How the HD DVD wars pan out has no barring on what format a cam shoots other then resolution. HDV is used to burn SD DVD's now and will burn HD DVD's in the future. New capture formats will always come along, but they will just become another format that can be used to burn HD DVD's. In the end all video will have to be encoded to the specific requirements of whatever HD DVD format wins. Just like all video now is encoded for SD DVD's.

Amen to Ken's comments.
The big lag right now is distribution format, not acquisition.
I'm having a ball using HDV to produce the best looking standard def DVDs I have ever made and occasionally I treat myself to a WMVHD DVDROM for personal use. But the sudden appearance of an AVCHD camera next week wouldn't really impact what I am currently doing. I already have more resolution than I can distribute.

Obviously there is no simple answer to the question when to upgrade to HD. I believe that there also cannot be any clear answer as it highly depends on the 'technical environment', economical situation, 'love for the new' and many other factors of each individual user.

Thank you very much for your opinions. I believe I get a quite clear picture of the situation of HD for consumers now.
I very much hope that newer HD cams will not only be about being able to show HD footage fast and easily on the TV set, but that they also will consider conveniences for the consumers who want to edit.

Anyhow, for me personally for now the question has been solved:
Today I had received a call from Panasonic Service informing me that my GS400 will get repaired for about 180 USD. I am VERY happy that I will be able to continue using this very nice camera.

I personally don't know anybody who owns a HDTV and 'I don't have grandchildren who's first steps should be preserved in HD'. If my camera doesn't brake down again chances are that it still will take quite some time before I will upgrade to HD.

Not sure what conveniences you would be requesting. HDV takes up very little space (same or less then DV which people began using 10 years ago!) All of the cams use firewire transfer. As far as the PC end of things go, every major NLE supports HD video and even the slowest new PC you can buy will edit HDV video. That said consumer HD video is cutting edge and one really needs to do some research on their own befor making any decisions on what suits them best.
Glad your GS400 will soon be back in action and at a reasonable cost too.

Well put. For what it's worth, I recorded my niece's high school graduation last night in DV mode so I could get 90 minutes per tape, and when I watched the footage today I was disappointed how marginal the quality looks on my HDTV compared to the same camera shooting HDV. Once you've seen HDV in action it's hard to go back to doing anything in DV -- which is why my DV cameras are now sold and being sent off to someone else. :-)

One way to think of it... if the video has a short lifespan, format does not really matter. If the footage is something you think has a useful life years into the future, then some form of HD might be worth it, if for no other reason than 5 years from now DV in contrast to HD (and whatever comes next) will really look long in the tooth. I still shoot a mix of HD (for stuff that has a life into the future) and SD (for web stuff) as it all really depends on what the material is and who is the audience now and in the future. "Duty now for the future" -- Devo

In the future SD video will be looked upon as nostalgic. There will be many, many re-run TV shows that we will watch in the future in all of their 4:3 SD goodness, and we will like it. Just as a good B&W movie, or my Gramps blurry 8mm home movies do now. HD is only really necessary if someone has a need (or want) for it.

Just as most are 'blown away' by the quality of HDV today so stunningly rough SD will look in the future, no doubt.

Obviously I don't understand much of the technical side of videography, formats etc. and Ken, I should believe you and understand that my apprehension about editing HD is all unjustified.
However I am still curious of the issues one encounters when switching to HD, e.g shooting freehand, creating transitions in postproduction, or any other that may arise in HD, and their solutions. Well, I guess I must research them on other threads.

The new HD cams supposedly will record to DVDs in AVCHD which is even more complex then HDV. That certainly promises fantastic quality footage which can be shown easily playing the DVD. The trend seems to be to make HD available for the consumer who wants 'to shoot and show only'. That however does make me apprehensive if there also will be HD cams for consumers like myself who want the connections and manual controls like the GS400 offers and who also want to edit without having to get pro equipment.

Of course I am also eagerly awaiting the day I will be able to 'do' HD, but for now I am very happy that I can continue using the same hard and software with which I just had startd to get familiar with.