XDCAM SD and HD use the same disc. It is completely backwards compatible and offers all the speed advantages of its standard-definition sibling.
Delivering on its earlier promise of an HD path for its Professional Optical Disc media system, Sony announced at IBC2005 XDCAM HD, a new high-definition version based on its XDCAM technology. The announcement was essentially a technology preview, with product availability expected by April 2006.

Combining 1080-line picture quality with the workflow benefits of nonlinear, file-based production, XDCAM HD uses MPEG Long GOP encoding at a selectable bit-rate of 18-, 25-, or 35Mb/s. XDCAM HD is backwards compatible and offers all the speed and workflow advantages of its SD sibling.

XDCAM HD records low-resolution proxies and metadata onto reusable XDCAM professional disc media.

The same Professional Disc media is used for both the SD and HD versions. The XDCAM HD products will play back DVCAM material recorded with an XDCAM SD machine. However, the XDCAM HD system will not play back MPEG IMX material.

For more information, visit www.sony.com/professional.

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