Modern solid-state recording options for HD-100

[Earl Thurston]

Hi folks. Although I recently purchased an URSA Mini 4K, there are still times I'd like to make use of the good-old GY-HD100 we've had since 2006, mostly because of the ENG-style lens and great physical controls.

That said, has anyone had success with any modern (i.e. circa 2016-2017) options adding solid-state recording to this camera? For example, something that could take the HDV (not likely) or component analog (more likely) output and record to SD cards or SSD drives.

I've toyed around with getting one of those "game recorders" that record component video to H.264, but just wondering if anyone has found a good solution for this in the modern era.

[Dave Farrants]

I picked up a mint HD110 for next to nothing last year and then a Datavideo DN-60 from eBay - works well in HD 720 using the FW out of the camera.

[Roger Van Duyn]

I used Data-Video DN-60s for several years with my Canon HDV cameras. They are great recorders. But I finally had to upgrade cameras because CF cards that are compatible with the DN-60s are no longer being made. All the new cards are UDMA 7, which are incompatible with the DN-60. So, you will have to find some old cards somewhere if you need more than one card. The new DN-60s come with a 16GB card.

Again, I used my DN-60s for years on hundreds of jobs. They're great. But you probably won't be able to get any cards for them.

Sorry for the bad news.

Here's the latest link for supported cards: https://datavideocorporation.desk.co...atibility-list

Maybe you can find someone selling a used DN-60 who will include some working cards in the deal. That's how I sold mine.

Roger

[Alex Humphrey]

The obvious choice is to hit Ebay for the no longer produced Focus Enhancements Firestore Firewire HDD recorder and probably could disassemble and replace the 60-100g HDD with a new larger SSD but I don't promise it will work. I have one, still works, but using it to recapture a lot of old footage. The problem with the older Firestore HDV drives is that FCPX and Quicktime can't read the footage... luckily while Focus Enhancments before they got bought by Vtech had a free app that you would drag the footage in your browser on top of the app and it would do it's wizardry (takes less than a second to adjust 100g of file footage) so Quicktime would be allowed to read it. But remember it would only be HDV still, just ready to edit when you get back to the office. Be sure to get the Firestore drive that has HDV 720p 24p/30p reading encoding capabilities. I think they all did, but they did make the one for JVC that also talked back to the camera and relayed information on your viewfinder.

V-Tech came out with some replacement gear that was similar and used SSD drives, but I don't think they make them anymore.

Other than that you need either a laptop and a analog to thunderbolt $199 Blackmagic type of box... and record to laptop while camera in live view to HDD to get pre-compressor footage. PAIN. My results where not worth the effort. Or a Blackmagic portable Component to HD-SDI or Component to HDMI portable box ($250 plus power tap) then any Atomos type recorder. Then your in the field recording a better codec and can still have tape as a lower quality backup.

IF you had I think the HD250 and better it had a HD-SDI output already and it would probably make more sense to get a used HD250 and then just get the Atomos or similar recorder to plug into the HD-SDI.

But you could certainly test the the benefit of a better codec by getting a $30 component to HDMI desk top converter and plug any of your HDMI recorders, then point the JVC HD110 out the window and live record in a less compressed format (before the built in encoder) and see if the JVC is worth the effort. I did and I was under whelmed, even though I do have the better Fujinon 17x lens... just old and clunky.. I gave up and picked up a JVC LS300 and haven't looked back (though metering with a cine meter since I still can't get anything reliable out of histograms)

[Alex Humphrey]

I was looking at the Blackmagic Analog to SDI mini converter.. my IDX power tap might have the conversion to power it, then plug in a Atomos or Blackmagic video assist into the SDI.

https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/pro...pecs/W-CONM-00

If you can't find a way to power the adapter (I think it's possible, even just pick a generic battery plate and battery combo from amazon that gives the same output for the converters input for under $70?) then extension cord and tripod and not move a lot. and get the best footage that the old JVC can live output.

are you going to mix your JVC HDV with your Ursa Mini?

[Kurt Franz]

the Kingston Ultimate 266X CF card works correctly with the Datavideo DN 60 and it is readily available. The support team at Datavideo recommends this particular card as being viable.

i use my DN60 with my HD 110 all the time with no issues. The only frustrating thing is the lack of time code display when not using a tape.

Best

[Paul R Johnson]

I still have the FE drive, but because most of my recording is done on mains power (working on a tripod in theatres) practically everything now goes straight to my MacBook - I absolutely HATE the FE drive, the number of times I think it's recording and it isn't really gets to me after a while. Having to remember the sequence to make it talk to the camera, then follow the start/stop just annoys me. Hitting record on the laptop and seeing the picture works so much better for me.

[Kurt Franz]

hi
have you had good success recording directly to the laptop? is it a real hassle to get setup and move around etc..... thinking about
best
kf

[Earl Thurston]

Originally Posted by Alex Humphrey

are you going to mix your JVC HDV with your Ursa Mini?

I actually did a shoot in May where we used both cameras for different angles. The final output will be for the web, so nothing will be exported higher than 720p.

The intent was to mainly shoot with the URSA Mini 4K as a fixed master shot, which could be post-cropped as needed. The HD100 was then used for mid and close-up shots -- but also as a confidence backup, since this was my first live (non-scripted) shoot for the UM4K. Essentially, each camera was a backup for the other.

There is a HUGE different in colour rendering between the two cameras, so it will take a lot of work to make them match if I use both angles. (I haven't done the editing yet, which was delayed until some other website work was done first.)

[Earl Thurston]

Originally Posted by Paul R Johnson

...practically everything now goes straight to my MacBook

What software are you using for that? I still have a 2009 MacBook with a Firewire port.

[Kurt Franz]

while we are on the topic, is it possible,to blow the firewire port on the hd110 if only using a portable hd recorder or cf recorder like the dn60? is it still necessary to power the camera off and the recorder off when connecting and disconnectiing? or is this only applicable when connecting to a pc or laptop?
thanks

[Tim Lewis]

I bought a JVC GY-HD111E a couple of years ago and it came with the whole box and dice, except a charger for the FireStore or a battery that was any good.

It had a V-Lock battery and power from that was enough to run the FireStore. I took out the HD and replaced it with an SD to Parallel card and a 32GB SD card. The device sure powers up a lot quicker when it doesn't have to spin up those platters. I could have used a bigger SD card like a 64GB to more closely match the 80GB disk that I removed, but 32GB was all I had at the time.

You still have to copy off the files by Firewire and there is the whole .mov incompatibility, so I shot it with the .mts files instead and used Clipwrap to sort them. I would love to get my hands on that software for fixing the .mov, though.

[Tim Lewis]

Does anyone have a copy or download location for the HD File Converter application from Focus Enhancements?

Vitec seem to no longer be supporting the recorder I have and there seems to be no download link on their site for it.

[Andrew Carter]

Shame, I'd love to start using mine again. I has just been wondering the same about recording to a laptop or similar.
Firestores are rare in the uk, and when they do come for sale they are often with a camera.

[Alex Humphrey]

Originally Posted by Tim Lewis

Does anyone have a copy or download location for the HD File Converter application from Focus Enhancements?

Vitec seem to no longer be supporting the recorder I have and there seems to be no download link on their site for it.

still looking? I found my installer versions. Can't figure out how to upload to forum though.