Using XL H1 without taping at DVinfo.net

Christopher Glaeser · February 9th, 2006, 10:35 PM

When using the XL H1 with DV Rack / firewire and capturing directly to a laptop for many hours, is it recommended to leave the tape transport empty?

Best,
Christopher

Barlow Elton · February 10th, 2006, 12:15 AM

Are you needintg to preserve the tape transport? You might as well create a tape archive as you shoot to hard drive.

Even if I was shooting live HD SDI out to another format, I would always at least roll HDV at the same time. I'm sure you would thank yourself if your computer ever crashed during an important shot.

Shawn Alyasiri · February 10th, 2006, 12:17 AM

I'll look forward to what others say on this as well. I just got mine, and I've started to test with the HDVRack & the FS4 with the upgrade. So far, the best result (for uncorrupted files) is to record to either without a tape. Whenever I introduce a tape into the mix, I start running into big problems with the FS4 (corrupt files, etc), and the HDVRack starts splitting files up.

It's catch 22, because I'd never trust a sole DTE method without a tape - you fry a drive or corrupt a file and you've got nothing.

I think these DTE solutions will come around pretty soon - I think HDVRack is almost there, if not already. The FS4 is great in SD - I'm not pleased with the HDV option on it though - seems very buggy.

I'd find a solution that always included a tape - but that's just my opinion.

I've had mine for less than 24 hours, and I'm already planning that I'll probably have to digitize from tape, off the camera, until final solutions are honed. Kind of tough - cause I have 5 firestores...

Barlow Elton · February 10th, 2006, 12:47 AM

That's disappointing about the Firestore. I would only use it if there were no problems with rolling tape simultaneously.

Shawn Alyasiri · February 10th, 2006, 12:56 AM

No doubt... The same thing happens with my Z1 as well - bummer. I may be completely wrong, but I think the FS HDV upgrade is busted - for now. Using it in SD is awesome and bulletproof.

HDV rack seems pretty good with the H1 - the 24F mode records as well, however, that may be the cause of some of the strobing I was talking about last night - I don't believe HDVRack records it as a 23.97 file. Not sure if they certified the product for the H1 yet - I didn't think they did.

My tests tonight are going very well - still need a tweak on the 24 stuff, but it's much better now.

Learned a lot today about the workflow - great camera...

Barlow Elton · February 10th, 2006, 11:41 PM

Keep us posted, Shawn.

I'm not surprised HDVrack doesn't give you a 23.98 m2t. I think the firewire HDV output of the H1 decodes the 24F as a pulldown 29.97 m2t that the HDVrack program reads. It has the same issue as HDVxDV.

I look forward to some kind of update to FCP that might address this issue.

I think the Console software, Cineform, Edius and a beta version of Lumiere are the only software offerings that can recognize 24F properly.

Shannon Rawls said Vegas actually recognizes 24F material as 23.98p when imported onto the proper timeline.

February 9th, 2006, 10:35 PM	#1
Christopher Glaeser Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Pleasanton, CA Posts: 258	Using XL H1 without taping When using the XL H1 with DV Rack / firewire and capturing directly to a laptop for many hours, is it recommended to leave the tape transport empty? Best, Christopher

February 10th, 2006, 12:15 AM	#2
Barlow Elton Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UT Posts: 945	Are you needintg to preserve the tape transport? You might as well create a tape archive as you shoot to hard drive. Even if I was shooting live HD SDI out to another format, I would always at least roll HDV at the same time. I'm sure you would thank yourself if your computer ever crashed during an important shot.

February 10th, 2006, 12:17 AM	#3
Shawn Alyasiri Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bloomington, IL Posts: 256	I'll look forward to what others say on this as well. I just got mine, and I've started to test with the HDVRack & the FS4 with the upgrade. So far, the best result (for uncorrupted files) is to record to either without a tape. Whenever I introduce a tape into the mix, I start running into big problems with the FS4 (corrupt files, etc), and the HDVRack starts splitting files up. It's catch 22, because I'd never trust a sole DTE method without a tape - you fry a drive or corrupt a file and you've got nothing. I think these DTE solutions will come around pretty soon - I think HDVRack is almost there, if not already. The FS4 is great in SD - I'm not pleased with the HDV option on it though - seems very buggy. I'd find a solution that always included a tape - but that's just my opinion. I've had mine for less than 24 hours, and I'm already planning that I'll probably have to digitize from tape, off the camera, until final solutions are honed. Kind of tough - cause I have 5 firestores...

February 10th, 2006, 12:47 AM	#4
Barlow Elton Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UT Posts: 945	That's disappointing about the Firestore. I would only use it if there were no problems with rolling tape simultaneously.

February 10th, 2006, 12:56 AM	#5
Shawn Alyasiri Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bloomington, IL Posts: 256	No doubt... The same thing happens with my Z1 as well - bummer. I may be completely wrong, but I think the FS HDV upgrade is busted - for now. Using it in SD is awesome and bulletproof. HDV rack seems pretty good with the H1 - the 24F mode records as well, however, that may be the cause of some of the strobing I was talking about last night - I don't believe HDVRack records it as a 23.97 file. Not sure if they certified the product for the H1 yet - I didn't think they did. My tests tonight are going very well - still need a tweak on the 24 stuff, but it's much better now. Learned a lot today about the workflow - great camera...

February 10th, 2006, 11:41 PM	#6
Barlow Elton Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UT Posts: 945	Keep us posted, Shawn. I'm not surprised HDVrack doesn't give you a 23.98 m2t. I think the firewire HDV output of the H1 decodes the 24F as a pulldown 29.97 m2t that the HDVrack program reads. It has the same issue as HDVxDV. I look forward to some kind of update to FCP that might address this issue. I think the Console software, Cineform, Edius and a beta version of Lumiere are the only software offerings that can recognize 24F properly. Shannon Rawls said Vegas actually recognizes 24F material as 23.98p when imported onto the proper timeline.