Chapter1

Overview

Features

The HVR-M25AU/M25AN/M25AE/M25AP is a digital HD videocassette recorder supporting the HDV and DVCAM/DV formats. The unit produces stable, superior picture quality using digital processing and by separating image signals into color difference signals and a luminance signal (component video).

The main features of the unit are described below.

HDV/DVCAM/DV format

The unit can perform HDV/DVCAM/DV recording and playback on a DVCAM format or DV format video cassette.

HDV format: The unit can perform HDV (High- Definition Digital Video) recording and playback. The compression system of the HDV format is the MPEG2 system adopted in high-definition broadcasting and the Blu-ray Disc System. The unit adopts the 1080 scanning lines (interlaced 1080/60i, 1080/50i, progressive 1080/24p, 1080/30p and 1080/25p) format of the HDV specifications. The recording bit rate is approximately 25 Mbps. The unit is equipped with i.LINK and HDMI (output) digital interfaces, and can be digitally connected with televisions or computers which are compatible with the interfaces.

DVCAM/DV format: DVCAM is based on the consumer DV format, which uses the 4:1:1 component digital format (60i) or the 4:2:0 format (50i), and provides a 1/4-inch digital recording format for professional use. The unit provides both DVCAM format recording/playback and DV format in SP mode recording/playback.

For details, see “Major Differences among HDV1080i, DVCAM, and DV Formats” on page 31.

Compatible with both interlaced and progressive HDV recording/playback

The unit can record or play back HDV 1080/60i, 1080/ 24p, 1080/30p, 1080/50i and 1080/25p videos.

Also, the unit can play back HDV 720/30p, 720/24p and 720/25p videos.

(For recording, signals can be input only via an i.LINK digital interface.)

Here for the unit, 60i indicates field frequency 59.94 Hz.

24p and 30p indicate frame frequency 23.98 Hz and 29.97 Hz, respectively.

High definition down convert function

When you want to play back a tape recorded in HDV format, you can down convert images to output them. This function allows you to preview recorded-images on a monitor which is not compatible with the High- Definition (HD) format. Also, you can select an aspect ratio from SQUEEZE, LETTER BOX (except HDV/ DV jack output), or EDGE CROP.

4 Chapter 1 Overview