[Jeff Merritt]

Hi,

I’ve had this question many times and I suggest you contact the folks at HDExpo directly. Sometime back I remember a VariCamp student who came from down under.

Thanks

Jeff Merritt
Product Line Business Manager
High Definition Products
Panasonic Broadcast
323-436-3676

[Jeff Merritt]

Hello All,

This question has been asked before and the answer is that none of the DVCPRO HD VTRs are capable of adding flags to the output, either HD-SDI or 1394. Having said that, the decks will record and playback the flags contained in the time code User Bits as input from VariCam, HVX200, and the new HDX900 via time code or 1394. NLE systems treat these flags differently and you’ll need to understand how to set up your particular editing system.

As far as comparing the HD1200A with the new HD1400, as well as the HD1700, they all treat time code and flags identically. They are recorded and played back but not manipulated in any way. Depending on the machine, be sure that User Bits is turned on if making a dub from one machine to another as it is possible to insert new User Bits which will obliterate the existing source User Bits, something you may not want to do.

I hope this helps to understand.

Thanks,

Jeff Merritt
Product Line Business Manager
High Definition Products
Panasonic Broadcast
323-436-3676

[Jeff Merritt]

Hello All,

The AJ-HDX900 is delivering twice this month (August)and I’d like to suggest that you contact your Authorized Reseller to deteming when your’s is coming in. We have a huge back order, mostly orders that came in in the last 15-20 days so the factory is gearing up to build and ship as many as possible.

We may not be able to deliver everything to everybody, but were trying as hard as we can.

Thank you for your support for this camera.

Jeff Merritt
Product Line Business Manager
High Definition Products
Panasonic Broadcast
323-436-3676

[Jeff Merritt]

Hi Bob,

Welcome to the forum. You can find information about VariCamp on the following site: http://www.HDExpo.com. I personally attent most of the VariCamps and am always happy to meet people who shoot with the VariCam. If you just do a google search for AJ-HDC27H VariCam you’ll also find a huge amount of information about the camcorder. Also our own Panasonic web site has operating manuals, brochures, and white papers as well as discussion of many people who use the camera. And you’re welcome to email me directly if you have other questions.

Hope to see you at an upcoming VariCamp.

Thanks,

Jeff Merritt
Product Line Business Manager
High Definition Products
Panasonic Broadcast
323-436-3676

[Jeff Merritt]

Hello all,

We’re working on the MAC version but it’s more complicated then you might think. When it’s ready we’ll post it on our web site. No promises, but it could be a month away at least.

Jeff Merritt
Product Line Business Manager
High Definition Products
Panasonic Broadcast
323-436-3676

[Jeff Merritt]

Hi,

Horizontal resolution at the center of the picture for a HDC27 VariCam is 700 Television Lines which is the spec. This is perfectly acceptable for HD acquisition. But horizontal and veritcal resolution is not the entire story. One must really look at the picture quality which is hard to determine as each person percieves the quality differently. As I have said for many years, “don’t count the prixels, count on the pictures”.

Research shows that resolution is much more that TVL and Pixel count. Contrast, color acquity, and resolving power of the imagers and A/D conversion and compression play a very import part in the overall picture quality.

So just looking at numbers does not tell the entire story of image quality. The idea that a higher number is always better is just not true. There are many factors to consider. But it really boils down to these two ideals: Does it conform to my creative needs, and is it economicaly viable? In other words, can I make the programs I want to make at an affordable price?
Only you can decide. Afterall, these are only tools.

I hope this helps to put this conversation into perspective.

Thanks,

Jeff Merritt
Product Line Business Manager
High Definition Products
Panasonic Broadcast
323-436-3676

[Jeff Merritt]

The AJ-HD1400 does everything the HD1200A does but adds the functions of insert and assemble editing. Also the HD1400 has the capability of recording metadata. There are no options for the HD1400 as the option cards in the HD1200A are now included. MSRP for the HD1400 is $25K. Delivery will be the end of July.

Thanks,

Jeff Merritt
Product Line Business Manager
High Definition Products
Panasonic Broadcast
323-436-3676

[Jeff Merritt]

All,

We announced at NAB that the Suggested List Price of the AJ-HD1200A is reduced to $21,000 including both option cards. Check your nearest Panasonic Reseller for the best deal.

Thanks

Jeff Merritt
Product Line Business Manager
High Definition Products
Panasonic Broadcast
323-436-3676

[Jeff Merritt]

Hi John and all,

The EC3, having lead in the solder, had nothing to do at all with develping a new control box for the AJ-HDX900. In fact the new box for the AJ-HDX900 was designed entirely because many users wanted more control. The AJ-RC900 is designed with many more “one button-one function” controls than the EC3 and the inter-connect cable and the connectors have been beefed-up for real world production, and the control offers more of a “paint” feel to it.

Delivery is scheduled about the end of July at a Suggest List Price of $4500.00 along with the AJ-HDX900 which delivers at the same time at a Suggested List Price of $26,500.00. For those who missed this camcorder at NAB, we will show it again at HD Expo in Chicago on May 18th. Please see http://www.hdexpo.net. for details.

Thanks,

Jeff Merritt
Product Line Business Manager
High Definition Products
Panasonic Broadcast
323-436-3676

[Jeff Merritt]

Hello All,

As the Product Manager for the new AJ-HDX900, I want to clear up some confusions. But first I’d like to ask your endulgence to let us all unwind a bit from NAB for a couple of days. The HDX900 was only announced the Sunday before the show opened and very shortly we will have a lot of information on our web site about the new camercorder.

But to answer a couple of quick questions, the HDX900 is built on the same frame as the extremely popular AJ-SDX900 and uses the Medium size DVCPRO cassettes. This yields 33-minutes of record time due to its abiltiy to record in 9-micron track width on tape as opposed to the VariCam which records 33-minutes on Large DVCPRO cassettes in 18-micron track width. The newer DVCPRO HD decks are compatible with either the VariCam or HDX900 tapes as well as all DV tapes.

Make no mistake, the AJ-HDX900 is NOT VariCam Light. It is an entirely new model intended for a different market and thus does not have such capability as to work in the VariCam’s FILM REC mode, although it does have the highly successful CineGama found in most of the Panasonic Digital Cameras. The two cameras share the identical 2/3″ imagers however the DSP processors are different and the VariCam is still regarded by many to have a superior picture quality and picture control when compared to other cameras on the market near its price point. This is not meant to say the pictures are less quality in the HDX900, but the overall capabilitis to control the pictures are different.

So please stand by for more information, and perhaps Creative Cow will need to set up a new site just for the HDX900. By the way, deliveries are scheduled for the end of July and we took a bunch of orders already at NAB for this new camera.

Thanks,

Jeff Merritt
Product Line Business Manager
High Definition Products
Panasonic Broadcast
323-436-3676