Meryem, well stated and very true. As a matter of point though, you can do a warm WB with a blue card with the HV20. ;)

Sorry for the down links: "This account has exceeded it's bandwidth quota and has been temporarily disabled" I will move the files to a different location.

The main reason I preformed these tests is for the simple reason I have both cameras.

The HV20 is a great family camera+ my wife does not nag me when I take it out. Also on jobs such as weddings it may serve well as a third camera.

James

i think i was trying to point that out here. might not have been too clear about it, though.

just for the record, the HV20 also has a few features that the A1 doesn't, most notably HDMI, so there again you are paying for what might be an important feature set....i think that this camera is a revolution for the budget-minded indie producer (which i am not....) and the form factor can be a huge advantage or disadvantage, depending on your application.

the right tool for the right job.....

i am having the same problem , i get sound but no video, tried QT pro and VLC same thing.

James, how are you encoding these files? I tried bringing them in Premiere and it says they're damaged.

Comparing these two cameras is kind of an effort in futility. They are very different tools. Not sure anyone who can afford one and is contemplating the purchase of an XHA1 is going to change to the HV20 based on features. It would be like comparing a drawing made with a box of eight crayons to one made with a box of 128 crayons.

Perhaps a more useful discussion would be on how to make them match in shooting or in post. I know that for any major project, will I will use the HV20 as the B camera and try to match the A camera. I am bad at color matching and such so I could use that info!

Both great tools, but very different.

JMO---Mike

Derek, These files were encoded on a Mac. Captured in FCP using 25p setting and output in the same format.

Apple HDV 1080p25 1440 x 1080 Sq (1920 x 1080)

It may be a Mac thing. The pro version of Quick Time on the Mac/PC will still require the QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component.

When I am in the back in the office I will convert to m2t's.

Mike, When I use both of the cameras in my next paying job I will post the results and detailed settings used to match the HV20's footage to the A1 in post.

Ah, that would explain it. I guess you need to install Final Cut Pro to get that HDV codec? I have the latest Quicktime Pro that supports mpeg-2 and it won't play it on my PC.

Thanks, that would be much appreciated!

Mike

My Quicktime Pro also is supposed to suuport mpeg2, so I'm not sure what's going on.

I have posted the main files at:
http://homepage.mac.com/jamesfilm/FileSharing1.html

They are now in the HDV format .m2t

Hope this helps, James