capable of AVCHD Progressive recording. In 2012 JVC announced the GY-HMQ10 model, which also can record AVCHD Progressive video. Audio formats Most AVCHD camcorders record audio using Dolby Digital (AC-3) compression scheme. Stereo and multichannel audio is supported. Audio data rate can range from 64 kbit/s to 640 kbit/s. In practice, data rates of 256 kbit/s and 384 kbit/s have been observed. Some professional models allow recording uncompressed linear PCM audio. Media AVCHD specification allows using recordable DVDs, memory cards, non-removable solid-state memory and hard disk drives as recording media. DVD When the AVCHD standard was first announced, recordable DVD was the only recording medium. To reduce camcorder size, manufacturers opted for an 8 cm disc, sometimes called miniDVD. Recording capacity of an 8 cm disc ranges from 1.4 GB for a single-sided single layer disc to 5.2 GB for a double-sided double layer disc. Pros: DVDs are familiar to most consumers, thus considered user-friendly. Recordable DVDs are relatively cheap. Recorded disc can be played back in most Blu-ray Disc players. Discs can be used for long-term storage of recorded video. Cons: Some argue that the longevity of recordable DVDs may be shorter than expected. Rewritable DVDs cost more than write-once discs. DVDs must be "finalized" to play back on set-top players (though DVD-RWs can be unfinalized again). Double-layer recording is less robust than single-layer recording. To use both sides of a double-sided disc it must be flipped over, because camcorders have pickup from one side only. AVCHD DVDs can only be played back on DVD/Blu-ray players specifically designed to do so. The AVCHD specification limits data rate for DVD-based AVCHD camcorders to 18 Mbit/s, but no DVD-based AVCHD camcorder manufactured to date is capable of recording at data rate higher than 12 Mbit/s (Canon, Sony) or 13 Mbit/s (Panasonic). A single-sided single-layer 8 cm DVD can fit only 15 minutes of video at 12 Mbit/s, 14 minutes at 13 Mbit/s. DVD pickup mechanism is very susceptible to vibration. 8 cm DVDs cannot be used in many slot-loading drives and may even damage the drive. As the capacity of memory cards grew and their price dropped, DVDs use for recordable media declined. No DVD-based AVCHD camcorders have been produced since 2008. While DVDs are no longer used for acquisition, they remain popular as distribution media. Many authoring programs offer "AVCHD" profile for recording high definition video on a DVD. Such