Hernan,

I have the XLH1, and while we're still looking for an affordable, portable HD-SDI capture solution, I have been remarkably impressed by the images from Canon HDV compression. If you really want to look for a bypass to HDV, you have to go up to the XHG1. But I think you will be impressed with the HDV for most all applications (except HD Broadcast). Not to mention that even ingesting HDV material is a handful for most desktop NLE, the uncompressed signals would choke most systems.

Component out of all HDV cams bypasses HDV compression.

How portable does it need to be? Seems to me a computer with an HD-SDI capture card and a fast SATA RAID all connected to a small portable generator could do the trick, and that could easily be carried on a golf cart. Just a thought...

uncompressed HD component out signal in XH A1
 

After reading several topics about this issue of the uncompressed video (even though the A1 proved to have an excellent HDV image) regarding the possiblity of HD broadcast for low-budget filmmakers, nobody gave me an answer that clears it up completely.

What type of signal comes out of the component out of the XH A1 and the HV20 and what can we do with that, more than just preview the recorded staff in an HD monitor?

As i said, i havent work with HD before, but i want to know where i put my money and what future perspectives i have. Thanks to all!

Using a G1 I can tell that from a visual point, and unless you either put your nose into the monitor or have the actual reference to compare, there's not much difference between an HDV frame and an HDSDI one. However, the data is there and pulling keys is much easier of course.

There is an additional cost. To get away from HDV compression (and even if component out of an A1 is 4:2:2, it's still an analogue signal and will result in some loss via digital conversion), you'll need extra hardware/software to capture and edit that data. Currently, cineform's Prospect and the AJA Xena (the analogue input version for an A1, or the cheaper digital only one for the G1) will do it, but for another $3-5K US.

Do you want uncompressed or intermediate 4:2:2 10bit files? Sure -who doesn't. However, from a business decision, will your job/work require these files (can you charge more for them?), or is it overkill and you should have just upgraded to better lighting and higher quality mics?

Even with Cineform and my ubber end gear I still encounter issues, it's the nature of this job, and I still manage to meet deadlines get work done. One thing I do know is that I'll never go back to SD/DV.