Eugenia, thanks for the reply. I downloaded 2 MTS files, one from here:
http://dv.pconline.com.cn/pingce/0708/1081439_3.html The HXP, 22mb version (13 seconds), and another one called 0009.mts and is 31mb (36 seconds).

I dragged them both into VMS10's timeline, added 2ea, 2 sec Text Medias. I set the Properties: Template=Custom (1920x1080,29,970fps), Pixel aspect ratio 1.3333 (HDV 1080), Full Resolution rendering quality= Best, and Deinterlace method=Blend Fields. I originally selected the Template HD 1080-60i, but i think it changed to Custom when i selected Best, for the resolution. The render created a .mp4 file which is 8.16mb. I would have expected a larger one.

I then dragged the mp4 file into DVDA5, and set the properties: Disc Format Blu-ray Disc, Video Format=AVC, Bit Rate=18mbps, AR 16:9, Res 1920x1080. I did a Prepare Blu-ray Disc, which created a single .iso file 121.3mb.

Does all this seem ok?

I don't have a Blu-Ray burner, but if the file coming off the S30 is similar to this, i think i'll be ok.


In regards to the G-10--Thanks for the info, but I think i'll go with the S30. I will probably do most of the recording, but my wife and her friends will also be using it, so it's like--i just need a point & shoot for them. I think I can buy the S30 for less than $1000.
Ron

The mts files you used was from a first generation AVCHD camera, so back then that was 1440x1080, not 1920x1080. When you get your new camera, make sure you click the little icon in the project properties dialog, the one that lets you select one of your camera's files, and then it auto-completes the correct settings. For your camera it will be 1920x1080/60i with 1.000 aspect ratio. Do change project quality to BEST though, and deinterlacing to Interpolate. Blend fields is not as good as interpolate, it creates ghosting. I hear there's a bug with 5.1 audio, so for now you might want to use just stereo.

To burn an HD disc, there are two ways:
1. You buy a BD burner. You go to SonyAVC's exporting and select the 1920x1080/60i blu-ray template. You don't customize it, neither you export as mp4, but as a blu-ray stream. This will export video only. For audio, you export it separately, using the AC3 format. Then, DVDA puts them back together, and then you can burn an actual Blu-Ray without further re-encoding.
2. The second method does not require you to buy a blu-ray burner, neither to use DVDA. You put in the burner a DVD disk, and you tell it to burn an AVCHD disk from the main menu. Select custom, and pick MainConcept, not SonyAVC. The HD video will playback on most Blu-Ray players (not DVD players). So this way you just need only a BD player, not also a burner. Most cost-effective. The problem is that it holds less HD video per disk, and doesn't allow for menus and pretty things. It just plays a single HD edited video.

"I'm about to pull the trigger and buy a VIXIA HF S30 (the price is finally coming down :) )as a replacement for my Panny GS400 brick. "

I am just curious what do you mean by "coming down". On Amazon it is $1010, and everywhere else it is at MSRP - $1099.

I recently purchased a new camcorder, too, and Canon was not even considered. No Canon camcorder has 1080/60p, not even G10, while Sony and Panasonic offer 60p on their cheap models, even on some P&S cameras. I got TM90 for just over $450 - it has all manual controls, 60p @ 28mpbs, 28mm wide-angle lens, 40x zoom (and as all reviewers I was completely blown away with its image stabilization when I tested it in a store). I am amazed that Canon S30 cost almost 2.5 times as much and doesn't offer anything even close...

I guess it depends what you need. I'm not a cat/family shooter, so I don't care for the same things as most people do.

The one you suggested is not a bad camera, but as far as I can read online, the TM90 does not have full manual control (meaning: ISO, aperture AND shutter speed, used independently from each other but at the same time), and it has a very small sensor at 1/4.1". The other thing is, 28mbps for 60p is not enough for heavy processing. Canon offers 24mbps for 24p (more frame rate the more bitrate is needed), so in a perfect world 60p should have been at around 40 mbps. At least, that's what I would need from 60p before I deem it usable for my needs.

Personally, I would only use 60p for slow motion to 24p (0.400x). I mean, what's the point of shooting 60p when you will have to convert it to 60i anyway in order to playback on DVDs and Blu-Rays? Neither DVD or BD support 60p. And no TV device can playback 1080/60p as-is anyway. Even the fastest of them all, the PS3, it chokes on it. You'd need to watch it on a PC, and use a decoder with hardware acceleration to be able to decode this smoothly. So I honestly don't see the point at this time, with the kind of playback technology *for TVs* we have right now, apart for slow motion. In fact, most of the filmmakers I know on Vimeo (who are not family shooters), only use the 720/50/60p feature on their dSLRs (at 48mbps, even better than 1080/60p -- no visible difference) for slow motion only.

The only feature that really matters in my book, that in my opinion both Sony and Panasonic win over Canon every time, is indeed image stabilization. Canon's IS sucks across the board. From digicams to camcorders.

Yes, TM90 allows to set ISO, aperture and shutter independently of each other (as long as they are set in specific order).

"Canon offers 24mbps for 24p (more frame rate the more bitrate is needed), so in a perfect world 60p should have been at around 40 mbps. "

Quality is NOT proportionate to bit-rate. if you double Canon's 24mbps, you will not notice one bit of improvement. With doubling the frame rate from 30p to 60p, however, the improvement is noticeable instantly. No review has ever mentioned anything in regards to insufficient bit-rate of 28mbps, only praised 60p.

As far as playback of 60p - it's right around the corner. TVs support it, Sony Vegas already fully supports it, all new camcorders (except Canon) support it, more and more P&S (again, except Canon) support it. With so much 60p going on, I am certain 60p will be printed on all new DVD/Blu-ray players by this Christmas. I certainly would not invest $1100 into an outdated 30p camcorder at this time.