Field monitor for Canon XH A1

Meryem Ersoz · March 6th, 2007, 08:47 AM

here's a good thread on this topic.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...=swit+marshall

there just don't seem to be many good, cheap solutions....some good tips in this thread, though.

James R. Leong · March 6th, 2007, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Granville Hatcher

I am trying to connect my xenarc to HVX via component out > Mayflash VGA transcoder > Xenarc.

I'm thinking of getting the Xenarc/Mayflash set up too.

Type mayflash marshall in google...or check this on hooking up other LCDs to XH-A1:

http://www.cinevate.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=246

Also more details on Mayflash transcoding:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/archi.../t-683835.html

Steven Fokkinga · March 7th, 2007, 10:48 AM

Interesting read on the avsforum. It seems to be the consensus that the mayflash vga001 does a much better job at active transcoding the signal than the Vdigi VD-Z3 and the X2VGA2, because it uses the LMH1251 chip.

Granville: maybe your mayflash is broken. It's also a possibility that either the component output of your camera is malfunctioning (less likely) or the vga-input of your xenarc. You can test any of them by connecting them to other devices, so you can rule out options.

Robert Garvey · March 8th, 2007, 09:06 PM

Hi,
Would it be possible to get an image from a XH-A1, via the BNC terminal (SD) to the screen of a laptop with a digital TV card via its RF jack (DVB-T)?

Jay Fisk · March 9th, 2007, 03:14 AM

You would be better off resolution-wise getting a laptop with a Firewire port - or a Firewire port on a PCMCIA card adaptor if it's an older laptop. They're cheap and available.

The BNC out is just composite video and would need to be run through a modulator to provide channel assignment before your digital tuner could use the signal which will simulate the lowest resolution possible.

If you own the digital tuner already, consider a cheap wireless transmitter for your camera. That has merit.

Robert Garvey · March 9th, 2007, 08:07 PM

Thanks Jay,

The laptop is new, it just happened to come with a digital TV card. It has firewire but to display with that option requires the Canon Console Software 1.1 or some other software solution at $500 or more.

What is a cheap wireless transmitter and what port would it connect to??

Jay Fisk · March 10th, 2007, 02:47 AM

Isn't there a program for Windows laptops that allows simple firewire monitoring like i-movie for the mac which is free? Hmmmm....

With RF transmitters the quality corresponds to the price. Most of them are composite video in, RF out. Google something like Nippon WV-300 for an example of a cheap one.

Are you sure your laptop doesn't have a video in port? That's the simple solution, just video out to video in.

If you're attempting to use SD composite video for focus assist on a laptop, don't waste your time (and forget anything with an RF link!). The picture from firewire is useful as it's higher resolution but delayed a second or so depending on the chipset used. Best solution is a dedicated component monitor like a Marshall for on-camera use or an inexpensive EDTV type TV with component inputs for studio use.

Ross Jones · April 24th, 2007, 09:46 AM

Just about to take the plunge with a Canon XH-A1 as I have a number of doc. type projects lining up that need 16:9 and my VX2100 is not ideal..
I use my Ikegami 9" CRT field monitor with the VX and I'm very pleased with its performance..
Question is: for the time being, would this monitor - using SD/Composite out of the XH-A1 - be an adequate way of field monitoring until budget allows for a true HD monitor?
Anyone using a similar set-up..?
Thanks, Rgds, Ross.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Charles Papert · April 24th, 2007, 12:05 PM

This still should answer that question, at least from me!

Certainly you won't be experiencing the resolution of the HD image but as far as I could tell, the critical factors that one looks for in a monitored image (exposure, color value, gray scale) were all in place and accurate with the 8044Q Sony broadcast monitor I've been using for years. In fact, with this size monitor there is much less difference in the HD version due to its small size. Obviously when one steps up to a larger display the resolution makes a big difference.

Ross Jones · April 24th, 2007, 12:36 PM

That is music to my ears....
Thanks Charles..

Rgds, Ross.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eugene Kim · May 28th, 2007, 07:36 PM

Anyone know if you can use one of those med-sized, EDTV LCDs to monitor and focus tack sharp using a Canon XH-A1 shooting in HD mode?

The A1 has a menu-setting that basically downconverts footage over a component connection to SD live...which is where I imagine the EDTV coming in and being handy.

Is there any lag in doing this, any other problems I don't know about?

I ask now, because I've found a great, portable way to lug around one of these 13-15 inchish LCD monitors. Amvona sells an awesome, double pole clamp. It's tiny, but hold 30lbs. and clamps securely to my old, beat-up but heavy-duty, tripod sticks (albeit I wouldn't want to try it on my carbon fibre ones). This means that if you've got the right kind of tripod sticks and a tripod dolly as I do, then you could then attach a short metal pipe from Home Depot to the free pole clamp. Then, epoxy a WESA LCD monitor mount to this pipe (PC-17 is much stronger than JB Weld from my experience, but more expensive and harder to find), and wala, now you've got a detachable, 15" LCD monitor on a stick basically that'll attach to your tripod and move uber conveniently and securely with you (assuming you've got a tripod dolly as well).

The benefit of the EDTV, assuming you can use it to focus in real-time with no problems using the downconvert through component option in the A1 menu, is, of course, that now you've got a fairly portable and convenient field monitor that looks good for shooting and focusing BOTH high-def and SD.

It would be an all-in-one solution I would think, to go along with a toteable jump pack power source.

Any input? Someone's practically begging me to take her 13.4" Sharp Aquos EDTV off her hands, and I'd like oblige if someone could answer this for me.

Thanks.

Chris Soucy · May 28th, 2007, 09:38 PM

You might want to try this out with your wide screen telly at home before jumping into this big time. I've fed my A1 into a low/ medium def widescreen using the SD composite feed and certainly wouldn't want to be making focus decisions based on what I can see on that.

As far as I can see, if you're going to lug a biggish SD/ MD screen around, you might as well go the whole hog and get a HD screen with component I/P's so you at least get everything on the screen the camera can O/P.

Of course, you're up there with a 24"er and the problems of powering it away from a wall socket, but untill some kind manufacturer comes out with a 12" - 15" portable, battery powered HD 1080 screen, there ain't too many other options.

Cheers

Chris

Brandon Potthoff · June 14th, 2007, 07:38 PM

I was looking for suggestions for a HD monitor that I would be able to possibly mount on the camera.
Thanks
Brandon Potthoff

Cary Lee · June 15th, 2007, 11:11 AM

There are many threads on this subject...please read them first.

Mike Teutsch · June 15th, 2007, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon Potthoff

I was looking for suggestions for a HD monitor that I would be able to possibly mount on the camera.
Thanks
Brandon Potthoff

Brandon,

There is a lot of info in this thread, so check it out. Don't know if an HD on camera monitor exists at this time, at least one you and I can afford.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=94936

Mike

March 8th, 2007, 09:06 PM	#19
Robert Garvey Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Western Australia Posts: 100	XH-A1 BNC to RF on a laptop - possible? Hi, Would it be possible to get an image from a XH-A1, via the BNC terminal (SD) to the screen of a laptop with a digital TV card via its RF jack (DVB-T)? __________________ Robert Garvey Photographer www.garvey.com.au

March 9th, 2007, 08:07 PM	#21
Robert Garvey Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Western Australia Posts: 100	Thanks Jay, The laptop is new, it just happened to come with a digital TV card. It has firewire but to display with that option requires the Canon Console Software 1.1 or some other software solution at $500 or more. What is a cheap wireless transmitter and what port would it connect to?? __________________ Robert Garvey Photographer www.garvey.com.au

April 24th, 2007, 09:46 AM	#23
Ross Jones Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Harvard, MA Posts: 155	9" CRT as Field Monitor for the XH-A1 Just about to take the plunge with a Canon XH-A1 as I have a number of doc. type projects lining up that need 16:9 and my VX2100 is not ideal.. I use my Ikegami 9" CRT field monitor with the VX and I'm very pleased with its performance.. Question is: for the time being, would this monitor - using SD/Composite out of the XH-A1 - be an adequate way of field monitoring until budget allows for a true HD monitor? Anyone using a similar set-up..? Thanks, Rgds, Ross. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

April 24th, 2007, 12:05 PM	#24
Charles Papert Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 6,810	This still should answer that question, at least from me! Certainly you won't be experiencing the resolution of the HD image but as far as I could tell, the critical factors that one looks for in a monitored image (exposure, color value, gray scale) were all in place and accurate with the 8044Q Sony broadcast monitor I've been using for years. In fact, with this size monitor there is much less difference in the HD version due to its small size. Obviously when one steps up to a larger display the resolution makes a big difference. __________________ Charles Papert www.charlespapert.com

April 24th, 2007, 12:36 PM	#25
Ross Jones Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Harvard, MA Posts: 155	CRT field monitor That is music to my ears.... Thanks Charles.. Rgds, Ross. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

March 6th, 2007, 08:47 AM	#16
Meryem Ersoz Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 3,015	here's a good thread on this topic. http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...=swit+marshall there just don't seem to be many good, cheap solutions....some good tips in this thread, though.

March 7th, 2007, 10:48 AM	#18
Steven Fokkinga Major Player Join Date: May 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 204	Interesting read on the avsforum. It seems to be the consensus that the mayflash vga001 does a much better job at active transcoding the signal than the Vdigi VD-Z3 and the X2VGA2, because it uses the LMH1251 chip. Granville: maybe your mayflash is broken. It's also a possibility that either the component output of your camera is malfunctioning (less likely) or the vga-input of your xenarc. You can test any of them by connecting them to other devices, so you can rule out options.

March 9th, 2007, 03:14 AM	#20
Jay Fisk Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: CSL BCS MX Posts: 67	You would be better off resolution-wise getting a laptop with a Firewire port - or a Firewire port on a PCMCIA card adaptor if it's an older laptop. They're cheap and available. The BNC out is just composite video and would need to be run through a modulator to provide channel assignment before your digital tuner could use the signal which will simulate the lowest resolution possible. If you own the digital tuner already, consider a cheap wireless transmitter for your camera. That has merit.

March 10th, 2007, 02:47 AM	#22
Jay Fisk Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: CSL BCS MX Posts: 67	Isn't there a program for Windows laptops that allows simple firewire monitoring like i-movie for the mac which is free? Hmmmm.... With RF transmitters the quality corresponds to the price. Most of them are composite video in, RF out. Google something like Nippon WV-300 for an example of a cheap one. Are you sure your laptop doesn't have a video in port? That's the simple solution, just video out to video in. If you're attempting to use SD composite video for focus assist on a laptop, don't waste your time (and forget anything with an RF link!). The picture from firewire is useful as it's higher resolution but delayed a second or so depending on the chipset used. Best solution is a dedicated component monitor like a Marshall for on-camera use or an inexpensive EDTV type TV with component inputs for studio use.

May 28th, 2007, 07:36 PM	#26
Eugene Kim Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 166	EDTV for HD on an XH-A1? Anyone know if you can use one of those med-sized, EDTV LCDs to monitor and focus tack sharp using a Canon XH-A1 shooting in HD mode? The A1 has a menu-setting that basically downconverts footage over a component connection to SD live...which is where I imagine the EDTV coming in and being handy. Is there any lag in doing this, any other problems I don't know about? I ask now, because I've found a great, portable way to lug around one of these 13-15 inchish LCD monitors. Amvona sells an awesome, double pole clamp. It's tiny, but hold 30lbs. and clamps securely to my old, beat-up but heavy-duty, tripod sticks (albeit I wouldn't want to try it on my carbon fibre ones). This means that if you've got the right kind of tripod sticks and a tripod dolly as I do, then you could then attach a short metal pipe from Home Depot to the free pole clamp. Then, epoxy a WESA LCD monitor mount to this pipe (PC-17 is much stronger than JB Weld from my experience, but more expensive and harder to find), and wala, now you've got a detachable, 15" LCD monitor on a stick basically that'll attach to your tripod and move uber conveniently and securely with you (assuming you've got a tripod dolly as well). The benefit of the EDTV, assuming you can use it to focus in real-time with no problems using the downconvert through component option in the A1 menu, is, of course, that now you've got a fairly portable and convenient field monitor that looks good for shooting and focusing BOTH high-def and SD. It would be an all-in-one solution I would think, to go along with a toteable jump pack power source. Any input? Someone's practically begging me to take her 13.4" Sharp Aquos EDTV off her hands, and I'd like oblige if someone could answer this for me. Thanks.

May 28th, 2007, 09:38 PM	#27
Chris Soucy Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand Posts: 3,693 Images: 18	Hi Eugene..... You might want to try this out with your wide screen telly at home before jumping into this big time. I've fed my A1 into a low/ medium def widescreen using the SD composite feed and certainly wouldn't want to be making focus decisions based on what I can see on that. As far as I can see, if you're going to lug a biggish SD/ MD screen around, you might as well go the whole hog and get a HD screen with component I/P's so you at least get everything on the screen the camera can O/P. Of course, you're up there with a 24"er and the problems of powering it away from a wall socket, but untill some kind manufacturer comes out with a 12" - 15" portable, battery powered HD 1080 screen, there ain't too many other options. Cheers Chris

June 14th, 2007, 07:38 PM	#28
Brandon Potthoff Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Springfield, Il Posts: 63	On camera monitor suggestion for XH A1 I was looking for suggestions for a HD monitor that I would be able to possibly mount on the camera. Thanks Brandon Potthoff

June 15th, 2007, 11:11 AM	#29
Cary Lee Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Hollywood USA Posts: 128	There are many threads on this subject...please read them first. __________________ Canon XHA1, SGpro,Flip,FF, RR Mattebox, Nebtek V-R70p-HDA with Canon, Nikkor Primes 24mm f2.8, 28mm f2.8, 35mm f2.0, 50mm f1.4, 85mm f1.4, 105mm f1.8, 135mm f2.0, and 300mm f4.0.