I recently purchased the GZ-HD7 and need to get the .TOD files to a format that I can work with (in order to burn to BlueRay), I want to make sure that I have the best possible video with no loss of quality.

At the bottom of this post, I have pasted the video info which I am confused about:
#1. The info on an original .TOD file recorded.
#2. Using Streamclip, I converted the .TOD to a headed MPG (not sure if this just changes the header or is a full transcode?)
#3. Is a full MPG recode using Streamclip
#4. Was created using VLC to only change the encapsulation of teh TOD --> MPG
#5. Is the full .TS conversion using MpegStreamclip

Ok so here are my questions:
1. - It looks as if the .TS conversion creates an alomst exact file (Fames/Audio etc) for a perfect copy.
2. - As I would rather work with MPG due to the nature of the programs that all support it however my BIGGEST concern is:
Each one of the below MPG files whether converted ot just encapsulation change seems to have less video frames and audio???? Is this a loss in both video and Audio qualitiy from the original file, or is this just due to the inherent differences between TOD/TS and MPG? Can someone explain these differences?
3. - What is the general consensus is TS better to work with or is MPG?
4. I thought since this camera does not use AVHD codec, it was natively a Blueray/HD format taht would not have to be converted?


Again, I want to get these files to Blueray so I do not want any quality loss. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

MV

================================================== ================
#1.
Stream: MOV001.TOD
Path: E:\MyWorks\Test\MOV001.TOD
Type: MPEG transport stream

Duration: 0:00:07
Data Size: 28.88 MB
Bit Rate: 30.32 Mbps (?)

Video Tracks:
4113 MPEG-2, 1920 x 1080, 16:9, 29.969999999999999 fps, 28.00 Mbps, upper field first

Audio Tracks:
4129 MP2 stereo, 48 kHz, 384 kbps

Stream Files:
MOV001.TOD (28.88 MB)


================================================== =========

#2.
Stream: MOV001_headed_MPG_Streamclip.mpg
Path: E:\MyWorks\Test\MOV001_headed_MPG_Streamclip.mpg
Type: MPEG program stream

Duration: 0:00:07
Data Size: 27.36 MB
Readable: 27.36 MB
Bit Rate: 28.96 Mbps

Video Tracks:
224 MPEG-2, 1920 x 1080, 16:9, 29.969999999999999 fps, 8.00 Mbps, upper field first

Audio Tracks:
192 MP2 stereo, 48 kHz, 384 kbps

Stream Files:
MOV001_headed_MPG_Streamclip.mpg (27.36 MB)

================================================== =============
#3.
Stream: MOV001_Streamclip.mpg
Path: E:\MyWorks\Test\MOV001_Streamclip.mpg
Type: MPEG program stream

Duration: 0:00:07
Data Size: 27.36 MB
Bit Rate: 28.96 Mbps

Video Tracks:
224 MPEG-2, 1920 x 1080, 16:9, 29.969999999999999 fps, 8.00 Mbps, upper field first

Audio Tracks:
192 MP2 stereo, 48 kHz, 384 kbps

Stream Files:
MOV001_Streamclip.mpg (27.36 MB)


================================================== ===============

#4
Stream: MOV001_VLC_TS.mpg
Path: E:\MyWorks\Test\MOV001_VLC_TS.mpg
Type: MPEG transport stream

Duration: 0:00:07
Data Size: 26.13 MB
Bit Rate: 27.84 Mbps

Video Tracks:
69 MPEG-2, 1920 x 1080, 16:9, 29.969999999999999 fps, 28.00 Mbps, upper field first

Audio Tracks:
68 MP2 stereo, 48 kHz, 384 kbps

Stream Files:
MOV001_VLC_TS.mpg (26.13 MB)

================================================== =================

Stream: MOV001_Streamclip.ts
Path: E:\MyWorks\Test\MOV001_Streamclip.ts
Type: MPEG transport stream

Duration: 0:00:07
Data Size: 28.00 MB
Bit Rate: 29.64 Mbps

Video Tracks:
4113 MPEG-2, 1920 x 1080, 16:9, 29.969999999999999 fps, 28.00 Mbps, upper field first

Audio Tracks:
4129 MP2 stereo, 48 kHz, 384 kbps

Stream Files:
MOV001_Streamclip.ts (28.00 MB)


================================================== =====================

No loss, just different containers. Use one that works better for you.

Blu-ray supports MPEG-2 (your TOD/TS/MPG clips), AVC and VC1 natively, but AvCHD file structure is much closer to proper Blu-ray structure, than HD7 file structure, which is something totally different.

This should work for you, remember that HDV uses MPEG-2 just like your HD7.

Jockey, thank for the info.
I always thought I heard the native MPEG2 on this camera was better for Blueray than if using a camer with the AvCHD codec. Doesnt the compression of the AvCHD mean there is some quality loss inherently?

As for my conversion questions....so there is no loss from one of the formats to the other. There does seem to be some differences in even the differen MPG qualities slightly. Do you have a recomendation on which to use either TS or MPG...or does it even really matter? The software seems to open both natively.

Thanks

Hi MV, The BluRay standards support both MPEG2 and AVCHD - both are codecs that compress the video stream from the video frames captured by the camcorder. The HD7 uses the MPEG2 codec to compress in real-time as it saves to the camcorder HDD. The MPEG2 stream (*1) is wrapped in Transport Stream (TS) packing (as used in HD broadcast/TV standards) and given a .TOD file extension.
Use MPEG_Streamclip to remove the TS packing and reveal the original MPEG2 video stream (*1) - I use the 'Convert to MPEG with MP2 Audio' option - no processing has occurred on the MPEG2 stream and therefore no loss of quality.
The MPEG2 video can then be burned to bluray, or compressed further using the AVCHD codec which will allow roughly twice as much capacity per bluray disk.
Hope this helps a bit
Regards
Trevor