I'm considering the purchase of the XL-2 within the next few weeks.

I was reading the owners manual, and found it interesting that if you connect the S-video to a standard 4:3 monitor, and the footage was shot in widescreen, it displays it in widescreen. Am I reading that correctly?

My question extends to using the camera, connected via firewire to the computer and S-video to an external monitor, during editing. Does the same apply? Will the footage display in widescreen, or does that only apply to footage being played back from tape?

Thank you.

Hey, Robert

Where about did you see this in the manual? I've plugged mine in via s-video into a 4:3 set but did not get the 16:9 displayed image.
I'd be interested to see if there is a setting that needs to be changed.

This function only works if the monitor to which you are connecting has the detection cabability on its S-Video input. Some do, and some do not. It's done by altering the DC bias on the signal level. Firewire has no such capability. You will always need to tell your editing software when you are capturing widescreen usually by checking an anamorphic checkbox or selecting DV-NTSC Widescreen as a capture preset.

Hope this helps. You'll love the XL-2.

-gb-

Luckily I have a switchable monitor, but I thought it certainly would be a handy feature.

It also doesn't affect my decision to go with the XL-2. Maybe I'll have it in my eager hands by Christmas.

Has anyone used the interval shooting? It was one of the selling features.

Okay, wasn't paying close attention. I thought you meant TV monitor.