New Silicon Imaging SI-1920HDVR Digital Cinema Camera at DVinfo.net

Jason Rodriguez · April 17th, 2006, 07:01 AM

Hi Everyone,

For anyone who was in the Alternative Imaging forum a year back, you remember that Silicon Imaging had an Altasens-based camera that was "coming". Well, the project took on a life of it's own, and we've teamed up with CineForm and Adobe to bring some pretty incredible workflow enhancements to the tapless market, including a full RAW workflow unavailable anywhere else using the CineForm desktop tools that you are all familiar with.

We'll be at NAB in the Adobe booth, #SL3732 doing demonstrations. This camera is NOT vaporware :)

In a nutshell it's a new single-sensor Altasens 3570 2/3" CMOS camera (12-bit A/D), has a pretty neat RAW workflow by recording to a new 10-bit RAW codec from CineForm, and records to anything you want that is USB 2.0 compatible. Of course there is on-board recording with a removeable 2.5" HDD drive cartridge, and you can put any off-the-shelf notebook hard-drive in there that is at least 5400RPM. Compression of the RAW data is wavelet-based (like the other Cineform codecs), and is a mild 5:1 compression. You can mix/match the CineForm RAW data with any other CineForm CFHD files on a Premiere Pro timeline all in real-time; the RAW data is integration is seemless.

You can see more at www.siliconimaging.com/DigitalCinema/

The press release is at www.siliconimaging.com/DigitalCinema/news.html, and should hit the news wires sometime this morning.

Looking forward to seeing everyone at NAB :)

Jason Rodriguez
Silicon Imaging (my sig for today ;)

Zack Birlew · April 17th, 2006, 09:51 AM

So is this where we're headed from 1/3" CCD's? Single 2/3" CCD cameras? Hmmm, priced below $20k huh? Well, if it works, it works! Can't wait to see it! =)

Peter Jefferson · April 17th, 2006, 09:55 AM

Wow dude!!
I wish u guys the best of luck!!!

Any reason why its PremPro only though ??

Jef Bryant · April 17th, 2006, 10:27 AM

Sounds VERY promising!

Be sure to read the FAQ at the botto of the first link. Lots more info there, including this:

"I can't afford a complete cinema package at this time. Can I purchase the remote SI-1920HD-GE camera head and software and use my own PC hardware for recording?

Yes. The pricing for a camera head system, which includes the SI-1920HD-GE camera head, a copy of Prospect HD Edit, Premiere Pro 2.0, a Arri-base-plate adapter, and two Fujinon c-mount lenses will retail for $12,500. Please contact us for certified systems for recording."

Wayne Morellini · April 17th, 2006, 11:04 AM

Well, Jason, good on you.

Is this the camera package they have been selling for the last year or so, that I mentioned a few times in the forums? Looks like Steve took my advice.

I guess this has nothing to do with Obin, it doesn't seem to fit in with what they are doing.

How does this compare to the wavelet based $20K Grass Valley Infinity Digital Media Camcorder?

I hope the pricing is a third of Red, because if it comes under $20K there could be a major shakeup in the industry.

Ive already sent an email to Steve for further details.

Two cameras complete, two more to go.

Wayne Morellini · April 17th, 2006, 11:50 AM

I've examined the information and it looks good, wouldn't mind buying one for my documentary, but I can't afford it.

I would like to see the format of the thing, is it any good for run and gun documentary or Eng work? I don't need a camcorder, but somthing small enough to be handled would help.

Thanks

Wayne.

Jason Rodriguez · April 17th, 2006, 11:58 AM

Hi,

It's Premiere Pro only right now because of the CineForm RAW codec and Prospect HD requirement.

The new codec brings a whole new paradigm in post-production workflows- basically imagine what you've done with digital still cameras and RAW files but now in a real-time editing environment instead of Photoshop. So you can do stuff like completely change around the color matrix (non-destructive color matrix), apply different debayer filters, and of course there's all the real-time capabilities that you normally get from CineForm . . . and it's direct-to-disk, so there's no need to digitize.

No, this is not the same package that Obin was using, or that SI has been selling for the last year on the industrial website. Now if you go for the camera-head only version, then there are some similarities, but this has a completely different software front-end, and CineForm RAW recording, so if you wanted, you just need a decent laptop (the new 2.0Ghz core-duo's are perfect for 1080/30p), no RAID's.

There will be demos in the Adobe booth at NAB, and also the Microsoft Digital theater during the CineForm demo (they will show the RAW codec I believe).

Hope to see everyone there!

Thanks,

Jason

Wayne Morellini · April 17th, 2006, 12:15 PM

Thanks Jason

So, are we looking at using Car PC's as DIY recording units again ;).

I didn't mean the industrial version, but the short supply initial cinema package that they developed after Obin left.

If Red wasn't around this could really clean up.

For all the talk about Red, to me this, in the right casing format, has better latitude and S/N and enough resolution to do the job.

If only they could do a cheap 720p version (Ibis5a or new 1/2 inch Altasens).

Thanks

Wayne.

Jason Rodriguez · April 17th, 2006, 01:26 PM

Hi Wayne,

The whole modular design of the camera (with a removable camera head) means that other sensor configurations are possible in the future. So either you can upgrade your camera head sensor to something better in the future, or there might be other sensor options/configurations you can employ.

It's very flexible system, and this is only the first in a family of products. But with the software front-ends, flexible codec system, etc., there's a lot that can be done and configured with this camera. We felt that to be competative at this point in time, a minimum of 1080P, 2/3" was a necessity. Other products though can and will stem from this initial release.

If you have ideas on alternate configurations you want, send them in to Steve (he's still point on this stuff), or email us at hd@siliconimaging.com

Matt Gottshalk · April 17th, 2006, 08:26 PM

Sounds promising, but I hope they also embrace MXF, .MOV and other recording methods as well.

Zack Birlew · April 17th, 2006, 08:41 PM

Quite interesting. It's looking like we may have two competing tiers of video hardware for the indie filmmaker, the Big-Name-Brand trickle down cameras and the Future-here-and-now cameras from upstart competitors. The big pluses I see for the upstarts so far are:

1. Modularity for future upgrades
2. Top-end lens systems
3. Massive resolution with optional downconversion to more viable ones
4. High quality codecs with little to no compression
5. Tapeless formats

Well, we'll see how it turns out next week! =D

Wayne Morellini · April 18th, 2006, 12:46 AM

Also, from David Newman at cineform:
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?p=466239

He mentions us there is his blog ;)

Frank Hool · April 18th, 2006, 02:00 AM

google gives nothing on "SI-1920HDVR". very secret project. smells like 6GHz CPU-s from unknown producer from couple month ago.

http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/w...comments/3568/
http://atomchip.com/_wsn/page4.html

Wayne Morellini · April 18th, 2006, 02:19 AM

Frank, we know the people and the companies around here, they have been involved with us and are also of very good reputation with many real products.

Ainslie Davies · April 18th, 2006, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Hool

google gives nothing on "SI-1920HDVR". very secret project. smells like 6GHz CPU-s from unknown producer from couple month ago.

http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/w...comments/3568/
http://atomchip.com/_wsn/page4.html

Apart from the fact that they are an established company and the fact that the sensor - SI-1920HD - has been out for industrial and specialist uses for a while, I don't doubt this camera for a minute. Look at the powerful partners; Adobe and Cineform and the fact that David Newman (of Cineform) confirmed it today. Oh, did I mention the footage?

Between this and Red, I think that the Top 3 will have something of a problem on their hands.

April 17th, 2006, 07:01 AM	#1
Jason Rodriguez Trustee Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 1,095	New Silicon Imaging SI-1920HDVR Digital Cinema Camera Hi Everyone, For anyone who was in the Alternative Imaging forum a year back, you remember that Silicon Imaging had an Altasens-based camera that was "coming". Well, the project took on a life of it's own, and we've teamed up with CineForm and Adobe to bring some pretty incredible workflow enhancements to the tapless market, including a full RAW workflow unavailable anywhere else using the CineForm desktop tools that you are all familiar with. We'll be at NAB in the Adobe booth, #SL3732 doing demonstrations. This camera is NOT vaporware :) In a nutshell it's a new single-sensor Altasens 3570 2/3" CMOS camera (12-bit A/D), has a pretty neat RAW workflow by recording to a new 10-bit RAW codec from CineForm, and records to anything you want that is USB 2.0 compatible. Of course there is on-board recording with a removeable 2.5" HDD drive cartridge, and you can put any off-the-shelf notebook hard-drive in there that is at least 5400RPM. Compression of the RAW data is wavelet-based (like the other Cineform codecs), and is a mild 5:1 compression. You can mix/match the CineForm RAW data with any other CineForm CFHD files on a Premiere Pro timeline all in real-time; the RAW data is integration is seemless. You can see more at www.siliconimaging.com/DigitalCinema/ The press release is at www.siliconimaging.com/DigitalCinema/news.html, and should hit the news wires sometime this morning. Looking forward to seeing everyone at NAB :) Jason Rodriguez Silicon Imaging (my sig for today ;) Last edited by Jason Rodriguez; April 17th, 2006 at 08:02 AM.

April 17th, 2006, 09:51 AM	#2
Zack Birlew Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 613	So is this where we're headed from 1/3" CCD's? Single 2/3" CCD cameras? Hmmm, priced below $20k huh? Well, if it works, it works! Can't wait to see it! =) __________________ "Babs Do or Babs Do not, there is no try." - Zack Birlew www.BabsDoProductions.com

April 17th, 2006, 08:41 PM	#11
Zack Birlew Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 613	Quite interesting. It's looking like we may have two competing tiers of video hardware for the indie filmmaker, the Big-Name-Brand trickle down cameras and the Future-here-and-now cameras from upstart competitors. The big pluses I see for the upstarts so far are: 1. Modularity for future upgrades 2. Top-end lens systems 3. Massive resolution with optional downconversion to more viable ones 4. High quality codecs with little to no compression 5. Tapeless formats Well, we'll see how it turns out next week! =D __________________ "Babs Do or Babs Do not, there is no try." - Zack Birlew www.BabsDoProductions.com

April 17th, 2006, 09:55 AM	#3
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	Wow dude!! I wish u guys the best of luck!!! Any reason why its PremPro only though ??

April 17th, 2006, 10:27 AM	#4
Jef Bryant Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 31	Sounds VERY promising! Be sure to read the FAQ at the botto of the first link. Lots more info there, including this: "I can't afford a complete cinema package at this time. Can I purchase the remote SI-1920HD-GE camera head and software and use my own PC hardware for recording? Yes. The pricing for a camera head system, which includes the SI-1920HD-GE camera head, a copy of Prospect HD Edit, Premiere Pro 2.0, a Arri-base-plate adapter, and two Fujinon c-mount lenses will retail for $12,500. Please contact us for certified systems for recording."

April 17th, 2006, 11:04 AM	#5
Wayne Morellini Inner Circle Join Date: May 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 2,762	Well, Jason, good on you. Is this the camera package they have been selling for the last year or so, that I mentioned a few times in the forums? Looks like Steve took my advice. I guess this has nothing to do with Obin, it doesn't seem to fit in with what they are doing. How does this compare to the wavelet based $20K Grass Valley Infinity Digital Media Camcorder? I hope the pricing is a third of Red, because if it comes under $20K there could be a major shakeup in the industry. Ive already sent an email to Steve for further details. Two cameras complete, two more to go.

April 17th, 2006, 11:50 AM	#6
Wayne Morellini Inner Circle Join Date: May 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 2,762	I've examined the information and it looks good, wouldn't mind buying one for my documentary, but I can't afford it. I would like to see the format of the thing, is it any good for run and gun documentary or Eng work? I don't need a camcorder, but somthing small enough to be handled would help. Thanks Wayne.

April 17th, 2006, 11:58 AM	#7
Jason Rodriguez Trustee Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 1,095	Hi, It's Premiere Pro only right now because of the CineForm RAW codec and Prospect HD requirement. The new codec brings a whole new paradigm in post-production workflows- basically imagine what you've done with digital still cameras and RAW files but now in a real-time editing environment instead of Photoshop. So you can do stuff like completely change around the color matrix (non-destructive color matrix), apply different debayer filters, and of course there's all the real-time capabilities that you normally get from CineForm . . . and it's direct-to-disk, so there's no need to digitize. No, this is not the same package that Obin was using, or that SI has been selling for the last year on the industrial website. Now if you go for the camera-head only version, then there are some similarities, but this has a completely different software front-end, and CineForm RAW recording, so if you wanted, you just need a decent laptop (the new 2.0Ghz core-duo's are perfect for 1080/30p), no RAID's. There will be demos in the Adobe booth at NAB, and also the Microsoft Digital theater during the CineForm demo (they will show the RAW codec I believe). Hope to see everyone there! Thanks, Jason

April 17th, 2006, 12:15 PM	#8
Wayne Morellini Inner Circle Join Date: May 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 2,762	Thanks Jason So, are we looking at using Car PC's as DIY recording units again ;). I didn't mean the industrial version, but the short supply initial cinema package that they developed after Obin left. If Red wasn't around this could really clean up. For all the talk about Red, to me this, in the right casing format, has better latitude and S/N and enough resolution to do the job. If only they could do a cheap 720p version (Ibis5a or new 1/2 inch Altasens). Thanks Wayne.

April 17th, 2006, 01:26 PM	#9
Jason Rodriguez Trustee Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 1,095	Hi Wayne, The whole modular design of the camera (with a removable camera head) means that other sensor configurations are possible in the future. So either you can upgrade your camera head sensor to something better in the future, or there might be other sensor options/configurations you can employ. It's very flexible system, and this is only the first in a family of products. But with the software front-ends, flexible codec system, etc., there's a lot that can be done and configured with this camera. We felt that to be competative at this point in time, a minimum of 1080P, 2/3" was a necessity. Other products though can and will stem from this initial release. If you have ideas on alternate configurations you want, send them in to Steve (he's still point on this stuff), or email us at hd@siliconimaging.com

April 17th, 2006, 08:26 PM	#10
Matt Gottshalk Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Potomac Falls, VA Posts: 215	Sounds promising, but I hope they also embrace MXF, .MOV and other recording methods as well.

April 18th, 2006, 12:46 AM	#12
Wayne Morellini Inner Circle Join Date: May 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 2,762	Also, from David Newman at cineform: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?p=466239 He mentions us there is his blog ;)

April 18th, 2006, 02:00 AM	#13
Frank Hool Major Player Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Barca Spain Posts: 384	google gives nothing on "SI-1920HDVR". very secret project. smells like 6GHz CPU-s from unknown producer from couple month ago. http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/w...comments/3568/ http://atomchip.com/_wsn/page4.html

April 18th, 2006, 02:19 AM	#14
Wayne Morellini Inner Circle Join Date: May 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 2,762	Frank, we know the people and the companies around here, they have been involved with us and are also of very good reputation with many real products.