<<<-- Originally posted by Gints Klimanis : Here's a link on the firmware upgrade:

It includes a DV Input (i-Link, IEEE1394) with DV>MPEG2 conversion to archive Mini DV camcorder tapes and play them pack with no loss in quality. -->>>

Wha??? DV to MPEG is NOT a lossless conversion. So what else in their 'Features' list isn't true?

Patrick,

It's mpeg2-TS (transport stream)--HDV, so it is in fact lossless. If I'm wrong, someone please correct me.

heath

Heath,

Are you certain mpeg2-TS is a lossless conversion from DV? All I can find on mpeg2-TS indicates it is just a transfer protocol for mpeg2, and mpeg2 is of course a lossy format. The fact that the transport strream is transferring HD instead of DV doesn't automatically mean the underlying mpeg compression isn't lossless. Not vital to me personally, but can we find a reference to clear up my apparent misunderstanding of this protocol?

Well, okay, honestly, the JVC D-VHS and the HD10/HD1 record HDV in an mpeg2-TS format. I'm not 100%, esp. since I just re-read your statement, that transferring DV to mpeg2 is TS or not. And going to mpeg2 and mpeg2-ts does NOT mean going to HDV.

heath

4 semesters of calculus wasn't as hard as trying to figure out some of this stuff.

>>Are you certain mpeg2-TS is a lossless conversion from DV?

DV to mpeg2 conversion is definitely NOT lossless: mpeg2 utilizes interframe compression in addition to the within-frame compression implemented by the DV codec. DV does not use interframe compression, which is why its so easy and processor friendly to edit in an NLE.

I haven't gone back to the original wording, but perhaps they were meaning transfer of SD and HD footage through the firewire port - THAT will be lossless, because SD and HD (but not DV) is being encoded as mpeg2 within the camera.

Graham,

You just hit the nail on the head, mpeg2-TS is just the transfer of a in-camera recorded mpeg file to the computer and the 'transfer' is lossless. The original creation of the mpeg file in the camera is not lossless, but the transfer of the file to the computer is just the movement or 1s and 0s, thus lossless.