Does the FX1 record 720p?
 

I've either read this wrong or have been misinformed. Once and for all could someone tell me does the HDR FX1 record in 720p? or does it only record in 1080i and I mistakenly read this somewhere and someone meant downconverting after capture. Hmmm.... just wondering

Thanks!
-Ben

No, the FX1 and Z1 only record at 1080i. They are not capable of progressive frame capture i.e., everything including the CineFrame modes are recorded to tape as interlaced.

~jr

Thank you.

Ben Bixby

O, sorry but can someone tell me one more thing please!!... I downloaded some m2t files and watched them on my computer, some of them have tons of artifacts in them and some of them seem perfect with no horizontal lines or anything like some others that do have those problems. Is that the actual file straight from the camcorder? I'm worried about these small videos because i dont want that problem with mine. Thanks for your help people, i appreciate it very much, now only if there was a camera shop around here that rented out FX1s.

Ben
 

Hi Ben, which player are you using to view the m2t files? How is your computer set up?

In my experience, two things have caused artifacts while viewing - a player that cannot properly handle the resolution, or insufficient hardware.

I was unable to play back full res HDV m2t files on my AMD 1800+(artifacts and scrables appear).

However, with a newer AMD 3000+ HDV plays back flawlessly. The video card is very important also, I find that a newer NVIDIA or ATI (AGP or PCI Express) is necessary to view HDV at native resolution on a big monitor.

I use VLC player and recommend it for viewing the m2t files. ( http://www.videolan.org/vlc/ )

I've never seen any serious 'artifacts' in the original video played back on the camera or a properly configured computer. Minor blocks in the video can sometimes appear when panning fast across a busy scene -- like a following a race car -- but many times I find this is very acceptable, especially if downconverting from HDV to DVD resolution.

Well my computer is top notch, but maybe its my res? I'm running 1024x768 but i see lines in the some of the footage that i have, but in one clip (noted CF30 by the person recording it) ran perfect!(mx footage from this site: http://www.vasst.com/HDV/FX-1_images-Surfers.htm .... I am also using VLC and i love it. But this video shows (http://www.stevenunez.com/videos/IvanHeli.mov) pink stuff all over the place for me, dont know if thats actual footage from the cam screwing up or what, thats my concern. i took that from steve off this thread: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...6&page=1&pp=15 - just wondering why that pink stuff shows. Thanks!

Yes the M2T files should be the MPEG2 Transport Stream right from the camera. (I know the ones from the VASST site are) If you are running your PC resolution at 1024x768, you are definitely downrezing the images which are natively 1440x1080, both vertically and horizontally on-the-fly. You have got to expect that there will be artifacts in the resize (depending on the subject matter) and cannot judge the quality of these images unless you are viewing them at full resolution.

When I preview my footage from my Z1 in Sony Vegas there is a BIG difference between Preview mode, Good mode, and Best mode so the algorithm used to down size has a lot to do with it. Note: I cannot play these files back on my P4 3.0Ghz PC at full frame rate so I would imagine that if you are seeing them played back at full speed, your player may be making tradeoffs in quality to do so.

~jr

Ben... What size monitor do you have? If it's a 4:3 format monitor, it really needs to be no smaller than 19" to view HD material properly. If it's WS 16:9 format it needs to be at least 17".

If you haven't got your monitor settings at greater than 1280x720 then as mentioned - you'll not be seeing true HD quality. Right click on your desktop and change your monitor settings, because 1024x768 ain't gonna cut the mustard...

I'd be a little wary of making any decision over HDV quality from a *.mov file!! It's probably been through quite a few processes - not the least of which will be resizing - then data-rate reduction for web distribution, etc, etc...

As for any HDV (or purported HDV) stuff available on the net - apart from the VASST material - I'd be rather wary of it's encoding or the processes it's gone through before it's been uploaded. As much as the owners of these cameras relish the idea of sharing their material with others, it's a sad fact that not all of us are familiar with the right approach for providing untainted material for assessment, or are endowed with enough server space to upload files of such massive size...

As an FX-1e owner, who has a 83cm HDTV to view Broadcast HD and HDV straight from the cam on, I can vouch for the fact that the 1080i video from the camera is better in image quality than what is being pumped to air on HD channels.

My computer monitors are a 19" Viewsonic graphics CRT 4:3 running at 1280x1024 32Bit 75Hz refresh and a 17" Samsung Syncmaster LCD 16:9 WS running at 1280x720 80Hz refresh. While I watch HD from a VisionPlus HD PCI DVB-t card and edit FX-1e and HD10u material on these monitors, I'd never expect them to show anywhere near the quality that my Sharp Aquos LCD HDTV achieves with the same material.

You may just have to try to get your hands on a FX-1/Z1 for demoing prior to deciding whether to purchase - I'm sure there'll be a retailer who would rather let you see what the camera can achieve before you buy, rather than seeing your money go elsewhere... maybe you should let them know that could be the case?

If I have mind set to 1280 by 1024 or 800 by 600 the picture quality doesn’t look any better same either way.

All good points i will take into consideration, and yes, i have an old 4:3 monitor that i am using now. I hadn't really thought all that through, so thanks for clairifying. Thanks for all your help, I really appreciate it and the people who run this forum!

Thanks,
Ben Bixby

As JR said, if you are viewing at anything other than 1900 x 1200, you won't be seeing native pixels, you'll be seeing a scaled picture. Depending on software rescaling capability, the scaling might be good, might be bad.