drdimento: Richard Gooderick: It sounds to me that you have committed to FCP.  I can't see any point in keeping Liquid. Not really.  The commitment is a commitment to learn it but within that is a new platform, a new methodology of processes, and an entirely different way of editing.  Things I like, things I don't ...

You guys are AWESOME! You turned around my thinking about AVCHD. I was going to buy an HDV camera because of the firewire. Though I still want it, the superiority (potential or real) of the AVCHD codec outweighs my concerns about firewire. Thanks to all.

DStone:The first version of the Panasonic transcoder would work with any AVCHD. The later versions only work for Panasonic AVCHDs. And no, not all AVCHD files are identical. There are profile levels as well as different bit rates supported by the AVCHD standard. Dave, Then we all ought to get our hands on the FIRST version of the transcoder. ...

LewS: moodman: Smetvid: Panasonic also makes a HMC40 camera that is very good and very low cost at the same time.  It also uses 21 mbits/s which happens to be the average with 24 mbits the peak bitrate.  I noticed on Panasonic's site this quote: '' Panasonic offers a free transcoder that will convert AVCHD files to DVCPRO HD P2 ...

Smetvid: Panasonic also makes a HMC40 camera that is very good and very low cost at the same time.  It also uses 21 mbits/s which happens to be the average with 24 mbits the peak bitrate.  I noticed on Panasonic's site this quote: '' Panasonic offers a free transcoder that will convert AVCHD files to DVCPRO HD P2 or ...

Smet,  You almost have me sold. You said: '' The latest AVCHD cameras use bitrates up to 24 mbits/s which would be like mpeg2 at 50 mbits/s which is a very solid bitrate for video.'' Can you name the cameras that you are thinking of that do this? I am in the market for a new camera or two, and of course, want to get the best! ;)  

Thanks to all who weighed in on this. But let me say why I don't understand what's going on. Despite the fact that AVCHD has the POTENTIAL for better images, it started out inferior to MPEG2. There have been some improvements as time has passed, but many will tell you that AVCHD is still not ready for prime time. I have no doubt it will, in time, ...

I am at a loss to explain it, so maybe the combined wisdom here can help me with this question: Why is it that almost all the consumer and prosumer cameras have gone to the AVCHD format? I know it looks better in the specs (because it presumably has more pixels than HDV), but it also has less Mbps, yielding, on average, a lesser picture quality ...

culpanr: Looking for a HD camcorder (not too worried about format (tape/hard disk/memory card) at this stage: (a) I shoot quite a lot of video in sports halls which can have ''awkward'' light, so good manual control (especially focus and white balance) is important(b) I don't get on well with using the flip-out LCD so am not prepared ...

Nvidia offers three options for the second monitor. Cloning, extending, and (I forget the third)??? Anyway, have you properly extended your desktop in Control Panel?