HD Video from Canon T1i (500D)

I have just started experimenting with shooting Infra Red HD video using a modified 500D. Since I needed an IR stills camera (for spectroscopy I needed full IR + visible and an IR-pass filter does the selecting), I ended up with one capable of shooting IR video... Stormy seas look really awesome! Unfortunately I am on holidays for the next few weeks and am unable to verify exactly what is going on with 1080HD from the 500D. My notebook PC is simply too slow for 1080HD video editing. The manual states that the 500D shoots 1080HD at 20fps, but 720HD at the usual standard. Since I am planning to splice my IR videos into footage shot with a normal HDV camcorder at 1080, I am wondering whether anyone has played with the 20fps from the 500D and any pointers will be appreciated. Otherwise I will have to shoot at 720HD and uprezz when I get home, not an ideal way of retaining video quality.