On camera monitor and HD director's monitor at the same time?

[Geoff Murillo]

Hi Everyone,

I don't know if this has already been asked, but can the HVR-Z1U provide composite video output for an on-camera monitor while simultaneously providing component HD output for a director's monitor?

If not, does anyone have a good workaround?

I'm going to purchase a Z1 and a Redrock M2 adapter and I'd like to have monitor on camera that can flip the image for proper orientation, but I would also like to have HD video go to a director's monitor.

Does anyone know of an on-camera monitor that accepts HD component as an input signal that doesn't cost a fortune? (In case I have to get an HD component video splitter.)

Geoff Murillo

[Sean M Lee]

I think I've done this, and it's fine. If you cared about audio, you'd need to loop it or use a DA, but both video outputs should be hot.

[Geoff Murillo]

Hi Sean,

Thanks for the reply. When you say that both outputs should be hot, do you mean that the component video output is HD along with the composite video's standard signal? Or would the component output be standard-def like the composite output? I've downloaded the user manual, but unfortunately, it doesn't really address this issue.

Thanks again,

-Geoff Murillo

[Boyd Ostroff]

On the Z1 the component output format is controlled by a menu item. If shooting 1080/60i HDV you can choose between 1080i, 480i or 480p. Similarly, if shooting 1080/50i you can choose either 1080i, 576i or 576p. Note that the progressive options are only available via component and not through firewire.

No idea whether the composite works simultaneously, but it probably does.

[Sean M Lee]

what he said! : )

[Geoff Murillo]

Thank you.

-Geoff

[Daniel Rudd]

I may not be fully understanding the question, but I am planning to use the DVrack (serious magic) on my laptop for similar purposes. They released the HDV version, and it can record directly to hard disk as well.