Is there any converter that can be plugged into the firewire port on the back of the XL2 to convert it out to component cables? I know the XL2 isn’t HD but I want to view the video uncompressed on a small 19 inch HD monitor I bought. I don’t want to use a laptop as a monitor because I don’t have one, lol. I’ve been looking around but can't seem to find anything that will convert the digital firewire output to analog component cables. Thanx for any help you can give.

Chances are there is no cable, due to the fact its a digital to analogue conversion...

You woul need to have some software & hardware involved in the conversion, and probabl woulb something like an HD deck (firewire in, component out). A Sony HVRM15U Deck does this, and costs $3000 (cheapest one), and needs to be plugged in (is also the size of a VCR)

There may a chipset, like those used in the deck, with a 1394 port and component ports to convert them, but its probably not available commercially and you would need to engineer it and write firmware... '(my guess only. I dont really know how stuff works!)

Shame ur monitor doesn't have a firewire in...

You can find S-video to Component cables., Wont be uncompressed, but will exist.

You woul need to have some software & hardware involved in the conversion, and probabl woulb something like an HD deck (firewire in, component out). A Sony HVRM15U Deck does this, and costs $3000 (cheapest one)

If you just want standard definition component there are several solutions for much less than $3000! The ADS Pyro A/V Link gives you component in and out for about $140:

http://www.adstech.com/products/API-555/intro/api555_intro.asp?pid=API-555

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=363177&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Another option would be a DVD recorder that has firewire input and component output. They're getting pretty cheap now and you'd get a DV recorder in the bargain. Do you need to take this into the field? Both of these solutions require AC line power. The ADS box has a power brick, so you could probably come up with a way to power it with a battery.

Ahh Boyd, i know, was refferring to cheapest deck :P

I forgot these things exist.

Good find... but i dont think a single cable to convert them exists

Thanx for the help. Boyd I like ur idea but the XL2 already has s-video and RCA video out. I wanna see it in 480p not 480i. I am aware that this product most likely doesn’t exist but I was just checking. I guess someone will have to make one. 480i is good for now though.

Hi Alan. I think they are available already. Please see link below.

Richard


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=search&ci=2139&Q=&O=NavBar

I want to view the video uncompressedConverting FireWire to component will not give you uncompressed video. The compression is already there in the form of the DV codec when going out via FireWire. Converting to component will change it into an analog signal but does not "undo" the effect of the DV codec compression.

That’s as uncompressed as the XL2 will allow (as far as I know). That’s what I was talking about. If there is a way of recording real uncompressed video from the XL2 I would like to hear about it. Richard that is probably what I’m looking for but I haven’t had enough time to really look it over. Thanx.

Alan, some guys from Purdue University tried this on the DVX100 and there was some talking about doing it for the XL2 as well:

http://www.theasc.com/magazine/new_products/main.html#prod1a

You have to scroll down a bit to "Reel Stream Andromeda Project". May be this is what you are looking for.

That’s as uncompressed as the XL2 will allow (as far as I know). That’s what I was talking about. If there is a way of recording real uncompressed video from the XL2 I would like to hear about it. Richard that is probably what I’m looking for but I haven’t had enough time to really look it over. Thanx.

Going out of the s-video into your monitor will yield a very nice image. In some cases, it looks better than going out via firewire.

If your HDTV is like mine, the signal will be converted to 480P by the set anyway regardless of whether you use composite, s-video, or component input.

-gb-

Alan, some guys from Purdue University tried this on the DVX100 and there was some talking about doing it for the XL2 as well:

http://www.theasc.com/magazine/new_products/main.html#prod1a

You have to scroll down a bit to "Reel Stream Andromeda Project". May be this is what you are looking for.

Amazingly, that project started and developed right here on DV INFO. After it went commercial, they asked Chris to pull the information.

There have been some rumors that the XL2 produces an uncompressed live signal via the s-video port. I can't confirm that, but I can confirm that I have seen footage that was captured from the s-video through a Kona card, and the same shot taken via firewire. There was a visibly superior output from the s-video port. Mind you, this was a live capture, not coming from the tape after the fact.

-gb-

Wow that is extremely cool. I shoot more of off the cuff so I don’t think this system would work that great for me, but I still have to say that that is awesome. This leads me to another question that wasn’t really intended for this thread, but hey things evolve. What is the highest quality recording to tape you can get on an XL2? If you use an HDV tape and modify the camera is it possible to get more resolution and more information? If I wanted to get a modification like the Andromeda would I still be able to record to tape if I decided to later? Also (and this is probably way off topic) how was 28 days later recorded? DV tape? I know they used XL1(s?) so how did they get widescreen? Did they extract the middle area, or did they use a anamorphic lens adapter? Thanx for the help and the cool link.

Phew, lots of questions! I'll tackle two of them....

For 28 Days Later, see the following: http://www.theasc.com/magazine/july03/sub/index.html

MPC believed the best results occurred with footage shot in the 4x3 aspect ratio but matted for 16x9 by the PAL XL1 (625 lines of resolution, 900,000 effective pixels over three 1/3" CCDs) in Frame Movie Mode, its pseudo-progressive-scan method, which is performed electronically within the camera.

As far as tape goes... it has nothing to do with the quality of the image. DV is just data - 1's and 0's. A better tape won't give you better 1's and 0's. The only argument for better tapes, and formats like Sony's DVCAM is that you might be less prone to digital dropouts which would appear as glitches on the tape.

Not sure of the XL2, however, I've captured many times from XL1's, XL1s', and some GL's via the analogue S-video port directly to newteks uncompressed RTV codec. The only advantage was being able to control the signal via proc-amp and waveform monitor. You'd wind up with a visually comparable quality to that of DV25, but at a tremendous file size. My thoughts are, along with Chris, that DV compression happens before tape heads and ports.

Now if I could hack the RAW data from my current XL1s, which is out of warranty, then I would take better advantage of the uncompressed codec.

Correct me if I’m wrong but in 28 days later they filmed at 25p with normal DV tapes and prime lenses? To make it look at good as possible the director shot in a way to eliminate the problems with compression. So its something we could do easily with our own XL2s. Right?

I saw that film in a theatre and enjoyed it. But it was very obviously video and some of the wide shots looked pretty bad. So keep in mind that they didn't use the XL cameras in an attempt to create a "film look" but for other reasons, as discussed in that ASC article.