well that's the problem here. I have asked this person who is a web designer for the client that I initially did the videos for.
They want them rendered so that they can cut them apart and use a few clips for something they are doing. (Don't even get me started on how I feel about that)

I have asked this person quite a few times what they want and this is the best I got.
In my opinion I would like to render it back to a m2t video/audio stream and print back to tape...

I will press for more info but have a feeling they don't know them selves.

Try "Sony AVC" in the "Save as type" window (under Render as).

Then, in the "Template" window, select "Internet 16:9 HD 30p". That should give you what you're looking for.

If they are going to recut this... I would NOT render it as an AVC file. Some intraframe codec would probably be best.

So Ford.... is my suggestion of a .m2t 1440 x 1080 60i the way to go?
There should be no recompression as this is what my imput file is at?
Or is the only way to get lossless video to re-edit/render to go an avi route?

Whether or not there will be recompression depends on what you did to the footage. but chances are it will be recompressed, and with a lot of loss since you'd be doing a low bitrate mpeg2 file.

AVI or MOV do not matter. They are just containers. It's what goes in those containers that matter... the codecs.

Is you client on a Mac or PC?

Hmmm... didn't ask.
Man, I've got to learn more about codecs...this stuff confuses the heck out of me.
Ok, so let's just say you were me, editing with the hdv 1440 x 1080 60i timeline... you did some tweaking and some effects. You want to render this out so that there is no loss in quality and you are able to edit it again like it was the first time. Presuming it was pc.
What would you do? Since I'm not too bright when it comes time to understanding the million codecs that are available.

If they don't know, that means they're using a MAC.

So why can't you use .mov uncompressed?

This was his response...

I am on a Mac – editing in Final Cut Pro. Unfortunately I can't read the .m2t file you sent me. In the past I've been able to convert those files directly from a Firestore drive but not this time!

Ideally I would like the highest quality Quicktime file you can output. Apple Intermediate Codec is good but it could be HDV if that's easier. I'm editing in: DVCPRO HD - 720p24

So Jay... should I use the uncompressed .mov files?
It's just that he originaly asked for them and said they should fit on a DVD... There are 5 shorts all about 3-5 min in length each.

So, I thought I was doing something wrong.

You're not doing anything wrong, other than trying to interface with an Apple/FCP person when you're a Vegas/PC person.

How far away from you is this other guy?

Uncompressed is going to be huge. I would think the best solution is the free Avid DNXHD. It will open natively in FCP.

That would work!

It will work and work well. And it's my standard procedure when working back and forth with PCs and Macs. It's just so seamless.

Here is a link for you--read all about it and download the codecs free of charge.

He's about 45 minutes away.

I don't see this avid dnxhd... where do you see that?

sent this before seeing your link... sorry.

trying it now...

looks nice, small files size but have a problem... it's not rendering it in widescreen although I have chosen:
quicktime .mov
default template (uncompressed)
Custom:
custom frame size" 1440 1080
29.9709NTSC)
upper field first
1.333
Avid DNxHD codec - configure - color levels 709 (?)
1080i 59.94 DNxHD 220 10 bit.
32 bpp color
quality 50% - ( should this be 100%)

my project settings are hdv 1440x1080 60i

by the looks of it I either have use the :

1080p/29.97 avid dnxhd 220 1920x1080 8 bit 29.97 fps 220... template?

The Quicktime Player will always play back square pixels, even though other players will recognize widescreen.

The workaround is to render 1920x1080, 1:1 PAR (square pixels).
The default DNXHD settings should work fine for you, you can try 100% but I don't think you'll see much difference except larger files.

When you click on the "Confgure..." button for "Video Format: Avid DNxHD Codec" a window popos up. At the bottom of that window is a sliver of the top button you need to click on to select when code you want to use.

I would suggest you use one of the smaller 720 codecs.

I suggest leaving it at 1080. Since he is starting with HDV, going to 720 will discard 22% of the information at the expense of sharpness. Doing so won't fix his aspect problem, either.

He needs smaller files and it's for the Internet anyway.

The choice is his, he needs to know his options.

That isn't the impression I got at all . . .

This is what I am basing my response on. The choice, of course, is up to him.

"You want to render this out so that there is no loss in quality and you are able to edit it again like it was the first time."