep reading here on this forum, you'll find everything you need.

[Chris Barcellos]

Originally Posted by Wade Hanchey

Thanks guys. Chris, I'm not totally sure what I'm asking here either. I'm in the learning stages here and wanting to upgrade my editing system. I wanted to be sure I bought the right software. Sounds like Vegas may work just fine. And yes, I'm not favoring either HD format at this time, for the very reason you've stated. But am I wrong in thinking that the NLE will need to have support for whichever format I finally pick? For instance, if I went ahead and bought the Blu-Ray burner, will it be supported by Vegas? Premiere?

Thanks

Well, I am betting Vegas (by Sony) will at least support Sony's Blue Ray.... However, I don't burn my DVD's out of the NLE anyway. Adobe and Sony each have independent burning programs in their stables, and I have no doubt they will be adopting the available formats in the future... absent unreasonable licensing positions....

[Wade Hanchey]

Ervin,
I'll be adding a dedicated drive for editing. Other than that, it's ready to play ball. As for sticking with Adobe, do you mean Pro or the new version of Elements?

Chris,
If I choose to upgrade to the new version of Elements, there is no support for burning HD media. But it sounds like that may not be a problem as you don't rely on the NLE to do that anyway. Do I understand you correctly?

Thanks

[Ervin Farkas]

I have never used any version of Elements so I can't comment on that. But my gut feeling says you should go Pro if you want to play ball... like a Pro...

:)