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Kona and JVC HDV
What is the procedure of getting HDV 720p footage in through the Kona 2 and using the Kona 2 to convert (in real time) via the Kona 2 to DVCPROHD. First, is this possible, second is it advisable?
We are currently primarily DVCPROHD but; the poweres that be want to go cheap and add HDV to the mix. -
10 Replies
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Using the JVC BR-HD50U deck which has component out; what would happen if you shoot HDV, component out via BR-HD50U to the Kona 2 and component in (ie HDV to analog to digital DVCPROHD)?
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I don’t know your VTR, so my information may be useless to you. For Sony HDV, with the Sony HDV VTR, it has HD-SDI analog outputs, so you go into an AJA HD10A, which converts the analog HD signal into a HD-SDI signal. Stick that into your Kona 2, select DVCProHD compression, and away you go.
Bob Zelin
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Scott,
Just to add a bit here. You can, of course capture any source to any codec (provided it is the right frame size) The JVC HDV is a 270P format whcih you would have to upconvert on the fly (via the Kona 2). You if you select a DVCPROHD capture codec you have to be upconverting the source to that frame size. By doing this you can integrate the footage with DVCPRO HD footage, because you have capture it all to the same codec. You could do this with DV, 10-bit uncompressed etc.
The real trick with the HDV codecs is figuring out if you can later recapture that footage with TC accuracy and because HDV is a lon GOP (.mp2 data stream) it does not have sequential frames (only i and P frames at 15 frame intervals. THis is why you could not edit frame accurately tape to tape with HDV there are no individual TIMECODE frame references on teh tape. THis makes frame accurate recapture sort of impossible.
So if you are integrating HDV into an offliine, online workflow you may need to dub all of the material to a format that carries time code.
David
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Bob, I’m not familliar with the deck at all. The company I am working for is thinking of going from the Panasonic Varicam to the JVC 720p HDV cams. My big concerns is integrating these two formats into something that looks good and fits into our tight deadlines. A thought was to bring the HDV footage in via the Kona 2 using the DVCPRO HD codec so there would be less renders, etc. Can you point out any other problems in trying to use these two formats in one deadline intensive broadcast series.
Thanks a bunch.
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Your biggest problem will end up being if you have to recapture the HDV from an HDV source.
David
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Is that becasuse of the I frame/GOP issue inheirent in HDV?
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Yes,
I would definitely run tests, for sure to see if you can recapture frame accurately. Do a test from different sources integrated with different media, knock it all offline and try a recapture. This is a worst case scenario test but if you go with this format maybe you back all of the material captured DVCPROHD from HDV source or somethiing. That is one alternative,, then you can relink to a differnet drive if things go wrong.
With YOUR DVC source you would have tape as a back up and the HDV source you could copy t o external firewires and restore or relink in the event of media loss. This is what makes HDV a bit of a drag. It is a great Prosumer idea but hard to work into some post workflows where there is more involved than just cpture>edit>print to tape.
Thanks,
Daivd
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I really have to question this premise about HDV accuracy. In the testing I’ve done with Sony’s 1080i, it worked fine. Granted it was a limited test, but I was able to consolidate the clips and recapture and it worked about as well as DV using the native FW input.
If the deck has RS422 control and you are going into the Kona2 as HD-SDI, then a frame-based stream has been created. The frame created in the first pass will still be the same frame as created in the second pass, since the cadence of the original tape is still the same. It really gets down to the frame accuracy of machine control and the deck itself, not inherently whether HDV is the issue.
The biggest problem I see is that 720p/30 HDV does not look as fluid as Varicam’s 720p/60 or 24. I was also not impressed with JVC’s 24p, so the bottomline for me is that the two cameras will not look the same. If you have a few months to wait, I’d hold out for the DVX200 and figure out a workflow for dealing with the media (P2 cards). Or do the whole show on the Sony HDV 1080i format. In the long run I think you’ll be a lot happier, unless you need a film look. The Sony camera itself is much more professional.
Sincerely,
OliverOliver Peters
Post-Production & Interactive Media
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
Oliver, I agree whole heartedly on the “fluid”ness of the HDV. To me any movement, either of the camera or the action, looks jittery and weird. Is this caused by the camera not being able to keep up with the encoding? This was really noticeable on the cheaping JVC cam but also on the new 720p HDV cam.
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The JVC does not generate anything above 720p/30. This is 30 frames and not 60 frames like Varicam. I have been told this is because the encoder JVC has chosen to use will not support 60p. 30p results in more horizontal strobing than 60i – the look of regular video, or 60p. I’m not sure about the proper shutter setting on the JVC, but that may affect motion blur and result in a more fluid look. Check around on the HDV forum for other opinions.
Sincerely,
OliverOliver Peters
Post-Production & Interactive Media
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com
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