Hi - I've just experimented on a shoot with HDV progressive (even though for some reason we can't work out, the camera still says '1080i' when in 25p progressive scan mode).

Anyway.. can someone confirm what the exact format actually is? ie, is it 1440 x 1080? 1280 x 720? And is it ACTUALLY progressive?

My problem is this: In FCP, the footage is recognised as 1440 x 1080 progressive. But Avid insists it's 1440 x 1080 interlaced.

Which is it?!

If you want true progressive then you have to shoot in the progressive scan mode and not in the interlace mode. Go to the IN/OUT Rec menu. Choose the HDV Progressive Scan Type, Select Progressive, and then your frame rate of 25. If you choose the Interlace Scan type you will get 25 fps in an interlaced movie. This allows you to play back on an interlaced monitor or place in an interlaced timeline.

I just shot in the 24 progressive scan mode this weekend. I can't speak for AVID, but from the CF card directly into FCP the result was 24 (23.97) progressive.

Sony HDV is 1440 x 1080, 16:9 anamorphic. I believe JVC uses 1280 x 720.

My problem is this: In FCP, the footage is recognised as 1440 x 1080 progressive. But Avid insists it's 1440 x 1080 interlaced.

Which is it?!
The likelihood is that it's psf - progressive, segmented frame.

See Progressive segmented frame - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_segmented_Frame)

The frames are progressive - all the lines are captured at the same moment in time - but they then are re-ordered, and transmitted odd lines first, then even, then odd of next frame etc. Obviously, to get back to true progressive it's simply a matter of re-ordering back, the data doesn't get altered in any way - just reordered.

Why bother? It means that progressive video can be carried over a system designed for interlace. Most channels in the UK are designed for 1080i/25. Psf means they can equally carry progressive images, though obviously only at 25fps.