The Benefits of HD

Future-Proof

Prepare for BluRay and/or HD DVD
Experience today via DivX High Definition
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Higher Quality

Standard Definition has 720x480 pixels
High Definition has 1920x1080 pixels
Superior Color & Sharpness over Standard Definition
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Wide Screen

16:9 Aspect Ratio

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Why Should HDV Matter to You?

High Definition is what Hollywood is distributing their movies in currently.  Why does this make it matter to you? This means that it has been adopted as the output of choice for home viewing.  Furthermore, this means that within a few years, high definition video will be as common-place as DVDs are today and as prevelant as VCR tapes were of yester-year.   

Choosing to film your event in High Definition is a bonus that you cannot afford to pass up.  1. It allows you to place your footage on HD DVD, BluRay Disc, HD DivX or all of the above.  2. You can always "downconvert", which allows you to view your footage on standard definition DVDs.  3. Downconverting your footage means you have a better quality source starting out which translates into a better quality DVD; even better than if you just filmed in standard definition to begin with.

Don't pass up the opportunity to have your production captured in tomorrow's format of choice today!

If you are interesting in some more detailed information on HDV feel free to read below; if the technical stuff bores you or goes over your head, skip the section that follows.

Currently, there are several standards that fit within the High Definition spec.  There is 720p/1080i/1080p.  1080p really is not within the spec, but it is an accepted format none-the-less.  720p means that the video has 720 lines of horizontal resolution and it is displayed progressively.  So if your video shows 24 frames per second (what most movies are filmed at) this is actually what you see- 24 full frames per second. 
1080i has 1,080 lines of vertical resolution which translates into even more detail and it is shown as interlaced.  So if your video shows 24 frames per second you are seeing two half frames as it displays a frame made up of 2 parts: frame A and frame B.  Frame A displays lines 1,3,5,7 and so on while frame B shows lines, 2, 4, 6, 8, etc.  More than likely, the televisions you grew up watching were interlaced and the standard definition that you are used to (what you see through your cable) is interlaced. 
1080p is 1080 progressive and it combines frame A with frame B and allows you to see one whole frame instead of alternate lines of resolution.  Just for comparison purposes, Standard Definition only has 486 lines of resolution.
With that being sorted out, there are High Definition Televisions that can display up to 1080p while most today display up to 1080i.  Some of the first High Definition capable TV's only displayed 720i/p footage.  So when you pick out your HDTV if you haven't already, make sure it can display 1080 footage accurately. 
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Right now there is still a format war that has yet to end between BluRay Discs and High Definition DVD; it is reminiscent of the VCR/Betamax days.  Both formats have pluses and minuses; let's look at some:

BluRay Disc has more storage capacity and uses a blue laser to burn the information to disc.  The blue laser allows for tighter compaction and more storage capacity.

HD DVD has less storage capacity as it still uses the red laser utilzed by todays DVDs.

***BluRay can store more due to new technology, but this means that all the publishing houses have to pay to convert their equipment to meet the specifications of making BluRay discs; this means that you have to pay more to cover production costs.
HD DVD can use the same equipment with minor modifications which means that the price, for the time being, is lower than BluRay Discs.***

BluRay Disc currently has support from several major studios as well as Sony which utilizes the technology for the new Playstation III console.

HD DVD has support from fewer studios, but has the backing of Bill Gates from Microsoft and they utilize this technology in their Xbox 360 console.

Both formats have pluses and minuses and some companies have already honed in on this and made players that will play both formats.  Others have taken sides and hope that their format choice wins the format war.  Ultimately, it is up to you, the consumer to decide what format will win.