Canon HG10 AVCHD Camcorder Video Sample

UPDATE 2008.12.01
HG10 raw AVCHD sample

Check out the video taken using Canon HG10 AVCHD 40GB High Definition Camcorder here.

  • 13.7MB
  • Encoded in H.264
  • 960×540
  • 29.97fps
  • Auto setting in camera
  • The game in the clip is “Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory”

Canon HG10 AVCHD Camcorder Screen Capture
The price @ Amazon.com is $761.60 at the time of this post.

The video clip is imported and edited using iMovie ’08 on a MacBook Pro Core Duo 2GHz running Mac OS X 10.5.1 Leopard.
I was importing the clip using Final Cut Pro, and for some reason it crashes during the import process.

I will test the camera using Sony Vegas later.

First Glance at Canon HG10 AVCHD 40GB High Definition Camcorder

UPS delivered the Canon HG10 AVCHD 40GB High Definition Camcorder just a few hours prior to this post. Thanks to Amazon.com for prompt service and UPS for actually delivering the camcorder one day early.

The price @ Amazon.com is $761.60 at the time of this post.

I use iMovie ’08 and Sony Vegas to import the videos.

I need to spend more time using this camcorder to write a more thorough review. In the mean time, check the pictures below.

The other camcorder is Panasonic HDC-SD5.

Canon HG10 AVCHD 40GB High Definition Camcorder packaging Canon HG10 AVCHD 40GB High Definition Camcorder inside the box Canon HG10 AVCHD 40GB High Definition Camcorder compared to Panasonic HDC-SD5

Canon HG10 AVCHD 40GB High Definition Camcorder setting the time and date Canon HG10 AVCHD 40GB High Definition Camcorder with CMOS sensor Canon HG10 AVCHD 40GB High Definition Camcorder compared to Panasonic HDC-SD5 again

Canon HG10 AVCHD 40GB High Definition Camcorder in my palm Canon HG10 AVCHD 40GB High Definition Camcorder USB Disk Mode Canon HG10 AVCHD 40GB High Definition Camcorder and 2.5inch hard drive

Sony HDR-CX7 AVCHD Camcorder MPEG Video Sample

Sony HDR-CX7 was one of three solid state AVCHD Camcorders I considered buying back in 2007. The other two are Sanyo Xacti HD1000 and Panasonic HDC-SD5. After some testing and deliberations, I bought Panasonic SDC-HD5.

I tested Circuit City‘s store display unit sometimes in October 2007. I didn’t even bother setting up the time and date of the camera.

Download the sample here (47.8MB).

Sony HDR-CX7 AVCHD Camcorder MPEG Video Sample

Obviously, the non-HD and MPEG2 movie does not look that hot. It’s visibly interlaced. I purposely move the camera rapidly to see how the quality looks when in motion. The image stabilizing feature seems to work well in this camera.

I will post the HD version soon.

Accessories for HDR-CX7:

Year 2007 Expires on December 31st at Midnight

Despite all efforts to hack the flow of time, the “year 2007” expires on December 31st at midnight. Teams of hackers are still working on cracking the encryptions to prevent “year 2007” from expiring. Unfortunately, their efforts so far bear no fruits.

If you are affected by the expirations, please do not panic. Upon the expiration of “year 2007”, “year 2008” will automatically activate and resume any tasks carried over from “year 2007”. If for some reasons, you found out that other people in different part of the world were already upgraded to “year 2008”, please do not panic. That’s because you’re living in a different time zone that is a little bit behind the time. As a matter of fact, numbers of part of the world have already had “year 2008” activated at the time of this writing.

Q: Would I need a new serial number to upgrade from “year 2007” to year 2008″?
A: No. You don’t need any serial numbers at all.

Q: Is “year 2008” backward compatible with “year 2007”?
A: Generally yes. But remember to date anything with “2008” instead of “2007”. Let alone using “2009”.

Q: Where do I sign up for year 2009 beta testing?
A: Unfortunately such beta program has not been announced yet.

Q: I love “year 2007”, and I refuse to upgrade to “year 2008”. What can I do to stay with year 2007?
A: In a way it is a mandatory upgrade. You can pretend that it’s still
year 2007, but it’s going to be hard to interact with everyone else. There is one other extreme solution, but I won’t get into that; let alone recommending or condoning it.

Q: Will year 2008 performs better than year 2007.
A: Results may vary. It also depends on what happened in
year 2007.

Q: Will my love life be better after upgrading to year 2008?
A: Can’t answer that one. You’re on your own, buddy!

Q: What kind of warranty does year 2008 come with?
A:
Year 2008 comes with a limited lifetime warranty; the lifetime of “year 2008”. It’s guaranteed to run until December 31st, 2008. It also comes with guaranteed upgrade to year 2009.

Q: Can I get full refund if I don’t like year 2008?
A: You’ll get full refund of the amount you paid for purchasing the
year 2008. Basically you’ll get refund in the amount of nothing.

Q: I think I like year 2008. But can it run Linux?
A: You dirty unbathed Linux Hippie!

Q: Should I buy an iPhone along with year 2008?
A: Should you? Buy it if you want it. I’d suggest to wait until Steve Jobs is done with his annual Keynote at MacWorld San Francisco. If you’re recently given a T-Mobile Dash after you dropped and broke your Treo, just wait and listen to me!

Year 2008 is expected to be the time of many events, which some of them are carried over from year 2007. In the world of technology, many events are scheduled to take place in year 2008. Confirmed events to take place shortly after year 2008 activates are CES and MacWorld San Francisco.

According to many rumors, speculations, analysis, and pure imaginations; the followings are expected to be announced at MacWorld San Francisco 2008:

  • iPhone announcements. Second Generation iPhone with 3G network support?
  • New Mac announcements. New MacBook, MacBook Pro, Mac Pro, and Mac mini?
  • Updates to Apple TV with more features.
  • iTunes movie rental.
  • More DRM-free music on iTunes Store.
  • New Apple software. What could it be?
  • iPhone software updates.
  • More news on iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK).
  • Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard update. (10.5.3)
  • A new device from Apple. OK, this one can be classified “made-up”. Take that, Apple!

to be continued.

Flip4Mac 2.2 is now Available

Telestream has taken Flip4Mac 2.2 out of beta.

Flip4Mac icon

Flip4Mac 2.2.0.49

  • Significant encoding speed improvements for Intel Mac
  • Improved video quality when encoding 2-pass VBR
  • Added JavaScript support to the browser plugins
  • Added support for URL Stream Scripting
  • Added support for manual Deactivation/Reactivation
  • Improved support for MMS servers and live streams
  • Improved compatibility with many different web sites

Read more about Flip4Mac 2.2.0.49 here (pdf file)

Flip4Mac WMV is a collection of QuickTime™ components that allow you to play, import and export WindowsMedia® files. Flip4Mac WMV can be used with most of your favorite QuickTime applications including QuickTime Player, iMovie 6 (iMovie ’08 is not supported at this time) and Final Cut Pro.

Panasonic HDC-SD5 Video Sample

As promised, I finally get to edit a short video clip taken using Panasonic HDC-SD5.

  • Stage lighting
  • Imported and edited using iMovie ’08 with 1920×1080 resolutions
  • White-balanced (in camera)
  • AVCHD
  • 1080i

Carlos Alazraqui - AVCHD Screen Cap

Get it here (960×540 – 20.5MB)
Carlos Alazrazqui, Live at Hollywood Improv, Nov 17 2007 – 11:00 PM set.

Carlos is scheduled to perform at the Ice House in Pasadena, California. Carlos will be performing on the following date and time:

Ice House Comedy Club
http://www.icehousecomedy.com/

Carlos Alazraqui
http://www.carlosalazraqui.com/
http://www.myspace.com/carlosalazraqui/