Panasonic VDR-M30 Weekend Shoot

[Jerry Jones]

Well, I took the new Panasonic VDR-M30 out for a shoot and recorded onto a mini DVD-RAM disc at the highest quality possible.

I got home and copied the video MPEG-2 files using Ulead MediaStudio Pro's DVD-VR Capture Plug-In.

Here are the properties of the Panasonic VDR-M30 DVD camcorder MPEG:

NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG files
24 Bits, 704 x 480, 29.97 fps
Field Order B
(DVD-NTSC), 4 : 3
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 8800 kbps)
Audio data rate: 256 kbps
MPEG audio layer 2, 48 KHz, Stereo

Note how the properties of the Panasonic *camcorder* differ from the properties of the Panasonic *player/recorder.*

Here are the properties from the Panasonic DMR-E50 player/recorder MPEG:

NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG files
24 Bits, 704 x 480, 29.97 fps
Field Order B
(DVD-NTSC), 4 : 3
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 9556 kbps)
Audio data rate: 256 kbps
AC-3 Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

So, I set up my camcorder editing template in Ulead MediaStudio Pro 7.0.

Smart Render works perfectly.

But - you apparently need a display card with video out - preferably a DVDMAX - to see high quality previews.

If you use a DV camcorder as a bridge between the computer and your external preview television monitor, the high quality preview of the MPEG ENGINE does not go out via the Firewire.

Nevertheless, very interesting stuff.

Doc, I'll send you a CD with some clips and you can run it through your analysis.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

P.S. This camcorder - when recording to DVD-R mini discs - can also record LPCM audio.

[paulw]

Thanx Jerry.

How did the camcorder picture compare to a DV camcorder and the DMR-E50??

[Jerry Jones]

Well, I'll need to do some more testing to be able to compare that fairly.

To tell you the truth, they both look pretty darned good.

But I haven't done a side-by-side comparison.

Remember - the VDR-M30 is best when you have a gig that requires very little editing.

It's a quick SHOOT-AND-BURN-TO-DISC time saver.

I would guess the new 3-chip Panasonic DV camcorder that sells for under $1,000 would yield a better quality image.

Pair that with a Panasonic DMR-HS2 deck and you've got a killer combination.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Dr Mordrid]

I'll be waiting with anticipation for that disc Jerry

Dr. Mordrid

[wkulecz]

Any comparisions of low light image quality between the new 3-CCD Panasonic DV camcorder and Sony VX-2000?

I need the best low light I can afford, but am looking to spend as little as possible. I'm not in a hurry as my need doesn't become "have to buy something now" until Mar '04. So far nothing seems to best or equal the VX-2000 until you get to twice the price or more. Sony's newer 3CCD models seem significantly worse in low light than the VX-2000 :-(

--wally.

[Jerry Jones]

By the way, I was formerly having some stability problems when editing MPEGs in Ulead MediaStudio Pro 7 (patched) with Internet Explorer open.

I decided to visit the Microsoft Web site and download and apply all of the Internet Explorer update patches.

I also decided to download and install Service Pack 4 for Windows 2000 and the other updates.

Now - no matter how hard I edit the MPEGs, Ulead MediaStudio Pro 7 remains stable.

Obviously, something connected to IE 6 or Windows 2000 was fixed.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Dr Mordrid]

There were quite a few video related things fixed in sp4, but I'm still fighting with myself over the EULA issue...

Dr. Mordrid

[Jerry Jones]

Did some more testing with my Panasonic VDR-M30 DVD disc camcorder:

http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?storeId=11251&catalogId=11005&itemId=63189&catGroupId=11299&modelNo=VDR-M30&surfModel=VDR-M30

This has been a lot of fun.

Well, tonight I burned the some video I recorded last weekend.

I extracted the raw MPEG from the single-sided mini DVD-RAM disc and then burned the video onto a regular-sized DVD-R disc.

Ulead DVD MovieFactory 2 LE worked like a charm burning the raw MPEGs without any re-encoding.

I inserted the finished DVD-R into my GE 1106P-B DVD Player, which feeds a large JVC 27" television set.

Wow - I am surprised by the vivid color this camcorder captures!

I did not expect such vivid color with a one chip camcorder.

In addition, the Panasonic MPEG encoder quality is quite impressive to my eye...

...although on very brief segments where I trained the camcorder on a fast moving boat in the river I could detect some extremely faint artifacting...

Overall, I am surprised and very pleased by the quality.

This really gives Ulead MediaStudio Pro software a major advantage over the competition in that Ulead software can 'Smart Render' raw MPEGs, preserving the quality as much as possible - even when titles, transitions, and filters are added.

I cannot over-emphasize how much time is saved by a camcorder that can record MPEG-2 video directly to DVD discs.

I went to Ultimate Electronics today and bought three more mini DVD-RAM discs.

This time - I bought double-sided MINIs.

They were Maxell-branded DVD-RAM minis - the kind that can be removed from their cartridges (which is necessary to be able to insert them into the Panasonic VDR-M30's custom plastic insert).

If I were making the decision to return to TV news and contribute to the capital acquisition plan - I would cast my vote in favor of Panasonic or Hitachi DVD-RAM camcorders.

With Ulead MediaStudio Pro software.

Amazing technology!

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Jerry Jones]

By the way, Doc, I've just finished printing the address label to mail you a CD with some sample MPEGs.

Thanks for your patience.

I'll be interested in your analysis of the MPEG.

The Panasonic hardware encoders - in reality - are software MPEG encoders that are embedded in hardware.

It will be interesting to read about Doc's analysis as a way of going into our Ulead/MainConcept advanced encoding options to set identical settings and then compare the results.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Dr Mordrid]

That's my plan as well....perhaps exporting some frames and subracting one from the other.

Dr. Mordrid

[Jerry Jones]

Have you received the CD yet, Doc?

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Dr Mordrid]

Not yet. How did you ship it? If it has to go through the US postal service I may get it by Christmas :-P

Dr. Mordrid