Recording In The AJ-HD1200Ae

[Steve Mahrer]

Langosta;

The AJ-HD1200A VTR records HD using the DVCPRO EX format, that’s exactly the same CODEC / Bit rate as the VariCam, just that we use a 9um track width rather than the 18um track width of the VariCam. This is why you have double the record time of the 126L tape in the 1200 as opposed to the VariCam. The newer DVCPRO HD VTRs: the AJ-HD1200A, the AJ-HD1700, and the AJ-HD1400 (announced at the NAB) all record using the 9um DVCPRO EX format. That do however all play the older 18um tapes from the VariCam and older VTRs.

Hope it helps.

Steve Mahrer (Panasonic Broadcast)

[Chris Bell]

Steve,

Out of curiosity, why does the Varicam record at 18um? Why not 9um and double the record time?

Chris Bell

[Steve Mahrer]

Hi Chris;

The VariCam is actually quite an “old” camera, it first came to the market as a 720p 59.94 only camera intended for the DoD / NASA in 2000…. many moons! Then we started to add more features and variable frame rates etc. DVCPRO HD (100) is 4 x the bit rate of 25Mb/s and thus needs 4 x the tape to record the bits. We kept the format track parameters the same as DVCPRO 25/50 to keep the head drum “simple”. In late 2003 we moved the newer decks (1200A / 1700) to 9um to double the record time and halve the tape price. In 2005 when we revamped the VariCam to the current H model, we decided to leave it 18um as to avoid confusion. Image if the old VariCam was 18um and the new 9um!! Fear not, all VariCams are 18um.

Just FYI the newly announced AJ-HDX900 (HD multiformat) camera is 9um, as is the new 1400 deck ( like a 1200 but it edits!)

Cheers!

Steve Mahrer (Panasonic Broadcast)

[Daniel E]

Steve,
Since you bring up the HDX-900 and its record function. Can you tell is which decks the tape is compatible with?

Daniel Epstein
Gold Teleproductions, Inc
New York, NY
http://www.goldtele.com

[Steve Mahrer]

Hi Daniel:

The new AJ-HDX900P is a multi-format DVCPRO-HD camera which records in the 9um DVCPRO-HD EX format. This is the same native record format as used in the AJ-HD1200 / 1700 and new 1400 decks. Any of these VTRs will quite happily play tapes recorded in the 900. The older VTRs (AJ-HD130 / 150 ) are 18um only and cannot play the 9um format tapes.

Cheers,

Steve Mahrer (Panasonic Broadcast)

[Daniel E]

Thanks Steve,
So any 1200, 1700 or the New 1400 can play the tapes from the HDX 900. as well as any Varicam

Daniel Epstein
Gold Teleproductions, Inc
New York, NY
http://www.goldtele.com

[Steve Mahrer]

Hi Daniel;

Yes, the 1200 / 1700 and new 1400 will play ANY DV, DVCAM, DVCPRO 25 / 50 or DVCPRO HD tapes, even PAL stuff. The only caveat is that we cannot play the LP DV mode tapes as they uses really thin tracks. All three VTRs permit you to play the DV family tapes as “native” or allow easy conversion to other video formats. There is also the useful extraction modes that allow the decks to ouput 1080p 24 ot 25 when playing 480p 24/PA or 720p 24 / 25 tapes.

Cheers,

Steve Mahrer (Panasonic Broadcast)

[Sergio Deustua]

Hi Steve.

So image quality must be the same in the tape recorded in the AJHD1200A deck from fcp as the original tape recorded in Varicam eaven if it has double duration?
Regards

[Steve Mahrer]

Hi Langosta;

Yes, IEEE1394 is a data recording mode, no CODEC is used to compress / decompress the content, hence the video is the same quality as the original camera tape. The 1200 deck records exactly the same DVCPRO HD DIF file data as the older decks, the tape track width has no effect upon the video quality.

Steve Mahrer

[Sergio Deustua]

Thank you steve, now I can sleep better.
Regards