HDV is not HD – Don’t get Duped!

Dear enthusiasts, this is just a quick note to let you know that many organisations and individuals attempt to sell a HD video production service when really they are not filming in true HD, but a compressed version called HDV which mostly films at 720 instead of 1080. 

Basically the difference is having a HD Ready TV instead of a HD TV and of course there is a reason why there are such high price differences at Curry’s for your new TV.   Camera’s that you can purchase on a domestic level are very cheap and it is extremely rare that they can film uncompressed in true HD 1080 with a minimum of 50hz. 

A cameraman is also limited to what they can film with HDV as there is greater risk of the quality being extremely poor at times so would you be willing to take that risk and having problems with the picture during that crucial shot?

If you are offered the opportunity to have your project filmed in true HD please check with the individual or organisation to see what camera they will be filming this on and how much they would charge for standard definition as it should be significantly cheaper.  If filming in HDV this quality is not really any different to filming in standard definition, thus should not cost you anymore.

To really film a project in true HD is not a cheap process, as you need an experienced cameraman because lighting a shot requires more skill as there is more detail in the picture.  HD cameras are also very expensive and require the ability to store a great deal of memory and the editing suite has to be able to handle massive memory loads for rendering and processing.  It is mostly pointless to film in true HD for most videos unless you plan to broadcast or plan to distribute the finished film on Blu-ray disks which on their own is not cheap compared to standard DVD’s.

Some people also would like videos uploaded onto the internet in HD.  How many videos have you watched online in HD?  If you wish to show a video on the internet in HD please bear in mind that many factors affect the experience of the viewer, the basics being the bandwidth of the particular site, time of day and the viewers own internet connection speed, it is always better to have the video play seamlessly for a potential client rather than the video stopping and buffering, don’t get me wrong I am a huge fan of HD but unless you are watching it on True HD TV with a blu-ray player then you are spending extra money for absolutely no reason…don’t forget the HDMI cables also.

The offer that we are currently promoting is web videos for £299+VAT and we are offering to film in True HD but we will be the first to admit that this is a bit of a gimmick, just to attract attention.  Don’t misunderstand we will film the project in true HD if required but this limits the amount of footage we can accumulate on the day of the shoot, as it is purely uncompressed video.  We can also deliver the finished video in HD for web as promised but most of your viewers will probably watch it on a lower speed and frame size and in the long run if you put this video on your website you would probably need to speak to your web hosting provider and increase your bandwidth capabilities.

We will probably post this more than once just to let all potential clients know to beware of the scam and don’t get duped as we believe in honesty and integrity.

RKD Films