HD-SDI On XHG1: Mainly For While Shooting? at DVinfo.net

Todd Mattson · March 8th, 2007, 09:40 AM

Is the main purpose of the SDI output on the G1 so that you can extract uncompressed footage WHILE recording, say while recording to a RAID drive? I can see how this would be appealing to those who shoot narrative or strictly in studio, but to me, a run and gun documentarian, it certainly doesn't appear to justify the $3000. Is there any benefit to using the SDI on playback, as compared to say Firewire? Bear with me, I'm just trying to make sure I'm ruling this option out for the right reasons.

Vincent Rozenberg · March 8th, 2007, 09:43 AM

If you're planning to do a lot of effects/correction etc. with your HDV material, it would be a good idea to capture via SDI then in a 4.2.2 colourspace and an uncompressed codec. That could be a reason to use SDI post shooting.

Todd Mattson · March 8th, 2007, 09:52 AM

I could see that, but still, with the type of docs I do, there isn't much call for a whole lot of effects. Thanks for validating my notion. Here's a question - has there been any talk of "Andromedizing" the XHA1, or having a way to add the outputs later on if need be?

Doug Davis · March 9th, 2007, 10:42 AM

But once it is recorded to tape wouldn't it be compressed to the file type on the tape?

What good would SDI do?

Robert Sanders · March 9th, 2007, 12:18 PM

Canon's HDV implementation is amazing and nearly bullet proof. Because you're using the camera for more run and gun type shooting I wouldn't spend the extra money on the HDSDI. You'll rarely use it.

Barlow Elton · March 9th, 2007, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Davis

But once it is recorded to tape wouldn't it be compressed to the file type on the tape?

What good would SDI do?

SDI is good if you want a realtime capture/transcoding to more robust editing codecs in QT or AVI. (and I edit often in HDV despite its inconveniences)

With the embedded SDI on the G1 you get audio and timecode, which the H1 doesn't have via SDI.

March 8th, 2007, 09:40 AM	#1
Todd Mattson Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 89	HD-SDI On XHG1: Mainly For While Shooting? Is the main purpose of the SDI output on the G1 so that you can extract uncompressed footage WHILE recording, say while recording to a RAID drive? I can see how this would be appealing to those who shoot narrative or strictly in studio, but to me, a run and gun documentarian, it certainly doesn't appear to justify the $3000. Is there any benefit to using the SDI on playback, as compared to say Firewire? Bear with me, I'm just trying to make sure I'm ruling this option out for the right reasons.

March 9th, 2007, 12:18 PM	#5
Robert Sanders Starway Pictures Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Studio City Posts: 581	Canon's HDV implementation is amazing and nearly bullet proof. Because you're using the camera for more run and gun type shooting I wouldn't spend the extra money on the HDSDI. You'll rarely use it. __________________ http://www.starwaypictures.com http://starwaypictures.blogspot.com/

March 8th, 2007, 09:43 AM	#2
Vincent Rozenberg Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Rotterdam, The Netherlands Posts: 475	If you're planning to do a lot of effects/correction etc. with your HDV material, it would be a good idea to capture via SDI then in a 4.2.2 colourspace and an uncompressed codec. That could be a reason to use SDI post shooting.

March 8th, 2007, 09:52 AM	#3
Todd Mattson Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 89	I could see that, but still, with the type of docs I do, there isn't much call for a whole lot of effects. Thanks for validating my notion. Here's a question - has there been any talk of "Andromedizing" the XHA1, or having a way to add the outputs later on if need be?

March 9th, 2007, 10:42 AM	#4
Doug Davis Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Birmingham Alabama Posts: 259	But once it is recorded to tape wouldn't it be compressed to the file type on the tape? What good would SDI do?