Various questions Sony HC1

Fredrik-Larsson · December 30th, 2005, 11:05 AM

If Sony TR-20 is DV-tape then HC1 can play them back. I have played back DV-tape from a Canon XL-2 with no problems. It might be possible to transfer by using firewire directly to the HC1.

Paul Daley · January 9th, 2006, 09:44 AM

I see some folks here have a HC1E model.

I have a HC1K.

Does anyone know what kinds of differences are made between these lettered revisions?

Evan Dowling · January 9th, 2006, 10:03 AM

The letter "E" added to the HC1 denotes that it is the european version which is a pal version. The Japanese version is the HC1J. I haven't seen the "K" yet, but I would assume it refers to the intended country of use.

Mark Bryant · January 9th, 2006, 10:30 AM

Per this thread
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=48466

It seems the HC-1K models are "international versions", with multiple language support.

Mark

Paul Daley · January 9th, 2006, 12:20 PM

a-ha. good to know. thanks.

Dave Campbell · January 14th, 2006, 03:30 PM

Okay, ready to buy and HC1. Where is the best price from a place that is not gray? PCandPlasma has it for 1099, but after seeing there "storefront", na.

Thanks

Dave

Don Donatello · January 14th, 2006, 04:20 PM

B&H $1499 free shipping in usa ..macworld show price good till Jan. 27-06 ..
call em and ask for show price ... 800 686 0955

or

www.bhphotovideo.com/mac06

Philip Williams · January 14th, 2006, 05:40 PM

Wow, I just checked that link and they've got the XL-H1 for $8,499. I thought it was still under Canon's "price lockdown".

Steven White · January 24th, 2006, 09:22 AM

I'm an FX1 user and have found the Cineframe modes (both 30 and 24) useful in my productions. I've been asked by an HC1 user for workflow suggestions, and I'm trying to figure out if any of the Cineframe modes exist in the HC1, and if so, which ones they are.

I also downloaded the manual and read through it, but it's remarkably subtle as to what it's "cinema effect" is.

Anyone know for sure?

Thanks,
-Steve

Boyd Ostroff · January 24th, 2006, 09:57 AM

See the following: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=56590

Michael OKeefe · January 29th, 2006, 09:19 PM

I've been looking at both the HC1 and the A1, and from what i've seen, it looks like they're pretty similar. There are just a couple of questions that i have:

1) Does the HVR-A1 have better battery life than the HC1? I seem to remember reading somewhere that the HC1's battery life is horrible, but is the A1's any better?

2) Is the A1's hot shoe still the "proprietary" version of the HC1? And, if it is, is it possible to put a standard hot shoe mount onto this shoe?

3) Is the included mike with the A1 any good, or would it have to be replaced?

Alexander Karol · January 30th, 2006, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael OKeefe

I've been looking at both the HC1 and the A1, and from what i've seen, it looks like they're pretty similar. There are just a couple of questions that i have:

1) Does the HVR-A1 have better battery life than the HC1? I seem to remember reading somewhere that the HC1's battery life is horrible, but is the A1's any better?

2) Is the A1's hot shoe still the "proprietary" version of the HC1? And, if it is, is it possible to put a standard hot shoe mount onto this shoe?

3) Is the included mike with the A1 any good, or would it have to be replaced?

1) No, of course not. The A1 IS the HC1 with many improvements. Increasing battery life would require a total re-design internally. However, I don't know where you heard that the HC1's battery life is poor. It is on-par with other camcorders; especially SONY ones. Sure, the included battery life blows, but what camcorder that you have purchased had a good battery life included? Just get the 71D battery from SONY ($37 on eBay) and you can get over 3.5 hours of shooting.

2) The A1 has both, the SONY AIS hot shoe and a traditional cold shoe. The audio module that you see attached to it, is attached via this cold shoe. However, SONY's genius team has placed an additional cold shoe on top of the audio module so that you still have a cold shoe available, even when the audio module is in place.

3) I am quite happy with the A1 microphone. However, most users seem to dislike it. The Rode NTG1 ($230) seems to be the most common choice for a replacement.

John Strickland · January 31st, 2006, 11:56 PM

Ok, I'm about to purchase a new camera and I would very much like for it to be an HC1. My question is if my computer can play an HD stream flawlessly fullscreen.....or as full screen as letterboxed gets...Does that mean it can handle editing HDV? I know it's a bit of a stretch but I'm hearing people who have half the resources I do being able to edit. A P4 with 3 gigs of RAM and an unGodly amount of Hard Drive space. This is really the only thing standing between me and the camera. Of course I understand the need for extra software added on to Premiere to be able to process HDV more efficiently.

Does anyone know if Newegg will allow you to pay with 2 different types of payment on one order? Yeah not the best place to ask this question but that's where I'll be getting the HC1 from so I thought I'd ask.

Thanks

Graham Hickling · February 1st, 2006, 12:24 AM

OK a couple of things .. first, ability to play back an HD fullscreen depends a lot on the file type. For example, I can't playback fullscreen uncompressed (hard drive is too slow). Fullscreen MPEG2 is less taxing on a processor than MPEG4, and M-JPEG is less taxing again.

Second, the ultimate show-stopper for HDV is inability to capture footage from the camera. For example, using PremierePro with Cineform, I could capture OK with a P4 2.8GHz, but not with an AthlonXP2600+.

Once the footage was into te computer, either computer could edit the footage - just tediously slowly in the case of the 2600+....

Generally, Cineforms products (ConnectHD for Vegas or AspectHD for Premiere) facilitate the lowest-spec computers to do feasible editing, and the minimum recommended processor for Aspect HD is a 2.8GHz P4.

John Strickland · February 1st, 2006, 07:40 AM

Well I have a P4 3 Ghz so I think I'm ok on that end. I've got a total of 460 gigs of Sata drive space totally dedicated to capturing video and a seperate 160 gigs for capturing audio. I really think my computer can handle it.

Strange though. I've noticed when I start up Premiere it says Multi-Processor Detected. I don't believe I have dual cores or anything like that. Strange.

Now if I can just get Newegg to cooperate with me I can have this camera in plenty of time to learn it.

December 30th, 2005, 11:05 AM	#46
Fredrik-Larsson Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Malmö, Sweden Posts: 395	If Sony TR-20 is DV-tape then HC1 can play them back. I have played back DV-tape from a Canon XL-2 with no problems. It might be possible to transfer by using firewire directly to the HC1. __________________ The Russian Captain (upcoming feature) http://trc-movie.blogspot.com/ My movies http://www.larssonfilm.com/

January 9th, 2006, 09:44 AM	#47
Paul Daley New Boot Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 6	HC1 model differences? I see some folks here have a HC1E model. I have a HC1K. Does anyone know what kinds of differences are made between these lettered revisions? __________________ Thanks, Paul Daley

January 9th, 2006, 10:03 AM	#48
Evan Dowling Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Fort Myers , Florida Posts: 64	Hc1e The letter "E" added to the HC1 denotes that it is the european version which is a pal version. The Japanese version is the HC1J. I haven't seen the "K" yet, but I would assume it refers to the intended country of use. __________________ Evan Dowling HDV 1080i Sony HDR-HC1

January 9th, 2006, 12:20 PM	#50
Paul Daley New Boot Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 6	a-ha. good to know. thanks. __________________ Thanks, Paul Daley

January 14th, 2006, 03:30 PM	#51
Dave Campbell Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 568	Best Price HC1 Okay, ready to buy and HC1. Where is the best price from a place that is not gray? PCandPlasma has it for 1099, but after seeing there "storefront", na. Thanks Dave

January 9th, 2006, 10:30 AM	#49
Mark Bryant Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bath, England Posts: 119	Per this thread http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=48466 It seems the HC-1K models are "international versions", with multiple language support. Mark

January 14th, 2006, 04:20 PM	#52
Don Donatello Hawaiian Shirt Mogul Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: northern cailfornia Posts: 1,261	B&H $1499 free shipping in usa ..macworld show price good till Jan. 27-06 .. call em and ask for show price ... 800 686 0955 or www.bhphotovideo.com/mac06

January 14th, 2006, 05:40 PM	#53
Philip Williams Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Snellville, Georgia Posts: 614	Wow, I just checked that link and they've got the XL-H1 for $8,499. I thought it was still under Canon's "price lockdown".

January 24th, 2006, 09:22 AM	#54
Steven White Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 547	Cinema Effect / Cineframe mode on the HC1? I'm an FX1 user and have found the Cineframe modes (both 30 and 24) useful in my productions. I've been asked by an HC1 user for workflow suggestions, and I'm trying to figure out if any of the Cineframe modes exist in the HC1, and if so, which ones they are. I also downloaded the manual and read through it, but it's remarkably subtle as to what it's "cinema effect" is. Anyone know for sure? Thanks, -Steve

January 24th, 2006, 09:57 AM	#55
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	See the following: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=56590

January 29th, 2006, 09:19 PM	#56
Michael OKeefe Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hudson, NH Posts: 53	HC1 vs. A1, Battery Life, other questions I've been looking at both the HC1 and the A1, and from what i've seen, it looks like they're pretty similar. There are just a couple of questions that i have: 1) Does the HVR-A1 have better battery life than the HC1? I seem to remember reading somewhere that the HC1's battery life is horrible, but is the A1's any better? 2) Is the A1's hot shoe still the "proprietary" version of the HC1? And, if it is, is it possible to put a standard hot shoe mount onto this shoe? 3) Is the included mike with the A1 any good, or would it have to be replaced?

January 31st, 2006, 11:56 PM	#58
John Strickland Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 37	HC1 Question Ok, I'm about to purchase a new camera and I would very much like for it to be an HC1. My question is if my computer can play an HD stream flawlessly fullscreen.....or as full screen as letterboxed gets...Does that mean it can handle editing HDV? I know it's a bit of a stretch but I'm hearing people who have half the resources I do being able to edit. A P4 with 3 gigs of RAM and an unGodly amount of Hard Drive space. This is really the only thing standing between me and the camera. Of course I understand the need for extra software added on to Premiere to be able to process HDV more efficiently. Does anyone know if Newegg will allow you to pay with 2 different types of payment on one order? Yeah not the best place to ask this question but that's where I'll be getting the HC1 from so I thought I'd ask. Thanks

February 1st, 2006, 12:24 AM	#59
Graham Hickling Trustee Join Date: May 2004 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Posts: 1,669	OK a couple of things .. first, ability to play back an HD fullscreen depends a lot on the file type. For example, I can't playback fullscreen uncompressed (hard drive is too slow). Fullscreen MPEG2 is less taxing on a processor than MPEG4, and M-JPEG is less taxing again. Second, the ultimate show-stopper for HDV is inability to capture footage from the camera. For example, using PremierePro with Cineform, I could capture OK with a P4 2.8GHz, but not with an AthlonXP2600+. Once the footage was into te computer, either computer could edit the footage - just tediously slowly in the case of the 2600+.... Generally, Cineforms products (ConnectHD for Vegas or AspectHD for Premiere) facilitate the lowest-spec computers to do feasible editing, and the minimum recommended processor for Aspect HD is a 2.8GHz P4.

February 1st, 2006, 07:40 AM	#60
John Strickland Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 37	Well I have a P4 3 Ghz so I think I'm ok on that end. I've got a total of 460 gigs of Sata drive space totally dedicated to capturing video and a seperate 160 gigs for capturing audio. I really think my computer can handle it. Strange though. I've noticed when I start up Premiere it says Multi-Processor Detected. I don't believe I have dual cores or anything like that. Strange. Now if I can just get Newegg to cooperate with me I can have this camera in plenty of time to learn it.