[John Fishback]

Here’s a crude diagram of the setup. Each of 2 VDAs takes the component out of one camera and turns it into two component signals. One goes to each small 80. The other component out goes to a component switcher. It has multiple inputs with switches for each. When you push a switch it outputs that input. You feed this component output to the component input of the 1700. The producer selects which camera to view by pressing one of the 2 swwitches.

A VDA is designed for one only type of signal – composite, component, etc. You mention SDI. The 1700 has 2 SDI inputs with switches on the front. However, the hvx doesn’t have SDI outs. If you wanted to use SDI, you’d have to use a component to SDI converter. This would work if the 80 is the model that has a SDI input. Some SDI converters may have 2 or more outputs. Then you don’t need the VDAs. If you’re renting the camera, you might want to use the 170 which has SDI out. Then you’d just need 2 SDI VDAs.

I suggest you find a video engineer in your area to help with this if you don’t feel confident. He’d also be able to balance the cameras so they look alike, handle off-loaqding P2 cards, etc. Good luck.

John

MacPro 8-core 2.8GHz 8 GB RAM OS 10.5.4 QT7.5 Kona 3 Dual Cinema 23 ATI Radeon HD 3870
ATTO ExpressSAS R380 RAID Adapter, PDE Enclosure with 8-drive 6TB RAID
24″ TV-Logic Monitor
Final Cut Studio 2 (up to date)

Pro Tools HD w SYNC IO, Yamaha DM1000, Millennia Media HV-3C, Neumann U87, Schoeps Mk41 mics, Genelec Monitors, PrimaLT ISDN

[John Fishback]

A VDA is a video distribution amplifier. It takes one input and has multiple outputs. You’d need two, one for each camera. Then you’d need a passive component switcher with at least 2 inputs. You plug the output of each vda into this switcher (and one output from eac vda goes to the 80s). The switcher will have one component out you feed to the 1700. The producer would hit the A or B switch (on the switcher)to see one camera or the other. If you have a rental house in your area they could put this together for you. If it’s something you’ll do a lot, then you could invest in the gear.

John

MacPro 8-core 2.8GHz 8 GB RAM OS 10.5.4 QT7.5 Kona 3 Dual Cinema 23 ATI Radeon HD 3870
ATTO ExpressSAS R380 RAID Adapter, PDE Enclosure with 8-drive 6TB RAID
24″ TV-Logic Monitor
Final Cut Studio 2 (up to date)

Pro Tools HD w SYNC IO, Yamaha DM1000, Millennia Media HV-3C, Neumann U87, Schoeps Mk41 mics, Genelec Monitors, PrimaLT ISDN

[John Fishback]

Did you try an Audio Mixdown?

John

MacPro 8-core 2.8GHz 8 GB RAM OS 10.5.4 QT7.5 Kona 3 Dual Cinema 23 ATI Radeon HD 3870
ATTO ExpressSAS R380 RAID Adapter, PDE Enclosure with 8-drive 6TB RAID
24″ TV-Logic Monitor
Final Cut Studio 2 (up to date)

Pro Tools HD w SYNC IO, Yamaha DM1000, Millennia Media HV-3C, Neumann U87, Schoeps Mk41 mics, Genelec Monitors, PrimaLT ISDN

[John Fishback]

If the hvx2oo has a viewfinder output connector you could send that to each 80 and a composite video feed from each hvx to the 1700. The 1700 has 2 composite inputs so your producer could switch between the 2 cameras. The 80 can inout either component or composite video, but I don’t believe it has video thru connectors so you couldn’t send the video on to the 1700.

Alternately, you could rent 2 VDAs and feed each from the hvx. The ouput of the VDAs could then feed both monitors.

John

MacPro 8-core 2.8GHz 8 GB RAM OS 10.5.4 QT7.5 Kona 3 Dual Cinema 23 ATI Radeon HD 3870
ATTO ExpressSAS R380 RAID Adapter, PDE Enclosure with 8-drive 6TB RAID
24″ TV-Logic Monitor
Final Cut Studio 2 (up to date)

Pro Tools HD w SYNC IO, Yamaha DM1000, Millennia Media HV-3C, Neumann U87, Schoeps Mk41 mics, Genelec Monitors, PrimaLT ISDN

[John Fishback]

The only issue that might affect you would be any vibrations transmitted to the mic as you’re not using a shock mount. That said, in a pinch, I’ve used a mafer clamp to GENTLY hold the mic. It allows you to point the mic fairly easily, too.

John

MacPro 8-core 2.8GHz 8 GB RAM OS 10.5.4 QT7.5 Kona 3 Dual Cinema 23 ATI Radeon HD 3870
ATTO ExpressSAS R380 RAID Adapter, PDE Enclosure with 8-drive 6TB RAID
24″ TV-Logic Monitor
Final Cut Studio 2 (up to date)

Pro Tools HD w SYNC IO, Yamaha DM1000, Millennia Media HV-3C, Neumann U87, Schoeps Mk41 mics, Genelec Monitors, PrimaLT ISDN

[John Fishback]

How are you monitoring audio? If you console (or other gear in the audio chain) has an attenuation switch perhaps it got knocked in the wrong direction.

John

MacPro 8-core 2.8GHz 8 GB RAM OS 10.5.4 QT7.5 Kona 3 Dual Cinema 23 ATI Radeon HD 3870
ATTO ExpressSAS R380 RAID Adapter, PDE Enclosure with 8-drive 6TB RAID
24″ TV-Logic Monitor
Final Cut Studio 2 (up to date)

Pro Tools HD w SYNC IO, Yamaha DM1000, Millennia Media HV-3C, Neumann U87, Schoeps Mk41 mics, Genelec Monitors, PrimaLT ISDN

[John Fishback]

Why don’t you make a list of the 3 or 4 monitors that look good in reviews and then find a source that can audition them for you. Do it all in one day in the city. If you can actually a/b some of them that’s best. However, even hearing them separately will tell you a lot. To build on what Ty said about some dealers – an old trick to cause a listener to like one monitor better was to make that one just a little louder. The louder one sounds better, So, if you are able to a/b monitors be very aware of their relative volumes.

John

MacPro 8-core 2.8GHz 8 GB RAM OS 10.5.4 QT7.5 Kona 3 Dual Cinema 23 ATI Radeon HD 3870
ATTO ExpressSAS R380 RAID Adapter, PDE Enclosure with 8-drive 6TB RAID
24″ TV-Logic Monitor
Final Cut Studio 2 (up to date)

Pro Tools HD w SYNC IO, Yamaha DM1000, Millennia Media HV-3C, Neumann U87, Schoeps Mk41 mics, Genelec Monitors, PrimaLT ISDN

[John Fishback]

I’ve done business with them since the seveties. Never had a problem.

John

MacPro 8-core 2.8GHz 8 GB RAM OS 10.5.4 QT7.5 Kona 3 Dual Cinema 23 ATI Radeon HD 3870
ATTO ExpressSAS R380 RAID Adapter, PDE Enclosure with 8-drive 6TB RAID
24″ TV-Logic Monitor
Final Cut Studio 2 (up to date)

Pro Tools HD w SYNC IO, Yamaha DM1000, Millennia Media HV-3C, Neumann U87, Schoeps Mk41 mics, Genelec Monitors, PrimaLT ISDN

[John Fishback]

We always use a waveform monitor to set levels. A light meter is fine, but the scope shows you the entire green screen and the level of light on it. When the line representing the video signal is straight across, the screen is lit evenly.

John

MacPro 8-core 2.8GHz 8 GB RAM OS 10.5.4 QT7.5 Kona 3 Dual Cinema 23 ATI Radeon HD 3870
ATTO ExpressSAS R380 RAID Adapter, PDE Enclosure with 8-drive 6TB RAID
24″ TV-Logic Monitor
Final Cut Studio 2 (up to date)

Pro Tools HD w SYNC IO, Yamaha DM1000, Millennia Media HV-3C, Neumann U87, Schoeps Mk41 mics, Genelec Monitors, PrimaLT ISDN

[John Fishback]

We have the R380 with a 6TB 8-drive PDE enclosure. ATTO just released their new firmware and driver that fixed a previous problem where the card did not negotiate properly with the 16x slots on the newer MacPros. Until yesterday we had the card in a 4x slot and it wrote and read near 500MB/s. Now, in the 16x slot, for DVCPro HD 1080i60 (based on the AJA System Test 4GB file) it writes at 550MB/s and reads at 705 MB/sec!

John

MacPro 8-core 2.8GHz 8 GB RAM OS 10.5.4 QT7.5 Kona 3 Dual Cinema 23 ATI Radeon HD 3870
ATTO ExpressSAS R380 RAID Adapter, PDE Enclosure with 8-drive 6TB RAID
24″ TV-Logic Monitor
Final Cut Studio 2 (up to date)

Pro Tools HD w SYNC IO, Yamaha DM1000, Millennia Media HV-3C, Neumann U87, Schoeps Mk41 mics, Genelec Monitors, PrimaLT ISDN