by Gary Rebholz

In this article I want to continue to explore the workflow for different types of cameras and formats that we began last month with a discussion of the XDCAM EX™ line of cameras. While the EX format is a great option for a wide variety of shooting situations, it's obviously not the only game in town when it comes to shooting affordable hi-definition footage.

The HDV format offers another great hi-def route and Sony has a comprehensive lineup of fantastic HDV cameras. Several things make HDV a great choice for your high-definition video projects. It's a stable, robust, convenient format that gives you high-definition footage with file sizes no larger than DV files of the same length. You can shoot in either the 720p format favored by some manufacturers or the higher-resolution 1080i and 1080p formats used by Sony and others. It's also quite affordable.

All of these formats work seamlessly and natively inside Vegas Pro 8 software. Let's explore the HDV workflow in Vegas Pro software and learn how you can make the best of the HDV gear you've purchased (or are looking to purchase).

We'll start with a discussion of the native, tape-based workflow. The HDV format uses standard mini DV tapes as its storage medium and you can use Vegas Pro software to easily transfer the footage from the tape to your computer drives so that you can start editing. First, connect your HDV camera or deck to your computer via an IEEE 1394 (more commonly known as Firewire or i.LINK) cable. It's always a good precaution to turn your camera or deck off before you make this connection in order to avoid potential damage to your gear. If you connected a camera, turn it on in VTR or VCR mode. If Windows asks you what you want to do with the new device it's found, just cancel the dialog box without taking any action—you'll let Vegas Pro software do all the work. read more...