What exactly is HDV? How is it different from HD (High Definition)?

Well, let’s start by explaining what HD is. ‘HD’ is an abbreviation for ‘High Definition’ and it’s used as a general term that encompasses any video that is higher quality than standard definition video (as measured by the pixel size of a single frame). As you’ll come to see, contrary to popular belief, HD is not a single format, it actually encompasses a range of frame sizes and rates.

To help you understand the quality of HD as it fits into the image ‘hierarchy,’ if VHS is at the bottom of the ladder, and IMAX film is at the top, HD sits between 16mm and 35mm film, so it has a higher resolution than 16mm film, but not as high as 35mm or IMAX.

Note that prior to HD, no video format came remotely close to the quality of film, so you can see what a significant advancement it is. Incidentally, looking at it from another point of view, that’s the reason why many movies can be seen on HD TV channels in such great quality—there is enough image information (quality) in a 35mm movie film to down-convert it to HD.

HDV is Born

In July 2003, a consortium of manufacturers made up of Sony, JVC, Canon, and Sharp, announced the specification for a new format to be known as HDV. HDV stands for ‘High Definition Video’ which might lead one to think that HDV is the same as HD? It certainly sounds the same, doesn’t it?

If you refer back to the definition of HD, HDV complies with that definition, so HDV can rightly be called High Definition. However, HDV was also given a dedicated, specific name to be identified as a separate format in its own right. So logically there must be some differences, otherwise it would also be called HD!

The answer lies in the fact that there are many ‘flavors’ of HD, so HDV is actually a subset of HD. Let’s use an analogy to explain this further. Imagine that in your town there was only one steakhouse, a high-end restaurant that had the best cuts of steak served in opulent surroundings with a price to match. However, eventually an inexpensive steak house appeared in your town, offering steak dinners at a substantially cheaper price. At both restaurants you would be eating steak, but clearly the inexpensive steak house has to cut a few corners in order to offer you a steak meal for a greatly reduced price.

HDV is the video equivalent of the inexpensive steak dinner. It is still HD, the premium quality format, but it has cut some corners and made some compromises in order to work within a much lower budget.

During the early years of HD production, there was only one option for capturing HD footage, you had no choice but to work with very expensive high-end equipment—HD cameras that cost more than $65,000 for example. HD was definitely out of the price range that consumers could afford, and even beyond the reach of most small to medium production companies. The words ‘inexpensive’ and ‘HD’ were simply never seen together!

In essence then, HDV was created as an inexpensive way to capture and work with High Definition video. Although high-end HD equipment still commands high prices and produces the ultimate picture quality, HDV has paved the way for low-cost HD production. As the initials of the format imply, HDV is a combination of HD and DV—it is HD recorded on to DV tape.
HDV is HD on a budget. It’s also been called HD for the masses because it has opened up the opportunity for many more people to work with High Definition. Keeping things in perspective, HDV is not yet as cheap as DV, and definitely not as easy to edit, so it has its own challenges. There are ‘costs’ from compromise.

The above article is an excerpt from the best seller book,  'How to Shoot, Edit and Distribute HDV' by Andrew Lock, available on ebay