Panasonic HDC-HS20

Compression (7.0)

The Panasonic HDC-HS20 records high definition video using the AVCHD codec. This is the same compression that Panasonic has been using for a couple years and, fortunately, support for the new codec is becoming increasingly robust. AVCHD is the primary compression method for most HD camcorders and is supported by a large majority of video editing software. Despite increased support, AVCHD files are still very large and can bog down your computer—especially if you're accustomed to small, standard definition video files.

Some of the more tech-savvy videophiles will notice that Panasonic has still not upgraded to the maximum AVCHD bit rate of 24Mbps. The highest quality setting on the HS20 (and Panasonic's HDC-HS300 and HDC-TM300) is still 17Mbps. Canon, JVC, and Sanyo have all bumped up to the 24Mbps ceiling. It's a bit disappointing that Panasonic and Sony haven't increased their top bit rate yet, but most consumers probably won't see much of a difference. We expect the difference will be more obvious once manufacturers are better able to match the 24Mbps bit rate with better processing. When that time comes, Panasonic and Sony will likely join the others.

Format	Resolution	Bitrate	Codec
HA 50i/25p	1920 x 1080	17Mbps	AVCHD
HG 50i/25p	1920 x 1080	13Mbps	AVCHD
HX 50i/25p	1920 x 1080	9Mbps	AVCHD
HE 50i/25p	1440 x 1080	6Mbps	AVCHD

Media (5.0)

Recording media is the only differentiating factor among three very similar Panasonic models. The HDC-HS20 records to either the 80GB hard drive or removable SD/SDHC memory cards (not included). The HDC-TM20 is a related model that offers the options of memory cards or 16GB of internal solid state memory. The benefits of solid state memory over a hard drive depend on how you expect to use the camcorder. A solid state drive is more shock resistant and uses less power (no moving parts), whilst a hard drive typically has more recording capacity. For the least amount of money, you can get the HDC-SD20, which records solely to memory card.

Below you will find a table of approximate record times, based on the four quality settings a recording medium. SDHC cards are currently available in capacities up to 32 GB. Depending on the card size you purchase, you may want one or two spares to get you through a long vacation.

	HA (17Mbps)	HG (13Mbps)	HX (9Mbps)	HE (6Mbps)
80 GB	630 min	810 min	1230 min	2000 min
2 GB card	15 min	20 min	30 min	45 min
4 GB card	30 min	40 min	60 min	90 min
8 GB card	60 min	80 min	120 min	180 min
16 GB card	120 min	160 min	240 min	360 min
32 GB card	240 min	320 min	480 min	720 min

Editing (7.0)

The Panasonic HDC-HS20 comes with HD Writer AE 1.0 software, a basic editing programme that is not compatible with Macs. The software isn't terrific, but it allows for very simple editing, DVD creation, video and image organization, and internet uploading. Upon opening the HD Writer AE software, a 'simple menu' pops up offering a variety of popular options—import to PC, create DVD, save as BD/AVCHD, edit images, and playback on PC. The features on the simple menu worked fairly seamlessly, but whenever we tried to do anything more advanced with the software we ran into bugs, error messages, and sluggish performance.

The 'Simple Menu' is less daunting than the rest of the software.

Importing video from the HDC-HS20 to your computer is probably the most important aspect of the editing process. The HD Writer AE handles this task with relative ease, although the import screen is a bit more cluttered than it needs to be. You simply mark the files you want to import and start copying. As we said before, when we tried doing more extensive work with the HD Writer HD software we ran into problems. We received about a dozen error messages in the time we spent exploring and playing around with the software. None of these errors caused the software to crash, but they were still annoying to deal with.

The interface for importing clips is more cluttered than it should be.

If you're used to editing with iMovie or something similar, HD Writer AE will definitely disappoint you. The programme has significant limitations and poor design, but this isn't any less than what we've come to expect from a free piece of software that ships with your camcorder. Keep in mind, the Panasonic HDC-HS20 records AVCHD video, which can be very difficult to edit due to its large size and the bulk of information included along with the video. If you plan on doing extensive editing with the HDC-HS20, make sure you have a powerful computer that can handle the workload.

The software had its share of bugs.