Need help deciding on a new deck

[Walter Biscardi]

DSR-11 is a workhorse and I highly recommend it. NTSC and PAL on the same machine along with DV and DVCAM recording. I had one for almost three years and just sold it to replace with the HDV version of the same deck.

I have heard nothing good about any JVC MiniDV machines and while Panasonic makes a good MiniDV deck, their longevity & reliability is just not as good as the Sony.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

[Rennie Klymyk]

[chanyo1] “but before I drop close to 2 grand”

B&H list is $1849.00 but when you add it to your shopping cart you get a better price. $1599.00. I’ve had mine about 4 years and it works great other than it is very sensitive to loading either large or small tapes. If you load either type even slightly unevenly (one side slightly ahead of the other) the tape jams and you have to take the cover off. I don’t know if I got a lemon but I’ve learned to feed the tape extremely carefully and I haven’t jammed a tape in it for about 3 years. This deck is a bargan at these prices. Originally it sold for around $2500.00.

[Craig Shields]

My reseller recommended the JVC BR-DV3000U(B). He said he has had no complaints and a bunch of orders. Unlike the DSR-11, the JVC has RS-422 control. The JVC however doesn’t record to DV Cam tapes (play only). He said the Panasonic version is the same as the JVC. I just ordered the JVC.

-Craig

[Walter Biscardi]

[Craig Shields] “Unlike the DSR-11, the JVC has RS-422 control.”

Absolutely unnecessary for an NLE system editing in DV or DVCAM. RS-422 is only useful if you still have a linear system that needs RS-422 for control.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

[Bob Cole]

[walter biscardi] “the HDV version of the same deck.”

Which deck is that? I’ve heard that the ballistics of the Sony HDV decks may not be as good as the DSR-11. Your experience?

— Bob C

[Stu Siegal]

I love this deck, but at first found it to be a little finicky when loading large tapes. Read somewhere that if you push them in just to the right of center, they will load perfectly. Switched to this method, and haven’t had a problem since.

[Robert Broussard]

[walter biscardi] “Absolutely unnecessary for an NLE system editing in DV or DVCAM. RS-422 is only useful if you still have a linear system that needs RS-422 for control.”

Is there no benefit–I thought there was? Let me see… Is there a: frame-accuracy, or, Insert Edit, or, some other benefit?

Thanks for the clarification–I know what you said above is very clear “NO BENEFIT”; yet, I wanted to make sure.

Thanks,

Robert

[Jase]

forget about the dv deck with only dv in/out full stop I reckon.
keying is a nightmare when ingested with the dv codec.

get a real card…aja or blackmagic (with component inputs) etc

and get the sony deck with component in/out – it softens the chroma easier for keying….even using magic bullet and keylight in AE dv keying is hard.

dv codec was only really made for offline….and effects/titles they look like crap. maybe good for church or wedding videos. It compresses 5:1 through that firewire lead which decompresses 5.1 on the way out (which of course making anything you do digitally look bad)(see adamwilt.com). Go 10bit uncompressed for high end jobs and DVCpro50 if you want to save space.

oh and those dsr 11 dont insert edit on an avid express…get one with RS422.

jim

[Walter Biscardi]

[Robert Broussard] “Is there no benefit–I thought there was? Let me see… Is there a: frame-accuracy, or, Insert Edit, or, some other benefit?”

Nope, not with an NLE system. You get accuracy with Firewire control at least using Final Cut Pro which is what this forum is.

Insert editing is actually reliant upon the deck itself. I have a $32,000 Panasonic AJ-HD1200A with RS-422 Control but no Insert Editing capabilities. I really don’t know if the DSR-11 supports Insert as I’ve never had the need for it.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

[Walter Biscardi]

[jase] “forget about the dv deck with only dv in/out full stop I reckon.
keying is a nightmare when ingested with the dv codec.”

The DSR-11 is a fully functional editing deck running off Firewire. The DV codec is a nightmare trying to key no matter how it’s ingested. You can’t “magically” make the footage better by bringing it in via 10 bit uncompressed. You still have the 5:1 compression artifacts all over the place which make it very difficult to key.

[jase] “get a real card…aja or blackmagic (with component inputs) etc

and get the sony deck with component in/out – it softens the chroma easier for keying….even using magic bullet and keylight in AE dv keying is hard.”

For DV Only editing, this is a waste of money. I love and support the AJA cards, but if all this user needs is DV I/O, just the deck will work fine.

[jase] “oh and those dsr 11 dont insert edit on an avid express…get one with RS422.”

Considering this is the Final Cut Pro forum, Avid’s problem with the DSR-11 really don’t apply.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters