Hi Def Monitoring at DVinfo.net

Daniel Tardent · March 28th, 2005, 08:24 AM

Hi There,
I am currently planning my system and have a question. Will be using FCPro with Lumiere and a Sony FX1 camera. I have an existing HD Plasma screen with 720p and 1080p component inputs. With the camera connected to the mac via firewire, can I monitor my edits in real-time by connecting the camera component outputs to my plasma screen? This wasn't really clear to me from what I have read elsewhere.

Thanks .... Daniel.

Graeme Nattress · March 28th, 2005, 09:10 AM

Yes, the inability to monitor back through the camera is a fatal flaw for professional use of a HDV camera. The solution is, I'm afraid, to buy something like the Decklink HD card, and to use it's component HD outputs, or it's HD SDI outputs converted to DVI with the HDLINK into something like a 23" cinema display.

Graeme

Daniel Tardent · March 28th, 2005, 10:39 AM

Thanks. So does that mean then that the only way for me to see the results of an edit in HD is to output to DV tape in the FX1 and then play the tape out the component outputs to the HD plasma monitor?

Daniel.

Graeme Nattress · March 28th, 2005, 11:09 AM

Basically, yes. Without buying extra hardware, that is.

Graeme

Dave Perry · March 28th, 2005, 06:38 PM

Graeme,

I'm curious about this as well but am confused from your answer.

Danile asked "monitor my edits in real-time by connecting the camera component outputs to my plasma screen?" and your reply was yes, then followed by a statement about the inability of consumer HDV acmeras to do this being a fatal flaw.

We have an AJA I/O at work and are considering going HD sooner than later and I was wondering if we can use it with HDV. Haven't checked their web site or the presets it has yet though.

Graeme Nattress · March 28th, 2005, 06:43 PM

Let me backtrack and start again:

With DV, we're used to hooking the camera or deck up to our NLE, and as we play video on the NLE, it flies down the firewire cable, gets decoded by the deck, and we see our video on our monitor.

With HDV, it doesn't work like this. AFAIK, the only solution is to use an HD card, and use it's outputs to view as you edit.

You could also just wait until you're done the entire programme, edit to tape, and then play that tape back, but that's hardly interactive.

The HD card solution, however, relies on you having a card that plays back whichever codec you're trying to use for the HDV.

Graeme

Daniel Tardent · March 28th, 2005, 07:08 PM

Graeme,
The decklink card looks good. The price looks attractive too - last times I checked out an HD card a couple of years back it was $5K plus. I noticed they also have a very nice A/D solution that covers SDI-Component and audio for both HD and SD.

Question - do you think I need to research this further or are you pretty confident that the decklink solution would work with the HDV setup to allow me to view edits in real time? Not asking for a guarantee - just a heads up:)

Thanks ... daniel.

Graeme Nattress · March 28th, 2005, 07:13 PM

http://www.lafcpug.org/reviews/review_decklink.html

Is what I'm using. I'm editing the test clips I have of HDV as fully uncompressed. I don't know what BMD are doing for the future though, with regards to whatever Apple do for HDV in FCP5.

Graeme

Murad Toor · April 1st, 2005, 10:27 PM

I heard a Blackmagic representative say that at NAB they'll show HDV support. I don't know whether it'll be limited to certain Decklink card models, or if it'll be part of an upcoming new model, or if it's something that can be added to existing cards by way of a firmware update.

Graeme Nattress · April 2nd, 2005, 07:17 AM

They normaly add features to pretty much all their products via firmware update. Lets wait and see....

Graeme

March 28th, 2005, 08:24 AM	#1
Daniel Tardent Tourist Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 3	Hi Def Monitoring Hi There, I am currently planning my system and have a question. Will be using FCPro with Lumiere and a Sony FX1 camera. I have an existing HD Plasma screen with 720p and 1080p component inputs. With the camera connected to the mac via firewire, can I monitor my edits in real-time by connecting the camera component outputs to my plasma screen? This wasn't really clear to me from what I have read elsewhere. Thanks .... Daniel.

March 28th, 2005, 09:10 AM	#2
Graeme Nattress RED Problem Solver Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,365	Yes, the inability to monitor back through the camera is a fatal flaw for professional use of a HDV camera. The solution is, I'm afraid, to buy something like the Decklink HD card, and to use it's component HD outputs, or it's HD SDI outputs converted to DVI with the HDLINK into something like a 23" cinema display. Graeme __________________ www.nattress.com - filters for FCP

March 28th, 2005, 11:09 AM	#4
Graeme Nattress RED Problem Solver Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,365	Basically, yes. Without buying extra hardware, that is. Graeme __________________ www.nattress.com - filters for FCP

March 28th, 2005, 06:38 PM	#5
Dave Perry Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Roanoke, VA Posts: 796	Graeme, I'm curious about this as well but am confused from your answer. Danile asked "monitor my edits in real-time by connecting the camera component outputs to my plasma screen?" and your reply was yes, then followed by a statement about the inability of consumer HDV acmeras to do this being a fatal flaw. We have an AJA I/O at work and are considering going HD sooner than later and I was wondering if we can use it with HDV. Haven't checked their web site or the presets it has yet though. __________________ Dave Perry Cinematographer LLC Director of Photography • Editor • Digital Film Production • 540.915.2752 • daveperry.net

March 28th, 2005, 06:43 PM	#6
Graeme Nattress RED Problem Solver Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,365	Let me backtrack and start again: With DV, we're used to hooking the camera or deck up to our NLE, and as we play video on the NLE, it flies down the firewire cable, gets decoded by the deck, and we see our video on our monitor. With HDV, it doesn't work like this. AFAIK, the only solution is to use an HD card, and use it's outputs to view as you edit. You could also just wait until you're done the entire programme, edit to tape, and then play that tape back, but that's hardly interactive. The HD card solution, however, relies on you having a card that plays back whichever codec you're trying to use for the HDV. Graeme __________________ www.nattress.com - filters for FCP

March 28th, 2005, 10:39 AM	#3
Daniel Tardent Tourist Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 3	Thanks. So does that mean then that the only way for me to see the results of an edit in HD is to output to DV tape in the FX1 and then play the tape out the component outputs to the HD plasma monitor? Daniel.

March 28th, 2005, 07:08 PM	#7
Daniel Tardent Tourist Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 3	Graeme, The decklink card looks good. The price looks attractive too - last times I checked out an HD card a couple of years back it was $5K plus. I noticed they also have a very nice A/D solution that covers SDI-Component and audio for both HD and SD. Question - do you think I need to research this further or are you pretty confident that the decklink solution would work with the HDV setup to allow me to view edits in real time? Not asking for a guarantee - just a heads up:) Thanks ... daniel.

March 28th, 2005, 07:13 PM	#8
Graeme Nattress RED Problem Solver Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,365	http://www.lafcpug.org/reviews/review_decklink.html Is what I'm using. I'm editing the test clips I have of HDV as fully uncompressed. I don't know what BMD are doing for the future though, with regards to whatever Apple do for HDV in FCP5. Graeme __________________ www.nattress.com - filters for FCP

April 1st, 2005, 10:27 PM	#9
Murad Toor Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 125	I heard a Blackmagic representative say that at NAB they'll show HDV support. I don't know whether it'll be limited to certain Decklink card models, or if it'll be part of an upcoming new model, or if it's something that can be added to existing cards by way of a firmware update.

April 2nd, 2005, 07:17 AM	#10
Graeme Nattress RED Problem Solver Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,365	They normaly add features to pretty much all their products via firmware update. Lets wait and see.... Graeme __________________ www.nattress.com - filters for FCP