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Panasonic's 1080p twin-lens P2 camcorder seen behind three-dee glass at CEATEC

by Darren Murph posted Oct 6th 2009 at 11:29PM Featured Story


We can't say for certain how good it feels to hoist this big-faced behemoth onto one's shoulder, but it's the first time we've seen Panasonic's 1080p twin-lens P2 3D camcorder out and about since its fabled introduction at NAB earlier this year. Strategically placed beside a 3D Avatar trailer demo, the camcorder looked exactly like the press shot we saw of the prototype before, though there's still no formal word on when it'll be used to film your friend's Bar Mitzvah (or anything else half as cool). A boy can dream, yeah?

Gallery: Panasonic's 1080p twin-lens P2 camcorder seen behind three-dee glass at CEATEC

For the first time, burn a Blu-ray directly within Final Cut Pro 7

by Richard Lawler posted Jul 23rd 2009 at 11:37AM


Apple might not be ready to add Blu-ray to its computers yet, but prosumers can finally burn their creations directly to the discs (with a 3rd party drive of course) from Final Cut Pro 7. Otherwise, there's also the alternative of burning that HD footage you couldn't bear to squish onto YouTube to a DVD in the AVCHD format, but Macworld notes that beyond a few templates with FCP itself, DVD Studio Pro doesn't support Blu-ray authoring, encoding or burning at all. Of course, video editors probably have one or two other features to concern themselves with so check out the full review, but we'll be busy divining the exact date that "bag of hurt" shows up packed into the next Macbook.

Ask Engadget HD: Best HDTV & secondary video editing monitor for my Macbook Pro?

by Richard Lawler posted Jun 18th 2009 at 12:30PM


This week we'll be appealing to all the prosumers out there, one of your own is looking for some assistance, needing a HDTV not just for play, but also for work. We've schooled on the differences between monitors & HDTVs before, and picked out 40-inch+ models with PC inputs, but see what you can do for John's specific requirements:

"My situation is this: I would like to combine my purchase of a new HD television as both an entertainment unit and a secondary monitor for my computer. I am a freelance video editor, shoot in HD (1080), and use a Macbook Pro 15" (2.4 ghz). I see 32" model as the right size/price range, and I will be sitting between 2-3 feet away from the screen when editing. Given all this context, my questions are these:
1. What features should I weigh most? (refresh rate, mhz, brand)
2. Given this screen size/viewing distance, does the 720p/1080p difference matter much?
I will begin seriously shopping around later this year, but would like some background knowledge before I start talking with sales reps."

Any of you making high definition movies instead of just watching them? Let us, and John, know what you look for in a display in the comments.

Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.

Panasonic developing 1080p twin-lens P2 camcorder for native 3D captures

by Darren Murph posted Apr 20th 2009 at 5:09PM


You know that 3D bandwagon you're still hesitant to jump on? We get the feeling that this year's NAB show may just push you over the top. Shortly after hearing of Fujifilm's newest P2 memory cards comes this, a conceptual camcorder in which to eventually slot 'em in. Currently, Panasonic's 3D Full HD Camera Recorder is merely a prototype, but it's made clear that the company intends to bring this to market as soon as possible. Essentially, the device will boast a twin-lens system for capturing 3D footage natively in 1080p, and all of the video streams will be stored on Panny's professional P2 cards. It's hard to say if this would even be useful for 2D shooting on the side, but with practically every major studio at least considering (if not committing to) 3D production, we'd say it's a solid investment on Panasonic's part either way.

Canon announces XH A1S and XH G1S prosumer HD camcorders

by Darren Murph posted Nov 5th 2008 at 11:21AM


Just in case the XL H1S and XL H1A weren't really your style, Canon's hoping to snag a fair chunk of your short-term savings with a new duo of prosumer HD camcorders. The HDV XH A1S and XH G1S both feature a 20x HD video lens, manual zoom / focus, three independent manual adjustment rings, an "unprecedented" range of image / color settings, 60i / 30F / 24F frame rate options, Instant AF focusing system, the DIGIC DV II proprietary digital signal processor, two built-in XLR terminals with separate audio-input sensitivity settings, line output level switching and support for optional HDD recording in the field. The XH G1S adds in HD-SDI / SD-SDI output, SMPTE timecode input / output, and genlock input, which are all features that probably won't be missed by greenies baffled by the mere mention of those inclusions. Get set for showtime next month as the pair sells for $3,999 and $6,999, respectively.

Gallery: Canon announces XH A1S and XH G1S prosumer HD camcorders

Canon's new XL H1S and XL H1A prosumer HD camcorders

by Paul Miller posted Apr 10th 2008 at 10:32AM


Canon's building on its well-received XL H1 prosumer, interchangeable-lens video camera with the new XL H1S and XL H1A. The primary addition shared by the new cameras is the updated 20x HD Video Lens III, but there are also improvements to the image and color settings, audio input capabilities and an external LCD monitor output plug. The XL H1S bests the H1A with uncompressed HD-SD1 output, but will run you a full three grand more when it hits in June for $9,000, with the H1A landing mid-July for $6,000.

Asus shows off HDMI-equipped Xonar DX and Xonar AV1 sound cards

by Richard Lawler posted Feb 28th 2008 at 10:54AM


Asus continues to crank up its media PC related offerings, its latest are two HDMI equipped sound cards aimed at HTPC users or prosumers. Next week at CeBIT expect to see the Xonar DX sound card, a slimmed-down edition of its Xonar D2X card made to fit any PCI-E x1 equipped computer. Dolby Digital Live and DTS connect support is still part of the package, plus EAX 5.0 compatibility. Next up is the Xonar AV1, complete with three HDMI jacks and Asus' Splendid HD chip to assist audio and video mastering. Price or release date on these is unknown but we're sure to get a closer look once the show starts.

Ask Engadget HD: What's the best consumer HD camcorder?

by Darren Murph posted Jan 30th 2008 at 12:00PM Featured Story


Although the new year has just begun, we're sure you can already count the number of social events, birthday parties and vacations you'll be attending in 2008. So if you know you're going, why not capture a few rolls of memories while you're at it, right? This week's Ask Engadget HD inquiry comes from Heyward, who is desperately seeking help in selecting an HD camcorder to tag along with him to the aforementioned getaways.

"I'm looking for a full HD camcorder. I don't mind shelling out a little dough, but I will draw the line at $1,500. It has to be hybrid media, though I don't want anything involving optical media (so flash-based is okay). I'd prefer control over frame rate and compression method, but I understand that those features might be too much to ask for on a sub-prosumer cam. I'm looking for a larger-than-average, easy to read screen, and a decent battery life. Help, please!"

You can almost hear the frustration in his voice, now can't you? C'mon -- we know at least some of you HD aficionados out there have bit the bullet and picked up an HD camcorder by now, so take a moment of your lunch break and tell poor Heyward what's what.

Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.

Two new 'compact' prosumer HD cams from Canon - XH G1 & XH A1

by Matt Burns posted Jul 26th 2006 at 9:53AM


Canon has just announced their first prosumer high-def camcorders. These things might not be as small and compact as Sony's consumer lines, but they weren't meant to be ether. Canon basically took their old, but still a goodie, XL H1 (MSRP $9999) and shrunk the size of the camera and price. The two new camcorders both have the same imaging system as the XL H1 with three 1/3-inch 16:9 CCDs that can record 1080i60/24. Well, to be honest, the resolution is really 1440 x 1080 which is still high-def; just, not the 1980 x 1080i that you were expecting. The cams are equipped with a 20x optical HD lens and have the same DIGIC DV II processor as the XL H1. These two models are identical sans one little thing: a jack pack. The XH G1 (pictured with jack pack on the right) retails at $6999 and has an improved SD/HD-SDI that embeds not only the video signal and timecode, but also the audio. There is also a separate SMPTE Timecode in/out (via a toggle) and a Genlock input. If you don't need these jacks, you can save some gas money by picking up the same quality video via the XH A1 at $3999. The XH A1 should be available in October with the big brother coming in late November.

Going to Sundance? Check out the HD House

by Richard Lawler posted Jan 18th 2006 at 2:18PM


Sundance Film festivalNow of course we would say DVGuru is the best place to go learn about high definition tools for producing independent films, but if you like to get more hands on and happen to be in Utah starting tomorrow, visit the HD House.

They've got panel discussions, product demonstrations and more planned. The tech sponsor for the house is Grass Valley, who will be spotlighting their HD camcorder and media.

Any of you prosumers hitting up Sundance want to tell us how it is?




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