[Beowulf] HDTV video file sizes

[matt jones]

 >Does anyone know who much data 1 hr. of HDTV produces? Let's try 720 
for now and perhaps 1080. I'm looking for the file size if you store the 
whole thing  in a single file.

 >Well, I didn't have any idea ten seconds ago, but now I know that one 
hour should be roughly 3 GB.  (So a movie should be 5-6 GB.)

 >hmm, that's normal DVD, isn't it?  the newfangled flavors (BD, etc) 
seem to be 5-10 higher capacity.

 >compressed data rates appear to be 20-50 Mbps (lower than 20 probably 
doesn't count as HD.)

 >funny how all the HD stuff seems very fuzzy ;)

3GB for 1 hour seems reasonable, a movie in avi is only 700MB, and 
that's at PAL quality or higher. a DVD is roughly 5GB for augments sake, 
and that includes the .vob video files, audio files and any extras 
(which tend to be at a lower quality anyway.) so the size of the movie 
is say closer to 3.5/4GB than 5GB. the 'dvd' movie is not at PAL res, 
but something like 4 times the quality of PAL (3/4 way there to the 
lower end HD).

the mid and high HD, i wld expect to take between 5-7GB for an hour. 
thus just fitting a 'HD film' on a dual layer DVD. blu-ray being the 
choice medium for 'HD films' in the near future.

there is also quite a bit of confusion over what "HD" means. often frame 
rates, and colour depth are different on different 'HD' objects. so it's 
quite easy to fit many hours of HD film on a DVD at 5 fps.

bit off topic...

it's funny how VGA is directly* compatible with SCART, also how DVI is 
directly compatable with HDMI... interesting how in both cases the 
computer connector came first and yields better quality. just a case of 
changing connector's (shape and pin layout).

*directly meaning no or little analogue electronics used.

personally...

HD is a marketing CON to get nieve people to buy 'HD' products when they 
would be better buying a computer monitor with a higher resolution, 
colour depth, and refresh rate. although a 42" 'HD' widescreen would 
look good on my comp.

-- 
matt