Hitachi DZ MV550A Camcorder Review
Pioneered and developed by Hitachi, revolutionary UltraVision DVD camcorder technology allows you to shoot and burn video or high-resolution digital still pictures straight to DVD. DVD-R discs allow for playback on a home DVD player, or you can record on rewritable DVD-RAM discs to edit, delete, and combine footage. This fourth-generation DVD camcorder offers the ultimate in design and versatility. Shoot to DVD-R for playback on standard DVD players, or choose the rewriteable DVD-RAM format to record nearly 2,000 high-resolution digital photos or up to 120 minutes of editable video per disc. Transfer still images to a personal computer or printer using removable memory cards. Navigate through recorded movies and images with intuitive on-screen thumbnails and select clips to play instantly. A wide range of in-camera editing features and effects are available instantly without any rewinding or fast-forwarding. Hitachi DZ MV550A: Features: * Miniature size: Similar to traditional still cameras. * Records on DVD: No more tapes, no accidental erasure of previously recorded material. * Direct access to scenes: No endless waiting for the camcorder to rewind or fast-forward. * DVD-RAM format: Record, erase, and re-record on the same disc up to 100,000 times. * DVD-R format: Compatible with most home DVD players. * Still photo mode: Takes up to 1,998 still photos (DVD-RAM). * Memory card-compatible: Record your still photos on an SD memory card. * Disc navigation: Direct, immediate access to any scene, plus a host of in-camera editing features (DVD-RAM only). * Hitachi DZ MV550A: Advanced Stable Pix electronic image stabilization: Produces smoother shots during camcorder movement. * USB 2.0 connection: For high-speed data transfer between your camcorder and personal computer.
DVD-RAM recording DVD-RAM is a rewritable format that allows for recording and re-recording of movies and still photos up to 100,000 times per disc. Data is written in a nonlinear pattern, much like on a computer's hard disk. During recording, information is only written to blank areas of the disc, eliminating the accidental erasure of previously recorded material. The DVD-RAM disc navigation system provides a wealth of in-camera editing, playlist options, and still photo capability. Hitachi DZ MV550A: DVD-R recording DVD-R is a record-once format. These discs can be played back on most home DVD players (requires in-camera finalizing of the disc before playback). Data is recorded in a linear manner and users can directly access any previously recorded clip using the on-screen disc navigation feature. Hitachi DZ MV550A: Disc navigation Direct digital access to DVD footage requires none of the rewinding or fast-forwarding necessary with tapes. Each movie clip or still photo (DVD-RAM only) is presented as a thumbnail on the LCD panel. Simply move the cursor to the desired clip and select it for instant playback. With DVD-RAM discs, one can perform a host of in-camera editing features, including fading, moving, dividing, deleting, and combining of clips. Create up to 99 playlists for custom playback of movie clips. Hitachi DZ MV550A: MegaPixel CCD and lens The resolution of the MegaPixel CCD sensor found on select models far exceeds that required for high-quality video, enabling high-resolution, 1,280 x 960-pixel photos. The precision-grade optics of the aspherical lens reduces aberrations and distortions that may occur at the perimeter of lens surfaces in less advanced systems. Hitachi DZ MV550 A: Magic LSI Our proprietary Magic LSI combines an enhanced MPEG-2 encoder/decoder -JMA- (CODEC), the interface processor, and the digital signal processor (DSP) into a single, compact LSI (large scale integration) chip. This integrated design improves resolution and efficiency, reduces power consumption, and minimizes space required on the circuit board. Constant and variable bit rate recordingBit rate is the measurement of how much digital information can be streamed over time. Higher bit rates indicate the movement of more data per second. The process used by the MPEG-2 format to compress video requires a higher bit rate for rapid motion sequences; static scenes need a much lower bit rate. Variable bit rate (VBR) recording dynamically varies the bit rates relative to video content. This process optimizes compression, resulting in higher picture quality and reduced file sizes. Hitachi DZ-MV550A: 8cm DVD drive The Hitachi DVD camcorder features the world's first ultracompact 8cm DVD-RAM/DVD-R drive. The advanced double-speed drive and single-beam laser provide extremely smooth real-time recording and playback of data. Rugged construction and robust error-correction circuits ensure precise operation even under demanding operating conditions.
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