Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD2 First Impressions Camcorder Review

by John Neely
Published on Jan 17, 2007 2:00 PM

 
Intro Performance
Format
 Tour
Auto / Manual Controls Still Features
Handling and Use Audio / Playback / Connectivity
Other Features Comparisons / Conclusion
Specs/Ratings
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Compression
Sanyo uses MPEG-4 compression method for both high-definition and standard-definition video recording.  The MPEG-4 compression algorithm is not the same as AVCHD, a high-definition flavor of MPEG-4 compression that is currently available on consumer camcorders from Sony (i.e. the HDR-SR1) and Panasonic (HDC-DX1). While we found AVCHD footage to display the noise associated with high levels of compression, it does seem to produce notably better video than we observed in the VPC-HD1.  The Sony HDR-SR1 and HDR-UX1, two AVCHD camcorders we tested in late 2006 both produced video that was better in terms of color reproduction and video resolution, with less acute (though still disappointing) noise issues.  Compression is another factor that will have a big impact on the video performance of this camcorder, and we hope Sanyo’s engineers have made some improvements.

Like other camcorders, the VPC-HD2 offers a number of video quality settings that affect bit rate and video recording time. In HD, the highest quality option is HD-SHQ that records 1280 x 720 video at 30fps and a bit rate of 9 Mbps. HD-HQ records at the same resolution and frame rate at a lower bit rate, thus lower quality 6 Mbps.  In standard-definition, there are four quality modes, though a fifth has been mentioned provisionally. TV-SHQ records at 640 x 480, 30fps at 3Mbps and TV-HQ records at 640 x 480, 30fps at 2Mbps. The VPC-HD2 also includes two web-friendly modes: Web-SHQ at 320 x 240, 30Mbps, and Web-HQ at 320 x 240, 15fps.

Media
The Sanyo VPC-HD2 records both video and still images to SD or SDHC memory cards.  SD and SDHC cards are widely available at capacities from 512KP to a theoretical max of 32GB.  8GB SDHC cards are new widely available for less than $100 each.  According to Sanyo, a 1GB card will store 14 minutes of HD-SHQ video and 21 minutes of HD-HQ.

Editing
Last year’s VPC-HD1 shipped with a relatively complete suite of video editing and DVD authoring software in the form of Sanyo’s Software Pack 7.3.  The included applications were Motion Director SE 1.1, Ulead PhotoExplorer for Mac 2.0, Ulead DVD MovieFactory 4.0 SE, and Ulead PhotoExplorer 8.5 SE Basic.  Sanyo has not yet announced the components in this year’s bundle, but they will most likely cover the same ground and may be updates of last year’s applications.






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