Live multi-camera shoot
 

Looking for thoughts on how to have a live switched multi-camera shoot in DV on a budget with a "switched" master in DV. It's for a business conference with a two podium "dueling speaker" format and want to avoid capturing and editing hours and hours of video in post. We also use the switched video for i-mag so we have to switch it live anyway.

We've edited "iso" from each camera and tried recording an analog (S) feed to DV but would like a true digital master tape somehow.

We use XL-1's, have two Panasonic DV decks as well as a Panasonic MX-50 switcher. What else would we need? Are there "true digital" switchers without too many zeros in the price tag? We still would need a live i-mag feed, too.

Thanks!!

True Digital Switcher?
 

What exactly do you mean by "True Digital" switcher? The MX-50 is a digital switcher/mixer. I provide multi-camera production for live to tape and/or IMAG with XL's and the MX-50 ISOing each camera for back up and post options and master to a DV deck and the picture is always crystal clear. It sounds like you have everything that you need.

Hi James, I think John is referring to a switcher with FireWire or DV inputs. Unfortunately there is no such thing, except for the weak Videonics MXPro DV with only two DV inputs (on one single bus, at that). Everything else I'm aware of is SDI in and out (for those who are curious, SDI is a higher-end digital video connector, more robust and reliable than FireWire but much more expensive). Anyway that's my take on what John is referring to. You're right of course, he already has the tools if he doesn't mind using the analog outputs of his cameras.

You're correct, Chris. The MX-50 is a digital switcher by semantics; without DV input or output of some kind, it's still analog. I believe "digital" (as related to the MX-50) refers to the way it works with images...dissolves, effects, etc. I want to avoid composite video, or even S, anywhere in the loop if at all possible. With our current method, the quality is O.K., but noticeably different compared to DV footage recorded at the camera. Again, I'm trying to avoid capturing and editing hours and hours of video when we could live switch and be done with it.

Yesterday afternoon, I attended an DV seminar and briefly discussed the same issue. It appears the MX-50 is discontinued and has been replaced with a switcher with an SDI option (I think it's the MX-60; can't remember). I'm still not clear how to get an SDI signal from the camera to the switcher, however.

Is there some type of Firewire to SDI "box" that would reside with the cameras? I'm assuming Firewire is not a viable option because of the cable lengths needed for a multi-camera shoot in a large venue.

I'm also not clear if SDI carries audio or just video.

Thanks for the help!

Laird makes a DV to SDI converter. There may be others, but I can't think of any at the moment.

Jeff

John, I'm curious about the DV seminar you attended. Who put it on, where was it, cost? Thanks,

The seminar was kind of a meeting of the minds of producers and equipment dealers put together by a Markey AV (a large rental/staging company in based in Indy.)

Markey's realized they need to move to digital gear and wanted some input from people like us that hire them for events, and from the equipment dealers to better understand what type of gear they need to acquire.

About 20 people attended. It was more of a round table discussion vs. a seminar.

We heard from a dealer for Christie projectors...learned that they have SDI capabilities enabling a true digital signal from camera to screen.

We discussed cameras, formats, compatabilities (and lack thereof), projection, storage, live switching and DVD.

It was an interesting afternoon; there is so much to know.

Thanks -- I'm always interested in how those things go.