MP4 Hd1 format multimedia reader

[Erick Hanoteau]

Hi,

This is my first post on this forum. Very interesting discussions! I am about to order a HD1 as soon as it will be available in Belgium.
Can you recommend a multimedia reader with at least 20Gb storage capacity able to record my SD cards footage (photo + video) and able to read the Sanyo MP4 HD format?
Does this tool already exist? I don't find any specs on Archos, Vosonic or Maxian's sites.
Thanks for your help.
Erick

[Chris Wells]

It depends on your expectations when you say "read the MP4 format." If what you are referring to is a device capable of playing them back in their native form, I don't think one exists. The amount of data is too great even for many of today's computers to play effectively.

If what you seek is a device that you can transfer the files to for storage, the Archos with an SD to CF adapter will do the trick. You'll be able to play back on that device too, you'll just have to downsize your videos first.

[Lynne Whelden]

Call them at 877-300-8879 and see what they say about the MPEG 4 abilities of the AV500. The guy I talked to didn't seem particularly on top of things but maybe you'll get someone else. The AV500 goes as large as 100 GB, weighs only 12 ounces and uses a rechargeable Li battery. Good luck.

[Erick Hanoteau]

Originally Posted by Chris Wells

You'll be able to play back on that device too, you'll just have to downsize your videos first.

Do you mean it would be possible to downsize by means of the Archos itself or, edit the file using a PC and playback with the multimedia reader?

[Chris Wells]

If you want playback and editing in your device, you need to look for a laptop with at least 128MB of dedicated video memory. Playback of HDV is no light task. There are some nice tablet PCs out there that are worthy of consideration if your budget warrants it.

The Archos is suitable if you simply want storage, or if you want to play video after you've worked with it.

[Erick Hanoteau]

In fact, I try to imagine my future holidays, during which, I will have to store the contains of my SD cards (2 x 4gb Transcend cards? - not yet ordered).

I do not intend to take my Dell Laptop D800 with me and leave it at my hotel room all days long....too risky.
It will be necessary to dump my cards on a portable storage device, and yes, the Archos can perfectly perform this task but it would be nicer if, at the same occasion, I would have the capability to monitor my footage prior to coming back home and visualize them on a PC

[Graham Jones]

60GB iPod will play back the HD1's files directly.

However, the screen won't be much bigger than that on the camera.

Bear in mind that the new generation of SD cards will be supported by the HD1; in a few years you'll be able to have your 100GB in five or ten next generation SD cards!

Of course, in a few years the new models of these cams may have a lot of built in memory.

I don't like the idea of an entire second unit. Part of the charm is that it's self contained and small!

[Erick Hanoteau]

This is good news for me. Do I need a camera connector to transfer the files from the Sanyo to the iPod? I don't think the iPod has a SD card slot.

The 2nd unit I don't like it too much as well. It's true that I can review my footage via the HD1 display and dump the cards on an external storage device only without playback capability.

I am hesitating! I love the iPod which I don't have.

[Graham Jones]

You're correct about the iPod - you would need a 3rd device to transfer.

To hell with that...

I think just store on multiple, larger, next generation cards and review in camera!

[Edwin Wong]

I could use Tvix HD M-5000 to playback HD1 Native MP4 File directly in 720p DVI out from USB card reader. Pixelmagic HD Mediabox should be able to do it since both are using SigmaDesign EM8621L chipset.

[Marc Louis]

SALUT ERICK !

well i have an archos AV500, and forget about playing directly MP4 files out of the HD1 directly into the archos ! The Archos doesn't do that !

the archos only play divx files (.avi) and certain types of .wmv files (.wmv9)

before being interested in the HD1 i wasn't much concerned about my archos not playing digital cameras videos : i have a Sony DSC-M1, which produces .mp4 files movies.

with this, i only had to use MP4CAM2AVI to (very fastly) convert my .mp4 files from Sony directly into .avi files, then play them into the Archos AV500 ----> it works greatly !!

but this doesn't work with the HD1 files as, even though the new MP4CAM2AVI will convert them to avi fastly, it will give you 1280 format .avi files ...those are too large for the archos.

The only good solution is to put your HD1 files into Pocket Divx Encoder (PDE) to convert them into .avi...

they will work into the archos. the good thing is that a HD1 file of 50 m.o. will be rendered into a 12 m.o; .avi file after PDE have converted it

the bad thing is that it will take much more time than with MP4CAM2AVI ....and the .avi file you will get is not High definition anymore...but it's still a goood quality file , i would say it's a Standard definition plus file.

if i have time i will post one of the converted file here later

[Marc Louis]

Originally Posted by Graham Jones Senior

60GB iPod will play back the HD1's files directly.

really ? that's great !

[Erick Hanoteau]

Originally Posted by Marc Louis

well i have an archos AV500, and forget about playing directly MP4 files out of the HD1 directly into the archos ! The Archos doesn't do that !

Thanks Marc, so I think the best choice for the moment is to get an Ipod but I still have to investigate how i will easy it will be to transfer the video/picture files on the Ipod drive.

Another option is to buy a portable autonomous HDD that could read SD cards without a playback feature.

[Erick Hanoteau]

Who has heard about this multimedia reader? According the specs, it can read Mpeg4 in 640x480 resolution. Do you think this device will be able to read native HD1 format and downscale the footages? The iPod does the job...so the Epson should also do it, isn't it?
I am very curious. Thanks for giving feedback.

[Calin Brabandt]

Originally Posted by Erick Hanoteau

Hi,
Can you recommend a multimedia reader with at least 20Gb storage capacity able to record my SD cards footage (photo + video) and able to read the Sanyo MP4 HD format?Erick

My multimedia reader for Sanyo SD cards is a computer and a little "Smart Genie" USB fob that I got at Fry's Electronics for $10. I've never even used the USB cable to the camera. I know some people have not had much luck playing Sanyo HD1 HD mpeg4 files on their computers without jerkiness, but I've had no problems at all on a 1.8GHz Centrino T42. Also no problems on my 3.0 GHz AMD Barton powered HTPC but it plays even more CPU-demanding H.264 high profile video in 720p X 30fps. The Sanyo uses H.263 Advanced Simple Profile (ASP) mpeg4 and it's a piece of cake on that machine. They key is using the right software and a properly configured video renderer (use a hardware overylay renderer). See my post: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showpost....27&postcount=2

I also played some of my HD1 videos on a new Core Duo Mac mini at my local Apple store. Any of the new Intel powered Macs should work--I suspect even the "Solo" Mac mini, though didn't try this lowest powered model. My 1.42 GHz G4 Mac mini at home can almost do it--sometimes it's nearly watchable, in fact, but it usually drops some frames. You can read all the reviews--both plus and minus and benchmarks of the new Intel Macs vs. Apple's performance claims, but the bottom line is they are much faster than the old PPC models for video playback and boot times! The new Core Duo is amazingly fast in operation, feel, and video playback framerate when compared to my 1 year old mini!

Forget about using Quicktime, though--it's optimized for H.264 (AVC) "Main" profile mpeg4 video rather than the H.263 ASP mpeg4 of the HD1. All H.263 video (which Apple simplistically refers to as "mpeg4") that I've tried on QT is jerky. VLC and mplayer are good choices for Mac (OS X) or Linux playback.