AVCHD (Audio and Video Compression for High Definition) is a high-definition and standard-definition recording format for use in digital tapeless camcorders. The format is comparable to other handheld video camera recording formats, particularly TOD, and HDV.
In May 2006 Panasonic and Sony jointly announced AVCHD as a tapeless high definition recording format. The format was based on existing Blu-ray Disc specification and allowed recording AVC-encoded video onto optical discs. 8 cm DVD discs were chosen as recording media instead of considerably more expensive Blu-ray discs.
The first AVCHD camcorder, Sony Handycam HDR-UX1, went on sale in September 2006 and recorded on 8 cm DVD media. Panasonic followed in spring 2007, releasing the HDC-SD1, the first AVCHD camcorder to record to SD/SDHC solid-state media, as well as a more conventional DVD-based model, the HDC-DX1. First Canon models included the HG10, with built-in hard disk drive storage, and the DVD-based HR10. JVC, which had been promoting its proprietary TOD video-format, finally introduced AVCHD-capable camcorders in April 2008.
In October 2008 Panasonic released the first professional AVCHD camcorder, the AG-HMC150. This is the first AVCHD camcorder that is capable of recording in all three high definition formats: 1080i, 1080p and 720p.
