Forum for media players? at DVinfo.net

Mark Donnell · December 18th, 2009, 12:47 PM

Do we have a topic for media players yet ? There are multiple units now on the market, which are of varying quality and which play different formats. They have been discussed in many places on this site, but I think it may be time to have their own category. I personally have three different models, and one of them actually plays native HDV from a hard drive or a USB flash drive. Another gives outstanding HD in WMV9 format, and pulling all of this information together in one place would probably be beneficial to many members. What do you think ?

Chris Hurd · December 18th, 2009, 04:39 PM

Do we have some existing threads already in progress? Generally we won't start empty boards... seems to me like we might have enough discussions around to throw 'em in their own forum.

Mark Donnell · December 19th, 2009, 01:28 PM

I'm not sure if we have had any threads entitled "media players", but several ,especially the Western Digital one have been mentioned in numerous threads. People are already using them to play video out to HD TVs, since all of them have HDMI outputs, as well as component in most cases. Some people are even delivering video to customers by USB drive or hard drive to be played using these devices. They generally cost about $ 80-120, and some will even stream video wirelessly from the internet via a computer. They will be impacting the market for HD delivery. Until we get a topic for them, where would be best to post thread discussions ?

Graham Hickling · December 20th, 2009, 08:35 PM

I think that is a fine idea!

Here's three recent threads I found searching just on TViX:

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-xdc...x-footage.html

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-xdc...ne-player.html

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/high-def...extenders.html

Note that a couple were in a Sony forum, where I for one would not have thought to look...

Robert M Wright · December 28th, 2009, 06:58 PM

Maybe changing "SDTV / HDTV Video Monitors" to "Monitors and Media Viewing Software" would make sense?

Bill Koehler · December 29th, 2009, 08:23 AM

How about 'Monitors and Media Playback Solutions' ?

Robert M Wright · December 29th, 2009, 10:01 AM

Along the lines of changing forum names, it seems to me that the subheading in "Panasonic AVCCAM Camcorders" should be changed from "AVCHD for pro applications: AG-HMC70, AG-HMC150" to "AVCHD for pro applications: AG-HMC40, AG-HMC150".

The HMC40 is far and away a more professional camcorder than the HMC70 (which is arguably a dressed up toy).

Mark Donnell · December 29th, 2009, 10:44 AM

Combining with monitors sounds good, but I would make it "Monitors and media players", since they are hardware, not software. I will start posting info there later this week and maybe Chris can make the change when he gets a chance.

Robert M Wright · December 29th, 2009, 10:50 AM

Maybe something cute, like "The View - Hardware and Software Solutions for Video Display".

Robert M Wright · December 29th, 2009, 11:01 AM

It still bugs me to see forums for gussied-up consumer camcorders, implying they are actually something more. Reality should determine if a camcorder is pro(sumer) level or not, not the manufacturer's marketing. Taking the guts from a consumer camcorder, sticking it in a big (mostly empty) shell, and perhaps slapping a couple XLR inputs on it, doesn't make a pro(sumer) level camcorder. You can put lipstick on a pig...

That doesn't mean that consumer camcorders aren't useful, for professional purposes, at times. They certainly can be, but that doesn't change the nature of what they primarily are at the core.

Chris Hurd · December 30th, 2009, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert M Wright

Maybe something cute, like "The View - Hardware and Software Solutions for Video Display".

Done -- great suggestion, thanks! Went with "The View: Video Display Hardware and Software."
Subheading is Video Monitors and Media Players for field or studio use (all display technologies).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert M Wright

...the subheading in "Panasonic AVCCAM Camcorders" should be changed from "AVCHD for pro applications: AG-HMC70, AG-HMC150" to "AVCHD for pro applications: AG-HMC40, AG-HMC150".

Done. Thanks for the suggestion. Subheading now reads AVCHD for
pro applications: AG-HMC40, AG-HMC150 and other AVCCAM gear.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert M Wright

Reality should determine if a camcorder is pro(sumer) level or not, not the manufacturer's marketing.

Sorry, but as far as this site goes, however the manufacturer labels it is how we label it here as well, for several reasons. First, since the HMC70 carries the AVCCAM badge, then that is where it lives on this board. The forum index is too cluttered already to divide it up even further just to separate a junior-college camcorder. Second, despite the HMC70's consumer guts, the fact is that it is indeed serviced and supported by Panasonic's Pro Line / PBTS division. Panasonic not only sells it as AVCCAM but services it that way as well, so if it's AVCCAM to them then it's AVCCAM to us as well. Third, for people who look beyond the manufacturer's web site and find us, I don't want to confuse them by not listing the camera just because some pro shooters look down upon it. The fact is that anything can be used in a professional application, whether it was designed that way or not... plus, our audience spills over from the pro market into education, which ultimately is the primary intended market for the HMC70. I'm certainly not going to exclude those folks. Thanks for understanding,

December 18th, 2009, 12:47 PM	#1
Mark Donnell Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Silver City, NM Posts: 385	Forum for media players? Do we have a topic for media players yet ? There are multiple units now on the market, which are of varying quality and which play different formats. They have been discussed in many places on this site, but I think it may be time to have their own category. I personally have three different models, and one of them actually plays native HDV from a hard drive or a USB flash drive. Another gives outstanding HD in WMV9 format, and pulling all of this information together in one place would probably be beneficial to many members. What do you think ?

December 18th, 2009, 04:39 PM	#2
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Do we have some existing threads already in progress? Generally we won't start empty boards... seems to me like we might have enough discussions around to throw 'em in their own forum. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

December 19th, 2009, 01:28 PM	#3
Mark Donnell Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Silver City, NM Posts: 385	I'm not sure if we have had any threads entitled "media players", but several ,especially the Western Digital one have been mentioned in numerous threads. People are already using them to play video out to HD TVs, since all of them have HDMI outputs, as well as component in most cases. Some people are even delivering video to customers by USB drive or hard drive to be played using these devices. They generally cost about $ 80-120, and some will even stream video wirelessly from the internet via a computer. They will be impacting the market for HD delivery. Until we get a topic for them, where would be best to post thread discussions ?

December 20th, 2009, 08:35 PM	#4
Graham Hickling Trustee Join Date: May 2004 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Posts: 1,669	I think that is a fine idea! Here's three recent threads I found searching just on TViX: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-xdc...x-footage.html http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-xdc...ne-player.html http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/high-def...extenders.html Note that a couple were in a Sony forum, where I for one would not have thought to look...

December 28th, 2009, 06:58 PM	#5
Robert M Wright Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Minnesota (USA) Posts: 2,171	Maybe changing "SDTV / HDTV Video Monitors" to "Monitors and Media Viewing Software" would make sense?

December 29th, 2009, 08:23 AM	#6
Bill Koehler Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Alpharetta, Georgia, USA Posts: 760	How about 'Monitors and Media Playback Solutions' ?

December 29th, 2009, 10:01 AM	#7
Robert M Wright Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Minnesota (USA) Posts: 2,171	Along the lines of changing forum names, it seems to me that the subheading in "Panasonic AVCCAM Camcorders" should be changed from "AVCHD for pro applications: AG-HMC70, AG-HMC150" to "AVCHD for pro applications: AG-HMC40, AG-HMC150". The HMC40 is far and away a more professional camcorder than the HMC70 (which is arguably a dressed up toy).

December 29th, 2009, 10:44 AM	#8
Mark Donnell Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Silver City, NM Posts: 385	Combining with monitors sounds good, but I would make it "Monitors and media players", since they are hardware, not software. I will start posting info there later this week and maybe Chris can make the change when he gets a chance.

December 29th, 2009, 10:50 AM	#9
Robert M Wright Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Minnesota (USA) Posts: 2,171	Maybe something cute, like "The View - Hardware and Software Solutions for Video Display".

December 29th, 2009, 11:01 AM	#10
Robert M Wright Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Minnesota (USA) Posts: 2,171	It still bugs me to see forums for gussied-up consumer camcorders, implying they are actually something more. Reality should determine if a camcorder is pro(sumer) level or not, not the manufacturer's marketing. Taking the guts from a consumer camcorder, sticking it in a big (mostly empty) shell, and perhaps slapping a couple XLR inputs on it, doesn't make a pro(sumer) level camcorder. You can put lipstick on a pig... That doesn't mean that consumer camcorders aren't useful, for professional purposes, at times. They certainly can be, but that doesn't change the nature of what they primarily are at the core.