Canon XH A1

[Todd Terry]

This has been discussed a good bit here…

It depends on the combination of your settings.

IF you shoot in HDV mode AND you shoot 60i, most HDV decks will play the tape fine.

IF you shoot in SD mode AND shoot 60i, most decks will play the tape fine.

IF you shoot in SD mode AND shoot 30f, most decks will play the tape fine.

IF you shoot in SD mode AND shoot 24f, most decks will play the tape fine.

BUT….

IF you shoot in HDV mode AND shoot 24f, unfortunately you must use the camera as a source deck for capture.

No other manufacturer makes a deck that will play back Canon HDV 24f… and unfortunately Canon just makes cameras, not decks.

This is why some people who shoot with the XHA1 or the XLH1 (which I what I use) buy one of the little cheapo HV20 cameras to use as a source deck. Sadly the HV20 does not have HD-SDI out, but it does have HDMI out.

T2

__________________________________
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com

[Tito Haggardt]

aloha Todd Terry
would you still have this problem if you were going to come out of the XL-H1 into a flash XDR? could you then grab the audio off the DV tape or would the 24f curse remain? might have to wait for the XDR release for the answer but i thought you might have a thought.
best
tito

[Todd Terry]

[titohawaii] “would you still have this problem if you were going to come out of the XL-H1 into a flash XDR?”

I don’t think so… that should work fine (in fact, I’m counting on it), unless there is something that I have overlooked.

[titohawaii] “could you then grab the audio off the DV tape or would the 24f curse remain?”

Ummmm… why would you want to do it that way? Is there a reason not to simply record your audio into the Flash XDR along with the video (you might have a reason not to do so, but I can’t imagine what it is)? The XDR will accept audio in, in either mic or line levels… and even provide 48v phantom power to the microphones, if your mics require it (some of mine do). I think you could probably loop audio out of the XDR into the camera if you are doing a simultanious redundant recording onto tape for a safety backup.

T2

__________________________________
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com

[Tito Haggardt]

thanks
i seem to be a bit confused about

“IF you shoot in HDV mode AND shoot 24f, unfortunately you must use the camera as a source deck for capture.”

this is about capturing from the mini DV the XL-H1 records.
but if we go to the Flash XDR and add the audio there as you explained, we should be able to capture from the XDR flash cards, audio and high definition video in sync, HDV and 24f. so the XDR recorder could also be used as a deck.

or do i still have it wrong?

thanks

tito

[Andrew Moore]

Thanks for the response Todd.
The funny thing in this case is that I shot at 30fps, 1080i and no deck or camera can read the tapes. The editors said they tried the Panasonic, JVC, and Sony, all HDV and nothing, the tapes read black. I’m also wondering what kind of tapes you find work best.

Andrew

[Todd Terry]

[Andrew Moore] “The funny thing in this case is that I shot at 30fps, 1080i and no deck or camera can read the tapes.”

I believe that I left that particular combination out of the mix that I listed.

I think that Canon’s 30f is going to behave pretty much like it’s 24f (although I never use 30f, so I’m not 100% sure). I believe if you shoot HDV and 30f, you will also have to use a Canon camera as a source deck…. no other decks will play it (same as 24f mode).

As for tape, we use Sony DVM-63HD tapes. I can’t exactly say they work best, because honestly I’v never really compared any others. They are just what we always use, and haven’t had any issues with them.

T2

__________________________________
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com