Raw uncompressed component signal?

[Luis Reggiardo]

Does anybody know if the once-announced "Live uncompressed 720P signal through component" (4:2:2?) is available on the final production models?

If so, may anyone post RAW framgrabs from that signal? Can you get 24P or just 50/60?

And about the HD-SDI needed converter: What would be the most affordable option? (Miranda HD is around 4.000)

Thx!
L

[Barry Green]

According to the general manager of product development for JVC, yes the raw uncompressed signal is available. If I'm not mistaken, he may have intimated that it's actually the equivalent of 4:4:4.

An HD-SDI converter is the start of the process. Then you'll need a computer with a high-speed bus (PCI 133mhz isn't fast enough to handle uncompressed HD) and a RAID of about 8 hard disks, and enough storage space to handle a data rate of somewhere around 5 seconds per gigabyte. That's not a very common configuration, so I doubt we're going to see end users capturing the uncompressed HD anytime soon.

[Ian E. Pearson]

Capturing an uncompressed signal is probably unreasonable for most setups. If you would like to get a less compressed signal from this camera you might wanna take a look at Cinefrom Prospect HD. It looks like one of the best options if you are trying to convert the analog out to HD SDI and capture from that.

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[Joe Carney]

Just to chime in ...don't the BlackMagic Design boards/codecs have the option to convert to a lossless compression scheme? If so, then you would still need an affordable analog to sdi converter. With the BMD, couldn't you get away with SATA Raid instead of scsi? Much more affordable, though I would still recomend getting a mobo with at least 2 pci express slots.

Anyone here have a BMD setup?

[Michael Maier]

Blackmagic has a great analog/HD-SDI converter which sells for $1500. That, plus a $600 HD card also from them, and you are good to go.

[Thomas Smet]

Actually the Blackmagic Multibridge converter for HD is $2000.00. The $1500.00 converter is for SD only.

[Tommy James]

Why would anyone want to record the raw uncompressed signal of the camera ? That would be very inefficient. If 720p60 is what you are after then you convert the uncompressed analog signal to digital using an HD-SDI converter then you run that signal through an MPEG-2 encoder then you record the compressed MPEG-2 transport stream. Unfortunately a JVC MPEG-2 encoder costs 30,000 bucks so hopefully there will be a cheaper solution.

[Kevin Dooley]

There is a cheaper solution (albeit not that much cheaper). You can run it to a DVCPRO HD deck...there's one out for $21,000. Or, rent a deck for whatever your format of choice is when you need the 720p60. Or, heck, capture it on a computer in a some type of codec instead of uncompressed... like DVCPRO HD or HDCAM, or even a lossless codec from Lumiere or Cineform.

[Jacques Mersereau]

Originally Posted by Tommy James

Why would anyone want to record the raw uncompressed signal of the camera ? That would be very inefficient.

Higher quality is the answer. Yes, capturing the uncompressed signal
means dealing with huge data rates and currently associated high costs, but
Hollywood is has its reasons for choosing this path when shooting
digitally.

1) Sharper images (very important when projecting on the big screen).
2) Richer color (and the ability to go further with 'color correction').
3) Better contrast (Information normally lost in compression is kept).
4) No macroblocks, jaggies or other compression issues.
5) Better compositing.
6) Better for blue/green screen.


As hard drive speed and storage size increase this "inefficiency",
as you call it, will become less of an issue. The fact is that
when you have an HD camera that can provide uncompressed quality
for under $6K, there should be enough left in your budget to purchase
the capture/storage solution that makes uncompressed HD affordable.
Certainly, those who want superb quality should be able
to afford an AJA Analog HD-HDSDI converter
($1500) or the Blackmagic-design.com system ($3500) and rent an HD deck.

[Michael Maier]

I do think it's unresonable to think one can shoot a whole feature that way. but for greenscreen work, it's very doable, according to many. You need a component to HD-SDi converter and a HD-SDI capturing card like the $600 decklink. Then you can capture it as DVCPRO-HD or some other HD 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 codec. You need a very fast machine and fast and enough storage. I think with 5-6k you can have the set up for it.
Component to HD-SDi converter $1,500
Decklink HD $600
Super fast PC self built + 8 drive RAID $4000 (box only, but you should have a monitor and the rest)

This is a rough estimate. But should be pretty close. Besides, Blackmagic is coming out with a card which does it all, convert and capture. It might be chaper than the 2 separate solutions.