Miranda converters

[Tony]

Used the Marshall on a shoot recently the DP rejected it due to the resolution.

We upgraded to the Sony 7″ Viewfinder which is the ultimate in terms of image quality.

Tony Salgado

Tony Salgado

[Matthew Romanis]

Yes the resolution is not great, but I was not referring to it’s use as a camera department monitor. I was thinking of it’s use for other departments such as gripping, light weight for stedicam, audio department, general purpose, etc…
There are loads of 6″ and 7″ SD LCD screens used as split’s around the set on many 16-mm and 35-mm shoots where the relatively low resolution of SD composite monitoring does not seem to be problem. Several 7″ HDSDI monitors would be a leap in providing more visual information to some of the other departments.
As an exercise purely in economics, one could buy 5 of these monitors for the cost of one Miranda converter, and be monitoring around the set in HD. I’m not suggesting this is a great way to approach multiple monitoring on set, and the Miranda certainly does a lot more than provide for SD monitoring, but in the 50hz world there are not many other options other than providing more HD monitors on set. Almost all of the affordable 720p@60 down-converters do not provide PAL rates. I have only come across the Miranda and an Evertz card that needs a box.
Does anyone know of something else? (Not the AJA, it does not cater for 50hz down from 720@60.)

[Tony]

Matthew,

If you plan on using it for other departments other than camera then there is no need to send them an HDSDI image which would be overkill in my opinion.

In addition it would be much cheaper to distribute an NTSC downconverted signal via a video distribution amp to other departments that might want to see a content framing monitor only (ie sound, script, director,clients etc etc.)

In contrast monitoring via HDSDI would require either looping out of the monitors (which is an absolute nightmare on set when dealing with the cable runs) or sending the primary HDSDI camera signal output to a HDSDI video DA and then distributing the multiple HDSDI feeds out to all the other monitors. The second method of using either an NTSC or HDSDI video DA is my workflow as it provides one central feed and receive point on set which is at the video control cart.

Generally I find on set there is always a need to feed a NTSC downconverted signal as it is the most cost effective and universal solution for many content only viewing solutions.

I have used the Miranda on board camera adapter and liked it because it could output both HDSDI, SD SDI and composite as well as frame lines and timecode burn in.

Tony Salgado

Tony Salgado

[Matthew Romanis]

Hi Tony,
I understand what you are saying, but in my post I mention that I need to all this with a PAL signal and hence the the problem of down conversion. The Miranda here in OZ is around $14K AUD which is a bit of a stretch just to primarily provide a feed from the camera for distribution, and all of the more cost effective alternatives don’t deal with a PAL requirement. I’m hoping that with the Varicam taking off in Europe some component manufacturers will see their way to catering for PAL SD down conversion from the 720p@60 raw signal from the camera.

[Gary Adcock]

[Matthew Romanis] “Is anyone using either the Miranda MDC 902/922 or the DVC 802/822?
What was the cost? “

I use AJA converters as do most of the pro’s I know, the AJA box also passed the flagged frame TC over SDI and do not have any issues with PAL or NTSC.

Gary Adcock
Studio37
HD and Film Consultation
Chicago, IL USA

[Matthew Romanis]

Hi Gary,
Can you give me the model number of the AJA converter you use. The one’s that have been demonstrated here do not convert 720p@60 to PAL 50i 720×576. I’m very open to buying one from anywhere and having it shipped to Australia.