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Is the HDX900 history?
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“As freelance camera operator, I’d rather spend time shooting, not doing the job of the editor…”
Nicely put, Nick.
Ok, I’ll pile on…how about a more affordable playback-only deck?
From what I can gather here, on other boards, and by talking with fellow freelancers, it appears Panasonic is selling A TON of these HDX’s. If Panasonic is indeed committed to supporting their tape-based buyers, offering an affordble playback deck does seem like a slam dunk for sales…especially since it seems most deliverables ultimately need to be on some flavor of HDCam…not DVCPro HD.
J Cummings
DP/Chicago
http://www.cameralogic.tv -
[John Cummings] ”
From what I can gather here, on other boards, and by talking with fellow freelancers, it appears Panasonic is selling A TON of these HDX’s. If Panasonic is indeed committed to supporting their tape-based buyers, offering an affordble playback deck does seem like a slam dunk for sales…especially since it seems most deliverables ultimately need to be on some flavor of HDCam…not DVCPro HD.”Unfortunately what it costs to make a playback deck versus a record deck, is so minimal. We did this in DVCPRO back in 1998, it was called the AJ-D220. It was about $400 less than the recorder. It wasn’t a big seller because most people though heck for $400, I’ll get the recorder. So I am not saying that the difference would only be $00 on an HD machine, but it wouldn’t be $5000 less, it might be only $2000 less. The stuff that is expensive still has to be in there.
So be assured the 900 is not going anywhere, and that tape continues to be a format at Panasonic. I did send your suggestions along to Meryl Altman the product manager.
Best regards,
Jan
Jan Crittenden Livingston
Product Manager, HPX500, HVX200, DVX100
Panasonic Broadcast & TV Systems -
Jan,
Thanks for listening to us. Many of us are holding off on buying a 1400 deck because of price. Sure, there are still some large production companies and broadcast stations that have no problem with the cost. But, there are more likely way more small shops that just can’t justify it. (Thus, the popularity of HDV and other cheap formats) We are in the middle. Have to have high quality, but are very cost conscious. I have to rent on a job-by-job basis right now for digitizing. And then take my files to another house to lay-off to tape. I’m dying here for a cost-effective deck for in-house.
With the demise of many of the bigger high-end shops, I think us mid-size shops are in the majority now. Help us out and we will be loyal to you too!
Ernie Santella
Santella Film/Video Productions
http://www.santellaproductions.com -
Jan,
I would have thought that there could be significant costs savings in a very basic DVCPRO100 player. The technology has moved quite a way since the 1200/1400 development with reductions in IC size and cost-savings. Sony’s economical J-series is way, way, way cheaper than their cheapest recorder VTR. If they can do it, surely Panasonic can.
Anyway, thanks for passing the suggestions onto the Department. Something may come of it.
Peter
Peter Corbett
Powerhouse Productions
http://www.php.com.au -
[Peter Corbett] “I would have thought that there could be significant costs savings in a very basic DVCPRO100 player. The technology has moved quite a way since the 1200/1400 development with reductions in IC size and cost-savings. Sony’s economical J-series is way, way, way cheaper than their cheapest recorder VTR. If they can do it, surely Panasonic can.”
How Sony does it? Well look inside the machines and compare it to the more expensive machine. This is not Panasonic style. When they can make a cheap tape drive machine it will look just like the expensive ones on the inside. Its the only way to get the long term performance out of the machine.
We just do things differently than the other guys.Best,
Jan
Jan Crittenden Livingston
Product Manager, HPX500, HVX200, DVX100
Panasonic Broadcast & TV Systems -
My solution for an inexpensive version of a 1400 deck is a Firestore. It’s a $1700 solution that makes capture so much
faster and easier. The workflow of Quicktime Native mode is
so convenient that my editors don’t want to deal with tape anymore. It offers around 4 hours of record time in 720/24P or
30p Native with a 100Gb FS-100 for a couple of hundred dollars
more than a single 32Gb P2 card. A 160Gb FS-100 is good for
around 6.5 hours for $400 more than a 100Gb. It’s not a perfect
solution, that’s why it’s important to use tape as a backup, but
I don’t miss not having a studio deck for ingest.Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com -
Jan,
That may be Panasonics’s way to build everything to near-military specs, but that’s not realistic. We need a low cost deck that doesn’t get daily 24/7 use. Us small companies don’t need that. We need more of an entry-level deck that we use once or twice a week. P2 is out as many of us don’t have either the time or staff to copy and store footage for client archiving.
I guess Panny really isn’t listening to us. .
Ernie Santella
Santella Film/Video Productions
http://www.santellaproductions.com -
Ernie,
It has never been, nor never will be, the manufacturer’s “policy” to listen to individual end users. In the past design criteria from network broadcasters often influenced product development and really that can be attributed to the development of the P2 and XDCAM file based video, but in reality, product design and technologgy is more often driven by the marketing guru’s who can demonstrate to the top managers how many thousands (or millions in consumer electronics) of units at what price can predictably be sold. If changes to the products (usually by software) can be accomplished after the fact to accommodate real user issue can be done, all the better.
In this case, where you and others seek a cheap feeder deck, I’d have to say that it’s a little late in the game, although as I recall, at last NAB (2007) there was some talk from Panasonic about just such a product, but it’s obvious that in the fervor of promoting the P2 line, the marketeers prevailed in killing such a product as it would have confussed or delayed tape based users from considering transition to solid state.
To Panasonic’s credit however, the P2 Mobile is a “killer product” which for a $12K street price offers 21st century technology and a significant improvement in quality (10 bit recording, AVC-I codec and no horizontal down res). At NAB, they rightly so, demonstrated this product as a way to leverage the aging Varicams into continued usefulness.
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[Ernie Santella] “I guess Panny really isn’t listening to us. .”
For a company the size of Panasonic they listen very, very well. Jan is here all the time and participating in a lot of forums openly and honestly. I certainly don’t see Steve Jobs or Jan’s equivalent from Sony doing anything of the sort. So give her some credit and a break.
The company listens to everyone and takes the aggregate. If enough people request the same thing it will generally happen. But your take is not fair to the efforts Jan has made for many years and certainly doesn’t speak for most of Panasonic’s customers.
Noah
My FCP Blog. Unlock the secrets of the DVX100, HVX200 and Apple Color. Now featuring the Sony EX1 Guidebook
https://www.callboxlive.com -
Noah,
I agree with your sentiments. Many company reps try and then leave participating in forums because they or their companies can’t please everyone and they end up taking the heat. It is the old shoot the messenger syndrome.
I don’t think Panasonic releases production figures so we won’t know how many 1200’s, and 1400’s they have sold to date. Also we don’t know how many units they need to sell for them to decide to bring a new product to market. The desire for a “utility” deck has been expressed and the only thing that can help now is for more posts asking for the same.
Panasonic Broadcast is a vastly more accessible and end user friendly organization than Sony, Avid and many others. When it comes to broadcast parts they lead the pack in my opinion.George
George Griswold
http://www.videonow.info
New Orleans, Louisiana
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