Can I record HD and output letterbox SD?
 

I am trying to set up a live 3 camera shoot using a Newtek Tricaster Pro video mixer, one Sony FX1 and two Canon A1's. The FX1 is connected to the mixer via S-video and the Canons are connected via BNC composite--both analog connections. We want to record HDV to tape on each camera, but we want to feed letterboxed SD to the mixer, which can only take analog SD.

The Sony does just fine; we see perfectly proportioned 4:3 letterbox on the Tricaster's monitor. The Canons, however, give us 16:9 stretched to fill a 4:3 area. I have been all through the manual and have tried multiple settings and I can't get what I want.

Is this just not possible with a Canon XHA1?

Hi Stephen. Try Signal Setup/Letterbox - ON. It's on page 99 of the manual.

Richard

Richard, I'm fairly sure he means running the two A1's BNC's thru the video mixer... which can't be letterboxed. Just another possible item for a firmware update, because it's just plain silly it can't do that :)

Bill

Hi Bill. I didn't try it for myself, but I thought the video on the AV and BNC were the same signal, and that letterboxing would work for whichever output was selected. If it doesn't, then I agree it is silly.

Richard

Been trying to figure this one out today also; I need to output a live letterboxed image from the camera. The letterbox function as described above is from the playback menu (camera must be in "VCR" rather than "camera" mode to enable the letterbox item, and it doesn't seem to make any difference when the camera is switched back to live monitoring.

I find that Newtek Tricaster Pro video mixer should have aspect ratio control switch at output.

I am also thinking to use an regular DVD recorder in between the component out from XHA1 and the VGA Projector. The DVD recorder should be able to accept 16:9 from XHA1 and allow me to change the aspect ratio to 4:3 and output to the projector.

Have anyone tried this setup?

Re: Can I record HD and output letterbox SD?
 

Has this isssue ever been resolved? I'm having the same issue with the XHA1 -- trying to downconvert HD signal out of BNC to display letterboxed on a Trinitron 4:3 monitor. Thanks...