Blackmagic Intensity Pro capture 4:2:2 (1080x1920) over component? at DVinfo.net

Paul Watkins · September 13th, 2007, 09:16 PM

Does the Blackmagic Design intensity Pro capture 4:2:2 (1080 x 1920) over component? The website is not clear about component capabilities.

Daniel Browning · September 13th, 2007, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Watkins

Does the Blackmagic Design intensity Pro capture 4:2:2 (1080 x 1920) over component? The website is not clear about component capabilities.

Yes. They explicitly say "4:2:2" everywhere, even in places that don't specify HDMI or component. The implication is that both are the same.

Bill Ravens · September 13th, 2007, 10:59 PM

The REAL question is what the bit depth is for the A-D conversion. No one, not even BMD seems to know.

Alex Maranda · September 14th, 2007, 02:16 AM

the resolution of the ADC is 10 bit (NXP TDA9975)
http://www.digchip.com/datasheets/ne...02/1080824.php

it is used for both HDMI and analog component.

However I doubt the driver passes through that bit depth (likely just 8), it would overlap with their more expensive pro cards.
I could be wrong, I didn't bother to check as I don't have 10 bit signal sources.

Paul Watkins · September 14th, 2007, 08:50 AM

Thank You for the information. I didn't want to make assumptions about component capabilities.

Jim Andrada · September 14th, 2007, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Harvey

I did a test using Adobe CS3 to capture analog component 1280 x 720 8bit 60p through a BM studio card, and at the same time captured 30p to tape, them imported through 1394 port into Avid Liquid. The difference is very noticeable. I posted a mp4 file, because of file bandwidth issues, to show people what they can expect to get out of this combination. Even the HDV portion of the mp4 has more resolution then the analog component capture.

http://www.portstanleynews.com/TV/JVCTest.mp4

I will do another test with a Canon HV20 to check the difference of HDV vs HDMI

As several of us have been discussing on a JVC thread, Doug's results would seem to suggest that analog via Blackmagic does not yield good results.

How this info relates to the capabilities of the BM A to D chip I have no idea.

No idea if this is a camera related issue or a BM related issue or what. BM never responded to any questions on the subject.

Might be great, might not.

Paul Watkins · September 14th, 2007, 06:09 PM

That footage captured analog component Originally Posted by Doug Harvey is bad . If this is what I can expect of this combination, I will keep my money. Does anyone have any other samples, good or bad of this combination? That way I can Identify if it's the setup or the operator. ( no disrespect to Doug). I would hate to base my decision on one example.

Jim Andrada · September 15th, 2007, 12:32 AM

Maybe you'd have more luck getting an answer from BM than Bill Ravens and I have had.

Of course there could be a million reasons, like noise on the cables, connector issues, bad D to A in the camera, - or bad A to D in the card. Or any combination of the above All of these seem a tad unlikely, but it has to be due to something.

Jim Andrada · September 18th, 2007, 01:22 AM

I finally got a reply from BlackMagic

They said that so far as they know their A to D should produce excellent results and they seem really surprised that there might be an issue with it. They also said that in their experience good cameras have excellent D to A and they really doubt that that's the issue.

So the plot thickens.

Oh where oh where has the quality gone, oh where oh where can it be? With it's price quite high and it's output so short, oh bring back the answer to me.

Or something like that:<))

Daniel Browning · September 18th, 2007, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Watkins

That footage captured analog component Originally Posted by Doug Harvey is bad . If this is what I can expect of this combination, I will keep my money. Does anyone have any other samples, good or bad of this combination? That way I can Identify if it's the setup or the operator. ( no disrespect to Doug). I would hate to base my decision on one example.

I, too, would like to see more tests. Doug said he captured 1280x720p60 over analog component, but that means it was converted (on the fly?) from the native signal of 1920x1080 60i. Could it have been the interlace-to-60p? Or the down-rez? What codec and bitrate did he capture?

Jim Andrada · September 18th, 2007, 01:09 PM

I asked the guys at BlackMagic if they had any tests they could post - from any kind of decent camera. Haven't heard from them yet, though.

I think there are quite a few of us who would really like to know what's going on - it all seems so unlikely that quality would suffer so badly.

Alex Maranda · September 18th, 2007, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Andrada

I asked the guys at BlackMagic if they had any tests they could post - from any kind of decent camera. Haven't heard from them yet, though.

I think there are quite a few of us who would really like to know what's going on - it all seems so unlikely that quality would suffer so badly.

I have in fact tested the Intensity Pro over component a couple of months ago - this was from a a Sony Z1E cam. This was an engineering test so I wasn't looking for PQ specifically. I don't have any clips to show, but it didn't look bad, just a bit softer compared to a HDMI source.

Rolf Seitz · September 18th, 2007, 03:43 PM

I just received my Intensity Pro and installed it. I then connected my XH A1 (PAL) with the component cable.... The BM Capture Tool didn´t get a Signal, neither did Premiere Pro 2. I tried a while but it wouldn´t work.
If you guys could help me with that i could then upload some images captured via component.

Some more Infos:
got the latest Intensity driver of the BM page.
My System:
Core 2 Extreme
Asus P5B Deluxe
2GB Ram
7900 GT 512MB
loads of HD Space

Robert Ducon · September 19th, 2007, 12:53 AM

I own the big brother, the Decklink HD Extreme.. component captured fine - turned the camera on, plugged in the cables to the camera, to the computer, voila.. computer saw it.

Had to tinker with settings on the computer's end (specifiy what the signal was, etc) but it worked. It was in April, so I can't really tell you what I did - too long ago - but it worked. The Intensity Pro should/will too.

Rolf Seitz · September 19th, 2007, 01:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Ducon

I own the big brother, the Decklink HD Extreme.. component captured fine - turned the camera on, plugged in the cables to the camera, to the computer, voila.. computer saw it.

Had to tinker with settings on the computer's end (specifiy what the signal was, etc) but it worked. It was in April, so I can't really tell you what I did - too long ago - but it worked. The Intensity Pro should/will too.

That sounds good, but actually I didn´t find a menu where I could specify the Signal....or if it should use component or HDMI as Input.

September 13th, 2007, 09:16 PM	#1
Paul Watkins Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: glassboro, NJ Posts: 87	Blackmagic Intensity Pro capture 4:2:2 (1080x1920) over component? Does the Blackmagic Design intensity Pro capture 4:2:2 (1080 x 1920) over component? The website is not clear about component capabilities.

September 18th, 2007, 03:43 PM	#13
Rolf Seitz Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Zurich (Switzerland); Luxembourg (L) Posts: 44	I just received my Intensity Pro and installed it. I then connected my XH A1 (PAL) with the component cable.... The BM Capture Tool didn´t get a Signal, neither did Premiere Pro 2. I tried a while but it wouldn´t work. If you guys could help me with that i could then upload some images captured via component. Some more Infos: got the latest Intensity driver of the BM page. My System: Core 2 Extreme Asus P5B Deluxe 2GB Ram 7900 GT 512MB loads of HD Space __________________ Canon XH A1 -> Blackmagic Design Intensity Pro Manfrotto 701RC2 on 755BK

September 19th, 2007, 12:53 AM	#14
Robert Ducon Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Victoria BC Posts: 400	I own the big brother, the Decklink HD Extreme.. component captured fine - turned the camera on, plugged in the cables to the camera, to the computer, voila.. computer saw it. Had to tinker with settings on the computer's end (specifiy what the signal was, etc) but it worked. It was in April, so I can't really tell you what I did - too long ago - but it worked. The Intensity Pro should/will too. __________________ Mac + Canon HV20

September 13th, 2007, 10:59 PM	#3
Bill Ravens Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: santa fe, nm Posts: 3,264 Images: 10	The REAL question is what the bit depth is for the A-D conversion. No one, not even BMD seems to know.

September 14th, 2007, 02:16 AM	#4
Alex Maranda Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Bucharest Posts: 33	the resolution of the ADC is 10 bit (NXP TDA9975) http://www.digchip.com/datasheets/ne...02/1080824.php it is used for both HDMI and analog component. However I doubt the driver passes through that bit depth (likely just 8), it would overlap with their more expensive pro cards. I could be wrong, I didn't bother to check as I don't have 10 bit signal sources.

September 14th, 2007, 08:50 AM	#5
Paul Watkins Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: glassboro, NJ Posts: 87	Thank You for the information. I didn't want to make assumptions about component capabilities.

September 14th, 2007, 06:09 PM	#7
Paul Watkins Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: glassboro, NJ Posts: 87	That footage captured analog component Originally Posted by Doug Harvey is bad . If this is what I can expect of this combination, I will keep my money. Does anyone have any other samples, good or bad of this combination? That way I can Identify if it's the setup or the operator. ( no disrespect to Doug). I would hate to base my decision on one example.

September 15th, 2007, 12:32 AM	#8
Jim Andrada Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,211	Maybe you'd have more luck getting an answer from BM than Bill Ravens and I have had. Of course there could be a million reasons, like noise on the cables, connector issues, bad D to A in the camera, - or bad A to D in the card. Or any combination of the above All of these seem a tad unlikely, but it has to be due to something.

September 18th, 2007, 01:22 AM	#9
Jim Andrada Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,211	I finally got a reply from BlackMagic They said that so far as they know their A to D should produce excellent results and they seem really surprised that there might be an issue with it. They also said that in their experience good cameras have excellent D to A and they really doubt that that's the issue. So the plot thickens. Oh where oh where has the quality gone, oh where oh where can it be? With it's price quite high and it's output so short, oh bring back the answer to me. Or something like that:<))

September 18th, 2007, 01:09 PM	#11
Jim Andrada Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,211	I asked the guys at BlackMagic if they had any tests they could post - from any kind of decent camera. Haven't heard from them yet, though. I think there are quite a few of us who would really like to know what's going on - it all seems so unlikely that quality would suffer so badly.