Editor's View: An All Things HD Buyer's Guide

Brian Peterson
Special Issue 2006

As consumers, most of us have fully recovered from the initial shock of seeing the eyelashes of our favorite actor, the individual whiskers of a Serengeti lion, and blades of grass during a football game. But as video producers, the majority of us have yet to purchase all of the equipment necessary to create high definition video.

So what are we waiting for? According to our recent survey question, "What will most likely propel you to purchase an HDV camcorder?" 46% said they will move to HD when the prices fall. Another 40% said they will move to HD when more clients and friends have HD TVs in their home and start asking for HD-quality video. But can we guess when those requests will start rolling in?

Some industry analysts estimate more than 25% of US households will have high definition TVs at the end of 2006. But we can also get a hint at any large consumer electronics retailer, where small to medium sized groups of mostly men huddle around the latest big-screen-HD-bargain, no doubt sharing game plans for an end-around. Of the many rationalizations proffered during these impromptu strategy sessions, one is particularly important to us: standard definition (analog signal) transmission will end in about two years. Congress passed a law early in 2006 that set February 17th, 2009 as the date for full conversion to digital signals. So it seems likely you will be getting more and more requests for producing HD content well before the end of the decade.

For producers, the heart of the switch will be a new camcorder, and 2006 was a banner year for introductions from all the major manufacturers. From tall claims of true HD quality for less than one thousand dollars, to the phenomenal gains in performance and versatility of multi-format 3-chip cameras, 2006 finally provided the serious amateur with serious choices.

High definition formats will require robust editing systems. Fortunately, the latest workstations from all the major computer manufacturers are up to the challenge of both HDV and HD acquisition at reasonable prices. And, if you plan to produce in true HD, you will also need ample storage and archiving solutions.

There are special challenges unique to producing a tech magazine, not the least of which is prognosticating when to adopt a new technology. One of the questions we get asked most frequently is, "Should I invest in HD now or should I wait a while longer?"

In this special All Things HD Buyer's Guide, we have brought together what we feel are the best stories of this past year to help you answer that question. We've included reviews of some of the most exciting high definition camcorders and external storage solutions; comparisons of editing systems, software and monitors; and special features on lighting, shooting, and editing high definition video.

Changing formats is never easy...but it can be fun.