Synching a 2 Camera shoot using the A1, the H1, and an AJA Ki Pro
 

Since the A1 does not have a jack pack you can't genlock or synchronize an H1 which does have SDI,TC out and genlock with an A1. However if you have an AJA Ki Pro, you can synchronize the free run time code on the H1 and the Ki Pro. Then simply record the A1 (via component connection and RCA audio) to the Ki Pro and you will have matching timecodes between the Ki Pro (that is recording the A1) and the H1. This is so cool because the captured HDV file (via firewire) from the H1 and the prores file from the hard drive of the Ki Pro (recorded from the A1), can be edited in synch, with one file layered on the other in Final Cut Pro or Premiere. The sound and the video from the 2 camera shoot will match when the timecodes are matched. In my experiment, the match had to be offset by one frame, but it is awesome not to have to align the clips manually. Of course not everyone has this exact configuration, but I tried it matching a Canon HV10 with the same result. You should be able to use any HDV camera as long as it can connect to the Ki Pro. It is not the ultimate solution because the Ki Pro produces real nice 10 bit Prores 422 and the recording on the H1 will be HDV recorded to tape at 8 bits at 4:2:0 color in this set up.

Capture XH A1 w/ Ki Pro Card
 

When you capture the A1 with the card, will it be 10bit (4:2:2) HD, bypassing HDV compression? I am wondering because I am interested in shooting green screen work in HD, and am trying to avoid the heavily compressed green channel of Firewire Hi-Def.

I don't have a Ki Card, but I have a Matrox MX02 Mini. It captures h.264, not Pro-Res, but as an i/o device will it basically do the same as what you are describing here, or because the a1 has no SDI (only component), I will never get better than 4:2:0 with the XH A1? Can I sync cameras the same way with a MX02 mini as I can with a Ki Card?

Not to my knowledge, Erin. That would be true with a Canon HV40 through HDMI, but the XHA1s is 1440x1080 right from the CCD's at 4:2:0 8 bit interlaced. A great camera that is starting to show its age with no digital out to work with.

Cineform conversion to 10 bit 4:2:2 may help in post, though.

Regarding sync, I've just finished a large three cam project of about 20, 5-10 minute training films and purchased Plural Eyes sync software and it worked a dream. The best $150 I've spent in a long time. It saved me hours of manually syncing