HDX900 onboard downconverter

[Ray Palmer]

Our HDX900 is on the boat too.
I asked this question directly to a Panasonic engineer a month ago.
His reply was that the output could be either HDSDI, SDSDI or composite.
Just to clarify, I asked if this output could then be used with a Standard Definition Steadycam composite monitor and he said yes.

[Nick Gardner]

Hi there,

Good news 🙂 thanks very much for the info.

Cheers,

Nick

[Tony]

No it don’t blow only the winds on the high seas where you camera head is at this moment.

There is hard camera side switch which controls one of the video outputs which can output one of the following HDSDI, Standard def SDI, or crappy analog composite.

For the downconvert you set up the camera to output letterbox or anamorphic.

In anycase there are only two video outputs from the camera the first Monitor out (side bnc) is selectable between HDSDI or Y HD analog (character menus can be overlayed if chosen via camera setup menu) the second output Video out (rear of camera) is selectable depending on what the side switch is set to. You can overlay menus over the video out via another hard switch (the overlay of menus via the monitoring output or video out is identical to the fashion in which the SDX-900 can be set up.

Another output is the IEEE 1394 output for recording to hard drive.

I regret that Panasonic did not chose to do something similar to what Sony has done with the F900R which is offer two dedicated HDSDI outputs all the time in addition to a third video monitoring output which is a selectable downconvert or Y HD analog output dedicated output.

I would take this one step forward and allow for (2) dedicated HDSDI outputs, (1) dedicated downconvert output selectable to SD SDI or VBS, (1) Y HD analog dedicated output which could be selected to downconvert to VBS with TC window burn also.

Offering four outputs would allow for minimizing the number of return feeds which have to be sent back to the camera in certain production scenarios such as (external HDSDI monitor on board, feeding an external vtr or engineering monitor, feeding a steadicam via SD SDI or VBS, downconverting to VBS for feeding a client viewing or script logging station.

Tony Salgado

[Peter Steinman]

There are a lot of features I wish the HDX had too but, I like the price point. Its unfair to expect it to have feature found in a camera costing 3x as much.

[Ray Palmer]

Tony,
Have you seen the GPS option on the HD900?
I am told it is the same as the GPS on the SD900 camera.
My question, and no one seems to know, is if the GPS information is captured once on record and not updated through out the record.
Example, on a 10 minute rolling record, how often is the GPS info recorded? Once or every second or so?
We do a lot of aerial HD of power poles and I would purchase the option if it updated the coordinates.

[Chris Bell]

I seem to recall the GPS function was specifically designed for power line inspections. My guess is the GPS info is constantly updated.

Chris Bell

[Tony]

Ray,

No I don’t know anything about the GPS nor have I ever used it on my SDX 900.

You are the first to ever ask about that feature.

I suggest asking Jeff Merrit for a more detailed answer.

Tony Salgado

[Tony]

Not really especially if I only need a third output. The 900R does not cause three time as much just because it has more video outputs.

All of what I asked for is possible with a base station. I know that Panasonic did make a base station for the SDX-900 but I never heard or saw one for the Varicam?

Mr Merritt any word of a base station in the works for the HDX or is the telecast or evertz fiber system the only way to go.

Is there a multipin breakout on the HDX which has additional I/O’s?

Tony Salgado

[Peter Steinman]

The 900R is really apples and oranges.

When they design a camera for a certin price point features have to be left out. Its not just the extra tap is probably a number of things that got left out just to make sure it could be sold for a certain price. One of the first things I noticed about my HDX is that all the buttons feel ‘cheaper’ then the Varicam. Thats how far they go. The buttons are all hard plastic and don’t have the same feel as my Varicam.

For a $25k HD camera the HDX900 is amazing. I don’t say this as a Panasonic fan in any sense. I really like the camera given what it costs. I’d take a 900R in a heart beat over the HDX if it was even $30k. Its not even close.

Not even getting in to how the camera has been designed to not step on any Varicam toes. One day when the Varicam 2 comes out I suspect we’ll see a varible frame rate and film rec mode firmware update for the HDX if someone doesnt figure a way to turn it on first.

Anyone know how to get at the service menu of a SDX900 ? 😉

[Jeff Merritt]

Well you guys got me really stumped on this one! This is the first time this question of update time of the GPS option has been asked and frankly I don’t know but I’ll go to the factory and try to get an answer and post it here.

Thanks for asking,

Jeff Merritt
Product Line Business Manager
High Definition Products
Panasonic Broadcast
323-436-3676