[Julie Marzac]

It is my understanding that Express Pro HD allows capturing DVCPRO HD over firewire as DNX HD. It would seem DNX HD at 220Mbit/sec 10 bit would be the best way to deal with DVCPRO HD, when using multiple graphics layers. Correct? Or is it better to work with native DVCPRO HD? I am a non AVID user looking to switch.

[Julie Marzac]

This is interesting.

From the Main Concept website: “DVCPro 50: 4:2:2 Color Space, 8 Bit Quantization, data reduction of 5:1, data rate of 50 MBit/s.”

Isn’t the Panasonic DVCPRO 50 codec 4:2:2, 3.3:1, 50MB/sec?
That is 3.3:1 compression and not 5:1 compression. Maybe its a misprint at Main Concept?

Anyway, can you capture from a DV50 firewire source into PPRO with the Main Concept DV50 codec ? Or does the video source have to be SDI? And with which capture card?

[Ralph Keyser] “I’m not sure why Adobe hasn’t added native support for these formats. “

I’d guess it has something to do with avoiding a licensing fee to Panasonic?

[Julie Marzac]

[tom] “I don’t know if you are correct about the new camera outputting to firewire. I think you have to record the HD to the P2 card first then dump that to the pc. “

There are several forums on the net discussing the HVX200 camera and every indication is that this camera will output live DV,DV50 and DV100 (aka DVCPRO HD) over firewire, with or without P2 cards. It will also output prerecorded video over firewire or USB from the p2 cards. Problem is PPRO still might not be compatible with these codecs by then.

https://www.creativecow.net/forum/read_post.php?postid=111487286093490&forumid=193

[Julie Marzac]

[Jason] “Do you know if I can firewire in and out of these 2 cameras with PrPro 1.5? “

I assume you would have no problems. It’s standard DV. I haven’t heard of any problems with Premiere and these cameras.

[Jason] “Do you have any other suggestions for me? I want to upgrade my gear, I’m just not sure which direction to go.”

Well those particular cameras (DSR-390, DSR-500, DSR-570) get good reviews
and produce nice pictures for standard definition cameras. I just might question whether they will be losing value over the next few years, since low cost HDV, and DVCPRO HD cameras are coming on the scene. I can’t really say what you should do, but the highly likely choice for our next camera purchase will be one or more of the DVCPRO HD (HVX200) cameras. Shooting in HD will allow us the option to create both SD and HD products. I expect the HD to SD downcoversion, as well as straight to HD will look great from these cameras.

[Julie Marzac]

[Julie Marzac] “HVX200 high definition camera which records dv25,dv50 and (dv100 in HD) all in 4:2:2 and all over firewire.”

Correction DV25 is always 4:1:1 not 4:2:2.
Also although I haven’t mentioned it, Apparently Sony has some cameras that record to disc instead of tape that might be of interest. I don’t know their system requirements, compression or color space though.

[Julie Marzac]

[Jason] “1. If I buy a DSR-500ws cam, can I capture via firewire in 4:2:2 color? Or, will I have to buy a Decklink card? “

That camera can only record DV25 4:1:1 to tape. Although I’ve read that it does have an uncompressed component output from which you could potentially capture (only live) 4:2:2 uncompressed video into a capture card . If your ultimate goal is to be in the 4:2:2 color world you are going to have to spend substantially more money than you would on a similar DV25 camera (unless you wait a few months…see below). I believe Panasonic has a cam that will record and transfer DV50 4:2:2 over firewire. Apple FCP and Avid can handle DV50 over firewire but it is unclear whether Premiere can do it. Someone has mentioned Mainconcept having a DV50 codec plug-in thingy for Premiere, but its not clear whether its 4:1:1 or 4:2:2.

On top of that most every other 4:2:2 cameras have no DV50 firewire output and therefore require at least the addition of a tape deck (expensive) and in some cases a capture card (nowadays inexpensvie). In place of a capture card a Convergent Design box or AJA IO (for Mac and FCP only) is possible. What I’m trying to say is it gets a little complicated and expensive once your leave the DV25 world.

[Jason] “2. Will my system handle the higher data rate? I’ve listed my current config below. “

Assuming you get setup with all the previously mentioned hardware…two SATA drives with RAID such as yours should be sufficient for 10 bit uncompressed standard definition video. However your motherboard needs to have a PCI-X slot for capture card or PCI-express slot for Black Magic Multibridge.
Again, you could use a Convergent Design box or AJA IO box in place of a capture card.

Now for the good news. Panasonic should be releasing the HVX200 high definition camera which records dv25,dv50 and (dv100 in HD) all in 4:2:2 and all over firewire. Price is 6K without p2 cards.
Although I don’t know if Premiere will be supporting it. If not, thats too bad for Premiere users.
FCP, AVID and Canopus have all announced support. Adobe if you are listening, many of us are going to want to have support for this camera!!!

[Julie Marzac]

[MichaelP] “The recommeded laptop for Xpress Pro 5.1 will support direct FireWire capture of DVCPRO 100. The 5.1 release also supports editing directly off of P2 cards. It is the plan that all formats will be supported for the HVX200. “

I have read more on the AVID discussion forums and even a customer support person said that while some people are reporting sucesss capturing DVCPRO 100 with the AJ-HD1200A deck, there is currently no deck that is supported for firewire capture into XPress PRO HD.

As for the HVX200, I found this in a press release:

Avid was one for the first companies to support both Panasonic’s DVCPRO HD and the P2 series of products, so we are excited to see these two technologies coming together with the launch of the handheld P2-HD AG-HVX200,” says Chas Smith, general manager of Avid Video. “Given our knowledge and experience around these formats, we expect to deliver support in Avid products right around the time of the new camera’s debut.

[Julie Marzac]

This from an Avid press release.

“editors using Avid Xpress Pro HD will be able to simply capture, edit, and output native HDV back to tape.”

This will be a sluggish non realtime solution…no?

[Julie Marzac]

So how will HDV be handled…natively or with an intermediate codec similar to Cineform Aspect codec?

[Julie Marzac]

[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?