Component Analog to HD/SDI

[Bill Brock]

Not that you guys don't have enough on your plates at the moment. But for those of us with JVC HD100's and other cameras that have component analog HD out but not HD/SDI, it would be great to have a converter from you that would handle analog to SDI conversion. I see you have the HDV firewire to HD/SDI...but then that loses a lot of quality because specifically the HD100 can output 4:2:2 720p60 out analog component, but can only do 4:2:0 720p30 after mucho compression through firewire. So in other words, the analog to HD/SDI would breath new life into the older cameras. I see blackmagic and aja have such converters, but I like the piggy-back idea you use better.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Bill,

Sorry for the delay in answering your post.

Yes, our plate is full at this time.

I would like for us to support cameras that just have component outputs. In an ideal world, I would like all cameras to have HD-SDI or HDMI.

Personally, I would love to know how much quality is lost from the CCD or CMOS image sensor to the component output versus the HD-SDI or HDMI output.

I feel, without any practical or inside information, that the component outputs are pretty good. Of course, I am assuming a quality camera with high quality circuitry.

The quality of the component outputs will vary from camera to camera.

Also, the quality of the adapter that converts component to HD-SDI comes into play.

I would like for Convergent-Design to fully support these cameras. Mike Schell and I have discussed this.

But, at this time, we have to concentrate on the Flash XDR and nanoFlash.

There are "Component to HD-SDI" adapters, as you mentioned.

We used an AJA model with a Panasonic HVX200 on the set of "Deadland" last year.

The HD-SDI output was then used to feed a high quality Sony 24" monitor in our "Video Village". This setup worked very well. We were able to check the quality and content of our image while we were recording.



The beauty of HD-SDI and Component outputs are that they are as close to the CCD or CMOS image sensor that one can get. As such, they are significantly better, in most cases, than the signal out of the Firewire (IEEE 1394) output.

The difference is that the Firewire output is compressed, just as you mentioned, and a some quality is lost.

I agree that a proper, convenient, solution would be a nice addition for cameras without HD-SDI.

Specifically, your camera can be used very effectively and such a solution would only improve the quality of your images.

I have used the same Sony 24” monitor, connected to the component outputs of a JVC HD100 series cameras on the set of “Perfect Disguise” this year with the same great results.