I know there were issues earlier this year with those trying to digitise SD down-converts of HDV1 into Avid systems using the JVC BRHD50 deck via component SD/RS422 but many of these issues were cleared up in a JVC firmware update.

However - although the deck I'm using (rented) does have the latest firmware - I am having +/- 1-2 frame inconsistencies with TC when digitising into AXPro/Mojo v.5.2.1 At least I was sensible enough to conduct some tests before beginning the digitising! There is no deck template, which would seem to be a possible cause. Can anyone tell me whether later AXPro versions actually have templates specifically for the BRHD50? I am using the the BR-D50U template at the moment.

Has anyone out there managed good, consistent, accurate digitising of HDV1 down-converts via component SD and RS422 into Avid?

Any help greatly appreciated - I have a mountain of rushes to digitise for a very heavy 2-month offline session and cannot afford to capture with incorrect TC!!!!

Hi Anthony,

The Avid XPress Pro HD system that I sometimes use, with a BR-HD50, does have a template for the BR-HD50U. It think it's version 5.2.4

Also, make sure that the BR-HD50U has the latest firmware - version 1.05. To check the firmware version, press and hold stop and menu together.

Regards, Carl

Thanks for the speedy response Carl. Yes, it is firmware version 1.05 on that deck. I'm really pleased to hear that there is a specific deck template for the BRHD50 in later versions. Interestingly, the deck is not included in the latest supported deck lists on the Avid website but I suspected that there may well be a template for it. The reason I'm running an older version of AXPro is because I use the Studio Complete setup and the latest AXPro (5.5) is not qualified for use with the other Avid Studio applications - very tedious.

Anyway, it's bad enough that we can't cut HDV1 at 25fps in Avid but now that I'm having trouble just offlining in SD, things really are getting silly!

Thanks for the speedy response Carl. Yes, it is firmware version 1.05 on that deck. I'm really pleased to hear that there is a specific deck template for the BRHD50 in later versions. Interestingly, the deck is not included in the latest supported deck lists on the Avid website but I suspected that there may well be a template for it. The reason I'm running an older version of AXPro is because I use the Studio Complete setup and the latest AXPro (5.5) is not qualified for use with the other Avid Studio applications - very tedious.

Anyway, it's bad enough that we can't cut HDV1 at 25fps in Avid but now that I'm having trouble just offlining in SD, things really are getting silly!

As a fellow Avid user is it frustrating that Avid is taking so long to fully implement the certification of JVC ProHD hardware, and make AXPro more HDV friendly.

Agreed. Agreed. Agreed.

I distinctly recall Avid reps on the JVC stand at IBC 2005 promising full HDV1 support 'soon' and 'within weeks'. Well, it looks like it's going to be more than 52 weeks because full HDV1 support won't come along until the next release - probably December. We've actually had to turn away post work from clients who have shot on the HD100 because we're so heavily committed to Avid kit. It's all a pain in the neck, really.

On the positive side, Fast - sorry Avid - have done a great job on HDV1 support in Liquid. It works very well and there's a pretty good work-around for traditional Avid users with Liquid as a capture/transcoding tool...

Well, it's now 2 in the morning here in the UK and I have had some sort of success with this:

I have updated the AXPro software to v. 5.2.4 (still compatible with AXPro Studio 5.2.1) which does contain a BRHD50 deck template in spite of Avid's very recent supported device list not even mentioning it. Initially, this made things a little more consistent and reliable but when combined with a huge 15 seconds pre-roll, capture was 100% consistent each time on multiple captures of the same shot. Note that the extended pre-roll was no help at all using other deck templates. However, there is still a 1 frame discrepancy between BITC and captured TC. At least it's consistent over all captures and the off-set can be applied easily. That's saved us a small fortune in expensive online time for the conform!!! This is a 60-min broadcast documentary with over 40 hours of HDV1 footage...

Thanks, Carl, for the heads up on the software update/deck template. The lack of information on this on the Avid site is a little alarming and further fuels my suspicion that HDV1 isn't even close to being important for Avid.

We've really been through the mill on this one as far as HDV1 is concerned so if anyone out there is using the HD100 with Avid for a European broadcast project please feel free to message me if you would like some hard-earned information on workflow options.

Well, it's now 2 in the morning here in the UK and I have had some sort of success with this:

I have updated the AXPro software to v. 5.2.4 (still compatible with AXPro Studio 5.2.1) which does contain a BRHD50 deck template in spite of Avid's very recent supported device list not even mentioning it. Initially, this made things a little more consistent and reliable but when combined with a huge 15 seconds pre-roll, capture was 100% consistent each time on multiple captures of the same shot. Note that the extended pre-roll was no help at all using other deck templates. However, there is still a 1 frame discrepancy between BITC and captured TC. At least it's consistent over all captures and the off-set can be applied easily. That's saved us a small fortune in expensive online time for the conform!!! This is a 60-min broadcast documentary with over 40 hours of HDV1 footage...

Thanks, Carl, for the heads up on the software update/deck template. The lack of information on this on the Avid site is a little alarming and further fuels my suspicion that HDV1 isn't even close to being important for Avid.

We've really been through the mill on this one as far as HDV1 is concerned so if anyone out there is using the HD100 with Avid for a European broadcast project please feel free to message me if you would like some hard-earned information on workflow options.

Thanks for the update. It is puzzling about Avid's attitude towards resolving HDV issues, and updating their own documantation.

Just a little update from this side of the pond:

I am now on AXP 5.6.2 and HD50 1.06 and the two don't like each other at all. First of all, Avid disclaims directly in the deck preferences window that the included template is not supported and was included upon requests by customers. What the hell is that? Second, the machine control of the deck after the firmware upgrade is worse in both FW and RS422. Extremely temperamental and unreliable. I have a theatre show shot in 720p30 to capture and the longest act was about 32 minutes. After captured the audio is out of sync and behind video by unbelievable 14 seconds. Repeatedly. And that is not mentioning various dropouts during capture that are in the captured files but not on the tapes.

After many very frustrating attempts I used my academic version of FCP, which captured all the material (as a log followed by batch capture, I should add) without problems.

My new problem now is getting the stuff on a DVD. Due to some previous conflicts my Compressor and DVD Studio Pro currently don't work and I would have to reload the whole OS, which would be a real pain... So, I am left with an edited 67-minute material sitting in the FCP and no easy way of getting it out to iDVD. I tell you, if I knew how much PIN it would be I would have shot everything in SD.

So - if anyone has any suggestions, I'd very happy to entertain them. This particular work constitutes only a very few cuts and some titles, so it's not a big deal to re-cut it in Avid if somebody can give me a working solution. How does all this work in Media Composer software? Any better?