Hello,

Does this cam support true sd 4:3 mode? I recently shot some footage in SD and captured in vegas 7 SD. However, the footage had bars at the top and bottom of the video. Is there anyway to avoid this? I use this cam (hc7) as a 3rd cam along with my SD vx2k and vx2k1 and wanted to match them up in post. By the way,my in cam settings for the HC7 are REC MODE=SD 4:3 and TV TYPE 4:3

Thanks,
Troy

Just to confirm, it's DV SET => DV WIDE SELECT that you have set to 4:3? That should work without letterboxing. In DV REC MODE you only set the speed, SP or LP. Page 58 of your manual.

I believe that the DV SET menu option is greyed out unless you select DV for REC FORMAT.

Edit: Just confirmed on my HC3 (which should be similar), cross referencing with HC7 manual:

STANDARD SET => REC FORMAT => DV
STANDARD SET => DV SET => DV WIDE SELECT => 4:3

Is it possible your Vegas project was set up as 16:9 widescreen?

Hi Adam,

I was incorrect in my settings. They are exactly what you recommend. I use Vegas 7 and when I captured the clip I was asked to whether the clip was SD or HD and I chose SD. When I look at the clip in the editor it partially fills the window and therefore renders with the bar at the top and bottom. Any other ideas?

Thanks,
Troy

I'm not a Vegas expert but I do have a copy of VMSP7. If you go to File/Properties/Video/Template you can choose between NTSC DV and NTSC DV Widescreen. Is it possible your project is set up as widescreen?

Other than that, if your settings are as you say they are on your cam, including TV TYPE as you mentioned earlier, I'm stumped... Just to double check the cam, when you shoot does the image fill the LCD screen? It shouldn't. If you're shooting 4:3 you should have black pillars on the right and left. If the screen is filled then you're shooting 16:9.

What happens when you play back straight to a TV?

Adam,

I tested this again and it worked. I must have had the tv type set to hd on the other video, because when I looked at it in the capture window it was 16:9. I just hope that when I try to match the hc-7's SD video w/ the vx2000 that it looks okay.

Thanks,
Troy

It should match fairly well, as long as you never try to shoot the vx in 16:9 mode. Then the HC7, even in DV 16:9 widescreen mode, will blow it away. As long as you keep everything 4:3 you should be okay.

Glad to hear it works now.

Adam,

Since you been very helpful with this post I have one other question that I hope you can answer. What are the best settings to use for shooting with this cam in 4:3 SD? Also, is there a way to shoot HD with 4:3 set?

Thanks,
Troy

Well, it should be noted that I have the HC3, so your mileage may vary and all that.

I haven't shot any SD DV with the cam. And HDV is inherently 16:9, so I think the answer to your second question is no.

If it were me I'd shoot in HDV, downconvert in the cam to DV upon capture, then crop to 4:3 in post. At that point I think your tape should match up nicely with the VX.

I would not, under any circumstances, try to shoot 16:9 with your VX's...

If it were me I'd shoot in HDV, downconvert in the cam to DV upon capture, then crop to 4:3 in post.

I understand the part about shooting in HDV, but not sure what you mean when you say "downconvert in the cam to DV upon capture, then crop to 4:3 in post"?

Are you saying that after I shoot in HD to change a setting in the cam before capturing? Or are you saying to rec in HD and then when prompted which the capture format to select DV? I use Vegas 7, but not sure of the steps you mentioned. I'm somewhat of a novice with this HD stuff so please explain further.

Again, thanks for your help.
Troy

On page 60 of your manual you can read about the i.Link CONV function, which down-converts HDV to DV for capture. Then on Page 74 the manual goes into transferring footage to your PC, including installing and reading the information in the "First Step Guide." That should cover most of this material.

And yes, you will also need to set up your project as 4:3 DV in Vegas, using the presets I mentioned above.

That should work, but perhaps more experienced Vegas users can chime in...

Thanks much.