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HDV footage file sizes

L

LukeTruth

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 4, 2009
24
0
An hour of standard DV footage takes up about 10-11GB of space on the hard drive once captured. High Definition takes up four times that, correct? How much memory does an hour of HDV take up?

Thanks.
 
LukeTruth said:
An hour of standard DV footage takes up about 10-11GB of space on the hard drive once captured. High Definition takes up four times that, correct? How much memory does an hour of HDV take up?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

There are many, many different forms of HD. The HDV codec itself takes up the same amount of space as DV, which is why you can fit the same amount of HDV footage onto miniDV tapes. When you capture HDV footage, it's generally going to be decompressed into something like AIC (Apple Intermediate Codec) so that it can be edited. Your guess of 4 times the size is probably pretty close.
 
HDV = roughly 13.6 GB/hour of footage. It can be captured natively - at the same size - in Final Cut, or you can convert it, and space consumed depends on whether you're using AIC, or ProRes, etc.
 
TheStrudel said:
HDV = roughly 13.6 GB/hour of footage. It can be captured natively - at the same size - in Final Cut, or you can convert it, and space consumed depends on whether you're using AIC, or ProRes, etc.
Click to expand...

Does capturing it natively mean a lower quality image than the decompressed/converted ones that take up roughly 4 times the space?
 
LukeTruth said:
Does capturing it natively mean a lower quality image than the decompressed/converted ones that take up roughly 4 times the space?
Click to expand...

The quality will be the same whether you capture it natively or decompress it. The difference is that your computer has to work harder to manipulate the footage natively since it's encoded.

In an nutshell:

Native footage = smaller file size and more CPU power required for render/playback

Decompressed footage = bigger file size but less CPU power required for render/playback

Also, keep in mind that many applications will not be able to manipulate native HDV footage AT ALL, especially older versions of iMovie and FCP/FCE.
 
If you have a faster computer, you might as well work with it natively, unless you need to bring it into Color or something. I've always gone natively and had no real issues, but I edit on a Mac Pro.
 
I have a imac with 2ghz core2duo, 4 gigs ram and a heap of external HDD space.
I use the native format fine but have wondered if rendering speeds would be faster with the AIC format.
HDV = less HDD space but more CPU
AIC= more HDD space but less CPU
So would the same apply to rendering?
Anyone have feedback on this?
 
Erendiox said:
There are many, many different forms of HD. The HDV codec itself takes up the same amount of space as DV, which is why you can fit the same amount of HDV footage onto miniDV tapes. When you capture HDV footage, it's generally going to be decompressed into something like AIC (Apple Intermediate Codec) so that it can be edited. Your guess of 4 times the size is probably pretty close.
Click to expand...
Just a quick clarification of terms here, what you are talking about is transcoding (going from Format A into Format B). Decompression is what happens on the fly so the computer can playback the footage.


matteusclement,
Yes, all other things being equal AIC should render faster than native HDV.


Lethal
 
LETHAL
Yeah, "if all things equal" is right.
I guess I will have to try it one day because if I can save time on rendering, then I would be really happy. The iMac purchase didn't have HD in mind. DAMN! :eek:
 
AIC is leagues faster for rendering and really any kind of editing. It's not nearly as compressed - AIC isn't long GOP compression, so it'll almost always be faster. It'll also take up a ton more space, though.
 
I use FCE 4.0 mostly but I just got FCP 6.0.6.

BTW, I'm working with a MBP 15" Aluminum with 2.4 Core 2 Duo and 4GB RAM.

Do you think that will support native footage? I'm asking because I'm trying to decide whether to buy a $799 Canon Vixia HV40 and slapping a decent shotgun mic rather than spend $1449 on a used Canon GL2 or something similar that has a better lens, 3CCD, etc but shoots in standard format. HDV seems like the way to go as long as I don't get in over my head regarding storage and editing time/capability.
 
HV40 instead of GL-2

NNNNOOOOOOOOO!

Okay... maybe.
I have the HV30 and it's sexy.
HD and 24p is awesome sauce BUT the 3CCD factor gives you good low light and more of that "broadcast look".
BUT just incase you do go HV40, your computer can handle it.

HDV is a slippery slope.
Unless you have Blu Ray capability, there still seems to be little point.
I'd say in a year, perhaps that slope will level out.
I feel that from a "semi-pro" view that a SD 3CCD will be better than a HD 1CCD.

I am sure people will see it differently.
 
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