The SimplyDV Digital Video Podcast Colin Barrett, SimplyDV

This first SimplyDV video podcast comes in the form of a sample module from Disc One of our new series of screencast tutorial DVDs - "Getting started with Premiere Elements 7". This module, entitled "Creating your first sequence" describes the basics of assembling a simple sequence from video clips that are pre-installed with the software on your computer.

In this episode, SimplyDV's Colin Barrett chats about the new-look SimplyDV website; he gives his thoughts on the new Canon HV30 HDV camcorder in addition to discussing two new standard definition camcorders from Panasonic - the SDR-H280 "Hybrid" HDD/SD cam and the SDR-SW20 "shockproof, waterproof" SD card cam. Also under the spotlight are Aiptek's PowerDV AHD200 high definition "pocket-cam" and Pinnacle's freebie editing application - VideoSpin. His "Pick of the Month" 3rd party software utility is MPEG Streamclip from Squared5.com.

Useful links:

http://www.videospin.com
http://www.squared5.com

Is there a reason why a prominent camcorder brand would prefer you not to have access to good, fair and objective reviews of their latest products? We consider why this might be and look at how this impacts on other considerations you might wish to make when deciding on which new camcorder to buy. Colin asks why it might be that Sony (in particular) seems to shy away from giving the more serious camcorder reviewers the opportunity of producing good, honest and objective reviews of their products.

Also in this podcast we look at VoltaicHD, a great piece of low-cost software designed to make life easier for AVCHD camcorder owners wishing to import and edit their clips in their favourite Windows PC and non-Intel Apple Mac video software.

Link to VoltaicHD: http://shedworx.com

In this first SimplyDV Podcast for 2008, Colin talks about the new Panasonic HDC-SD9 and HS9 AVCHD models and mulls over the new camcorder offerings from Panasonic, Canon, Sony and JVC for the coming season. He also reflects on the increasing number of new consumer camcorders that now offer full specification high definition recording and asks the question "Will 2008 really be tape-based consumer digital video's last year?".

In this edition, Colin chats about the impressive Canon HV20 HDV High Definition camcorder and explains why he prefers it over Sony's equivalent model, the HDR-SR7 model. The podcast also provides an update into new video editing software, such as Pinnacle Studio Plus 11 and Ulead Videostudio 11 Plus, which now provide the capability to import and edit footage shot with the new generation of AVCHD tapeless high definition camcorders from Sony and Panasonic. This edition of the podcast also kicks off a new feature - Listeners' Emails - the first of which is on the subject of the HDV and DV recording options is HDV camcorders.

In this episode, we bring you an exclusive review of the revolutionary new Panasonic HDC-SD1 AVCHD High Definition camcorder that records not only HD video to a high-capacity SD memory card (SDHC) but also enables the recording of Dolby Digital 5.1 Channel Sourround Sound. The Podcast is intended to complement the hugely popular review pages that have seen so much traffic since the first announcement of this new model, along with its sister product - the HDC-DX1 AVCHD camcorder that records to 8cm DVD disks.