Like DVCPRO Progressive, HDV-SD was meant as an intermediate format during the transition time from standard definition to high definition video. Depending on region, HDV-SD video is recorded either as 576p50 or as 480p60. Such a video is sometimes called enhanced definition video ( EDTV), but is considered high definition video in Australia. HDV-SD is a mode for recording progressive-scan standard definition video. Later models offer both film-like (24p, 25p, 30p) and reality-like (50p, 60p) frame rates. Earlier HDV 720p camcorders could shoot only at 24, 25 and 30 frames per second. HDV-HD closely matches broadcast 720p progressive scan video standard in terms of scanning type, frame size, aspect ratio and data rate. HDV 720p format allows recording high definition video (HDV-HD) as well as progressive-scan standard definition video (HDV-SD). The HDV 1080i defines optional progressive recording modes, and in recent publications is sometimes called HDV 1080 or 1080-line HDV as progressive 1080-line recording becomes commonplace. The latter is preferred by Sony and Canon and is sometimes referred to as HDV2.

The former is used by JVC and is informally known as HDV1. Two major versions of HDV are HDV 720p and HDV 1080i. At the coded bitrate of 384 kbit/s, MPEG-1 Layer 2 audio is regarded as perceptually lossless. In contrast to the video, HDV audio bitrate is relatively generous. The relatively low video data rate can cause bit rate starvation in scenes that have much fine detail, rapid movement or other complex activity like flashing lights, and may result in visible artifacts, such as blockiness and blurring.

The data rate for both the audio and video is constant and is roughly the same as DV data rate. The compressed audio and video are multiplexed into an MPEG-2 transport stream, which is typically recorded onto magnetic tape, but can also be stored in a computer file.

Stereo audio is encoded with the MPEG-1 Layer 2 compression scheme. Video is encoded with the H.262/MPEG-2 Part 2 compression scheme, using 8-bit chroma and luma samples with 4:2:0 chroma subsampling. HDV video and audio are encoded in digital form, using lossy interframe compression.

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