GY-HD100 questions, questions...

[Doug Boze]

Folks, I'm new here and only recently stumbled across JVC' s site with the GY-HD100. I have to admit, this thing has caught my eye, and I want it back. Seriously, it looks like a great, affordable upgrade path to 16:9 from my present DXC-327a/DSR-1/Fujinon S19x6.5BRM-38.

There is much to commend the GY-HD100, but some things are not clearly stated in the specs and elsewhere, and since I want to make an informed comparison, I would like more info. I know, more should be coming in a few months.

1: I see there is an ND wheel (or switch?) but nothing for 3200K or 5600K. Is this done electronically like a consumer camcorder? It does allow for manual white balance, doesn't it?

2: I think I figured this out, but it appears not to need a separate tripod adapter. From the photos, it appears to be bolted directly to the tripod mounting plate (BTW, I have a Bogen/Manfrotto 3066/3192). I suppose that wouldn't be too inconvenient...

3. The "system" graphic in the brochure shows both IDX and Anton Bauer battery systems as optional. I have a pair of V-mount batteries, an IDX charger, and adapter plate on my DSR-1. The GY-HD100 appears to be physically too small to accept the IDX V-plate adapter.

4. I assume that if I were to record in HDV, the resulting tapes would be unplayable in my DSR-25 VTR, but what about SD in, say, 24P or 30P?

5. There is no mention of S/N ratio, vertical smear or sensitivity ratings for the CCD block. I take it that this is a brand-new assembly. All of my shooting is outdoors in daylight using a tripod, anyway, and I'm reasonably confident that 1/3" CCD technology has bettered the old 1/2" Hyper HADs.

What else? I can't think of anything off hand. The sweet thing is that if I liquidated my present setup, it should pay for a GY-HD100 kit in full.

Any thoughts?

[Barry Green]

Originally Posted by Doug Boze

1: I see there is an ND wheel (or switch?) but nothing for 3200K or 5600K. Is this done electronically like a consumer camcorder? It does allow for manual white balance, doesn't it?

Definitely. There's a manual white balance switch on it.

2: I think I figured this out, but it appears not to need a separate tripod adapter. From the photos, it appears to be bolted directly to the tripod mounting plate...

It does offer an optional $1000 tripod plate. However, I'm pretty sure it also has a regular built-in tripod socket. Don't know 100% for sure.

4. I assume that if I were to record in HDV, the resulting tapes would be unplayable in my DSR-25 VTR, but what about SD in, say, 24P or 30P?

HDV tapes will be 100% unplayable on any DV deck. However, the JVC also shoots regular DV at 24p and 30p, and those would be playable on your DSR-25. It also shoots standard-def at 60p, but that would only be playable on a JVC HDV deck.

5. There is no mention of S/N ratio, vertical smear or sensitivity ratings for the CCD block. I take it that this is a brand-new assembly. All of my shooting is outdoors in daylight using a tripod, anyway, and I'm reasonably confident that 1/3" CCD technology has bettered the old 1/2" Hyper HADs.

They do mention that the chips are newly-designed. The older JVC HD1 had quite poor sensitivity, weak latitude, and a whole lot of chroma noise. Hopefully the new chips have improved a lot since then. The live output at NAB looked very good, so I'm banking that they have.

[Doug Boze]

Originally Posted by Barry Green

It does offer an optional $1000 tripod plate.

Yeow! Must be some mighty sophistomicated doodads in that plate, else it's made of platinum and depleted uranium. I think I'll use a large hose clamp if nothing else, or MG muffler brackets.

You're right about the white balance, I just went blind staring at the pics.

Strange that the BR-HD50 was supposed to show up this month but isn't yet on B&H's site, too. Since the HDV format is in collusion with Sony, I wonder if they have a suitable VTR. I tried to visit their Business Solutions site earlier but they were off line.

[Barry Green]

Originally Posted by Doug Boze

Since the HDV format is in collusion with Sony, I wonder if they have a suitable VTR.

Do *not* look to Sony for a VTR for the JVC. JVC and Sony are not "in collusion" on HDV. The JVC implementation and the Sony implementation are fundamentally incompatible with each other. While there is a concession in JVC HDV gear to allow you to play Sony HDV tapes, it is only via analog -- you cannot digitize a Sony tape from a JVC deck. Same thing in reverse -- Sony HDV gear can play a JVC HDV tape via analog, but cannot digitize it. You cannot firewire clone an HDV tape from a Sony camera to a JVC camera (or JVC deck to Sony deck, or any combination thereof). And the prior JVC high-def cameras (the HD1 and HD10, which pre-date HDV) have no support for Sony HDV.

Sony and JVC both use the banner "HDV" on their equipment, but it's not a unified format -- more like a truce. If you want to work with HDV digital data, you'll have to get the deck that is made by the same manufacturer as the camera. The other manufacturer's deck or camera will give you no access to its competitor's digital data stream.

[Bill Edmunds]

Originally Posted by Barry Green

Sony and JVC both use the banner "HDV" on their equipment, but it's not a unified format -- more like a truce. If you want to work with HDV digital data, you'll have to get the deck that is made by the same manufacturer as the camera. The other manufacturer's deck or camera will give you no access to its competitor's digital data stream.

You just saved me a ton of money by posting this info. Thanks!