WEVA News Minute #57

At NAB 2006, Sony hailed HDV as “the fastest-selling format launch in Sony Professional history� and introduced two brand new HDV recording decks to complement the recently released HVR-A1U compact camcorder, and its larger HVR-Z1U cousin.

The HDV camcorders were a popular draw at the Sony exhibit area. So was the projected footage from a recent expedition up Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa that had been documented with the A1U. Key features of both HDV camcorders were highlighted on-site for WEVA NEWS MINUTE producers Sue Lawson and Bruce Himmelblau.

Sony's new HVR-M25U and HVR-M15U decks both offer HDV 1080i, DVCAM and DV SP recording and playback to ease the migration to high-definition. Both decks are compatible with MiniDV and standard-size cassettes that allow over four hours of HDV recording with compatible tapes. In addition, both decks have a down-conversion function from HD to SD and are switchable between 60 and 50 Hz (NTSC/PAL).

Other shared features include the ability to copy external timecode through the "HDV/DV in TC" feature and a range of connectivity options, including the i.LINK (IEEE-1394) digital interface, component output, S-Video I/O, composite I/O, and analog audio I/O.

The HVR-M25U (about $3,300 street price) adds a ClearPhoto LCD plus 2.7-inch 16:9 panel and an HDMI output for connections to consumer TV sets. The model's Edge Crop adjustment is designed to adjust edge crop areas manually while down-converting. The HVR-M15U (about $2,200 street price) is a compact unit that can be positioned either horizontally or vertically. Both HDV models are scheduled for shipping this month.

Go hands-on with many of the exciting new products displayed during NAB at the WEVA 16th Annual Wedding & Event Video Expo Trade Show in August at exotic Mandalay Bay.

Join WEVA now to access valuable WEVA membership benefits that can help you succeed in your business, including job opportunities through the new "StreamLocal" program.