X70 - Internal Plus HDMI/SDI Recording? at DVinfo.net

Ricky Sharp · April 21st, 2015, 10:53 AM

When using the X70 with an external recorder, can you simultaneously record to the unit's internal media slots?

Details...

My X70 is about to arrive, and for now will be recording to both slots internally with 1080p XAVC-L. This will require transcoding until Sony/Apple fix the issues. For my needs, I will be transcoding to ProRes 422 (maybe also LT or HQ).

In the future, I could see adding on say the Blackmagic Video Assist unit (slated to release this July). That would allow me to get "first generation" ProRes footage. But the unit only has a single SDXC slot. So I'm hoping that I could capture XAVC-L in camera at the same time in order to have a second copy (albeit in a different format).

Thank you.

Mike Buckhout · April 21st, 2015, 12:16 PM

HDMI/SDI output are live when the camera is ON, regardless of recording or not, so you should be able to record internal and external at the same time. I had planned on doing the same with the Atomos Ninja Blade for greenscreen work, but the XAVC files were good enough that I never needed to.

Ricky Sharp · April 21st, 2015, 01:07 PM

Thanks Mike. Didn't know that the output signal would always be there (though I know from reading that one needs to choose either HDMI or SDI).

Anyhow, will test this soon by hooking up the cam to my monitor via HDMI and then attempt to record something.

Jack Zhang · April 23rd, 2015, 02:27 PM

Be aware if you are using 3G-SDI, Blackmagic only supports Level B 3G-SDI. Fortunately, Sony also stuck to Level B so it should be a non-issue, unless you have converters, as converters other than Blackmagic's default to Level A, which is what the industry should be using, except for Blackmagic and Sony for some reason.

Hopefully down the line if you're doing a live production with a Level A only switcher, Sony will have a 3G-SDI level chooser in the menus. It currently does not exist in the X70, but it does on the higher end equipment like the X200 and even the RX50 deck. By default, assume Level B.

Ricky Sharp · April 23rd, 2015, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Zhang

Be aware if you are using 3G-SDI, Blackmagic only supports Level B 3G-SDI. Fortunately, Sony also stuck to Level B so it should be a non-issue, unless you have converters, as converters other than Blackmagic's default to Level A, which is what the industry should be using, except for Blackmagic and Sony for some reason.

Good to know, Jack. Thank you!

Things are never easy, huh?

April 21st, 2015, 10:53 AM	#1
Ricky Sharp Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Chicago, IL USA Posts: 180	X70 - Internal Plus HDMI/SDI Recording? When using the X70 with an external recorder, can you simultaneously record to the unit's internal media slots? Details... My X70 is about to arrive, and for now will be recording to both slots internally with 1080p XAVC-L. This will require transcoding until Sony/Apple fix the issues. For my needs, I will be transcoding to ProRes 422 (maybe also LT or HQ). In the future, I could see adding on say the Blackmagic Video Assist unit (slated to release this July). That would allow me to get "first generation" ProRes footage. But the unit only has a single SDXC slot. So I'm hoping that I could capture XAVC-L in camera at the same time in order to have a second copy (albeit in a different format). Thank you.

April 21st, 2015, 12:16 PM	#2
Mike Buckhout Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Silver Spring, MD Posts: 62	Re: X70 - Internal Plus HDMI/SDI Recording? HDMI/SDI output are live when the camera is ON, regardless of recording or not, so you should be able to record internal and external at the same time. I had planned on doing the same with the Atomos Ninja Blade for greenscreen work, but the XAVC files were good enough that I never needed to.

April 21st, 2015, 01:07 PM	#3
Ricky Sharp Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Chicago, IL USA Posts: 180	Re: X70 - Internal Plus HDMI/SDI Recording? Thanks Mike. Didn't know that the output signal would always be there (though I know from reading that one needs to choose either HDMI or SDI). Anyhow, will test this soon by hooking up the cam to my monitor via HDMI and then attempt to record something.

April 23rd, 2015, 02:27 PM	#4
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	Re: X70 - Internal Plus HDMI/SDI Recording? Be aware if you are using 3G-SDI, Blackmagic only supports Level B 3G-SDI. Fortunately, Sony also stuck to Level B so it should be a non-issue, unless you have converters, as converters other than Blackmagic's default to Level A, which is what the industry should be using, except for Blackmagic and Sony for some reason. Hopefully down the line if you're doing a live production with a Level A only switcher, Sony will have a 3G-SDI level chooser in the menus. It currently does not exist in the X70, but it does on the higher end equipment like the X200 and even the RX50 deck. By default, assume Level B.