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What’s it all about Alphie?
I’ve done some reading trying to understand the new technology. With the high initial cost of the P2 cards, we’re considering other redundant hard drive based solutions that might also do the job capturing DVCPRO HD from the HVX200. Excuse me if some of these questions have been covered before.
1. Will it be possible to use a Firestore hard drive AND FCP/POWERBOOK simultaneosly to capture DVCPRO HD from HVX200 (for redundancy)?
2. Will an AVID Express PRO HD system on a notebook computer capture DVCPRO HD from Varicam deck? Will it capture all frame sizes and frame rates from a HVX200?
3. Can someone explain if the HVX200 uses progressive scan CCD’s or is the reported 1080p30 some sort of manufactured progressive signal?
4. I read something about needing a smart hard drive (if using standalone hard drive) for DVCPRO HD capture. Does this disqualify the use of a PCMCIA to SATA or PCMCIA to Firewire adaptor (and hard drives)? -
9 Replies
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[Julie Marzac] “1. Will it be possible to use a Firestore hard drive AND FCP/POWERBOOK simultaneosly to capture DVCPRO HD from HVX200 (for redundancy)? “
Probably not. Maybe. It’s a stream coming out the firewire port; I don’t know if you could use some sort of firewire hub perhaps; or maybe if the forthcoming HD FireStore offers an output port… for clarification, the existing FireStore products will not be able to capture DVCPRO-HD. They’re limited to about 40mbps maximum throughput, and DVCPRO-HD demands 100mbps, so there will need to be a new type of FireStore developed specifically to support the format.
[Julie Marzac] “2. Will an AVID Express PRO HD system on a notebook computer capture DVCPRO HD from Varicam deck? Will it capture all frame sizes and frame rates from a HVX200? “
Almost certainly. I would say “certainly” except I haven’t used Avid Express Pro HD, but FCP-HD will, so presumably the Avid will as well.
[Julie Marzac] “3. Can someone explain if the HVX200 uses progressive scan CCD’s or is the reported 1080p30 some sort of manufactured progressive signal? “
Newly-designed, 16:9-shaped, genuine progressive-scan high-def CCDs. The CCDs will support variable scanning frame rates (not just 24p and 30p, but as low as 4p and as fast as 60p).
[Julie Marzac] “4. I read something about needing a smart hard drive (if using standalone hard drive) for DVCPRO HD capture. Does this disqualify the use of a PCMCIA to SATA or PCMCIA to Firewire adaptor (and hard drives)? “
No, not necessarily. That remains to be tested. It seems very likely that someone will develop a PCMCIA-to-firewire (or SATA) device that will handle the processing that’s necessary. What Panasonic has clarified is that an off-the-shelf firewire drive may not be able to capture data directly from the firewire port (but then again, no camera can…) There needs to be some intelligence somewhere to handle the file system, etc. If the PCMCIA-to-firewire card handles what needs to be done, then yes you should be able to record directly to a firewire drive, using that adapter. That remains to be tested. Even if current PCMCIA-to-firewire adapters don’t work, it seems exceptionally reasonable that someone will develop an adapter that does provide that functionality.
What Panasonic has also verified is that you can use an off-the-shelf USB2 drive to dub the contents of a P2 card directly to the drive. You may not be able to capture directly to the drive, but you can dub directly to it (so, no laptop computer necessary, and no firestore-type drive is mandatory in that case; you can shoot to the card and dub it directly to any cheap off-the-shelf USB2 hard disk).
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Get the most from your DVX camera. The DVX Book and DVX DVD are now available at https://www.dvxuser.com/articles/dvxbook/ and at Amazon (https://tinyurl.com/54u4a) -
[Barry Green] “What Panasonic has also verified is that you can use an off-the-shelf USB2 drive to dub the contents of a P2 card directly to the drive. You may not be able to capture directly to the drive, but you can dub directly to it (so, no laptop computer necessary, and no firestore-type drive is mandatory in that case; you can shoot to the card and dub it directly to any cheap off-the-shelf USB2 hard disk).”
Thanks for the information. That does answer some of my concerns. However, I have since read more p2 and HVX200 related stuff on the net, but I wasn’t able to find information that verified the cameras ability to dub the contents of a p2 card directly to an off the shelf hard drive. I only see the ability to capture to (computer) hard drive (with driver installed).
Can you link to your source. Thanks.
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That is correct- there is no intelligence inside the P2 chip to allow it to directly see an HD. It must be connected via a computer, a P2 store or the camera itself to dump contents.
Noah
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[Noah Kadner] “That is correct- there is no intelligence inside the P2 chip to allow it to directly see an HD. It must be connected via a computer, a P2 store or the camera itself to dump contents. “
Now I’m getting confused.
What Barry said was:
What Panasonic has also verified is that you can use an off-the-shelf USB2 drive to dub the contents of a P2 card directly to the drive. You may not be able to capture directly to the drive, but you can dub directly to it (so, no laptop computer necessary, and no firestore-type drive is mandatory in that case; you can shoot to the card and dub it directly to any cheap off-the-shelf USB2 hard disk).So, while there is no intelligence inside the P2 chip, is it safe to assume there is ‘intelligence’ in the HVX camera itself? Or were you saying that Barry’s claim was wrong, Noah?
Just trying to clarify, this is an issue that’s been kind of confusing since day one. I suppose nothing is set in stone until the camera is actually released.
Luis Caffesse
Studio 3 Productions, Inc.
Austin, Texas -
[Luis Caffesse] “Now I’m getting confused. “
Ditto here.
To simplify…is it possible to capture DVCPRO HD to the cameras p2 cards, then transfer the DVCPRO HD from camera (that has p2 card(s)installed) over USB cable to an off the shelf USB drive? If so can I assume this will be a selection within the cameras menu?
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Yes Julie, your understanding is correct.
My source is Jan Crittenden, product manager for the HVX200. She’s pretty much *the* voice for what is officially included, and what is possible, and not possible, on this camera. I spent three hours with her (and Jarred Land of DVXUser, and Phil Livingston of Panasonic), getting the most accurate information possible. The result was written up in an article, which I also ran by Jan for fact-checking prior to publication, to make sure that it was accurate (with the understanding that all specifications are subject to change until without notice, just as with any pre-release product.)
A version of the article should appear in next month’s Studio Monthly magazine, and the full text is at https://www.dvxuser.com/articles/HVX200/.
The camera has the ability to copy to an external USB2 drive. It can dub the contents of a P2 card over to any off-the-shelf drive. As the feature set is currently constituted, it cannot record directly to such a drive, but as far as I understand, that isn’t absolutely definite yet — they may still be able to implement such a feature in the shipping version. I don’t expect it, but it was not definitively ruled out at the time the report was written.
What is confirmed is that if the drive has the electronics and intelligence to capture the firewire port’s streaming signal, then it definitely can capture live streaming. But that would take a specially-engineered drive, such as a FireStore, and that capability is the same as any firewire-equipped camera.
Additionally, Jan can’t comment on what may or may not be possible by third-party manufacturers. So if someone can figure out how to make a PCMCIA-to-1394 adapter that presents itself to the camera as if it were a P2 card, and interfaces with the camera as a P2 card, but instead of writing the information it receives to onboard memory it instead were to write it to a drive connected to its 1394 adapter, then yes, that should make it possible to capture and stream directly to an off-the-shelf drive. However, such capability is not a Panasonic product, nor is it anticipated to be forthcoming from Panasonic anytime soon, so that would be up to a third party to design, test, and manufacture.
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Get the most from your DVX camera. The DVX Book and DVX DVD are now available at https://www.dvxuser.com/articles/dvxbook/ and at Amazon (https://tinyurl.com/54u4a) -
[Barry Green] “It seems very likely that someone will develop a PCMCIA-to-firewire (or SATA) device that will handle the processing that’s necessary.”
I wouldn’t take for granted that there will be lots of accessories from several manufacturers right after hvx hits the shelves.
3rd party manufacturers will probably wait for an year to see if p2 technology gets popular and then make their decisions. Panny has to sell 5 digit numbers of these cameras before there is enough user base for 3rd party. Otherwise accessories will have to be made in very small series and prices get much higher than even with firestores.
Same thing with p2 cards. Has anybody heard about another manufacturer than Panny and when their cards will come available? 2007 maybe? -
Toke,
I wold not bet on that time line. Am already working with 3rd party guys on stuff that should be ready at the same time or close.
Best,
Jan
Jan Crittenden Livingston
Product Manager, DVCPRO, DVCPRO50, AG-DVX100
Panasonic Broadcast & TV Systems -
Ok,
it seems that I have a whole year to wait for that “PAL” model…
Any other brand announced their p2 cards yet?
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