Canon PowerShot SD940 IS video file format

This blog entry is kind of a comparasin of the Canon 940 vs the Flip HD (first generation). These are the two devices are all I have experience with.

File Formats

These numbers come from Ubuntu 9.10 Linux by right clicking on the file and going to the Audio Video tab and reading the information listed there. I'm sure there are better ways of getting details. Every program I use to gather information tells me something slightly different. Some of them straight up lie.

The file format of the Canon PowerShot 940 is as follows

File format straight off the Canon PowerShot dn 940 is
Audio	Raw 16-bit PCM audio Mono 44100 HZ
Video	1280x720 H.264/AVC 30fps
Container	MOV (file extension)

The file format of the Flip HD (first generation anyway) is as follows

File format straight off the Flip HD (first Generation)
Audio	MPEG-4 AAC audio Stereo 44100 Hz
Video	1280x720 h.264/AVC 30 fps
Container	MP4 (file extension)

Editing the video in Ubuntu Linux 9.10

When I edit the Canon 940 files with KDENLive, I have an issue with sound. As soon as I copy the file in the clip area, I can play the clip and the sound will be choppy. It will repeat itself and get off track. Then it will get back on track for a moment and repeat then be off track or a while. It turns out KDENLive does not like the audio codec from There is no such issue when editing the Flip HD files. This appears to be a KDENLive issue and does not repeat in other programs as far as I can tell yet.

When using AVIDemux there is no such problem. Things work perfectly normal, which is bad enough in Linux. I don't really like editing in AVIDemux. There are just not enough bells and whistles. Nor is there a true time line. I've found a multiple track time line design highly required for video editing. This presents a problem.

The Mobile File Converter program works well, but it appears to only change the file to a mobile screen size. That is, it shoots it down to a little bitty size. There must be a way way to stop this, but I'm not so worried about it because I've found something a little bit better.

Even if I do not like editing in AVIDemux, I can use it to change a file's format. At the moment this requires me to open each clip, set video to copy, container to mp4, and audio to AAC or MP3, then render. AVIDemux has a tone of command line parameters, so I may be able to script this up. The timing appears to be fine even after the conversion. This is something you have to check every time you touch the files. Once changed, the files can simply be dropped in KDENLive and used normaly.

The software that came with the Flip is supposed to be easy to use. I am on Linux and thus have never given it a shot. I hear it is sandboxed and completely closed source.. Has any one out there in inter-webs land tried it? Let me know what you thought.

Canon Advantages

• You can have a second battery charged and standing by.
• The Canon uses SD cards so you can keep shooting.
• The Canon lens gets covered up automatically when you turn off the unit. I like this one because I keep it in a backpack.
• The Canon has better wide angle and zoom without needing a second external lens. The digital zoom seems to work well as far ast digital zoom goes.
• The Canon takes 12 MP pictures.
• The Canon is smaller.
• The Canon screen is nine times better.

Flip Advantages

• Cool factor. I hate to admit it, but this is important.
• The Flip is Cheaper by a bit.
• The Flip is one step copy and edit. It comes with software you can use on Mac and Windows.
• The Flip has superior sound quality and it is stereo. When I go film my friends playing a gig, I will pack the Flip and Canon.
• The Flip has a slightly better low light capability in my humble opinion. Not a great deal.

Opinion

Which one do I carry around with me? I carry the Canon. It has several advantages over the Flip. Not all points by any measure.