It's not too much to ask. But it's also not currently on the market. Yes the format is able to support the recording exactly the way you're asking for. But nobody has implemented that capability yet. Someday someone will, but until they do it remains an unrealized potential.

I first got into DV way back when the Sony VX1000 first came on the market. It was murder waiting and waiting and waiting for a native firewire editing card to come out (DPS Spark, anyone?) But that's what we had to do -- even though we had the camera, and the footage recorded in digital component format, we couldn't edit it until the rest of the world caught up.

Similar situation here: we have a format that's been announced, and even implemented in low-cost camcorders, which is capable of recording 1280x720x24fps or 1920x1080x24fps. But nobody has enabled that feature yet. And nobody has even announced plans as to when they might.

There is no inexpensive solution on the market that does what you're asking. The only camcorders that record only 24 frames, anywhere near your price range, are the HVX200 (in 24pN mode) and the XHA1 (in 24F mode). Outside of those, it just plain doesn't exist yet.

Eug,
I'm fairly aware of how Vegas manages 24p, and yes, I spoke to 24p in general, not the HV20. Yes, the HV20 is flagless.

That said, with this camcorder, you are not a prosumer. You are a consumer.
You might as well buy a small car with a Vortec engine in it and cry "foul" because NASCAR or ARC won't allow you to drive it in a race.

I don't think that I am going to pay $3000 for a feature that it's just a compilation option when they are compiling the firmware of their camcorders. I rather wait 3-4 years and get the feature when the manufacturers get in their right mind rather than pay money for an artificial feature that was segentized out.

Which is why I started this thread. To learn what AVCHD's standard says about the 24p implementation, to hopefully give me some hope that future consumer cameras will have the right 24p version.

Then we've reached agreement. You will have to wait until the manufacturers offer you what you want, because today's offerings do not.

I couldn't have said it better than Barry -- and when the manufacturers *do* offer you what you want, then let me know and I'll be happy to re-open this thread.