The HD-SDI "add on"

[Mark Silva]

In most of the reviews in print and online, I've heard talk of an HD-SDI output option for the HD100.

I have not seen it on JVC's website and further web searches are coming up with nothing.

1) Anyone know where the details/price/where to buy is on this adapter?

2) Anyone using one now and how is it panning out for you?

[Chris Hurd]

If I'm not mistaken, I believe this is a feature of the forthcoming GY-HD250. We'll know more at NAB next week.

[Mark Silva]

I just saw that too.

But I'm wondering why the people writing these articles are talking about one specifically for the HD100U.

One of them mentioned the miranda HDV to HD-SDI converter, but the others all talk about it like its an accessory JVC does/will offer.

Here is a quote from the JVC professional website press release for NAB 2005

"In addition to providing HD true progressive 24 P superior quality recordings, the GY-HD100U outputs uncompressed 720/P60 HD, making it ideal for live broadcasting, remote news and POV applications. An optional module converts the uncompressed signal to HD-SDI for use in a variety of user environments."

[Carl Hicks]

Hi Mark,

The converter that we referred to in the quote you posted is an Analog Component HD to HDSDI converter. These are commonly available from companies like Miranda, AJA, and Cobalt. The one we used in our booth last year was a AJA unit. Contact you local dealer AJA dealer for assistance. There is no retro-fit to add HD-SDI to a GYHD100U.

As Chris stated, at next week's NAB show, there is supposed to be a new camera that will have HDSDI out available.

Regards, Carl

[Mark Silva]

ok thanks Carl.

Its really great having connected people like yourself posting here.

[Steve Mullen]

Originally Posted by Carl Hicks

...at next week's NAB show, there is supposed to be a new camera that will have HDSDI out available.

Almost ALL wishes will be granted next week. Monday morning at the JVC booth is going to be very exciting for those that need even more capabilities from 720p HDV.

By starting 2 years before everyone else, JVC will show its 3rd generation HDV products. With mature HDV technology -- they can now focus on "products for specific markets."

[Brian Luce]

is the advantange of sdi over plain 'ole analog outs that it's one wire instead of three? and longer cable runs? is that it?

[David Knaggs]

Brian, there is a very good explanation of Serial Digital Interface (SDI) and its advantages on this webpage:

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/pro...erter/quality/

Your editing computer (NLE) won't be able to recognize and input an analog signal, so you first need to convert it into a digital format. In this case, HD-SDI is the video standard you want to use because it doesn't add any compression. And the reason anyone would want to capture from the analog connections in the first place is to get the uncompressed signal on a bypass of the camera's usual HDV compression, which is what you always get when you capture through your firewire.

[Stephen L. Noe]

Right David,

NLE's that are designed specifically to work with HD typically have HD-SDI and YPbPr connections to their rack mount BOB's.

Example Avid Liquid ChromeHD's break out box

In the case of ChromeHD or VelocityHD or Media Composer Adrenalin HD they will accept either analog or HD-SDI. For analog capture they usually capture to uncompressed 2vuy (8 bit or 10 bit) or if they can capture to a compressed codec but it's ususally a light compression codec.

I have heard of capture directly to MP@HL for direct HDTV playout. It'll be interesting to see how JVC manages to get 720p 60fps HDTV to fit into the broadcasters pipe and have any room left for SD broadcast.

[Mark Silva]

What I'd like to have is a simple firewire bus powered converter that would go from the firewire out to a little converter box with HD-SDI (and embedded audio) out, so I could skip the whole analog audio aspect as with the analog to HD-SDI converter.

Originally Posted by Stephen L. Noe

I have heard of capture directly to MP@HL for direct HDTV playout. It'll be interesting to see how JVC manages to get 720p 60fps HDTV to fit into the broadcasters pipe and have any room left for SD broadcast.

Stephen, somebody told me ABC is doing that. In my city, they have 2 digital channels, one with SD and the other HD.

The superbowl looked incredible on ABC vs the football games I saw on CBS.
motion artifacts on fast pans were barely visible on ABC, but always rearing itself on CBS.

[Tim Dashwood]

Originally Posted by Mark Silva

Stephen, somebody told me ABC is doing that. In my city, they have 2 digital channels, one with SD and the other HD.

That's true. ABC, FOX, FOX Sports, and ESPN all broadcast 720P60. NBC and CBS broadcast 1080i60.

I believe the digital bandwidth ATSC limit for broadcasters is 19.2Mbps, and it is no cooincidence that 720P HDV uses the exact same bitrate allowing possible direct broadcast without recompression.
The Superbowl was a good indication of what 720P60 in 19.2Mbps looks like.

As for the simultaneous SD digital broadcast, I'm not sure how they divide up the bandwidth, or if they even have to if the SD and HD stations are different.

[Joe Carney]

Originally Posted by Steve Mullen

Almost ALL wishes will be granted next week. Monday morning at the JVC booth is going to be very exciting for those that need even more capabilities from 720p HDV.

By starting 2 years before everyone else, JVC will show its 3rd generation HDV products. With mature HDV technology -- they can now focus on "products for specific markets."

Sounds like the long awaited 3 cmos 2/3" chip 1080p camera will become more than a prototype. Out of my price range, but still cool.