HVX200 as a dvcPROHD deck at DVinfo.net

Jon Bickford · October 18th, 2005, 11:32 PM

Any idea if the HVX will be able to record from say, the FireWire input?

I have a lot invested in my XL2 package and i love canons, but variable frames and DVCPROHD on p2 cards are two offers i can't refuse. using the SDIHD out on the upcoming XL-h1 or a firewire, would it be possible to output from the Canon into an hvx200? giving me the benefits of both worlds, an option to use a 2nd camera, and the ability to do varicam type work with an HVX when needed, all for $15K, that might be the ticket. I believe a DVCPROHD deck is around $20K and the hvx200 could easily be used in the field as a battery powered recorder.

-Jon

Chris Hurd · October 19th, 2005, 12:16 AM

Jon, I guess the first thing that comes to my mind is... rather than using the HVX as a P2 card recorder for another camera, why not just use it as the camera in the first place?

Jon Bickford · October 19th, 2005, 01:21 AM

well, first off I love canon glass and i expect the 20x is hd lens to be amazing, especially since it has a back focus adjustment.

I often prefer a shoulder mount camera though "handycams" are nice sometimes,

I am assuming that canon will release an HD version of the 3x wide angle lens (with backflange adjustment) which is superior to a century optics adapter, not to mention EXTREME wide can be achieved with a 3x and a century optics piece. and there will have to eventually be an HD replacement for the 16x manual for sure, and for an inexpensive (relatively) lens the sd version is an AMAZING piece of gear that I use as often as is practical,

does anyone know what the f-stop on the HVX will be? I love having a 1.6 on my manual Canon, coming from a film background i've always felt that the lens is more important than the camera body, but in the digital age that's not the case, it's no longer the job of the camera body to simply advance 24 frames per second and open and close the shutter, which is basically all that is required of a film camera body, so i would love to have the best of both worlds, as well as having 2 hd cameras when needed.

I don't like the idea of using a 35mm adapter but looking at it through an inexpensive piece of attached glass, i would MUCH prefer to remove the lens before mounting a mini35 adapter

One more thought, when i've shot on pd170's or DVX's in the past the clients and the talent react differently to handycams no matter how many features they might have, to someone not in the know it looks basically like a toy camera, and the client is weary before i even finish setting up. With the XL2 the "ooh and aah" factor is substantial firing up cast and crew into believing they're working on a "real" production

I never liked the DVX it always felt more like an expensive toy than an inexpensive pro camera to me. but if i can use the HVX as a portable DVCPROHD deck i'd be getting off for way cheaper than what a portable HD deck costs, AND have varicam possibilities, if that would work i'd be in camera heaven

-Jon

Barry Green · October 19th, 2005, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon Bickford

does anyone know what the f-stop on the HVX will be?

I believe it's 1.6 on the wide end.

Quote:

but if i can use the HVX as a portable DVCPROHD deck i'd be getting off for way cheaper than what a portable HD deck costs, AND have varicam possibilities, if that would work i'd be in camera heaven

It'll probably have firewire input, but I don't know if that's confirmed yet. But you're talking about hooking the canon output to the HVX's input? You'd need some sort of intermediary converter at that point, something that takes HD-SDI input and outputs in DVCPRO-HD, because the firewire input on the HVX would allow for inputting a DVCPRO-HD signal. You can't put 1.45gbps HD-SDI on a 400-megabit firewire cable, and even if you did, the camera wouldn't recognize it. You'd have to compress it to DV100 first. And that presumes that the cam allows for firewire input of HD, which I'm guessing it does but I don't think that's been confirmed.

Jon Bickford · October 19th, 2005, 02:15 AM

...and the H-1 is incapable of exporting compressed say, 100mbps right? what about maybe and analog input?

Philip Williams · October 19th, 2005, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon Bickford

Any idea if the HVX will be able to record from say, the FireWire input?

I have a lot invested in my XL2 package and i love canons, but variable frames and DVCPROHD on p2 cards are two offers i can't refuse. using the SDIHD out on the upcoming XL-h1 or a firewire, would it be possible to output from the Canon into an hvx200? giving me the benefits of both worlds, an option to use a 2nd camera, and the ability to do varicam type work with an HVX when needed, all for $15K, that might be the ticket. I believe a DVCPROHD deck is around $20K and the hvx200 could easily be used in the field as a battery powered recorder.

-Jon

Do I have this right: You wish to record either the SDIHD or Firewire output from a Canon XLH1 onto an HVX - essentially using the HVX as a type of DVCPROHD deck (recording onto P2 or Firestore, right?)?

I'm not sure, but I'd bet real money that the HVX is not going to accept any incoming analog signal and convert it to DVCPROHD. It definitely doesn't have an input for SDIHD. That being the case, you'd be stuck using the Canon's firewire output, which leads us too..

The firewire output of the Canon is going to stream out an HDV MPEG2 compressed video stream (OK, it could also stream out standard DV). IF the HVX could accept this incoming stream and write it to P2 or firestore, then you'd be using the HVX as a $6,000 deck with $1000-2000 worth of recording media. So for about 8 grand you'd be lugging around a large second camera that would stand in for a... tiny lightweight $5 DV tape.

If I understood your question correctly, I think you'd need to do like all the other XLH1 owners - live with HDV or rent/purchase some sort of deck.

That seems awfully basic.. I'll post this on the chance that its correct but I think I must have missread the question.

Good luck!

Philip Williams
www.philipwilliams.com

Chris Hurd · October 19th, 2005, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon Bickford

...and the H-1 is incapable of exporting compressed say, 100mbps right? what about maybe and analog input?

The H1 can only export HDV and uncompressed HD over SDI or component output.

Barry Green · October 19th, 2005, 03:46 PM

I think Philip probably nailed it. The only other question is to whether the HVX's component port would allow input and recording of an analog signal. If so, you could cable an XL H1 to the HVX via analog component. However, I sincerely doubt it would have input capability, as none of the other lower-cost HD cameras or decks have analog input. Even the BR50 deck, which has analog output jacks, doesn't have analog input.

So, in the (assumedly unlikely) option that the HVX's analog component HD ports allow input, then yes you could sort of do what you're asking. But I don't expect that it will.

October 18th, 2005, 11:32 PM	#1
Jon Bickford Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Las Vegas, NV., Los Angeles, CA, Posts: 220	HVX200 as a dvcPROHD deck Any idea if the HVX will be able to record from say, the FireWire input? I have a lot invested in my XL2 package and i love canons, but variable frames and DVCPROHD on p2 cards are two offers i can't refuse. using the SDIHD out on the upcoming XL-h1 or a firewire, would it be possible to output from the Canon into an hvx200? giving me the benefits of both worlds, an option to use a 2nd camera, and the ability to do varicam type work with an HVX when needed, all for $15K, that might be the ticket. I believe a DVCPROHD deck is around $20K and the hvx200 could easily be used in the field as a battery powered recorder. -Jon __________________ Jon Bickford, Trepany Films San Pedro, CA Trephine001@aol.com

October 19th, 2005, 12:16 AM	#2
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Jon, I guess the first thing that comes to my mind is... rather than using the HVX as a P2 card recorder for another camera, why not just use it as the camera in the first place? __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

October 19th, 2005, 01:21 AM	#3
Jon Bickford Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Las Vegas, NV., Los Angeles, CA, Posts: 220	well, first off I love canon glass and i expect the 20x is hd lens to be amazing, especially since it has a back focus adjustment. I often prefer a shoulder mount camera though "handycams" are nice sometimes, I am assuming that canon will release an HD version of the 3x wide angle lens (with backflange adjustment) which is superior to a century optics adapter, not to mention EXTREME wide can be achieved with a 3x and a century optics piece. and there will have to eventually be an HD replacement for the 16x manual for sure, and for an inexpensive (relatively) lens the sd version is an AMAZING piece of gear that I use as often as is practical, does anyone know what the f-stop on the HVX will be? I love having a 1.6 on my manual Canon, coming from a film background i've always felt that the lens is more important than the camera body, but in the digital age that's not the case, it's no longer the job of the camera body to simply advance 24 frames per second and open and close the shutter, which is basically all that is required of a film camera body, so i would love to have the best of both worlds, as well as having 2 hd cameras when needed. I don't like the idea of using a 35mm adapter but looking at it through an inexpensive piece of attached glass, i would MUCH prefer to remove the lens before mounting a mini35 adapter One more thought, when i've shot on pd170's or DVX's in the past the clients and the talent react differently to handycams no matter how many features they might have, to someone not in the know it looks basically like a toy camera, and the client is weary before i even finish setting up. With the XL2 the "ooh and aah" factor is substantial firing up cast and crew into believing they're working on a "real" production I never liked the DVX it always felt more like an expensive toy than an inexpensive pro camera to me. but if i can use the HVX as a portable DVCPROHD deck i'd be getting off for way cheaper than what a portable HD deck costs, AND have varicam possibilities, if that would work i'd be in camera heaven -Jon __________________ Jon Bickford, Trepany Films San Pedro, CA Trephine001@aol.com

October 19th, 2005, 02:15 AM	#5
Jon Bickford Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Las Vegas, NV., Los Angeles, CA, Posts: 220	...and the H-1 is incapable of exporting compressed say, 100mbps right? what about maybe and analog input? __________________ Jon Bickford, Trepany Films San Pedro, CA Trephine001@aol.com

October 19th, 2005, 03:46 PM	#8
Barry Green Barry Wan Kenobi Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,863	I think Philip probably nailed it. The only other question is to whether the HVX's component port would allow input and recording of an analog signal. If so, you could cable an XL H1 to the HVX via analog component. However, I sincerely doubt it would have input capability, as none of the other lower-cost HD cameras or decks have analog input. Even the BR50 deck, which has analog output jacks, doesn't have analog input. So, in the (assumedly unlikely) option that the HVX's analog component HD ports allow input, then yes you could sort of do what you're asking. But I don't expect that it will.