Sony GV-HD700 HDV video Walkman gets US release date and price
 

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/sony/sony...ros-282647.php

Now you don't have to shelve the substantial amount for a HVR M series VTR for a decent (although it won't make Custom TCs) HDV machine.

awesome...I want 7 lol.

- Kyle

Great a monitor and a back up all in one. Plus a capture deck.

So we can just mount this baby up on the camera and use it for focusing HD? If so this is very interesting - a hell of a lot cheaper than a Marshall too (assuming the lcd is comparable)

Big question.
 

Will it play back 24p or 24f 1080i from other sources like the Canon XH series, or is it primarily only possible for proper playback for Z1U style cameras?

I forget if Canon encodes 24f only, or it adds extra frames in.

Anyone seen the original press release? I cannot find the press release at Sony-USA web-site.

Here's the info directly from Sony:

http://news.sel.sony.com/en/image_li...asset_id=30998

http://news.sel.sony.com/documents/c...HD700Specs.pdf

Interestingly, it comes from Sony's consumer division instead of pro. The published spec of 1152k pixel screen resolution would imply 800x480 (in three colors) which is comparable to the other 7" LCD's on the market. That's pretty cool, like getting a free deck and firewire along with your external LCD screen. The multiple screen profiles are also interesting.

FYI, we prefer that you don't publish links to news stories on other sites. Try to use actual links from the manufacturers; Google easily found the two links above.

And yet another HD deck with no HD component or HDMI inputs.

I think is a very important feature that is missing from the HD world unless you want to jump up to a $10,000.00 deck.

With a HDMI input you could edit HDV in realtime in your NLE and output live via HDMI right into the deck to record to a HD tape. No rendering needed.

I realize not everybody would want to go back to HDV tape but I'm sure some would and even more would do it if they had the ability to do so for a quick HD backup.

I can understand the lack of component inputs since people could use the deck to record HD broadcasts but why not HDMI?

But isn't part of the problem with HDV that you have to render an edited timeline before you can send it back out in HDV format? How would a deck with an HDMI input change that?

By using the same encoder chip that is in cheap HDV cameras to encode HDV on the fly. In cameras the encoder takes the raw feed from the DSP and encodes a HDV stream in realtime.

In most NLE's the power is already there for RT HD editing. Add a cheap card and you can output that RT performance out of a component, SDI or HDMI port.

It is the same concept as a DV deck being able to record an analog feed onto a DV tape. In this case the deck converts the analog video into DV video on the fly. We should also have HDV decks that do this which would make backing up masters very easy and fast. This would also give a quick solution for those who need to quickly edit and output a project to give to a client right away.

B&H is accepting orders. Also, Sony web-site shows September 14 for availability date.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...O_WALKMAN.html

P.

just got my new toy a GV-HD700. $ 1078 plu $ 78 s+h.

sweet.....now i am ready for the winter sport season. takes the l and m series batt. so i can use the batts from an old broken hi8 camcorder.

great feature is the zoom in, up to 5 times.

How are you going to mount this deck to your camera? Interesting idea, but I'm not sure it was designed with that in mind. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

like ethan said, it's not designed to mount, also the weight is 3 pounds. does your accessorie shoe/ tripod/ tripod head.. supports that, plus mounting hardware?

Not sure about 24f, but since 24p is packaged in a 60i stream, no problem. Also, my friend's FX1u (US) can playback 50i Z1u footage.

heath

Nice! I wouldn't think this would support 720p (HDV1) would it?

I'm pretty sure it will do playback, probably not 720p60, though. And I doubt it records to 720p; that's why Sony and JVC have higher-end models.

Heath

Well, if it at least plays 720 24p I can use it as capturing and review deck for my Hd100 besides having a portable set monitor for those situations where you have no power. I have no need to record 720p.

I believe I read somewhere that the PMW-EX1 XDCAM EX camera will have a live HDV feed out of the firewire jack.

If so, this deck might make an interesting backup device/external monitor for the PMW-EX1. It would be useful if you need an instant archive of an XDCAM shoot, or for for those projects where the client expects you to hand over an HDV tape at the end of the day.

Brian,

That sounds incredible! Immediate tape back-up once you're done shooting.

Heath

It sure would help resolve some of the misgivings I have about abandoning cheap, archival tape media for expensive, temporary flash media, wouldn't it?

Of course, the tape version wouldn't be an exact copy, since it would be HDV codec, instead of XDCAM. But it would probably be good enough for most uses.

I'm sort of a "belt and suspenders" kind of guy when it comes to irreplaceable documentary footage; I want redundant backups. When I make the jump to HD, I'm thinking the way to go is either:

1. A PMW-EX1 with one of these HDV decks, OR;

2. One of Sony's proposed interchangeable-lens HDV handicams with an HDMI version of Convergent Design's new flash memory deck.

Either way, you get tape AND flash -- the best of both worlds.

Since neither of these options are available right now, it's a good thing I don't have the money anyway. It will force me to wait until they're both on the market. ;-)

EDIT: Sorry Brian. You posted your post while I was typing mine.
FYI...
Bear in mind that according to a reviewer in the UK, the HDV port only works at the lower 25mbit 1440x1080 not 35mbit 1920x1080 datarate. Which makes complete sense. Also at the lower rate, 1080/24p is sent out over 60i.

Still, it is great that they included that option.

although not listed, i hear this machine could play back dvcam. Anyone tested it yet?

All decks I've ever used from Sony playback DV and DVCAM; the HDV decks playback those and, obviously, HDV (1080i60 and 50; 24p is packaged in a 60i stream). Some decks, I believe, playback the 720p HDV formats.

heath

For us, backing up to HDD is both cheaper and easier to duplicate for security. We're doing 1920 x 1080 productions and the Cineformed input "original" files are saved (from tape or HDMI direct capture), as well as the final program "output" masters. Even if we go to the EX1 or another cam, we'd do it that way. Until there are large capacity optic formats (1 TB), for the quality, security and speed, it seems like the best way to go.

There are some real benefits as well. CF'ed masters are fairly compact and very high quality, as well as allowing us to easily find, copy and reuse our material.

We are building "stock video" libraries this way as well, and having things on HDD (eSATA drives) allows us to easily plug in a HDD and find or add to our material.

Forget tape, it's from our past and is well forgotten.

Aren't you nervous about hard drive failures? And do you have a laptop on the set to do the transfer to HD?

I'm thinking about "run and gun" situations where portability would be key. Can't really lug around a laptop or stop and transfer.

I like hard drive storage too, but I've has a few drives get flaky on me, and I don't think I'd trust them for long-term storage of anything important.

Karl,

it is not entirely clear from Sony's literature if the GV-HD700 can record HDV. The literature mentions SD record and playback and HDV playback. I don't expect it to be able to record to HDV from the analog inputs, but can it record HDV from the IEEE 1394 input?

For example, with my Canon HV20, I can input HDV into my computer, edit it, then encode it as an HDV stream and write it back to a tape in the HV20. Could you please verify if this is possible with the GV-HD700?

Also, are you overall happy with it?

hello,

yes it does over the ieee1394.
my new sports package is a small hd sony hc7 and the walkman.
have done several football games (how boring!) and basketball games. the big screen acts like my lcd monitor. i record 2 tapes at the time, one for the coach, and one i keep as a master.
the very best thing are instant replay, frame by frame, slowmotion, (had an injury during a soccer game, could show where, when, and how it happens)

for an upcoming basketball tournament the refs. agreed to use this function for viewing if needed.

can use my old sony batts., use and store/ carry it in a hard case ($ 20 from lowes) will take a pic of the set up, so you can see.

downside..i have not figured out how to connect a lcd monitor to it, getting only a b&w pic. also think the audio part is weak (speakers) need to use headphones.

Can this unit back up (record) and play canons 24f? from an hv20 and xha1? and if so is it recompressed or just a copy of the original compressed hdv from the camera?

24F or 30F from a Canon XH or XL -- no it cannot. That's known as Frame mode and this deck is not compatible with Canon's Frame mode.

24P from a Canon HV10 or HV20 -- yes it can. Since that video is recorded in a standard 60i stream, compatibility is not a problem.

Sorry to take so long to get back to your question, Brian. Yes, HDD's are a risk, but so are optic media! I've had DVD backups go bad when the glue holding them let go...

There certainly is no "ideal" solution, but since we plan to duplicate these latest productions in both DVD and whatever HD optic solutions appear (HD-DVD and Bluray both seem very temporary/intermediate formats to me) they seem to be a good choice for now.

As HDD's get cheaper and cheaper, duplicate backups are wise as always. 500GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 drives are under $120 as of yesterday and the 1TB are only a little more than double the cost. That's a lot of storage space even for "full" HD and 2K/4K! And some of the other drives are very durable as well. Nothing today is very permanent, but at least the HDD "solution" helps make it fast and easy to duplicate that info to any new thing that comes along.

As to run 'n gun, tape and flash seem to be the only real options (unless you have a custom portable solution converting on the fly to CF on HDD... that's why I started the "RIO project" and a friend built one for us. It's definitely a working, real-life, right-now solution, though a bit bigger than what CF is wanting to put together). Hopefully a small, light and flexible system will soon exist to allow us to do HD with in long formats.

Irregardless, we'll still need something to transport, edit and store that HD video and I guess that's why we are using HDDs. If flash drives were cheap, we'd use those instead!

In a Perfect world
 

In a perfect world this unit would have a Expresscard/34 interface instead of a memory stick slot. Then it would really take off. I used to use the minidv version as a capture and record deck in my office. if it had a way to injest both fomats you could have a A B setup and the editor would not have any problems getting the two formats into the NLE no matter where they are or what the hardware set up is.

so I cannot use it on an XHA1 but it would work to record and view a tape from the hv20,

I understand it cannot play 24f what about recording a 60i stream from the xha1 through the firewire? is that a possible or it just wont work at all?

Of course it is compatible with 60i from a Canon XL or XH series camcorder.

I think I asked that in a bad way, what I meant to say if on the xha1 I was shooting 24f could that be output and captured into the device through firewire only in a 60i stream like the hv20 does? Not that I would want that per se, but it would be better than getting no back up at all, I am am guessing that some software could likely remove the 24 frames from the 60i stream.

Does this work with the jvc HDV (i.e. Gy-HD110u)?

It looks like a discontinued JVC product, elusive little bugger, cant even find its model though I know Ive seen it....

Karl, any luck with some pic's? I'd be interested to see how you're using it.

Cheers.

CU-VH1US-P

It took Sony a long time to finally release there own version and you know the old saying:
Better late than never.

hello andrew,


ops, i am sorry....

i am leaving the walkman while recording in the hard case, in front/ left of me. remember i am using it for sports sitting on bleachers. tripod in front of me.

here they are.

$ 19 hardcase from lowes

layout

top left 2 batt. tapes
next to it all cables sony walkman

2 filter cases
hc 7 camcorder


http://www.msnusers.com/sonywalkman/_homepage.msnw

Sony GV-HD700 is now $1,079.95 at BH and also here is the link for the manual in pdf format:

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/mod...00&region_id=1

P.